Jun
16th
2014
Feeling very frustrated with my writing. · 3:42am Jun 16th, 2014
I'm frustrated, I've barely made any progress in any of my stories and even with my new story I can't figure out how to start it. Nothing I write seems right anymore and I just can't focus or generate any new ideas. It's unfathomably frustrating and I really want to write like I used to. I just don't know what it is. That's only half of it, the rest is that anything I do write seems mediocre at best, I don't know which is worse, not being able to write anything new, or only writing badly. I don't like this and I don't want to take a break, I'm more far behind that I would like already and the longer I put off the worse I get. All in all, I'm not in the best mood.
I suggest getting some prereaders.
They can give you valuable insight and feedback that can both help you revise your current work and inspire future progress. Sometimes, it's a single sentence from an outside source which rekindles that flame.
2210096 perhaps I should find somepony to run things by. I'm working on a new story right now and I just don't think things are coming across in the chapter as I intend them to and I'm worried that my pacing is too slow, I want it to be slow enough to give a lot of contrast for what happens at the end, but not so slow that it turns off readers and I think I'm treading into the turn off area
2210106 I would offer my services, but I'm not sure I can be timely.
Edit: Bassline and Melody is always looking for stuff like this to do.
2210121 Hmm, I suppose I could ask them if they wouldn't mind... them? It's them right? I forget
anyway, yea, I'll likely post my next blog asking for opinions on the new chapter, if it's one thing I dislike it's messing up on the very first chapter.
Prereaders might help, but honestly, in my personal experience it's best to take a step back. There's no deadline for these stories; they come at the author's pace and if the author needs a break the author needs a break.
I know exactly how you're feeling, as I myself have been there many times and am indeed there now. The best thing I've found is to take a step back from everything, and either find the one thing that you can write (There's almost always one thing for me, but that's mostly just because I have a ton of projects) or, if nothing feels right, then take a full blown break. Just try not even opening a word doc for three days, then go around all your stories and see if you can write any of them. If it still feels off, try a full week. If it persists, just repeat the process, making the breaks longer and longer, until you can find something that you feel comfortable writing.
Forcing something is just about the worse thing you could ever do, as it makes writing stressful, generally speaking it lowers your over all quality, and in most cases extends the time you feel this way about writing.
I know you may not want to, but in the long run it's best to not burn yourself out.
2210133 Well he goes by Z, and he has two personae named Bassline and Melody. It's not often he talks as them, though. He does it only when appropriate to make a joke.
2210139 That's good to know
You would think i would know how to refer to someone who helps me a bunch all the times
I'm sorry... just to let you know, there is not a day that goes by where I don't think about reading your story for Re-review. I really don't have any excuse... it's just that Romance is not my highest point of reading. Again, I'm sorry.
Pro Tip, if you don't feel like writing, don't write. Have some real fun to let out some steam... (In other words, do whatever you want to do.)
2210171 Lol. 'sall good.
2210171 Yeah, I'd love to help out! And Bassie's right, you can call me Z. This sounds like a big project, and I'd love to get it started. Plus, it may get me motivated to write my own story. I've gotten it started, but it's kinda stalled. Oh well, I was never much of a writer anyways.
2210139 I usually use my personas when I'm talking to others that I don't know. Once I get to know them on a personal basis, as much as you can on the internet, I introduce myself for real.
2210233 Ah, I see. I'd only seen them in the context I wrote, because I knew you all the way back when you were Undercover Brony.
2210262 Ah, the good ol' days. Those were good days. <insert reminiscent emoticon here>
2210269 Things were so much simpler back then, weren't they?
Then everything happened when the fire nation attacked. Lol. Jk.
I do feel like a war happened though. It didn't happen on the site, no. It happened within each of us. We were all put through trials lately. We've been pushed to our limits. Some passed, others failed. Others are still battling their own inner demons, but those of us that remain are not as we were half a year ago. No, we are veterans. We are veterans of a war that was so short, but it took its toll. Though we've all changed, we've grown together and become stronger. Alone, we never could have accomplished such things, but united we stand against all odds, as friends.
2210341 Jeez, now I feel like a newb and a pussy
2210341 Veteran? Great, now I feel old.
Not really. But you're right. Somehow, it seems we all were young and blissfully ignorant of the world, then reality hit each and every one of us at the same time. I look back on myself before I joined this site, before I met you guys, and I see a different person. I like the new me a whole lot better.
2210138 I really don't like taking breaks but if nothing else is working I should give myself some time I suppose, but I guess I'm really just afraid I'll loose my enthusiasm and passion for writing if I stop, though I guess forcing myself to go on when I need a break could result in the same thing.
2210344 What?! Hay, what with all you're going through right as we speak, I'd say you're no 'newb'. Or a pussy. When Bassie said we all went through our wars, and some are still fighting, you were one of the first ponies I thought of. All my problems were internal conflicts. You're fighting your own body and the law. Don't degrade yourself. You're fighting a battle. See that and take charge, and you will win.
2210344 Nah, you were included, considering your health problems. You're still battling them, just like I have daily battles with depression. Some days I win. Others...yeah.
2210352 Yes, I even came to this site to help myself. It's worked exponentially better than I'd hoped it would.
If you can't seem to generate ideas then run your stories on other writers and ask them how they would do it, that's how one of my friends got his story rolling back I track after he meet a wall
2210233 have I meet z yet
2211134 Maybe? Perhaps? Usually if you follow me, you would. It's just a public appearance, and this is a blog of my friends, as you know, so this isn't public.
2211523 gotcha