Every writer hits roadblocks. It's not a question of if so much as a question of when, and more importantly, how you push through them.

Recently, we asked the Stage 32 community a simple question: What's holding you back right now?

The responses flooded in. Writers from 40+ countries shared their struggles. Many familiar, some personal, all valid. What became clear is that the obstacles writers face aren't just about craft. They're about access, resources, confidence, and navigating an industry that doesn't come with step-by-step instructions.

If you've ever felt stuck, overwhelmed, or like you're spinning your wheels, this is for you. Below are the most common pain points writers face right now, and real strategies on how to move forward despite the noise.

1. The Access Problem: Feeling Locked Out of the Industry

The Pain Point:

"What's holding me back is the closed nature of this business. I come from a corporate background where things move quickly, there are clear next steps, and there is always a way forward. The difficulty just getting traction is very tough." — Aaron Newman

Writers repeatedly mentioned feeling isolated from industry gatekeepers. No local connections, no representation, no clear path from "script done" to "script in development." The relationship-driven nature of the business feels impenetrable when you're starting from scratch and don't know anybody. Thankfully meeting people is a very fixable problem - thanks to the internet. Getting them to like you and believe in you, well that's part 2.

Strategies That Work:

Be visible and consistent in online communities. Writer Devon Callahan shared: "I've started joining writers groups (one in person, one online) to keep me accountable. We're all in this together." Consistent engagement in spaces like Stage 32 Lounges or other areas across the internet creates invaluable relationships over time. Executives, producers, and fellow writers notice who shows up regularly with thoughtful contributions. It's not all about having a constantly active brand either. It's about checking in and chiming in. Reminding people you're around and you've still got the juice. Over a long enough time frame, if you provide enough good vibes and good value, people will associate your name with those two key elements and make it more likely they'll refer you.

Leverage what you already have. Brenda Mohammed, who advanced scripts to contest finals, reminds us: "Use your contest placements strategically. Update your profiles, mention them in pitches, and use them to open doors in queries." Validation creates credibility. Use it actively, not passively. When you have a polished and contest-placing script, you can turn to business mode, and you should feel comfortable acting like a business and promoting your success.

Reach out for strategic guidance. Multiple writers mentioned that connecting with the Stage 32 Success Team (success@stage32.com) helped them identify which executives to pitch, which services made sense for their career stage, and how to position their work effectively. You don't have to navigate alone. Ask for help from people whose job is literally to connect you with the right opportunities.

Tap your network. Writer Phoenix Black recently shared what she learned from a consultation call with a Literary Manager, "Ask anyone you know for a referral." Sure, it feels shameless, but if you never ask, you'll never know either. So you gotta have the courage to tap into your own network and ask for a good word from people who already like you!

Get in front of executives. If you're at the stage where every writer friend who reads your work says "wow this is great" and you feel like there's not more room from improvement so far as you can tell, there are avenues to get your work in front of Producers, Managers, and Agents. Whether that's a pitch session, a script read and consultation, or through the Writer's Room Open Writing Assignments (OWAs), these are legitimate, vetted channels where executives like to scout for new material. And they use Stage 32 because we make things turn-key and easy for execs to see lots of projects from writers all over the world.

There are industry scouts everywhere out there. Way more than you know. They're lurking, reading, taking pitches, gathering submissions all over the place. You're in front of them often, but if you're never putting your work up and only waiting for the business to come to you, you'll often surf right past them.

2. The Time Trap: Balancing Writing with Everything Else

The Pain Point:

"Finding the time is my biggest obstacle." — Breyanna Tolbert

Nearly every writer struggles with this. Day jobs. Family obligations. Health. Other creative commitments. Even retirees report feeling overwhelmed with daily demands that leave little energy for writing.

Strategies That Work:

Build accountability structures. Breyanna joined two writers groups specifically to create external accountability. When writing exists only in your own head, it's easy to deprioritize. When other people are expecting to hear about your progress, you show up differently.

Set "writing-first" nights. Jim Boston carves out specific evenings where writing happens before email, LinkedIn, or other tasks. Protecting even 1-2 nights per week as sacred writing time compounds significantly over months.

