The One Thing Stopping Us

Someone asked me today what my biggest obstacle to writing is. I thought that was an interesting question. In a sense, we all have obstacles and for various reasons. Some of them are internal while yet others are external. We have people that might get in our way without even knowing they are and we have times where we can get in our own way. So what is it that blocks us all?

Obviously this is different for most people and depends largely on what you are trying to accomplish. For me, I am trying to write. I try to write stories and opinions. I will comment on things and sometimes try to illicit comments. However, when I am writing I think my biggest obstacle is what others have written before me.

Many times, expecially when I am writing fiction, I have a tendency to second guess myself. I guess most people would be able to relate to such a thing because it is easy to think that what we have created is not "good enough". But in my case it is that I have this overwhelming idea in my head that no matter what I am writing I must find a different topic because it has already been done. While this might not get in the way of other ambitious people, it does for me. Regardless of my ambition.

I just feel that sometimes the topic of my story is something that has been so done and overdone that I must find another. Although in most cases this is not true. That is one of the glorious things about writing or just telling a story in general. A story can be told over and over again and not be the same story twice. In addition, even if it is a story that has been told for a hundred years, what is stopping another from telling the same story? Nothing at all. A story being written or spoken is as unique the first time as it is the hundredth time. So why is it that I have such a hard time putting this into action when I am writing?