Every writer I know has been there. You're halfway through your novel, and suddenly a brilliant idea for a new story pops into your head. It's fresh, exciting, and seems so much easier than the mess of plot threads you're currently wrestling with. Before you know it, you've opened a new document and started typing away on this shiny new project.

But here's the thing: that urge to jump ship isn't about lacking focus, it's about lacking the courage to face the hard parts of writing.

Let's be honest – writing is tough. It's not always the romantic, inspiration-fuelled process you imagined when you first picked up a pen. Sometimes it's a slog, a battle against self-doubt and seemingly unsolvable problems. And when we hit those rough patches, it's tempting to think, ‘Maybe I'm just not meant to write this story. I'll try something else instead.’

This pattern, sometimes called ‘shiny object syndrome’, isn't unique to writing. It happens in all creative fields, in business, even in our personal lives. We come up against a problem we don't know how to solve, and instead of facing it head-on, we look for an escape route. We convince ourselves that this new idea, this new project, will be different. This time, we think, it'll be easy.

But here's the hard truth: there is no easy path to creating something worthwhile. Every story worth telling, every book worth reading, comes with its own set of challenges. And it's by working through these challenges that we grow as writers and as people.

Think about it this way: when you abandon a project because it gets tough, you're robbing yourself of the chance to become a better writer. You're missing out on the lessons that come from figuring out how to fix a plot hole, or how to make a character more believable, or how to write that tricky transition between scenes. These are the problems that teach us the most valuable lessons about our craft.

So what does it look like to stick with a project, even when it gets hard?

First, it means accepting that difficulty is part of the process. When you hit a roadblock in your writing, try to shift your perspective. Instead of seeing it as a sign that you should give up, see it as a sign that you're about to learn something important. Every problem you solve is a skill you're developing, a tool you're adding to your writer's toolbox.

Second, it means being willing to write badly for a while. Often, writers abandon projects because they're afraid of getting it wrong. They think that if the words aren't flowing perfectly, if the story isn't unfolding exactly as they imagined, they must be on the wrong track. But the truth is, most good writing starts out as bad writing. It's through the process of revising, rethinking, and rewriting that the best work emerges.

Each ‘bad’ idea, each imperfect draft, is a step on the path to something good. It's only by working through all those not-quite-right versions that we arrive at the one that works.

Third, sticking with a project means learning to sit with discomfort. When we hit a tricky part in our writing, it's uncomfortable. We feel frustrated, maybe even a bit scared. Our brain tries to protect us from these uncomfortable feelings by urging us to do something else – anything else. But if we can learn to sit with that discomfort, to keep writing even when it feels hard, we'll discover strengths we didn't know we had.

Now, this doesn't mean you should never start new projects or that every single idea needs to be turned into a finished book. Sometimes, after giving it a fair shot, you might realise a particular story just isn't working. That's okay. The key is to be honest with yourself about why you're setting something aside. Is it because you've genuinely explored the idea and found it lacking? Or is it because you've hit a rough patch and you're looking for an escape?

If you find yourself constantly starting new projects but never finishing them, it might be time to make a commitment to yourself. Choose one project – it doesn't have to be the ‘best’ idea, just one that holds your interest – and promise yourself you'll see it through to the end, no matter what. Set a goal, whether it's a certain word count or a complete first draft, and stick to it.

Remember, finishing a project doesn't mean it has to be perfect. In fact, it probably won't be. But a finished imperfect draft is worth far more than a dozen perfect first chapters. You can always revise and improve a complete draft. You can't do anything with a collection of abandoned beginnings.

As you work through your project, you'll face problems you don't know how to solve. You'll write passages that make you cringe. You'll have days where the words just won't come. But with each problem you tackle, with each bad draft you improve, with each writing session you push through even when it's hard, you're building more than just a story. You're building resilience, skill, and confidence in your abilities as a writer.

And here's the beautiful part: all of this struggle, all of this hard work, leads somewhere amazing. If you keep at it, eventually you're left with the good ones that actually work. Those kernel ideas that survive your doubt, that withstand your scrutiny, that emerge from multiple revisions – those are the ideas that form the heart of truly great stories.

So the next time you're tempted to abandon your writing project for a shiny new idea, pause. Take a deep breath. Remind yourself that the difficulty you're facing isn't a sign of failure – it's an opportunity for growth. Embrace the challenge, push through the discomfort, and keep writing. Your best work is waiting on the other side of this struggle. And trust me, it's worth the journey.