Many people make the mistake of thinking that writing is so simple, but it is hard work for the majority of us. The words just seem to flow out of some people, while others have to dig and dig to discover the right ones. Still, there are some common writing mistakes made by most everyone who writes, or attempts to write. Maybe you are dealing with some of the common mistakes discussed below.

1) Do you have trouble starting to write? A lot of people say how they are going to write, they just never seem to get started. If you never start, you’ll obviously never finish. The reasons for not starting are varied - not enough time, can’t figure out where to go next, or you don’t know where to start.

How can you solve this problem? Start anywhere. You don’t have to start at the beginning. You don’t have to start in any specific place, start where your idea is. What you are writing now is not going to be the finished product. Rewrites and corrections can be made later. Right now, just get the words typed into your computer or written down on paper.

2) Do you have trouble finishing your story? Maybe you’ve hit the middle of your story and the excitement, the thrill of it has left. Maybe you’re stuck. Or maybe what you think is an even better idea has occurred to you. This happens to most every writer. So how do you keep from giving in and dumping your current project in the trash or deep in a file that you will never open again?

If the excitement and thrill of the story has left you, then throw in something unexpected. If the mood in the story is calm, introduce something to bring unrest.

If a great new idea for another story has jumped into your brain, just write it down and file it away for future reference. Once you’ve done that, go back to your current story. Try not to dwell on your new idea, no matter how tempting.

3) Do you believe the rules don’t apply to you? Do you believe that the publisher will make an exception just for you? Each writer has his or her own individual style of writing. Still, you must follow the rules each individual magazine or book publisher has put in ink for writers submitting stories to them to follow. Don’t think that they will automatically understand why you didn’t follow that rule or why that rule shouldn’t apply to you. They don’ t know you and they don’t care. All they can see and understand is that you obviously don’t read well enough to understand their rules, so why would they be interested in publishing your work?

4) Do you think that your writing couldn‘t get any better? A lot of writers, professional or learning, sign up for many of the different workshops and classes available online or even locally just to have others tell them how well they can write. They make the mistake of thinking there is no way their writing could ever improve. Always be open to learning new styles and techniques that could improve your writing. There are ways that each of us could improve how we write.

If you don’t want to participate in classes to improve your writing, you can always read and study the works of those who successfully write the type of fiction you want to create. Take their stories apart and see what made them a success.

5) Do you wait to be inspired before you write? Writing is a business just like any other. If you're a truck driver, you don’t just drive your truck when you're in the mood. Likewise, if you're a chef, you don’t just cook when you get a great new idea for a recipe. Writing, especially if it is your main source of income (or if you want it to be a main source of income), needs to be worked at every day, just as any other job. Sit down and write. It is the only way to get your words on paper or a computer screen.

6) How well do you manage your time? No matter how badly you want to write, distractions are sure to come your way. It is so easy to be pulled away into doing something else. When you write, it is you alone with your computer or notebook and it can get kind of lonely. Sit down and write out your schedule for each day. Include writing as one of the things that you must do, even if this means giving up some television time. If need be, get up and hour earlier or go to bed an hour later. If you really want to write, you will fit it into your schedule somehow.

7) How easy is it to come up with new, fresh ideas? It seems as though all of the story lines you think of have been written before. Turn to events in your own life to change this. Your life is unique to every other life that has been lived. The way you view things in life, your perspective, may give a new twist to an old idea. Take advantage of the events in your life that have shaped your values and made you who you are.