1. They feel stuck and can’t figure out how to move forward.
2. They simply lose interest and decide it’s not worth trying to keep going.
3. They decide to take a break, except that “break” lasts a really, really long time.
4. They try to work on too many projects at once, and just aren’t wired to juggle so many things at once.
5. They go too hard too fast, then burn out.
6. They struggle with time management and prioritizing and just can’t get it together (yet).
7. They grow out of their ideas/projects before starting/finishing them.
8. Life happens; they have to take a step back, rearrange their priorities.
9. They feel crushed beneath the weight of pressure/criticism/overwhelming feedback.
10. They can’t get past their self-consciousness and related anxieties.
11. They like writing, but they just haven’t figured out where it fits into their life yet. And that’s OK.
Meg is the creator of Novelty Revisions, dedicated to helping writers put their ideas into words. She is a staff writer with The Cheat Sheet, a freelance editor and writer, and a 10-time NaNoWriMo winner. Follow Meg on Twitter for tweets about writing, food and nerdy things.
Meg Dowell Writes 
Amen, and all of these are so true! I tend to take really long breaks, “I feel so emotional, I should rest a bit!” That’s how I missed my NaNoWriMo target last year, I need to print your post just so that I keep these facts of the writerly process in mind. Thanks again for the reminder.
Ooo, that sounds like a great idea. I’m actually considering creating “printable” versions of these posts for download – something you’d be interested in? :)
Reblogged this on Author Don Massenzio and commented:
Check out this great post from the Novelty Revisions blog on common reasons that cause writers to quit.