Every person who ever sat down to write an essay, or an article, or a letter, or even something as seemingly simple as a social media post knows that writing can be difficult. Even seasoned writers don't sit (or stand) and begin to rapidly write out fully formed sentences, producing great pieces of literature with ease and in very little time. Writing is difficult for every one of us but a lot of people have conquered the odds to produce great pieces of writing so why can't you? Let's look into some common challenges that writers face:

• The words aren't coming
This frustration can make writers question their intelligence. They stare at the blank page or screen in front of them, their hands poised and ready to strike...but nothing comes. It's a really frustrating feeling and writers who feel this way usually avoid writing, waiting for that moment when the words will finally tumble out of their fingertips. Some call this Writer's block.
When faced with this, it's a good idea to relieve yourself of the pressure that comes with that writing project. Try to write something else which actually interests you and is not exactly important. Something for your eyes alone. Writing something of which you have no pressure to do good at could draw your words out. After writing that, you can then refocus on writing that is actually required of you.

• I'm writing words, but they make no sense
I'll offer a solution found in the book, Writing Without Teachers by Peter Elbow: "There's garbage in your head; if you don't let it out onto paper, it will really infect everything else up there". Accept the fact that your first draft won't be your final piece of writing, continue to pour out the garbage in your head. Let the words show themselves on paper or on screen, then write again, again and again, consciously noticing where you made mistakes, and correcting yourself until your nth draft starts to make sense.

• I can't bring myself to start writing
Many people would say, "Just write" and the response in indignation would be, "but that's exactly the problem, I can't write!". This can be especially daunting when there's a deadline. When faced with an assignment which seems boring, turn to research. The internet and library are large sources of information, but also seek advice from experts. If you're writing about, say, health, consider asking a doctor or a nurse you know (remember to quote them in your reference). Talking with a person could prove more interesting than less personal means of research. If you're writing something less serious, take a walk. The change of environment and connection with other people could activate the words which seem to have been lodged in a deep recess of your brain.


Always remember that there's always room for improvement, so if you constantly face challenges in writing, seek solutions to make you writing process easier; and your writing clearer and with a strong sense of your own distinct voice.
Seek out advice from experts, books, and the internet, yes; but also keep in mind that writing advice can be subjective, it doesn't always apply to everyone. Pick out that which applies to your writing experience, work with it, and watch your writing - and writing process - begin to get better.