Build healthy habits. Design your writing time to be very specific. Have a set chair, at a set table, at a certain time to write consistently. Maybe even reward yourself with a little "treat" when you write 10 pages (okay, 5 pages). When you make writing a healthy habit instead of something you do on the fly or at random, you build discipline to get through pages even when your mind isn't running at full tilt.

Accept imperfect progress. Catherine Cole shared: "I can't truly define this as holding me back, but a constant is not having enough time in any given day. Still, constantly putting one foot forward at a time achieves results." She just placed as a Semi-Finalist in a contest. Small, consistent steps matter more than waiting for "enough time" that never arrives.

Like your body, you have to work out your writing muscles to keep them sharp. When you're trying to lose weight, it's never do this one thing and you lose 20 pounds. It's consistent effort, consistent learning or trial and error, and consistently not letting the bad days stop your progress that gets results in the end.

Reclassify your goals. As one writer put it: "Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is pull back and reclassify your goals. Focus on just a few clear, achievable steps instead of trying to solve everything at once." Like Fred Astaire who once sang, "Put one foot in front of the other / And soon you'll be walking 'cross the floor / You put one foot in front of the other /
And soon you'll be walking out the door!"

Try the Pomodoro method. To improve focus and reduce mental fatigue by breaking work into 25-minute intervals (called "pomodoros") separated by 5-minute breaks. Many writers swear by this method.

Log off and turn off the noise: At some point, you have to stop doomscrolling, you have to let your mind clear, and you have to do the work. My trick, set strict time slots in the day where you can look at social media. If you miss them, you miss them. No excuses, no cracking open the apps for a quick peek or catch up, until tomorrow. Always. This one habit I have means I'm not beholden to the algorithm's power over my attention span. You control how much attention you give the distractions and disciplining yourself on healthy ways to engage online the right amount that's best for you - makes a huge difference.

3. The Money Problem: Financial Barriers to Progress

The Pain Point:

"Lack of funds are holding me back. Almost every contest I find fitting for me costs money I do not have. To be honest, I'm about ready to shelve everything and go back to working 50-60 hours a week." — Charity Pleasant

Contest fees. Pitch sessions. Professional coverage. Production costs. For many writers, every opportunity requires money they don't have—, especially international writers dealing with currency exchange challenges.

Strategies That Work:

Prioritize free resources first. Before investing in paid services, exhaust what's available at no cost: Stage 32 Lounges for quick feedback and networking, free webinars, blog articles, podcasts, webcasts, video tutorials, script swaps with other writers, and building relationships through consistent community engagement.

Put yourself out there. It is also entirely free to build an audience. All you need are forums and social media accounts, where you can post anything and everything. You don't have to be "creating content" all the time to build an audience either. Thoughtful, insightful posts can organically build your profile as a thought leader, and with modern technology you can often schedule posts in advance - you can even do a big haul one day, then schedule your posts for the month and let your intelligence and voice build your profile for you.

Build your network. You can and should be adding anyone to your network that you cross paths with. Just follow people and if they like your vibe, they will follow back. Try to connect and build reals relationship over shared interests (like movies!). You never know who you might get along with and it's important to be curious and get to know people on a real level. If you can, attend local screenings, mixers, networking meetups, and workshops in your area. They're a great way to 10x your network with relevant people fast. Start with a goal of meeting 2 people you like per time out. Do that once a month for a year and you have 24 new allies in the film business.

Discounts, Grants, Etc. Grants exist all over. There are funds, initiatives, fellowships, and opportunities out there for undiscovered writers. Do your research and find ones that could be a fit for you and apply. There's no guarantees, but hey if it's free, it's free. If you don't know of any or you're bad at research. Ask! Ask the people who you think might know, ask the people in your network you've built. And ask for discounts too. If you see an opportunity you like, don't be afraid to ask the team behind that opportunity for a discount. *hint, success@stage32.com, hint*

Make something you control. Several writers mentioned creating proof-of-concept shorts or self-produced samples. Vital Butinar is finishing Pure Vortex, an ultra-low-budget feature: "I honestly think this is the limit of what can be done with no budget. But a finished project becomes a tool. It shows what you're capable of when you do have support." Seeing is often believing and you can say "I've got the next big thing" all you want, but the gulf from idea to execution is large, and if you prove you can bridge that gap, that's worth it's weight in gold.

