Writing Struggles - Tumblr Posts

Coincidences are the easiest way to get me to think of something, so...

Today's topic is getting up to write

Very specifically the challenges associated with not feeling up to writing.

Writing is hard as hell. Anyone who says any different obviously forgot their middle school essay they felt they couldn't finish in a week.

It's not easy to sit alone in a room for hours on end with just your thoughts. Personally, the only reason I'm not out of my mind insane is because I love this shit.

I enjoy detaching myself from reality and falling into my ideas or stories, but sometimes I get lonely. Sometimes I struggle and need some help, and other times I wonder:

Why the hell did I have to be a writer?

I despite writing sometimes and often feel like it's the worst profession right next to the one who cleans the crap in our sewers. That feeling overtakes me and I suffer from "writer's block" in reality, I'm not stumped on a story, I'm just tired of writing and annoyed at the lack of substantial progress.

So, my advice is this. Let that feeling exist. Don't try and pretend like you love writing all the time or maybe you're just a little tired one day. No, chances are, you're probably thinking it was the worst decision of your life to start writing seriously.

And that's okay.

Unlike other professions where you typically have people in your corner cheering you on, no one cares about your writing until you make something they care about. So let yourself be upset, take a break, do other things because when you finally remember that wip you abandoned, it'll welcome you with open arms.

Most, if not all, my stories came from something like this. Especially since I don't have people in my life who even care to acknowledge I'm doing work, this happens all the time, but I've been able to power through it by letting it happen.

You're not gonna love writing all the time, but the times you do love it, will be the most important moments of your life.

With that in mind, I hope you write well today or tonight.

While apart of me wishes there was more time in the day to write more, I also know all that would do is make me work on everything all at once.

I kind of punish myself when I don't work on things I've planned but it's hard for me to focua on one thing when I get another idea. So, I'm going to just let things be and make up for it later.

pissed...

the fact that I'm still stuck on Chapter 1 when it's evident that my plot is already laid out proves how shitty of a procrastinator I am.

I have two endings in mind for Fool’s Gold ch 3 but idk if I should stick to the ending I’ve already written or I should change it ugh ☹️

I would like to announce

That I got no writing done yesterday

BUT

I thought about writing.

*round of applause*

Remember, the phrase "write what you know" is confusing. A lot of people bang their heads on walls because they haven't had the opportunity to experience the world.

Instead "write what you feel, know what you write."

You feel upset or angry? Chanel it into a tale of dystopian rebellion and do research on different uprisings throughout history.

Joyful and inspired? Imagine an invention in the 18th century that some mad scientist makes to save his family and look into the science that could potentially make it realistic.

Take what you feel as the basis and then build on that.

Just a reminder -

DON'T EDIT WHILE WRITING

Fastest way to never finish what you're working on. Get it all out on a page and then edit it.

If you're not sure how to do that, make all the text the same color as your page so it blends in. You won't be able to see it as you write, therefore you won't be editing as you write.

I got halfway through my WIP yesterday and yet it feels like I got nothing done because it took me all day. Wild.

As someone who LOVES outlining, I reached a point in my WIP where the thing I outlined just didn't make sense anymore, so I wrote what I thought did and then went back to the outline.

Outlines are a guideline, but don't be afraid of the doors they open.

The number of 'starts to' and 'just' I deleted from finished works could fill up a solid three pages right now.

I need better vocabulary.

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (finishing my work) and suddenly the train (my brain) has slammed on the breaks (stopped producing thoughts) and now I'm stalling (watching YouTube)

I got an idea!

*gets distracted*

No, I need to write down the idea so I don't forget.

*forgets that I wrote down idea*

rinse and repeat

I FINISHED MY FIRST DRAFT.

My brain has stopped forming words. Thank god it's done because editing is so much better than a blank page. The word count is not high but that's because it's not prose it's a script.

But let this be some motivation. I hope you all also finish whatever you're working on!

How sacrilegious is it to actually USE one of those cute notebooks we writers buy instead of just hoarding at them? Asking for a friend.

In all honesty, I hate when people say "oh you could be writing instead of complaining about your writing" or "do you even like writing if you complain so much?"

I LOVE writing. I love reading other people's writing. I love editing pieces. And so what? I eventually get my things done. I'm not getting paid for this (even if I was though I'd complain and oh well).

Sure, it can be a little too much sometimes, but if me complaining is the most annoying thing that can happen to you then damn you're living a good life.

Ever had a moment when you're brainstorming/daydreaming and you don't like the way the plot has played out in your head so you gotta mentally rewind the action and it's basically a VHS tape in your head until you get to a point you do like it and then you gotta re-do all the action in whatever new way you wanted but then mentally save it like a file on a computer in your brain and hope you remember long enough until you get to a notebook or something to jot it down?

I love my brain and the worlds, characters, and plots it creates.

I also hate my brain because it will never shut up, never rest, never take a break. It's exhausting sometimes.

Sometimes I feel like a turtle.

Slow, nothing done, taking so long...

Then suddenly I'm at the end wondering how the hell I got there.

Spent 24 hours not writing to cleanse the brain and take a break.

I hated it.