keep on writing!
I’ve been writing for about ten years, and these are some things I've discovered and would like to share with you about motivation and perseverance. I've seen a lot of writers give up because they feel like they “can’t do it” or aren’t good enough, but the truth is that they ARE. They just get discouraged. So I'm here to tell you how to avoid this nastiness. :)
First of all, do not compare yourself to ANYONE. I know it’s tempting. I know you’re constantly seeing someone with more likes, faster updates, more fans, etc. than you, and I know it’s hard to ignore sometimes. But the truth is that every single writer works at a different pace. EVERY. SINGLE. ONE. Don’t try to make yourself work or write exactly like someone else, because it will most likely make your writing more forced and less effective.
If your works don’t get as many likes/notes/kudos/comments/etc. as you would like, don’t get discouraged! There’s a huge chance that you are simply not on the right platform for that particular piece of writing. A story about a cutesy first meeting in a coffee shop vs. a story about a rancher in 1900′s Virginia would get wildly different reactions from the same audience. Both stories might be amazing, and the one about Virginia might even be better quality writing, but chances are that if you’re posting in a space where young adults go to read fanfiction, the coffee shop will win every time.
And even if you’re writing a “coffee shop” story and you’re STILL not getting notes, don’t let it ruin your day! By no means does the amount of likes you get on a work determine how good it is. There is an audience out there that will LOVE your story. You just have to find them!
Have writer’s block that you just can’t shake? We’ve all been there. When I'm stuck on a scene or section of my writing, I like to skip to a different scene that holds more excitement for me. Even if it’s not going to be used until the very end, if you have inspiration to write it before it’s needed, go for it! If that doesn’t work, and if the block persists, you may have to scrap the story altogether. If writing becomes more of a chore than a reward, it’s time to say goodbye to that project, at least for a while.
BUT never delete your writing!! Even if you think it’s the worst thing you have ever typed, do not get rid of it. I have so many unfinished projects that I got disheartened about and just deleted, but I regretted it later when I wanted to revisit those ideas. Even if you think you’ll never want to write it again, it might be helpful to use as something to look back on later and decide where you went wrong/what made you abandon that story so you can avoid the same mistakes in future writing.
Don’t ever give up!! I know it’s hard to follow through on a project, especially if you’re like me and don’t share with anyone (which means no feedback, helpful or otherwise), but keep plowing on! finishing the first draft is next to impossible, I know (the eight unfinished ones in my documents are screaming), but it gets SO MUCH EASIER from there! Editing is the “fun” part after you put in all that hard work, and it’s so worth it at the end.
Everyone can learn how to write well. Are some people born with some gene where words always come easily to them and they hardly have to work at it? Maybe. But the truth is that if you want to write, you can. And if you want to write well, you can learn how. No one is stopping you from reaching your full potential but yourself! There are a million people who would be willing to give tips or edit your writing for you if you aren’t confident in it or would like some help. (If you’re ever in need of this person, I will do it. Just ask!)
If you’re not comfortable sharing your work with anyone quite yet, I have some resources that might help. Hemingway Editor is a great tool that tells you how easy your story is to read, when you’re overusing adverbs or passive voice, and if you have any words that can be simplified. If you’re looking for an editor that’s a little more in-depth, Slick Write is similar to Hemingway, but it has a few more features and digs a little deeper into your story. WordCounter tells you how many words you’ve written, and it has a feature that reads your writing back to you, which I find incredibly helpful to find out where it sounds choppy or unnatural. Last but not least, the OneLook Reverse Dictionary allows you to type in words, phrases, or sentences, and it will bring up a list of words related to what you type in. It’s like a really specific thesaurus that helps if you just can’t think of the word you want, and it works great if you’re looking for something to replace an adverb (for example, if you type “ran quickly” it might suggest “sprinted”).
Write about what you love. Sometimes, especially in fanfiction writing, there will be pressure to write in certain genres. And I won’t lie, people who read fanfiction generally have certain “types” of stories that they like to read (angsty, modern, romance or the “coffee shop” fics I mentioned earlier are popular favorites). But if that’s not your thing and you want to write something else entirely--GO FOR IT! I’m writing a fic set in 1920s Chicago right now because it’s what I love writing. DO YOUR THING.
Set aside time each day to write. Writing is just like a sport or pretty much anything else: practice makes perfect. Stephen King and J.K. Rowling weren’t born great writers, and their works look nothing like their first drafts. If you want a great story, work on it whenever you can to make it stronger. It’s worth it--I promise. It doesn’t matter what you write, but even if you have writer’s block, write something. It will help.
And last but certainly not least: I believe in you. No matter what you’re writing, whether you’ve been writing for three months or twenty years, whether you’ve published six novels or have nothing but saved documents, you can do this. I have complete faith that with dedication, hard work, and love of your work, you can write anything. I hope this wasn’t a huge waste of your time, and feel free to leave me a message if this was helpful or if you think I missed anything. GO GET ‘EM! <3
