The title says it all, how do you stay on track and keep on writing those longer fics? Do you ever doubt that your story is still a good one? If/when you do, how do you motivate yourself to stick with it and keep writing, when the ideas start feeling stale after a few months? Any personnal rituals or techniques to keep on writing that next chapter?

Me, I usually take a few days off writing when I start losing motivation. I also try to get on a call with a friend and just talk about the story, and what initially drew me to start writing it. I find that the longer I spend writing by myself without human interaction, the harder it is to write. Any similar experiences from other writers?

4480126 Well, I have a short attention span, so I have this problem writing even 500 words at a time, unless I have a sudden burst of inspiration, normally at the start of a new chapter. What I do is get distracted for a bit, then come back shortly. Normally, it will let me write a few more paragraphs.

4480126
What I will do is walk away from it for a while, as you said you do, but then I will keep the idea in the back of my mind still. Sometimes something will come my way, sometimes I will consider a new angle. Whichever way, something comes to me in time, and I find that I am motivated anew.

I have periods of block like all authors do. When that happens, I do most of the same things you do, but what keeps me going is the fact that my longer story is currently my only story, and even though I'm going against all conventional wisdom by starting with a long story (by long I mean an epic saga) instead of doing shorts and one-shots, I love my creation to pieces and want to see it through to the very end, no matter how long it takes.

Be utterly interested in what you're writing.

Really, I would suggest first imagining your story all the way to the end, and getting (if not being) super excited about getting to that conclusion before even starting to write. This also inadvertently gives you a good bullseye to aim for as far as story direction goes.

well for me I wait a couple of days during which i do other artwork, read fanfics and watch youtube vids or play games. until a spark of inspiration strikes.

4480147
Haha, I can definitely sympatise. I also started with a longer epic, mainly because it's what I enjoy reading. Strangely, it's easier for me to write an 8k word chapter as part of a long epic with heavy consequences than a 5k word one shot. The desire to see it to the end is usually what I fall back to when I feel like giving it up as well. In fact, I know exactly what the last sentence will be, just so I can stay motivated and look forward to writing it.

4480156
I couldn't agree more. I don't think I would have even gotten as far as I have if I didn't have a detailed chapter by chapter plan of my entire story.

First, I never wonder whether a story I'm working on is good or not. I've learned over the years that's counterproductive and destroys motivation so I've disciplined myself to never let myself think such things, I just write the best story I can and leave it to the readers to decide.

Next, I've developed a strong and deep self discipline over the years that allows me to engage my work six days a week without getting too burned out too soon although I do go through periods where I simply can't write anything at all. Refer to my blog post here for an explanation: http://www.fimfiction.net/blog/492781/breathing-in-breathing-out

Finally, and as part of my own personal religious beliefs, I take a day of rest where I do absolutely nothing except meditate and rest my mind.

Hm...to be honest, I actually prefer to write my stories without human interaction unless its like a proofreader or something. I don't ask people for ideas or help to write stories that I've started unless I'm really desperate. I wait for motivation and inspiration to come (even though that's a pretty lazy course of action), then when I complete and publish the story, I just wait for reviews (if I get any). However, this does not apply to everyone, and I surely don't recommend that you try my way. Some people like input during the writing process, while others take a few days off from writing to interact with others and eventually gain motivation again. I'll admit that a huge factor in writing is whether you're doing it for fun, for yourself, or for others. In other words, a story's purporse can quite possibly determine whether or not you actually feel inspired or motivated to continue the story.

Here are some extra tips:

- Make sure the story isn't too long chapter-wise. The length of a story can make it harder to complete if you run out of ideas and continue just because. An excessively long multi-chapter story can also give many readers a 'tl;dr' vibe.

- Plan out your story in its entirety before you even start the first chapter. Sometimes when an author runs on ideas alone and writes down whatever comes to mind, this can lead to plot holes or tedious editing to make sure that the story makes sense (if they feel like it/have the time). Instead, creating acreating detailed outline will allow you to organize a storystory's events more easily.

