Whenever we set a writing goal, we can expect to encounter obstacles—roadblocks that distract or even discourage us from attaining our goal. Last week, I encountered a few obstacles myself.

 

After spending much of 2022 focused on creating content for writers, I looked forward to writing fiction again this year. I made a writing plan: loosely outline five novels for an upcoming series, write sample chapters for the first of the five books, and finish book 3 of another series. And, for the first time ever, I joined a small group of women’s fiction writers who will encourage the attainment of goals and critique chapters when requested.

 

A solid plan.

 

What could go wrong?

 

If you’re a writer, you know everything can go wrong.

 

A couple days after I joined the writers’ group and set my goals, my laptop crashed. Frustrating but not insurmountable. I retrieved my desktop computer from storage, set it on my desk, and booted it up—or tried to. It also crashed.

 

I took a deep breath and reflected. I understood that obstacles are part of the writing life and that when they present themselves, we take stock, adjust our plan, and if possible work around the obstacles. So that’s what I did.

 

I made an appointment at Apple’s Genuis Bar, drove 30 minutes in torrential rain, and sloshed my way through the parking lot, laptop in tow, only to discover once in the store that even though I’d scheduled an appointment, a system glitch meant a three-hour wait to have a Genius diagnose my very ill laptop.

 

I sloshed my way back home and repeated the soggy trek the next day, but with better results. Ramona, Genius extraordinaire, quickly administered lifesaving treatment to my laptop, but she warned me that the fix was temporary. My trusty MacBook Pro had exceeded its expected lifespan. And the desktop? When I’d put it into storage last year following my move to a smaller space, I knew it was nearing the end of its lifespan.

 

It took a full week of prayer, work, and before I decided to purchase a new MacBook Pro. In the meantime, I got sick, needed an antibiotic, and then dealt with the unpleasant side effects of the antibiotic.

 

While these problems posed roadblocks to my progress, more challenging obstacles arose from them: fear, frustration, and finally, a dose of discouragement. But as painful as discouragement can be, it proved to be an important reminder of lessons learned and lessons worth sharing.

 

Here are my top five tips for overcoming obstacles that impede your writing goals:

As I considered this post, I posed this question to the members of my Fiction Crafters Cohort: How do you handle the obstacles that stand between you and your writing? The responses I received were both wise and practical, but one response stood out. Kari Brown Ingram wrote:

This month is going to be chaotic with the birth of my granddaughter and I’m going to stay with my daughter’s family for a while to help out. I’m giving myself grac

Kari's comment reminded me that some “obstacles” are gifts to be treasured and enjoyed. When they come our way and interrupt the pursuit of our goals, we can choose to surrender in the best way—by embracing grace.

 

Whatever obstacle you’re facing, I encourage you to breathe, trust, strategize, persist, and surrender. Each act will keep you focused on what is truly important.

This month’s Tips & Tools is the 17th issue of the Words for Writers Tips & Tools newsletter. Wow! That’s a lot of tips and tools for writers to consider. A common question my subscribers send me is “Where in the Tips & Tools newsletters can I find this topic?”

 

Now you can find all the tips and tools I’ve shared in the Tips & Tools Archive. I’ve included the topics included in each newsletter and a link to the newsletter. I hope the newsletter archive will become a valuable resource for you, with craft tips, tech reviews, and other writing advice readily available. 

Those who follow the work of marketing strategist Amy Porterfield had no doubt her first book would become a New York Times bestseller. Last week, Porterfield announced she had indeed achieved that sought-after honor.

 

When I learned Amy Porterfield had signed a book contract with Hay House Publishing Company, I decided to watch her launch process and learn. I joined the launch team for Two Weeks Notice and spent many months observing the runway to the book’s release. As with every Porterfield course or event I’ve participated in, her launch was planned and executed with professionalism, style, and genuine warmth.