Here's how you can overcome common writing problems.

As a former newspaper journalist and current freelance writer, I've suffered from writer's block more times than I can count! I'll usually give myself a grace period, say 15 minutes to a half hour, to try to overcome it. If I still am having trouble putting "pen to paper," I will force myself to take a break and get some physical activity, like go for a walk/run, or go to the gym. Usually when I get back, I have more energy and it's easier for me to focus and overcome the writer's block.

Close your PC and go for a walk. Bake muffins or take your dog out on a walk. You can also try crochet or cleaning up your room. Basically, when you're facing writer's block, do everything but write.

A paragraph conveys one and just one idea. Paragraphs need to be logically linked to each other. Help your reader make that connection. Are you presenting another idea on the same level as the first one? Or is what follows a more detailed discussion of one aspect of the first idea? Are you adding more facts to support the initial idea or relativizing it by showing exceptions? Use transition words. If you use a chronological structure, think like a cameraman. Show the passage of time, smooth it, and don't make wild jumps back and forth. Structure means taking your readers by the hand so they don't get lost in logical or temporal confusion.

Don't try to sound smart. If something saves one hour of work, say so. Don't write that it "significantly improves time management." Concrete is better than abstract; nothing is worse than a chain of abstract words. This being said some words are more specific than others. Use them. Calling a wrench a wrench is more precise than calling it a tool. If you want to use grandiloquent words, do so sparingly. One or two of them in the right place are refreshing; too many are ridiculous. Never use them if you are not entirely sure about their meaning and connotations unless you want to inspire Schadenfreude.

Write a lot before you start to edit, i.e., don’t “edit as you go.” The more you get down at the beginning, the easier to sense what’s essential and what’s less so. Once you begin to review and edit, try starting the piece with your third or fourth sentence. Give your audience a lot of credit for being able to fill in background or to “catch up” with your thoughts. It’s more enjoyable as a reader to cut to the chase rather than plod through exposition. Finally, assume every page has an expendable paragraph, every paragraph has an expendable sentence, and every sentence has an expendable word (or more).

Accepting and asking for feedback has been one of the hardest challenges I've had to battle as a writer. However, it is also one of the most important aspects of being a writer. There is only so much self-editing one can do, just the other week I discovered a grammar error in a play that I have had posted on New Play Exchange since 2021. It's ok to miss things. I think the most valuable thing I've learned from my years writing and asking for feedback is trusting your instinct. You don't have to accept every piece of feedback if you don't think it fits the piece, but what this does for you is it allows you to understand how others may interpret the piece. Take this feedback and think about how different audiences will think about your piece.

First, I identified my writing villains (procrastination, self-doubt, and perfectionism). Then, I developed my superhero powers (time management, positive self-talk, and iterative drafting).