- Make sure that you are dedicated to the story. A common cause of a story being put on hiatus or simply discontinued is an author who loses interest.

- Take pride in your abilities! Some authors struggle to write because they lack self confidence - I should know; I'm one of those authors. But if an an author truly believes that they can write a story no matter what the length, then they can use their skills more easily and effectively.

Hope this helped!

4480238

Take pride in your abilities! Some authors struggle to write because they lack self confidence - I should know; I'm one of those authors. But if an an author truly believes that they can write a story no matter what the length, then they can use their skills more easily and effectively.

This is a very good point. I will fully admit that part of the reason I've slowed down recently is that I've read a story similar to my own in themes. It is, however, better than mine in terms of world building and general technique, I find. Couple that with the very classic problem where few readers bother to leave comments on the story, and you get a shaken confidence.

You also make a good point that some write for themselves, other people write for others. I definitely fit in the category that writes for other people. While I love my story and I enjoy writing, I really see myself as an entertainer, which would be pointless without a crowd to entertain.

4480249 I know exactly what you mean. When I don't get reviews on my stories on FanFiction I think it's because they suck or something bad like that.

I definitely fit in the category that writes for other people.

Heh, so do I.

4480126

1. Come up with a story you're genuinely interested in.
2. Take breaks to write one-shots.
3. Set an hour aside when you're free to do some writing. Don't feel like writing? Do it anyway.

4480182

4480126

I do it 500-700 words at a time every morning. Once you get into the habit of writing everyday, and you find some characters and ideas you're attached to, it is easy. Real easy. For me, it is almost like they write themselves when I get in the zone.

4480303
I've tried to set time aside and force myself to write, but with little success. Usually works after a few days of not touching the story. I accomplish little, but it helps me get back into it so I can find motivation again a few days later.

4480126 I ended up writing short unrelated stories on the side. Eventually, new ideas for my main fic series came to me.

For the record, I've been working on my main series since 2011. There's quite a few stories I followed since then that simply never got finished. That disappointed me so I don't want to do the same to the few that have stuck around after so long.

4480126
Have a plan for where you're going with the story. That way, you don't write yourself into a corner or go off on tangents that amount to a whole lot of words for nothing. Having an end scenario to aim for keeps you on track. I've seen a lot of fics die when it became painfully obvious that the author had no plan.

Also, don't worry too much about self-imposed deadlines. If you have to take your time, do so, and be honest with your readers about it.

4480402
Oh yeah, I think we've all been in this position, seeing a story we love get abandoned. I definitely don't wanna do this to my readers. It's also part of why I made this thread in the first place, so we can all help each other find tricks to get those projects done.

4480420 There was a point in which I believed I needed to get more readers interested in my series. I branched out into Deviant Art and started doing artwork related to my stories. Bit of a double-edged sword, though, because the consequences of not finishing are larger.

I stay motived writing, and writing, and writing. I get anxious with every new word I write and I'll write.

Just like that.

4480147 Ha, I'm in the same situation with my story!

(It's even worse because it's set at the end of a huge series I have in mind)

4480126 As many have already said, it's good to feel invested in and feel proud of a story to keep writing.

The first story I had written after a 3 year Writer's Block (THE WORST), I spent a whole week writing, nonstop, with no breaks.
The next story I spent a week and a half.
Finally, the story I'm writing now, I've been spending since March, writing everyday and adding at least two more pages each day. Unfortunately, when those periods of writer's block occur, then I'm pretty much screwed.

4480963 Today my block is nearly breaking my thumb by getting it caught in a door at work this morning.

4480989
Based on my own experiences and what most people have said in this thread, I find there's a balance to be found between taking a writer's block for what it means - that it's time to step away for a while, and finding ways to nudge oneself back into it. Speaking purely personally, just talking to other people who actually get it in this thread is actually helping out a ton. (And I hope it helps others too.)

