What Keeps You Going as a Writer?

[Story_Marc]

I've been feeling somewhat nihilistic recently when it comes to writing since I'm in a phase where it's harder to see the point in sharing anything I'm genuinely passionate about as a creator. I'll never stop writing or creating because I love it, but a part of me wonders what motivates others to actually share stuff when they're at their emotional lowest since I've been feeling like just giving up on my true passions. It's lonely. And writing to market is, frankly, easy. So what practical reason is there to not just give up on one's own ideas and just exclusively serve others?

And before anyone comments on taking a break or anything like that, I don't need a break. I'm not at my emotional lowest and I love the act of creation itself. I've just noticed the thoughts popping up again lately and I'm being proactive against it.

 

[Corty]

Seeing the numbers going up on my novel and receiving comments. That's the drug that keeps me writing daily.

 

[Bobple]

Having work not completed.

Enjoying creating ideas.

Together = Keep Writing.

 

[Story_Marc]

Seeing the numbers going up on my novel and receiving comments. That's the drug that keeps me writing daily.

That isn't something you're experiencing if you're actually at a low as a creative. ? Those at a low don't receive external validation.

 

[Corty]

That isn't something you're experiencing if you're actually at a low as a creative. ? Those at a low don't receive external validation.

I have been writing every day for 2 years straight. What do you think, did I hit lows or not?

please…

 

[Story_Marc]

I have been writing every day for 2 years straight. What do you think, did I hit lows or not?

please…

I'm sure you have. I'm curious what worked for you when you were in those moments of low, when that stuff wasn't there.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

I'm sure you have. I'm curious what worked for you when you were in those moments of low, when that stuff wasn't there.

Share stuff for one reader. Someone will like it, and make your day. When I had a popular novel, I got a lot of comments. But there was always that one reader that commented who I looked forward to the most.

 

[Eismann12]

I've been feeling somewhat nihilistic recently when it comes to writing since I'm in a phase where it's harder to see the point in sharing anything I'm genuinely passionate about as a creator. I'll never stop writing or creating because I love it, but a part of me wonders what motivates others to actually share stuff when they're at their emotional lowest since I've been feeling like just giving up on my true passions. It's lonely. And writing to market is, frankly, easy. So what practical reason is there to not just give up on one's own ideas and just exclusively serve others?

And before anyone comments on taking a break or anything like that, I don't need a break. I'm not at my emotional lowest and I love the act of creation itself. I've just noticed the thoughts popping up again lately and I'm being proactive against it.

I'm sure you have. I'm curious what worked for you when you were in those moments of low, when that stuff wasn't there.

Maybe take motivation from the joy of your readers?

It may sound silly, but that helped me.

Or think about your readers in general.

 

[Corty]

I'm sure you have. I'm curious what worked for you when you were in those moments of low, when that stuff wasn't there.

I wasn’t joking or spurting copypasta. The numbers. Simple as that.

I have stories that didn't produce what I envisioned. It made me in turn less and less motivated and less inspired to write them.

But when someone came in, commented I continued doing it.

It's that simple for me. With my successful stories, when I get into a bit of a slump, the fact that people are reading it and looking forward to the next chapter is what gets me going.

As a writer that is what gets me out of any negative space… and if I don’t get feedback then I take a step back, think out a different story, and start over until it works.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

I wasn’t joking or spurting copypasta. The numbers. Simple as that.

I have stories that didn't produce what I envisioned. It made me in turn less and less motivated and less inspired to write them.

But when someone came in, commented I continued doing it.

It's that simple for me. With my successful stories, when I get into a bit of a slump, the fact that people are reading it and looking forward to the next chapter is what gets me going.

As a writer that is what gets me out of any negative space… and if I don’t get feedback then I take a step back, think out a different story, and start over until it works.

Yeah, I love it when your readers start arguing about the lore of your work.

 

[Kamelingil]

Before I made my first novel back in 2022, I keep dreaming about making an Animation but it was futile because I'm still an amateur to drawings, so I keep thinking what should I do to make my story until I discovered Novels exists (that's certainly disappointing for me to discover it now when it existed for many years) and I wrote what my dream keeps thinking about. Now I made it and I'll wait for it to be adapted as a Manga/Anime/Movie

 

[Corty]

Yeah, I love it when your readers start arguing about the lore of your work.

I'm fine with simple cookie-eating blobs. That's all I need to lift my mood.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

I'm fine with simple cookie-eating blobs. That's all I need to lift my mood.

Totally... I just thought it was neet when that happened in my novel. I never expected it to happen.

And here you go

@Story_Marc
It's a tough question. Everyone is different.