Work toward it incrementally. Many contests are annual. If you can't afford to enter now, set aside small amounts monthly so you're ready for next year's deadline. Working long hours every week doesn't mean abandoning writing, it might just change your pace.

For the entrepreneurial minded: Start a side hustle. Doesn't have to be forever, but do it to raise the funds you want at a given time. Take on an extra shift one night, go thrifting and become an up-cycler, do cool crafts and sell them, consult on something you have expertise in, pose for an art class one time, drive Uber for a night, bet your friend $50 you can do 100 pushups and WIN THAT BET, collect the cans/bottles you use for a month and take them to the recycling center to collect the fee, sell something you need to get rid of or even do a garage sale, wash your neighbor's fence, mow your grandpa's lawn, change your friend's oil, bet another friend $100 you can beat him in a race and WIN THAT BET TOO, paint a picture and convince a rich friend you're gonna be famous one day so they'll overpay for it, etc.

4. The Revision Loop: When Finishing Feels Impossible

The Pain Point:

"I am revising a draft and revisions keep rippling through the script, demanding more revisions. I really don't think this is a page 1 rewrite, so I am pressing on." — Michael Dzurak

As writers, we sometimes get trapped in endless polish cycles where fixing one issue creates three more problems. The script never feels "done," so it never gets submitted.

Strategies That Work:

Separate drafting from editing. Mitchell Parod realized: "I catch myself trying to manage the story instead of letting it breathe. What's helped recently is separating those phases more intentionally and letting myself write something imperfect first, then coming back later with a more critical eye."

Set a "good enough" deadline. Linda Harrison is finishing her first draft while already seeing what needs improvement: "I know getting the story down is the first thing, then build from there." Perfection in draft one is impossible. Completion is the goal. So complete, give yourself a week or two to recover mentally, then dive in and give it a polish.

Use external deadlines strategically. Contest deadlines or pitch session bookings force you to call a draft "done" and move forward. Sometimes external pressure is exactly what breaks the revision paralysis.

When it comes to revisions, don't be afraid to trust your gut and go with what feels right to you. If people tell you one thing, but that's not your instinct, you don't have to listen to them. That being said, the best way to develop great instincts is to read more scripts - produced, un-produced, from friends, from enemies, whoever. Every great screenplay I read has another new little trick I learn that I put in my back pocket and save for later. When it comes time to revise and polish, I rarely find I don't know how to fix anything because over the years, I've collected so many little tricks to get out of any sticky situation I write myself into!

5. The Confidence Crisis: Self-Doubt That Prevents Sharing

The Pain Point:

Fear of rejection, imposter syndrome, and the belief that your work isn't "good enough" prevent writers from sharing material, which guarantees nothing moves forward.

Strategies That Work:

Take action despite fear. Sasha Tomas admitted: "Confidence, courage, and persistence have been my biggest hurdles. But some days, I have to give myself a pep talk. I said F it. Booked some pitches and am going to do it." Courage isn't absence of fear. It's acting anyway.

I always say pitching is a contact sport. You may not like to have to stand up and face the music, with the possibility of rejection hanging over your head, but as long as you step up to the plate and try, you're taking a step forward. No matter the results. And continuing to put yourself out there helps you get reps where you can learn how to take any critique, then how to reframe, restructure, revise what you're doing to get better results.

Reframe feedback as data, not judgment. When Roberto Negron felt "experts were denying his creative chops," the issue wasn't his work, it was treating every note as a referendum on his talent. As one writer pointed out: "If you hear a note once, consider it. Twice, take a serious look. Three times, something's not landing and it's worth addressing." Just don't take feedback personally. It's the worst thing you can do. Like my old high school strength coach used to say, "I'm not attacking you. I'm attacking the problem." If there's a problem someone points out, hear them out and consider. It's not the end of the world. It's just a data point for you to have on what might be a hang up for some people. Clock it and adapt/adjust from there.

Share imperfectly. Grace Balistreri was waiting to complete her entire series before sharing anything. The advice that shifted her thinking: "You don't have to wait until everything is complete. Even sharing a logline or the first 10 pages can start opening doors and help you refine the project in ways you won't see on your own."

