Writers self-sabotage at times…do you?
You sit down at your desk, fingers hovering over the keyboard. You intended to write, but something is stopping you. Maybe it’s the nagging feeling that your story isn’t good enough. Or you feel the urge to check social media “just for a minute.”
Self-sabotage is one of the biggest obstacles writers face, and it often works in sneaky, subtle ways. Sometimes, we don’t even realize we’re doing it. Whether it’s perfectionism, procrastination, fear of judgment, or overcommitting, these habits can keep us stuck, preventing us from finishing—and sharing—our work.
Once you recognize these self-sabotaging patterns, you can start breaking free from them. Below are five common ways writers hold themselves back—and how to stop.
Writers Self Sabotage 1: The Perfectionism Trap
Meet Olivia: Olivia has been working on her novel for five years. She’s rewritten the first three chapters at least a dozen times, convinced they aren’t strong enough. Whenever she thinks about moving forward, she finds another flaw that needs fixing. Instead of finishing the book, she keeps polishing what she’s already written—stuck in an endless revision cycle.
How This Self-Sabotages Your Writing
I’m a perfectionist myself, and I know what it’s like to want your project to be as good as you can make it. But beyond a certain point, perfectionism becomes a sophisticated form of procrastination. If you never allow the draft to be “good enough,” you’ll never finish. The fear of imperfection keeps you from progressing, and you may find yourself constantly tweaking instead of completing your project.
How to Stop
- Set limits on editing. Give yourself a set number of revisions before moving forward.
- Use deadlines. These can really help! Commit to finishing a draft by a specific date, even if it’s not perfect.
- Get outside help. Beta readers and editors can help you polish up your prose so you feel better about sharing it.
Writers Self Sabotage 2: The Procrastination Excuse
Meet Daniel: Daniel calls himself a writer but rarely sits down to write. He tells himself he needs to be in the “right mood” or get the perfect idea before he starts. But he never starts. Instead, he spends his writing time reorganizing his office, researching, brainstorming, or scrolling through social media for inspiration. At the end of the day, his word count is still at zero.
How This Self-Sabotages Your Writing
Procrastinators are often certain that “tomorrow” will be the perfect time to write. The problem is that tomorrow will be no better than today and may even be worse for inspiring you to write. Real writing is a habit, not a magical moment of divine creativity. If you only write when you feel like it, you’ll write far less than you need to.
How to Stop
- Schedule writing like an appointment. Treat it as a non-negotiable part of your day. You don’t have to write every day if that doesn’t work for you, but you should have specific times scheduled in your week devoted to writing.
- Use the Pomodoro technique. Set a timer for 25 minutes and write—no excuses. If you’re not up to that, reduce the time to 15, 10, or even 5 minutes. Some writing is always better than no writing.
- Write first, fix it later. Give yourself permission to write badly; the editing stage is for improvement. If that’s not working for you, try to write badly on purpose!
Writers Self Sabotage 3: The Fear of Judgment
Meet Priya: Priya has a finished novel sitting on her laptop but hasn’t shared it with anyone. She’s terrified of what people will think—what if they hate it? What if they criticize her writing? When she considers submitting it to an agent or self-publishing, self-doubt creeps in. Instead of moving forward, she tells herself she needs to “work on it a little more.”
How This Self-Sabotages Your Writing
Fear of judgment keeps writers trapped in a loop of never sharing their work. Worrying about criticism is normal, but keeping your writing hidden means you never give it a chance to succeed—or connect with readers. It also stalls your progress. To improve as a writer, you must complete and share your writing, get feedback, and then use that feedback to improve the next time. If you rob yourself of the sharing part of the process, your writing stagnates.
How to Stop
- Start small. Share your work with a trusted friend or a writing group before submitting it publicly. You can also share a little bit on your blog or on an app like WattPad to see what sort of response you get.
- See it as part of your growth. Instead of focusing on this book or project as the end-all in your writing career—which creates more pressure for it to be perfect—see it as one of many. Share the work and immediately get going on the next one!
- Detach from the outcome. Realize that any writer’s first, second, or even third, fourth, and fifth attempts won’t win awards. Writing is about the joy of writing—keep your focus on that as opposed to any outside rewards you may receive.
Writers Self Sabotage 4: The “I’m Not a Real Writer” Mindset
Meet James: James has written several short stories and a half-finished novel, but he doesn’t feel like a “real” writer. He thinks that title belongs to bestselling authors or people who have landed book deals. Since he doesn’t have a major publication, he downplays his work, avoiding conversations about his writing because he feels like an imposter.
How This Self-Sabotages Your Writing
If you don’t believe in yourself as a writer, it’s easy to convince yourself that your work isn’t important. This mindset can keep you from putting in the effort needed to grow, finish projects, and share your words with the world.
But here’s the rub—it’s near impossible to “believe in yourself” until you have evidence to prove that you can do this writing thing. So how do you proceed?
How to Stop
- Own your identity. If you write, you’re a writer—no permission required.
- Acknowledge your progress. Celebrate small wins, like finishing a draft or publishing a blog post.
- Act as if: Act “as if” you are a writer. How would a writer behave? Write, publish, and write again. Do it over and over until you begin to feel like a real writer. Experience builds confidence.
Writers Self Sabotage 5: The Overcommitting Syndrome
Meet Sarah: Sarah loves writing, but she also loves saying yes. She’s signed up for five writing courses, volunteered to help a friend with their book launch, agreed to ghostwrite an article, and joined multiple critique groups. The problem? She has no time left for her own novel. She’s constantly exhausted, and her personal writing projects keep getting pushed aside.
How This Self-Sabotages Your Writing
Overcommitting leads to burnout, leaving little energy for your creative work. It’s easy to say yes to opportunities, but when they take away from your primary goal—your own writing—you end up frustrated and unproductive.
How to Stop
- Prioritize your own writing. Your work deserves time and focus, just like any other commitment. Make it a priority in your weekly calendar.
- Learn to say no. Not every opportunity is worth the time it takes away from your projects.
- Limit your obligations. Pick one or two writing-related activities outside of your work—more than that can become a distraction.
Take Back Your Writing Power
Self-sabotage comes in many forms, but awareness is the first step toward change. Pick one habit that resonates with you and start changing it today. Small shifts—setting deadlines, sharing your work, embracing imperfection—can make a big difference.