I write for myself because I was having trouble finding a novel a loved out in the ether and just started writing for me.

It's been a bonus to get a following.

So, do you write for yourself, for readers, or both?

 

[Iamnotabot]

The saying "fine i'll do it myself" describe very clearly why i became a writter.

 

[Rhaps]

I am a DM before I am an author, I have created many stories for other people to enjoy. I like to see the players have fun, celebrating their victories, overcoming hardship, what story I can craft for them.

The sole reason why I keep writing is because I like stories where people could think about, theorizing what would happen next.

Seeing the reader count make me happy, there are people enjoys and fasinated about my world, thats what I wanted.

 

[Syringe]

Simply writing. Nothing more, nothing less. I can't sit still without writing anything. Another factor is that I also want to see where the story goes. There is nothing more gratifying than reaching a fantasised point, and I've legit shed tears having reached those milestones because I've had them going over in my head over and over for weeks to months on end.

And one final factor are the people that read/interact with me whether here or elsewhere. Doesn't matter if it's about the story or not. I'd be lying if I said that this didn't play a major part what keeps me going. Considering what they want verses what I want is a delicate balance and I've learned this the hard way. I think rationalising your story for your audience + yourself is a motivator in of itself because you know you're not the only one looking forward to your own writing.

Of course, having someone come by and thank you or offer cookies is one of the best motivators of all.

I've had long lost minecraft fan fictions that was read only by myself and maybe 10ish people that had 1 million words. The only motivation needed for that was wanting to read what I felt was missing from other similar fan fics/stories. Basically, I wanted to set thing straight in my own pov. My previous here story went on for 2 years and didn't go that far, but I let it hit over 600k words because I enjoyed it until I realized how awful my writing was. Barely anyone really read it. So it served as a foundation of what not to do moving forward.

But I won't lie, it was pretty disheartening to see. Either way, it held a silver lining.

 

[Dia779]

I've been feeling somewhat nihilistic recently when it comes to writing since I'm in a phase where it's harder to see the point in sharing anything I'm genuinely passionate about as a creator. I'll never stop writing or creating because I love it, but a part of me wonders what motivates others to actually share stuff when they're at their emotional lowest since I've been feeling like just giving up on my true passions. It's lonely. And writing to market is, frankly, easy. So what practical reason is there to not just give up on one's own ideas and just exclusively serve others?

And before anyone comments on taking a break or anything like that, I don't need a break. I'm not at my emotional lowest and I love the act of creation itself. I've just noticed the thoughts popping up again lately and I'm being proactive against it.

I always get inspired by every bit of whatever i find interesting in most if not all medias its not even funny.... to the point the inspiration ends up messing up the flow of the ones i should focus on.

Anyways, for me, its because i wanna share my ideas and hopefully inspire others so that they can either twist some themes to become more interesting or even make something new n interesting.

Also cuz im also really, really tired of the typical MC gets isekai/OP system/Girls always fawn over them theme.

Don't get me wrong tho, some are pretty good with the right kind of setup.

 

[Deleted member 68927]

I have readers. They give me the time of day; I give them scribbles. Binge readers for the Pulp Speed author. It is a match made in Heaven.
I love binge readers so much...

 

[Jerynboe]

I am not doing this professionally and probably never will or could, especially with how niche and derivative my work is. One of the first things that I did when I started writing around a year ago was decide that I was writing for myself because I loved it, and that any external validation would be a welcome surprise.
I started at 1 chapter a day, and I have slowed down as both my passion ebbed and I decided to hold myself to slightly higher standards for my second story, but I’m still writing at least a little every day.
I genuinely don’t know if this would work for anyone else, but having a story that is just a self indulgent trash fire/ unapologetic passion project that you have lower standards for “this is good enough for release” might be good to just stay in the habit of posting. Preferably paired with a schedule, where you are posting whether it’s objectively “good enough” or not.
Not to derail the thread, but what’s the mental barrier to sharing? Why not throw something you’re passionate about out there just out of morbid curiosity? How much or little engagement counts as not feeling validated? If the problem is feeling motivated to post rather than motivated to write… what’s the headspace that says “don’t post this” look like for ya? Is it just that you’ve gotten used to seeking validation so much that something that isn’t playing to the market feels embarrassing somehow? I guess I just don’t understand *not* wanting to post something that I feel like I’ve finished just to put a pin in it and say “that’s the canon version of that chapter. Moving on.”

 

[Bobple]

I'm fine with simple cookie-eating blobs. That's all I need to lift my mood.

?​

Cookie Blob is best blob. Always nice to see one on a chapter.