Every writer goes through a crisis of confidence at some point. There's so many "nos" in this business and getting to a yes feels like the plot of that new Japanese thriller movie Exit 8. When you're getting every door slammed in your face and the rejections keep stacking up on top of each other, just know -- you're in good company, alongside every writer in existence (even the famous ones!). When I'm feeling low confidence, I always harken to that famous Maya Angelou quote: "You are enough. You have nothing to prove to anybody." Then, keep operating.

6. The Isolation Factor: Writing Without Community

The Pain Point:

Writers in smaller markets, international locations, or niche genres feel creatively isolated. No local collaborators, no writing partners, no one who understands the specific challenges they face.

Strategies That Work:

Build community online consistently. Chase Carmichael struggled with isolation and lack of local animation collaborators. The recommendation: "Stay active in Stage 32 Lounges regularly. Engage in conversations, offer feedback to others, and share your projects. Relationships build over time through consistent visibility."

You never know who you're going to meet or get advice from in a lounge. Execs frequently contribute and comment on posts. There's a wealth of great advice all over this site and you can find solid community around it.

Share your work. It's something I see too infrequently - writers clamoring that no one will read them. It often comes down to well, who did you share it with? Your community are your allies. Ask your allies and your friends if they'll read your work. Many will say yes, and they'll be excited to see you in a new light based on the stories you tell. Everybody likes to be excited, entranced, scared, fall in love, or laugh. Show your friends you can do that for them and you just got a big +1 in their books.

Don't wait for opportunities. Get out there and meet people. Network anywhere you can, go to screenings, mixers, meetups, and put yourself out there. The more people you meet, the wider your circle gets; the wider your circle gets, the more opportunities you become aware of by volume of proxy. If you want to get on sets, call up your local state Film Commission and ask to see what kinds of jobs are available or that they're always hiring for. This is why Stage 32 offers Certifications - so you can get training to work on sets, as a First AD, a Locations Manager, a Production Manager, and many more roles where you can put yourself out there and meet people en masse!

7. The "What's Next?" Paralysis: Not Knowing Industry Steps

The Pain Point:

"I don't know how to move something from interest to firmly setup and moving along. How do you discern between strong interest and passing interest?"

You receive positive feedback on your script ("This is great!") but don't know how to convert enthusiasm into concrete next steps, meetings, or deals.

Strategies That Work:

Ask direct questions. After positive feedback, ask: "What do you see as next steps? Are you interested in coming aboard as a producer? What's your timeline for deciding whether to move forward? Is there anyone in your contacts you would share this with?" Executives expect these questions. Vague enthusiasm without follow-through wastes everyone's time. So make a direct ask, and even if it's a no, at least you didn't waste any time getting there.

Propose concrete next steps yourself. Instead of waiting: "Would it make sense to schedule a call next week to discuss how you see this developing? I'm happy to put together additional materials—do you need a pitch deck or series bible?" If you have an exec on the hook after reading your script, try to reel them in by setting yourself another opportunity to impress them. It's a business, so you do at some level want to exhibit a little business savvy and chase after the opportunities that are in front of you.

Watch for action, not words. Strong interest includes scheduled calls, introductions to collaborators, requests for materials, and clear timelines. Passing interest is compliments without commitment, and it's important to learn to distinguish politeness from pilot season green-light worthiness. If months pass with no movement despite your follow-ups, keep pitching elsewhere.

Producers who genuinely want to develop something act quickly because they're competing with other producers who might also want it. The projects I've worked on, I was usually reached out to immediately after someone read my pitch or my script. Now, not everyone is going to read your work the very second you send it to them and script reads do take time, but in my experience, the response has typically been very quick after they read / do their process because they don't want to miss out. Seeing something they like with clear market value makes execs act fast.

One example I'm constantly sharing is about this writer Darren Yeboah, who got his script requested from a pitch session in 2025 by an exec. Life happened, the exec got slammed and never got around to reading, it was just stuck on his pile. Until last month, the exec reached out to me and was like, hey i finally read Darren's script, I need to meet with this guy! So we got them together that week. When an exec wants to work with you, believe me, it will be very apparent!

