What Keeps You Going as a Writer?

[John_Owl]

i actually just went through a low where i wondered if there was any real reason to continue. but then i remembered that i have two fantastic readers (one here and one on my wattpad), that comment on pretty much everything i post. and that kept me going. even if i never hit it big, i'm glad to have made two new friends from our mutual interests. and to that end, I'll never stop as long as they're willing to continue commenting and chatting.

 

[KersenBloemNL]

My gf reads my novels and that's genuinely all I need. Seeing her interested in the world and story I'm creating fills me with the drive to continue it

 

[ChronicSleeper]

Spite.

 

[HungrySheep]

Sometimes I end up dropping stories, but I generally want to finish what I start. Having a few consistent readers helps, but it's not really about the numbers for me. In fact, looking at the numbers kind of just makes me want to stop sometimes, but I also know that I'm not writing something considered to be part of the "popular" genres.

I write what I want to read, and I need to finish that to read it!

 

[Story_Marc]

Spite.

Go on... Seriously, that intrigues me.

 

[kaisei]

Sometimes I end up dropping stories, but I generally want to finish what I start. Having a few consistent readers helps, but it's not really about the numbers for me. In fact, looking at the numbers kind of just makes me want to stop sometimes, but I also know that I'm not writing something considered to be part of the "popular" genres.

I write what I want to read, and I need to finish that to read it!

This is actually something I've been thinking about lately, and I'm trying not to let it affect me. If a work of mine gets lower readership, do I suddenly like it less? I would hope not, but the thought does cross my mind. Currently, I'm losing motivation to work on certain projects, but I want to believe that's because I don't have confidence in them or they need to be revamped as opposed to it not retaining an audience.

The same goes for rejections on short stories on magazine and journal submissions. I've felt the need to change them when they get rejected too many times, but is that really what I should be doing?

 

[Scaver]

Once I start something there is no stop until I've finished it. If anything that is one thing that I'm really proud about myself. Persistence.

 

[Jaymi]

i don't wanna abandon my characters i feel bad for them

 

[HungrySheep]

This is actually something I've been thinking about lately, and I'm trying not to let it affect me. If a work of mine gets lower readership, do I suddenly like it less? I would hope not, but the thought does cross my mind. Currently, I'm losing motivation to work on certain projects, but I want to believe that's because I don't have confidence in them or they need to be revamped as opposed to it not retaining an audience.

The same goes for rejections on short stories on magazine and journal submissions. I've felt the need to change them when they get rejected too many times, but is that really what I should be doing?

I think that's definitely something everyone has to figure out for themselves. What are you writing for?

Of course, I would love to get 200 Patrons so I can become a full-time writer, but I write GL non-isekai non-smut. The chances of becoming financially successful are just incredibly slim. However, that's what I like to write and the niche that I want to read. If I wanted to skyrocket my Patreon, I could just write some sort of harem smut isekai litrpg which is utterly brainless to write and I'd hate it, but it'd give me a massive boost in income. Not bashing any authors who write that sort of stuff, I respect the grind.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether you're writing for your own personal enjoyment, for money, or for the one in a googol chance that you become a bestselling author since you mentioned you submit your work to magazines and journals. Writing for the masses is vastly different compared to writing for yourself, and I think unless your works are littered with grammatical errors, poor stylistic choices, or similar issues, there's no need to change what you want to write.

 

[kaisei]

I think that's definitely something everyone has to figure out for themselves. What are you writing for?

Of course, I would love to get 200 Patrons so I can become a full-time writer, but I write GL non-isekai non-smut. The chances of becoming financially successful are just incredibly slim. However, that's what I like to write and the niche that I want to read. If I wanted to skyrocket my Patreon, I could just write some sort of harem smut isekai litrpg which is utterly brainless to write and I'd hate it, but it'd give me a massive boost in income. Not bashing any authors who write that sort of stuff, I respect the grind.

Ultimately, it comes down to whether you're writing for your own personal enjoyment, for money, or for the one in a googol chance that you become a bestselling author since you mentioned you submit your work to magazines and journals. Writing for the masses is vastly different compared to writing for yourself, and I think unless your works are littered with grammatical errors, poor stylistic choices, or similar issues, there's no need to change what you want to write.

Yeah, agreed. I'm of the belief you should really just write the things that you want to write and hopefully that's enough. I was mostly speaking aloud that I'm losing interest in something that I was initially pretty onboard with, and I didn't want it to be a situation where my loss of interest is directly related to a lack of an audience. I think sometimes that's okay, but in this particular case I wouldn't have wanted that to be the case.

And touche on your last point too. I don't even think there's any point in becoming a bestselling author if you don't write what you enjoy.

 

[Deleted member 54065]

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.

What keeps me going as a writer? The thought of finishing something I can leave if I die.

 

[HungrySheep]

Yeah, agreed. I'm of the belief you should really just write the things that you want to write and hopefully that's enough. I was mostly speaking aloud that I'm losing interest in something that I was initially pretty onboard with, and I didn't want it to be a situation where my loss of interest is directly related to a lack of an audience. I think sometimes that's okay, but in this particular case I wouldn't have wanted that to be the case.

And touche on your last point too. I don't even think there's any point in becoming a bestselling author if you don't write what you enjoy.

Yeah, pretty much. Sometimes you start a novel and you lose motivation/inspiration to continue it because it turns out the idea was a lot less interesting than what you thought it'd be and that's okay!

 

[threya_midnight]

I'm new to this platform, so I'm not quite used to it yet but allow me to use my experience in other platforms like FFnet, AO3, and WN. Sometimes, I lack the will to write due to personal problems but then I get favorites, bookmarks, kudos and I'm reminded that people are waiting for me to update and if they aren't giving up on me, why should I give up on my story?

 

[Vainancholy]

I’m pretty much in a constant low as of late.

But what’s kept me writing for 98,000 Words and 357 Pages on RR, which I am now trying to bring over to this site. Is the hope that one day, people can love my story as much as I do.

As vain as it may seem, I consider myself my story’s biggest fan in the most humble way possible. I don’t think I’m an amazing writer, I think I have an amazing idea for a story, and I think it’s a darn shame the only way to get it to exist out there is to actually buckle down and write it.

 

[ShipTeaser]

As vain as it may seem, I consider myself my story’s biggest fan in the most humble way possible. I don’t think I’m an amazing writer, I think I have an amazing idea for a story, and I think it’s a darn shame the only way to get it to exist out there is to actually buckle down and write it.

You're pretty much right. If you really want to see the perfect story for you, you have to write it for yourself, which is my motivation *smile*
It's wonderful when people like it and comment, and rather upsetting when people trash it, but at the end of the day, we make it for ourselvs first and foremost *smile*

 

[Fox-Trot-9]

What keeps me going is wanting to find out what happens next in the story. If I keep that up, the story will write itself, and I'll just be enjoying the ride along the way.

 

[EldritchPotato]

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

I have to agree with this. Seeing people discuss something I’ve created always bring a smile to my face.

I would also like to add something that has nothing to do with readers. I find it very enjoyable to tell stories, more so than reading writing lets me tell the stories I want to read and enjoy. Even if no one else reads what I right there is still a sense of accomplishment at creating something I am proud of and telling a story I wanted to tell.

 

[wresch]

I write to tell a story. And, like lots of others, I don't know how the story will go. I write maybe one or two chapters a day, and half the time I have no idea what comes next. Morning comes and I find another couple chapters. Sometimes they are the wrong chapters and I have to back off and try again, but still, I am curious how this will all go. I NEVER know how a story will end. So why do I keep writing? I want to know how the story ends.