Hi! and welcome to TNet!
If your shooting indoors (low-light conditions), chances are you can't hold your camera steady enough during the exposure.
You might want to pick up an aluminum reflector with a 250 watt bulb at the hardware store and use it as an additional light source.
You also may want to find something solid that you can brace your camera against to keep it steady while taking your picture.
Another possible factor. . . you could be holding your camera TOO CLOSE to your subject and it's out of focusing range. . . with most camera's,
14" is about as close as you can get to your subject unless your camera has "close-up" or "macro" lens capabilities.
Hope this helps,
watercolor