The difficulties of defending oneself come into play right away. I know of cases where defendants are given a plea form, ask the bailiff what to enter, and the bailiff tells them to enter guilty. The other big decision you must make at arraignment is whether to waive your right to a speedy trial. If you are in custody and cannot get bail or O.R. you probably want to get to trial quickly. That gives you and your lawyer more time to build a defense.
Patience is crucial.
Criminal litigation is a war of attrition, and time is on the defendant's side. As a defendant you will not be privy to that discussion, but your lawyer should keep you informed and should include you in the strategizing. It's really important that the client not be forced to plead out. If you really stick with it and do massive amounts of investigation, often you can win at trial even when you thought it impossible. There is a flip side.