8. Finding the Right Collaborators

The Pain Point:

Writers know they need creative partners but don't know how to find people whose skills and vision align with their projects.

Strategies That Work:

Be specific about what you need. Market your project for the right people to self-identify. Vague "looking for collaborators" or "I need a producer" posts don't work. Specific needs do. So don't middle. You get to decide what you want your story to be, so own what it is and be clear and direct about what it will realistically take. Do research to better inform yourself on what's been done before, what the comps are, what the realistic budget range could be, so you can position your project as close to exactly what it is. It's the difference between when my girlfriend says "I'm hungry" vs. when she says "I want tacos tonight." For the former, we're in trouble because I don't know what she wants. For the latter, I know exactly how to plan and execute a strategy to get great tacos. Producers are good at executing strategies to make films but want to see clear signals from you, so they can properly gauge what they will have to do to make it happen.

Engage where your collaborators already are. David Weinberg is looking for a romcom director. Advice: "Spend time in the Stage 32 Filmmaking Lounge. Share a bit about your project and connect with directors actively looking for material. Strong creative partnerships often start from engaging in those discussions." It's so true. If you engage with people outside your immediate circle, you meet more people, learn new perspectives, and eventually come to understand what others need. This is all data, which can help you shape and learn what kind of people you should be getting in front of and you wand to collaborate with.

Lead with what you bring. Don't just list what you need. Communicate what you're offering. Do you have financing conversations happening? Attachments? Contest validation? Make collaboration mutually beneficial. If you bring nothing to the table but your hand out, then you're probably not going to be the type of person others want to collaborate with.

Ask for suggestions. Ask people you know in the industry or execs you meet with: who do you think this would be right for? If you have no idea who to pitch, email success@stage32.com and I can give you tailored suggestions based on your script's logline, genre, and format. It never hurts to ask those more informed and having those conversations every day to learn how you should be moving and positioning yourself.

Know when to say no. Sometimes a great opportunity has major drawbacks. It's okay to say no and not let yourself get burned, when things don't feel aligned or you don't like the vibe. It's important to protect yourself and turn things down when you don't believe they're the right fit. This will save you loads of stress and headaches in the long run.

9. Health & Physical Limitations

The Pain Point:

"Right now, it's struggling with low energy physically." — Jeffrey Pemberton

Chronic illness, disability, and temporary health setbacks create real barriers to consistent output and networking capacity.

Strategies That Work:

Work within your capacity, not against it. Marie Hatten battled flu while trying to finish revisions: "Two weeks of the flu has not helped." Sometimes the strategy is simply: rest, recover, then return. Pushing through exhaustion often produces worse outcomes than pausing strategically. You have to take care of your health first and foremost because this industry is an absolute marathon and not a sprint!

Leverage remote opportunities. Virtual pitch sessions, email networking, and online community engagement level some playing fields for writers with physical limitations. You don't need to attend in-person events to build industry relationships anymore. You can do it all online and at your comfort/speed.

Adjust expectations without abandoning goals. Progress might look different than you hoped, but it's still progress. Small steps sustained over time compound. Don't give up because it's not working right now. Taper your expectations and keep moving.

Adjust your diet/exercise. This one isn't critical, but studies probably show that eating healthier and exercising more boost your mood and give you more energy. With a boosted mood, you're more likely to write and be creative. So take care of your body and treat yourself nicely, so that you can maximize the energy you've got in a given day.

Final Thought: You're Not Alone and You're Not Behind

One writer said it perfectly: "Obstacles are part of the journey, both in stories and in life. The difference is choosing to keep going anyway."

Every writer in this article is navigating real challenges: time, access, confidence, geography, health. What separates those who break through from those who don't isn't luck or talent alone.

It's showing up consistently despite the obstacles.

It's asking for help when you're stuck. It's taking imperfect action instead of waiting for perfect conditions. It's building community so you're not doing this alone.

Your roadblocks are real. But they're not permanent.

The writers who succeed aren't the ones without obstacles altogether, they're the ones who keep moving forward anyway, one stubborn step at a time.

What's one obstacle you're facing right now, and what's one small action you could take this week to move past it?

Pat A.
Writer Liaison
Stage 32

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