I would like to be a writer, or an author more than anything in the world. The thing is, I can’t commit to a story, a routine, or any sort of progress when it comes to my stories. I also tried to quit drinking a few times to no avail. I’m trying to escape my responsibilities with going back to work, because I stress myself out at work to the point of panic. I can’t clean my apartment, or do chores in the least, and do not stick to any sort of schedule. The only thing I have going for me is my ability to explain myself through writing and speech. This is ultimately why I live in a crumbling apartment building built in the 1950’s littered with garbage and stewing with the rats in the walls… My issue is that I present myself too well in person. The ministry won’t help me find supported housing, until recently… they are working on it. I have been so upset with myself about my inability to take care of myself, but I had an ace up the sleeve which was my potential writing career. Now that feels like another pipe dream. I have been writing for the last 10-12 years and have had a blast at it, improving each time I sit to write. I just can’t commit. I have only a couple of stories that have been finished. I will stick to something for about half of a week, to about a week, and then I have to punch its ticket, get bummed about myself, and then pick up the process in a few weeks time, to a month later. This is not a good sign if my goal is to write a book of any substance. What would any of you guys say about this? Is this illness related? Any comments regarding my troubles would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Write what you know.
Then finish it…even if it’s half-baked. At least that will give you the sense of accomplishment, and you can always go back and re-jig and edit later on.
I’ve been attempting to figure out what that means.
I have a hard enough time finishing a short story, but I guess that is where I should start?
One thing, a habit I have that must be stopped, is that I edit WHILE I’m writing.
Draw up an ‘outline’ of your story first. Beginning/ Middle/ End.
Sometimes when you’re in the zone, the characters in your novel will tell you what to write next…if you catch my drift.
No doubt. I have tried outlines before, but have had little results from them. It’s weird, I feel that
once I have the outline completed, that the story loses its sense of wonder for me. I feel as if the idea is already presented, so there isn’t much left to do. I enjoy creating worlds, it’s just that once I have created the skeleton for that world, I feel it as being already created, and move on to something else.
This is definitely something I’m going to have to examine if I want to be successful at writing for long periods of time. I guess I will just have to be persistent, and keep going at it until something clicks.
I’m also a struggling writer and can relate, so much.
Are you looking for paid work as a writer or motivation?
Paid work is oddly easy to find if you really commit,
But motivation is harder.
Try not writing a novel, but a very short story.
Very short.
As you come up with ideas, make them individual very short stories,
Eventually, you’ll have enough to compile a few and get a chapter sewn together.
Just keep adding and adding and adding.
That’s how I do it.
If I had to sit down and write a novel, I’d die in front of the computer, just of frustration.
I struggle as well. I try to be spontaneously creative, however, and that has helped. Following my creative whims is reawakening that part of my brain, and I’m finding I can write again. Like recently I’ve started producing poetry again.
Why don’t you write a first-person story about your affliction and procrastination tendencies?
The one thing that would make that ‘very short’ story thing troublesome, would be stringing them together into a chapter, since most of my stories are vastly different. I guess that could be used in my favor by stringing them together somehow. Thank you for the wonderful advice everyone.
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