I have a problem with writing

[DonutLuver]

I've recently decided to pick up writing again - and I was facing a major writers block. I joined a prompt contest from webnovel.

It's about vampires.

Anyway, I have a real mental block when it comes to dropping a story. This story is a bit challenging to write because I was half hearted on the prompt.

I also realized my true calling is writing smut.

Would you finish the story for closure or would you abandon it? I made the world big in my story and now I'm scrambling for a way to end the story in half the planned plotted line short of killing my characters. ???

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Drop it.

 

[DonutLuver]

Drop it.

Thank you, ol' wise one.

 

[Nneeil]

I agree with Sailus Moon. If you feel like sitting down and writing the story has become a chore, you should either drop it or go on a indefinite hiatus. No point forcing yourself to write something you're not enthused about. If you don't like your story, chances are your readers won't either.

 

[DonutLuver]

I agree with Sailus Moon. If you feel like sitting down and writing the story has become a chore, you should either drop it or go on a indefinite hiatus. No point forcing yourself to write something you're not enthused about. If you don't like your story, chances are your readers won't either.

I have mixed feelings about it. There are moments where I'm like super excited about it but the slow burn romance is like a double edged sword for me. So I'm sort of like... dying inside.

 

[LilRora]

I have mixed feelings about it. There are moments where I'm like super excited about it but the slow burn romance is like a double edged sword for me. So I'm sort of like... dying inside.

I've quite similar feelings about writing one of my stories, like I want to write, but whenever I sit down and actually try, I can't get myself to do anything. One way to deal with it is writing following chapters and going back to the point where you left off, but I don't advise it, partly from personal experience. Another is putting it on hiatus.

Droppping a story, in my opinion, is never a good idea (very rarely, at least). Better just focus on something else for a while and see if you're eager to go back to writing after a few weeks. Or months, or even more.

With that said though, pushing on with writing despite lack of motivation or just about anything else is in great majority of cases a bad idea, unless you understand the reason for your block and want to purposefully get past it.

 

[Daitengu]

I say finish the arc you're in and call it. When it comes to vampires and romance there's always 'something'. So you don't have the character get to the end goal. That's what happens to 90% of people. They fail.

 

[Love4NovelGuy]

I have mixed feelings about it. There are moments where I'm like super excited about it but the slow burn romance is like a double edged sword for me. So I'm sort of like... dying inside.

Just decide on where everything should end. Look at where you began and construct an ending that satisfies YOU. When dons, it can’t be said that you dropped it. Maybe just rushed the ending (like most).

 

[JayDirex]

I have mixed feelings about it. There are moments where I'm like super excited about it but the slow burn romance is like a double edged sword for me. So I'm sort of like... dying inside.

It's understandable. The story playing out like an anime in your head is cool, and you'd totally watch the story as an anime. But to actually sit down and write it...Meh.

Let's not forget, writing is MENTALLY TAXING and just. too. much. work. for any type of novel/story that you aren't either obsessed with, or getting paid to write.

And we know how you feel. Many of us have dropped stories that we never in our heart wanted to drop...but once real life hits, or the magic is gone, welp. you know the rest.

Conclusion: Don't write the story if you're not obsessed with it.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

For me, I'd rather finish and close it. I don't want doing anything then abandoning it half-way. Makes a bad reputation for readers too.

I enjoy writing (I'm having fun with it as well) but yes, writing can be stressful...especially when you try to make the scenes, characters and motivations connected/work with logic/common sense. But it's part of being an author, and nothing good comes out of taking it too easy.

If writing has become something like a chore, take a break and reassess your drafts, plans, notes. Then, rewrite your work if you have to. Sometimes we are just too tired to think of ideas, anyway.

 

[JayDirex]

Makes a bad reputation for readers too.

Lol, Hans this is SH. Readers won't remember your name after a chapter.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Lol, Hans this is SH. Readers won't remember your name after a chapter.

Nah, I beg to disagree.

My name is notorious in the main site for deleting and uploading my works again, readers had enough of my shit.

Check the first few chaps' comments on my work (uploaded by Assurbanipal), and you'll see.

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

End it and cannibalize loose story elements for other works.

 

[DonutLuver]

I've quite similar feelings about writing one of my stories, like I want to write, but whenever I sit down and actually try, I can't get myself to do anything. One way to deal with it is writing following chapters and going back to the point where you left off, but I don't advise it, partly from personal experience. Another is putting it on hiatus.

Droppping a story, in my opinion, is never a good idea (very rarely, at least). Better just focus on something else for a while and see if you're eager to go back to writing after a few weeks. Or months, or even more.

With that said though, pushing on with writing despite lack of motivation or just about anything else is in great majority of cases a bad idea, unless you understand the reason for your block and want to purposefully get past it.

Exactly! I feel this. I don't want to drop it because I also like the feeling of closure and the handful of readers that do follow my story probably feels the same way. I know how to get to the ending... it just takes... another 100k words to get there to get a shoddy job done.

So im left wondering, is it better to kill the story or is it better to give out a less than steller product of a work?

I say finish the arc you're in and call it. When it comes to vampires and romance there's always 'something'. So you don't have the character get to the end goal. That's what happens to 90% of people. They fail.

Yes. Originally I had a very simple plot but then my dead ass brain thought - this would make things interesting. Now I have all these foreshadowing and I'm just... ugh. If I do finish the arc, I wonder if there is a way to finish it as an open ending. It would just feel like a massive cliffhanger tho.

