Aim while writing

[HeavenlyKillerStar]

This is a question I had on the spot, should I write my story with the goal of my readers enjoying it? Or should I write my story with the aim of me enjoying it? Either way it’s just gonna be me trying to perfect the execution of some overused trope we’ve all seen… so yeah… not gonna lie writing is hard, maybe I should just take permanent hiatus for real.
Why did I start writing again? I think it was probably for the approval lmao.

 

[AstreiaNyx]

I guess there should be some balance. My initial thought would be to write whatever you enjoy, but if the readers don't, and you care about their opinion, then it would be rather discouraging to see your story flop.

My approach was to subtly incorporate whatever I was trying to convey within the story (knowing that it wasn't everyone's cup of tea), releasing them in small doses, one at a time.

 

[Temple]

Aim for your enjoyment. Readers come and go, tastes change, and what's popular rolls around. Guess who'll be left with your story? You.
Another thing is to make your motivation internal rather than external. Applies to most things in life.

 

[Deleted member 58005]

I'd suggest writing solely for yourself. There's always going to be that percentage of people who'll resonate with your ideas no matter what you write.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

I think you should stop writing while you aim. It will be a lot easier to hit your target. If you can do it, power to you, but I find scribing throws off my accuracy.

 

[GlassRose]

There is no 'should', it really depends. What do you want to get out of it? If you want to get attention, or if you want to communicate a certain message, or if you wanna make money, you're gonna want to write something that readers will enjoy to facilitate the meeting of that goal. If you're writing because you personally want to explore the idea, world, characters, etc, and thought you might as well share it, then if others enjoy your work, great! If they don't, so what? Either way, you'll enjoy the process more (and thus be motivated more) if you like what you're writing. Other people being excited about your writing can also motivate you. It can also add pressure, and that stress can be harmful. It's generally wise to balance both. If too many people like it but you don't enjoy the process you can be really negatively affected by the pressure to keep going, even if it's not what you want to do.

 

[Jaymi]

If you enjoy it, some other people are bound to enjoy it as well

 

[KuruKinaar]

I personally would start with your enjoyment. Writing can be a hobby for yourself, and that's where you want to start. When you finish your draft, if you want others to read and enjoy it, that's when you edit/revise with feedback they give you to reach a broader audience. Overall, it depends if you want people to read your work or not.

 

[Jerynboe]

Is this your job, as in something you must do in order to maintain a happy lifestyle outside of writing? If not, then your happiness needs to take precedence because this is a *hobby* that you are doing for fun, or catharsis, or whatever.
Incorporating what you think other people will enjoy is a cool thing you can do too, but the only people who should be making art primarily based on what their audience wants instead of as a form of pure personal expression are the pros. Even then, it’s best if they like what they are making.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

If you enjoy it, some other people are bound to enjoy it as well

This fellow vampire is correct.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

I would focus on telling a story that is precious to me and important to tell others.

 

[Bluefish]

I write for enjoyment, and just release chapters for fun. Personally don't care much what people think and it helps me stay on track with my plan when writing.

Although if it becomes too popular I'm not sure, feels like too much attention focused on me. And I lose motivation.

 

[Sagacious_Punk]

Ideally, a writer writes stories that are enjoyable both to them and their audience.

Since this isn't an ideal world, here's what Kurt Vonnegut said on the subject: "Write to please just one person. If you open a window and make love to the world, so to speak, your story will get pneumonia."

Meaning, if you have to select just one person to write your story for, who would that be? For most writers, including myself, this person is the one that writes the story. It's a way of telling the world something personal, something special, something that resonates with you on a deep and profound level.

Usually, that's how good stories come into existence. Through the heart.

Then, there's also the ubiquitous "I'm in this only for the money." In which case, we're no longer talking about art, but rather about an end product. Both are writing, but the intended result is different in each case, so the applicable approach and methodology also vary.

Again, in an ideal world, we write because we like to do so, and we get supported because we provide (good) spiritual food for the rest of our brethren.

But again, this isn't such a world.

So, your soul wants to sing something for all of us to hear? Then write what your heart tells you to. Or you want some cold, hard, sweet cash? Then go do some trend chasing. Preferably with a really good base formula and solid research&execution.

 

[BlackKnightX]

Both. If I follow trends I don't like, it will be a miserable experience. If I follow trends I do like, it will be one heck of a ride. Just find the right market, one that reflects what you love and try to write, and stick with it.

 

[HeavenlyKillerStar]

Nahhh… not gonna lie but I feel pain reading your guys actual answers to my question even though they arent insulting at all ngl, me problem fr fr

 

[Bartun]

In my case, I wanted to write a story that I love. It was about getting a story out of my head that's been there for so long.

 

[J_Chemist]

Write what you like. Readers who like it will come to you.

I never thought anyone would like the crap I write but uh, yea. Apparently they do.

 

[BlissyMKW]

Or should I write my story with the aim of me enjoying it?

This part. If you try to appeal to the readers, you'll be fighting a losing battle, as not everyone wants the same things. Do what you want to do first, and if readers like it, that's totally fine. If they don't, at least the most important person will be satisfied, that being yourself.

 

[Story_Marc]

Both. Here is the First Law of Writing for Strangers

1. You Must Write for an Audience, Not Just Yourself

This is the big one. And it’s also the biggest hurdle for some writers.

Many writers fear that if they try to write for an audience they’ll end up “pandering” or “chasing the market.” Indeed, both of those are bad, because the audience doesn’t want to control your narrative. They want you to control their experience. They want you to set, upset, and reset their expectations. They’ll never admit it, but they want you to masterfully manipulate their emotional experience every step of the way. Figuring out how to do that is the number one goal for any writer.

If you feel you have to choose between writing for an audience and writing from the heart, then you’re in big trouble, because to become a great writer, the two must be the same thing.

In the 1970s, Francis Ford Coppola turned out a remarkable string of masterpieces (The Godfather, The Conversation, The Godfather: Part II, Apocalypse Now) because he respected himself and his public at the same time. He wasn’t chasing an audience but was skillfully enticing them to chase after him. He didn’t give his audience exactly what they wanted, but he did tune into their wavelength to find stories that resonated with them.

But by the time Coppola got to the nineties, he had a total disconnect: He gave several interviews in which he explained that his goal was to make “one for them” followed by “one for me.” But it was kind of hard to tell which was which, because none of his movies from that period (The Godfather: Part III, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, The Rainmaker, Jack) were any good. As soon as you make the distinction, you’ve sabotaged yourself.

Now, of course, you might be thinking, Don’t audiences get it wrong all the time? Don’t they embrace crap? Why should I trust their taste more than my own? But this sort of antagonistic thinking will cripple your artistic growth. Do audiences get browbeaten into consuming and even “liking” bad stories? Yes, but in most cases they feel guilty about it before too long. Ultimately, they know a truly great story when they see it, and those are the stories that stay with them. That’s the story you want to write.

Now, I go with my version of the 3 Drafts Approach, but that's neither here nor there. For web fiction, if you seek attention, then just focus on catering to pre-existing genres that are popular in these spaces. If you're more artistically inclined, I'd lean more towards what you want. If you're lucky, those two overlap.