Tough Love for Writers: 6 Harsh Truths You Need to Hear

There’s a lot of soft, dreamy advice out there for writers. And sure, writing is magical. It’s creative. It’s emotional. But it’s also work. If you want to write seriously, you need to hear the truth. The kind that doesn’t hold your hand, but still wants the best for you.

If you are the kind of person that takes harsh advice well, then this post is for you. If you're not in the headspace to hear this, then go check out my Kind Writing Advice post here! Here are 6 pieces of tough love for writers who are ready to level up.

1. Your Idea Is Not Original — And That’s Fine

Everything under the sun has been done before. Your story is influenced by your life, the books you’ve read, the shows you’ve watched, and the culture you grew up in. The Lion King and Dune? Both retellings of Hamlet. And yet, they’re loved because of how they were told.

Stop hiding your story out of fear that someone will steal it. No one wants to write 90,000 words just to plagiarize a concept they can barely care about. Your execution is what matters.

And once you write it down and save it, it’s legally yours.

Hoarding your story because of ego or fear outs you as a beginner. If you want to be taken seriously, let that fear go and get to work.

2. You Have to Learn the Rules Before You Break Them

Writing is an art, yes. But that doesn’t mean it’s structureless. You can’t pick up a pan and call yourself Gordon Ramsay. You can’t scribble shapes and call yourself Picasso. Great chefs and great artists train for years before they innovate.

Writing is the same. Learn story structure. Understand pacing. Know how to build tension, craft dialogue, and land an ending. Master the fundamentals, then play with them. If you break the rules too early, they won’t look like innovation: they’ll look like mistakes.

Learn how to cook before you try to be a chef.

3. If You're Always Too Busy to Write, Maybe You Don't Want It Bad Enough

Everyone is busy. Life is overwhelming. But when people say “I don’t have time to write,” what they’re really saying is “Writing isn’t a priority for me right now.” And that’s okay. But own it.

If it makes you uncomfortable to say that, good. That discomfort means it matters. If writing is something you really want to do, start making choices that align with that goal. Trade in distractions for small, achievable writing habits. Ten minutes a day. One hundred words at a time. Build momentum from tiny wins.

Waiting for the perfect conditions is just procrastination in disguise.

4. Writing to Publish Is Not the Same as Writing for Fun

If you want to publish, you need to treat writing like a job. That means deadlines. That means editing the same book ten times. That means writing even when you’re tired, and showing up when it’s not exciting anymore.

There’s nothing wrong with writing for fun. It’s beautiful. But if your dream is to see your book on shelves, you need to understand that publishing is a business. It’s a long process. Querying takes months. Getting an agent takes longer. Edits are brutal. Marketing falls on your shoulders. And unless you’re a unicorn, you won’t get rich.

You do it because you love it. Because you can’t not do it.

5. You Cannot Grow Without Community

The idea of a lone genius writing alone in a cabin sounds romantic, but it’s not realistic. You need people. You need feedback. You need to hear what works and what doesn’t from readers who don’t live in your head.

A good critique partner doesn’t just say “this is great” or “this sucks.” They give actionable, respectful, helpful feedback. They tell you what’s missing and help you find it. And you should do the same for them.

If you can’t accept criticism without getting defensive, you’re not ready to publish. And if you can’t give feedback without kindness, you’re not ready to critique. Writing is personal. But growth requires honesty, and that only works in a space built on mutual trust.

6. You Don’t Get to Defend Your Work to Readers

Once your book is out in the world, it’s no longer yours. It belongs to readers, and they will interpret it however they want. Some will love it. Some will hate it. Some will completely misunderstand it.

You don’t get to chase them down to explain what you meant. That’s not how this works.

We’ve all read books we didn’t like. That’s normal. You are not for everyone. No one is. So don’t waste your energy arguing with people who didn’t vibe with your story. Instead, focus on writing something honest, intentional, and clear. Then let go.

Your job is to write the best version of your story. The rest is not up to you.

Final Words

This isn’t meant to discourage you. It’s meant to remind you that being a writer is hard — but also deeply worth it. You have to want it. You have to work for it. And you have to be honest with yourself about where you’re at.

So ask yourself: Am I ready to show up? Am I willing to be uncomfortable? Am I open to getting better?

And if you’re looking for a writing community that takes the craft seriously (with critique, accountability, and resources) check out Plot Pilots, my free Discord server for writers. The application is here. Now, get back to work. The world needs your words!