How difficult is it for an aspiring author to finish writing a book? Apparently, it’s incredibly hard. Some estimates suggest that as many as 97% of beginner writers never bring their literary flights of fancy in for a landing.

That is a lot of incomplete manuscripts.

What is it that stops people from finishing? From making that jump from aspiring writer to published author?

The reason I feel comfortable dissecting this topic is that, to date, I have published 11 novels and 2 novellas. I have also written to a point of completion, please note that this doesn’t mean publish-ready, at least another 6 substantial fantasy novels I can recall off the top of my head.

So, if I can inject a note of optimism, it is entirely possible for a truly determined writer to finish at least a single book in their lifetime. Whether you only have one book in you and want to share it, or if you dream of a career.

If you’re in either boat, or are just curious about the writing process, it’s helpful to take a closer look.

Why Some Books Are Never Finished

Let’s discuss a few potential issues that may hold you back from finishing your story, and what you can do to try and overcome them. There are many reasons, but I’m going to touch on five of the biggest culprits that I’ve seen in my travels.

#1 Writing for the “wrong” reason

I put the word wrong in floofy quotes because some people feel there is no wrong reason to write. I suppose that’s a fair point of view, but some reasons won’t be strong enough to push a struggling book through to the finish line.

If someone is writing because they want prestige and fame, perhaps hoping that they’ll chance upon a unicorn of good fortune and become the next Sarah J. Maas or JK Rowling… they probably won’t.

If they are penning their prose in hopes of easy money, please understand that there’s no such thing. Yes, some people have hit mega-stardom with their first book, but it’s so rare and unpredictable that it simply isn’t a good foundation for a career choice.

It’s like becoming a prostitute in hopes of being picked up by a billionaire who’ll shower you with riches for the rest of your life. Please don’t. That only happens in movies. You’ll only get syphilis or something.

Write a book if you genuinely want to write a book. It’s not easy to create a complete story; it’s even harder to do it well. But if you feel like this is something that you truly have inside you, that you have a useful topic or an entertaining story worth reading, you’re far more likely to push through the more challenging moments.

#2 Being Too Picky

This is an easy trap to fall into because no one wants to put their heart and mind on display and end up looking stupid. But there’s a paralyzing danger lurking. If a writer scrutinizes their own work to death, it will never live.

This is where outside editors, or at the very least some beta readers, can be very helpful. Because we’re so close to our work, it’s hard to tell when it’s good enough. Or when it legitimately needs an overhaul.

Learn the difference between quality control and pedantic overthinking.

#3 Not Knowing the Ending

This is a huge problem when writing fiction, and it can be catastrophic when writing mysteries.

This point came up recently when I was on vacation. I was floating around in the pool talking with an acquaintance who also likes to write. He was telling me about the many books he’s half or nearly finished writing. Nearly.

As he spoke about some of his projects, it was clear that the stories meant a lot to him. They also spanned a few genres and mediums. But almost all of them were unfinished.

The problem?

“I haven’t figured out the ending.”

It surprised me when he said that because it’s a habit I outgrew in my late teens. I learned early on that if I wanted to write a whole, complete book, I needed to have a rough idea of what the conclusion would be. I’ve even put together a separate post on the importance of timelines in the writing process.

You can’t end a book if you don’t know how it ends. And sometimes you just have to bring it to a close, even if you adjust it later.

But throwing words and scenes together with no set direction is the mark of the casual writer. The erratic dreamer who is more soulful wanderer than business-minded author. That’s fine if you aren’t determined to publish your work, but you will struggle to finish it.

Knowing the ending before you start writing will give you a clear path for the problems, decisions, and conversations that will affect your characters. This is especially crucial in mystery writing because you can’t build a web of lies, clues, and discoveries if you don’t have the answers yourself.

If you don’t know how you want your novel to end, you’re basically just journaling someone else’s life. Pacing will drag, continuity will be non-existent, and you will struggle to find and entertain an audience.

#4 Fear of Failure

Fear is a grotesque beast that squanders the lives of many creative people. Don’t let it make you a victim.

A fear of failure or criticism can be so great that a writer might refrain from publishing their work, or even telling anyone that they write. The dread of bad reviews or the disdain of others can have a paralyzing effect on the new and inexperienced author. What’s the remedy?

Perspective.

Any creative endeavor benefits greatly from keeping potential problems in perspective. Authors struggle with this because creative works are distinctly human and deeply personal. But if a writer keeps negative feedback within its proper confines, it can enhance their work rather than hamstring their careers.

Firstly, acknowledge that sharp words and negative reviews hurt. They do. They sometimes hurt a lot.

But that’s all they can do, unless you give them more power.

For example, if someone walked up to you and said that your child was ugly and you have no right to afflict the public by bringing them out in broad daylight, what would you do? Would you feel embarrassed and put a bag over your child’s head? Even though until that moment of criticism you’d known deep inside that the child was beautiful?

Well, hopefully you’d dismiss that stranger’s harsh words and happily continue with your life. But do you do that out of blind sentiment? No, and it’s the same for authors.

You know the details and nuances of what you’ve made. You know that what you’ve written is a compelling story that can bring joy to readers if they just bloody relax and embrace the delight of reading a good book.

If one person, or even a handful of people don’t like it…so what? Have you liked every book you’ve ever read or every movie you’ve ever watched? No, you almost certainly haven’t. So, don’t give up or worry that your writing is crap because someone leaves a tepid or critical review.

Perspective. You can’t please everyone. You aren’t trying to either.

#5 Being Too Busy

This is legitimate. People are busy, we’re anxious and stressed, it’s hard to make a living, etc. The result is that authors who have responsibilities outside of writing sometime find their biggest struggle is making time to write.

What can you do? Take full advantage of any bits of time you do have. Are you on a coffee break? Commuting to or from work? Are the kids at school or distracted by tech?

Now is your moment to grab a notebook, phone, or laptop and jot down ideas.

Write when you can and treat that time with respect. If you have half an hour (or whatever amount of time) don’t waste it or dilute it. Turn off the internet if need be; shut down every distraction you can for that set span of time.

This is something I’ve had to do, not for lack of time exactly, but to ensure I’m not wasting the time I have. One technique I’ve found helpful is setting a timer for an hour and forcing myself to only write during that hour. I set my phone out of reach and do not open an internet browser unless I need to research something immediately. It’s very effective, and I will keep doing it.

Scheduling in set times to write can help us to view that time as spoken for and not let unimportant things nibble into it.

Identify your stumbling blocks

If you are struggling with finishing a project, it’s worth your while to examine what factors might be holding you back. Hopefully, this list will help you identify some potential roadblocks and be on the lookout for others.

Every writer needs persistence, but we need more than that to finish what we start. So, be honest with yourself about why you’re writing and if you are doing so with purpose and clarity. Define your goals and find the direction you want to be heading in. That’s when progress happens.