Just decide on where everything should end. Look at where you began and construct an ending that satisfies YOU. When dons, it can’t be said that you dropped it. Maybe just rushed the ending (like most).

Thats actually a pretty good idea. The story is still new. I've only been writing this story for like 3 weeks. It's just... I realized I am bad at writing vampires because... I don't really like vampires. Lol.

It's understandable. The story playing out like an anime in your head is cool, and you'd totally watch the story as an anime. But to actually sit down and write it...Meh.

Let's not forget, writing is MENTALLY TAXING and just. too. much. work. for any type of novel/story that you aren't either obsessed with, or getting paid to write.

And we know how you feel. Many of us have dropped stories that we never in our heart wanted to drop...but once real life hits, or the magic is gone, welp. you know the rest.

Conclusion: Don't write the story if you're not obsessed with it.

Thats another thing. I have a full time job and have responsibility with adulting. At one point, writing becomes hard. I have to juggle and sacrifice what to do with my finite time. What do I spend it on and etc. I know some people would say, if you're passionate you would make it work - and I'm sure those talented and driven people would but that doesn't mean I want to write any less. So yes... obsession might be a good word for it.

For me, I'd rather finish and close it. I don't want doing anything then abandoning it half-way. Makes a bad reputation for readers too.

I enjoy writing (I'm having fun with it as well) but yes, writing can be stressful...especially when you try to make the scenes, characters and motivations connected/work with logic/common sense. But it's part of being an author, and nothing good comes out of taking it too easy.

If writing has become something like a chore, take a break and reassess your drafts, plans, notes. Then, rewrite your work if you have to. Sometimes we are just too tired to think of ideas, anyway.

I've also noticed that some writers don't update everyday. Because I was writing for webnovel, to have even a single reader click my story I had to post everyday and sometimes twice a day. That is insane. I'm re reading some parts of my chapter and I can tell where I just vomited words to get to point A to Point B. Exhausting.

End it and cannibalize loose story elements for other works.

Story of my life.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

I've also noticed that some writers don't update everyday. Because I was writing for webnovel, to have even a single reader click my story I had to post everyday and sometimes twice a day. That is insane. I'm re reading some parts of my chapter and I can tell where I just vomited words to get to point A to Point B. Exhausting.

That's the main reason I turned down WebNovel's contract offer. I read it and they'd make a slave out of me.

I prefer to write my story with careful planning and research. While it is mainly classified as 'isekai trash', I did my best to make the characters' motivations and actions as logical as possible, and with proper build up too.

WebNovel's contract won't allow me that.

As for your case, take a break, and reassess your work. Check if you can still do rewrites or fix it. If not, at least, give it a proper ending instead of dropping it halfway.

By the way, my writing style involved finishing an entire manuscript before uploading the chapters online.

 

[DonutLuver]

That's the main reason I turned down WebNovel's contract offer. I read it and they'd make a slave out of me.

I prefer to write my story with careful planning and research. While it is mainly classified as 'isekai trash', I did my best to make the characters' motivations and actions as logical as possible, and with proper build up too.

WebNovel's contract won't allow me that.

As for your case, take a break, and reassess your work. Check if you can still do rewrites or fix it. If not, at least, give it a proper ending instead of dropping it halfway.

By the way, my writing style involved finishing an entire manuscript before uploading the chapters online.

And that's another reason why I feel so soulless about my story. It was from webnovel prompt - and they were looking for certain "elements" that "should" be included. I just can't. ?

Thats a good process. Finishing the entire manuscript before posting. Less stress for sure.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

And that's another reason why I feel so soulless about my story. It was from webnovel prompt - and they were looking for certain "elements" that "should" be included. I just can't. ?

Well, if it's too much, you should end it.

One thing I hate about prompts is that I don't have much leeway on writing ideas.

Thats a good process. Finishing the entire manuscript before posting. Less stress for sure.

And you can correct the plot holes and other inconsistencies before releasing it to the wild.

Well, the stress is still there, but it's not that great compared to running after actual deadlines. Like, the latest book I wrote where I got stressed for its word count. That's all I had to think about.

 

[DonutLuver]

Well, if it's too much, you should end it.

One thing I hate about prompts is that I don't have much leeway on writing ideas.

And you can correct the plot holes and other inconsistencies before releasing it to the wild.

Well, the stress is still there, but it's not that great compared to running after actual deadlines. Like, the latest book I wrote where I got stressed for its word count. That's all I had to think about.

Yes. I guess the reason why I have so much trepidation in dropping a story is because I was a reader of webnovel for a while and it hurts when writers drop their story (for good reason I'm sure). I didn't want my readers (however small they may be) to feel that way haha. So I have this weird moral conundrum.

I think I will meet my internal strife in the middle and just conclude the story with an open ending story. It won't be the best product but hey, it's something.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

Yes. I guess the reason why I have so much trepidation in dropping a story is because I was a reader of webnovel for a while and it hurts when writers drop their story (for good reason I'm sure). I didn't want my readers (however small they may be) to feel that way haha. So I have this weird moral conundrum.

I think I will meet my internal strife in the middle and just conclude the story with an open ending story. It won't be the best product but hey, it's something.

True. We both have the same mindset. I don't like writing and uploading stories I would piss off readers by dropping. I mean, I learned from my mistakes, and now, I'm improving.

 

[DonutLuver]

True. We both have the same mindset. I don't like writing and uploading stories I would piss off readers by dropping. I mean, I learned from my mistakes, and now, I'm improving.

Yes. That and webnovel prompts are very limiting. ?