4480126
I've said this in another thread, but I always try to end mid-sentence so I know exactly where to pick back up.

4480126

The trick to writing longer stories is to make sure you know you have something to say.

I fluked my way through eight sub-par chapters of my story before hitting a wall. That wall has lasted nearly two years. If that doesn't make it clear that I ran out of bullshit to spout (due to underdeveloped imagination and literary skills on my part), nothing else will.

Don't start a long story unless you know you have a long story to tell.
Most people in this fandom don't, which is probably why shallow 2k word one shots about nonsense rule the day in lieu of actual writing.

4480126

My only story happens to be one of those that wasn't received the way I was hoping for. The shock became rather big for a freshly backed writer like me. Frankly speaking, if it wasn't for my devotion, and the faith I have for my story, as well as those few readers who went further then the prologue, and cared to give it a chance, I would have dumped this project a long time ago. I see no point in writing if neither you, or the readers, enjoy your story. I bet many famous writers like Robert Ludlum, Stephan King, Harlan Coben, or Tess Gerittsen would have changed their profession if they couldn't meet this two primary conditions. English may not be my native language, and perhaps I'm a slow learner, but as long as I believe in my story, I will continue writing it.

4480126 One trick to motivate yourself is to forbid yourself from enjoying any other hobbies. When you run out of things to do, you start feeling bored. At that point, writing feels like a positive change from the nothingness around you.

4481802 I don't know how you deal with this. If you don't feel like writing, you have nothing worth saying. It's fine for that to happen, go play a game, read a book. But forbidding yourself from another activity to force a writing habit is bad news.

4482138

If you don't feel like writing, you have nothing worth saying.

This right here needs ten dozen upvotes.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who understands what writer's block really means.

4482138 I do like writing, but it's hard. It hurts. You need to have some sort of motivation to be willing to bleed over the keyboard. And I do have a lot to say. I have like 100 stories on my back burner that only need to be written down.

If you have to choose between torture of writing on one end and the bliss of mind numbing addictions on the other, the temptation can interfere with focus and ruin a writing session. However, if you put yourself into a bigger torture chamber (boredom), writing doesn't seem so scary anymore.

4480126

I find that my ability to retain focus on a certain project increases as I get older.

Other than that, I just make sure I really care about the story before I start writing it. The more invested I am, the less likely I am to grow bored, distracted or find something else I would rather do.

4482230 I think you misunderstood the quote. Writing is not supposed to be torture, writing is opening yourself up to the world. If writing is not blissful, rather, you find other activities of a so called "mind numbing" nature more addicting and blissful; maybe you should rethink how badly you want to write those 100 stories on back-burner.

Ideas are different that stories, you could be sitting on a pile full of ideas.

4482230
4482290

I think there's a bit of truth in both. We all write because we have something we want to say. A lot of times, it's exciting and addicting. There are times when it gets hard though. Sometimes, a part of the story might be harder to bring to life. Other times, we have to rewrite the same scene for the fourth time, and never want to see it again. There is a certain degree of discomfort associated with writing, times when the story doesn't feel so great anymore. The idea is to slave through those times, knowing it will get enjoyable again.

Speaking for myself, I have a hard time writing Rarity. It's not that I don't enjoy her character, she's pretty much my favorite. It's mainly that her personnality and her priorities are so different from mine that it's difficult for me to really get under her skin and portray her character properly. I do love the storyline I have planned for her in my story, but every time I get to one of her chapters, I know it'll take me 3 times as much time and effort as, say, a Rainbow Dash chapter.

Bottom line is, the idea is what prompts us to write. The execution will sometimes force us to fight the temptation to just move on to other hobbies.

4482290 If I succumb to temptations, I will fade away. All I am would be dissolved, without even leaving a foot hoof print in the universe. Like a puff of smoke that becomes one with the nothingness around it. What I write is what I am. Without that, I'd only be a heap of flash, merged with a couch. Writing may not mean much in the global scale (nothing does), but at least it feels like a confirmation of my existence. I must write!