Could you write a book you didn't care about?

[CountVanBadger]

Despite knowing that litrpgs are the easiest way to break into the webnovel market, it took me years to write one because I had no interest at all in the genre. I tried once or twice to write a litrpg simply for the attention it could get me, but I always gave up after one or two chapters because I wasn't emotionally invested in the project at all. If I don't feel anything for the story I'm writing, I can't write it. Simple as. It wasn't until I came up with a plot, world, and characters that I actually wanted to tell a story about that I was finally able to write XNPC.

What about you? Would you be able to write a book just because the genre is popular and you could potentially earn money off of it, even if you didn't have an emotional connection to the story or characters?

 

[McPhoenixDavid]

What about you? Would you be able to write a book just because the genre is popular and you could potentially earn money off of it, even if you didn't have an emotional connection to the story or characters?

I'm not familiar with X genre. Yet I'm writing it. Because I am confident I can finish it. As long as I can weave the characters' accurately, genre is not important.

 

[CountVanBadger]

genre is not important.

 

[McPhoenixDavid]

View attachment 44596

My bad. Genre is absolutely unnecessary.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Probably not. Though for money, I may be incentivized. At that point, wouldn't I care about it though?

 

[CountVanBadger]

Genre is absolutely unnecessary.

There isn't an author alive who can write in every genre on earth. Even the most skilled and prolific writers specialize in a small handful of genres. For you to claim that genre doesn't matter is one of the most pretentious thing a writer could possibly say.

At that point, wouldn't I care about it though?

That depends. You'd definitely have have a connection to your paycheck, but does that extend to you having a connection to the story itself? Or would the promise of being paid be enough for you to hunker down and suffer through a story you wouldn't have wanted to write otherwise?

 

[Representing_Tromba]

That depends. You'd definitely have have a connection to your paycheck, but does that extend to you having a connection to the story itself? Or would the promise of being paid be enough for you to hunker down and suffer through a story you wouldn't have wanted to write otherwise?

I think the need for money makes you care about it in some aspect. At the very least, you care enough to make it worth the pay you are being promised. Plus, that is what most commissioned writing is.

 

[CountVanBadger]

I think the need for money makes you care about it in some aspect. At the very least, you care enough to make it worth the pay you are being promised. Plus, that is what most commissioned writing is.

If it's similar to a genre I normally enjoy writing, I might be able to make myself do it. But if someone were to offer me money to write, say, a harlequin romance, the answer would be no. I just wouldn't be able to do it.

Hell, there's been a couple times people have offered me upwards of $500 to write them a weird fetish story. I took one look at what they were into and

 

[Representing_Tromba]

If it's similar to a genre I normally enjoy writing, I might be able to make myself do it. But if someone were to offer me money to write, say, a harlequin romance, the answer would be no. I just wouldn't be able to do it.

Hell, there's been a couple times people have offered me upwards of $500 to write them a weird fetish story. I took one look at what they were into and
View attachment 44600

Caring about it and being able to write it are different. I am not good at writing romance/Sci-Fi and I don't ever want to write smut but I could care about writing it given enough incentive, even if it is badly written due to my lack of skill.

 

[Little-Moon]

If I get paid, or I would earn money doing so...yes, I could. I have no problem with writing things I am not into, just the quality would probably suffer...quite a bit.

But since I don't earn money by writing, I wouldn't be able to. I'd loose interest far to soon and it would go into the void.

 

[Eldoria]

What about you? Would you be able to write a book just because the genre is popular and you could potentially earn money off of it, even if you didn't have an emotional connection to the story or characters?

It's possible to write paid fiction that I don't like, as long as it's ethical and doesn't violate my personal values. However, there will undoubtedly be a significant drop in quality. After all, fiction isn't empty writing, but rather the result of the author's experiences, thoughts, feelings, and world views, narrated into a coherent story.

 

[Cookiez_N_Potionz]

Romance was my biggest OPP for awhile, until I wrote one. But I'm still no expert in that genre.

I could never write smut ?

 

[Placeholder]

Hell, there's been a couple times people have offered me upwards of $500 to write them a weird fetish story. I took one look at what they were into and

?????

 

[Naravelt]

Money can be a motivation, yes.

but, Imagine being told to write about something completely unknown to you. You usually write fantasy, then you are asked to create a story based on real history you have never even heard of. Or worse, a sports story about a game you have never played even once.

Or you are someone with no sense of humor and are told to create a comedy genre. Well, that is just great. ?

 

[FRWriter]

It's a challenge, but one that can be overcome. By trying to write a story out of your comfort zone, you'll probably learn way more than writing whatever the hell you personally enjoy.

If you have a good reason (feeding yourself), I don't see why you wouldn't do that.


*Edit. IT CAN be overcome. The New Year has just begun, and I'm already losing my mind.

 

[foxes]

The lack of payment is more of a demotivator than the presence of payment for increased productivity. But the interest is stronger. I'm currently trying to create a high-quality story from my drafts. It's very challenging compared to how they were written. The difference is literally 11 pages per day versus 3 pages per month.

I remember an anecdote: "I'm writing 1,000 characters per second, but result it's such nonsense."

 

[FRWriter]

The lack of payment is more of a demotivator than the presence of payment for increased productivity. But the interest is stronger. I'm currently trying to create a high-quality story from my drafts. It's very challenging compared to how they were written. The difference is literally 11 pages per day versus 3 pages per month.

I remember an anecdote: "I'm writing 1,000 characters per second, but result it's such nonsense."

You need to find a sweet spot that works for you personally.

For example, I can try to perfect (as much as I'm personally capable of) my writing to achieve 100% of my best work.
However, if that requires two or three times as long as writing chapters that are 80% of my best, I simply won't do it.

3 chapters with 80% > 1 chapter with 100.

I can release so much more content and push my story so much further ahead that I'm willing to run the risk of making a few technical mistakes or word a few things awkwardly.

Of course, if the quality suffers too much and the writing becomes unbearable, and people wouldn't enjoy it, you have no choice.

However, as far as I know, most readers prefer an interesting plot over technical skills, so I always try to release as many chapters as possible.

 

[fuzzy_cheeks]

Sometimes I can't even write a book I do care about. Someone else said earlier they could write it, but the quality would definitely suffer. I think that's probably pretty accurate for most writers. Actually, let's say people in general. Anyone can write anything, but will it be good?

I think having sufficient motivation to write anything is key, whether you care about it or not. That's why I started posting my chapters online. I can love my work all I want, but it turns out I'm very externally-motivated and need other people to read my work and, good or bad, have people give me their thoughts. That being said, money is a huge motivator and I have to write stuff at work I don't care about, so, sure, throw it at me.

Will it take me longer? Absolutely. Will I get it done? Well...

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Start? Yes. Write for a while? Definitely. Finish? Probably not unless I got paid for it.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

Nopety nope nope nope