Angela Scott
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3 Reasons Most Writers GIVEUP & 3 Reasons Why YOU Shouldn't

12/20/2011

38 Comments

 
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Between getting our words down on paper and then trying to get someone (agents, publishers, READERS, anyone) to care about those words, we may come to a cross point in which we say, "Is this even worth it? Why in the world am I doing this to myself? I think I'll take some medicine to numb the voices and just go back to bed. Forget it. I'm done." *sticks out tongue and blows a raspberry at the world*

I've been there myself, many a time. But each day, I put myself back in front of the laptop and write. Even on days when I don't want to.(I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna). Why? Why do I put myself though this craziness? Well, I'm still trying to understand it myself. And though I don't have a clear reason why I keep plugging along (I'm a masochist. I'm schizophrenic. Like Lady Ga-Ga, I was born this way), I do know several reasons why some writers give up:

Reason #1: Writing is hard.  It is. The writing process, at times, can be incredibly fun and rewarding. When the words flow and nearly write themselves, it's amazing. It's almost a high type of feeling. A rush. But there are other times, many times, in which writing just plain sucks--the words do not come; or the words DO come, but they are crap; editing (it's a pain in the butt, but SO necessary. Do not skip this step. Just saying); promoting and marketing  (UUUGGGHHH); and then coming up with another great idea. Oh the pressure! No wonder I feast on lots of migraine pills, chocolate, and caffeine.

Reason #2: Rejection. It is NO fun whatsoever to be rejected by agents, publishers, or readers. Rejection stings like a sucker punch to the groin (for men) or to the heart (for women). I mean, you've slaved over your masterpiece, worked hours and hours (years and years) on your craft, and now you have this amazing story and (drum roll) . . . no one wants to read it. Or at least it feels that way. With each rejection letter that comes in from agents and publishers or less than favorable reviews from readers, you begin to wonder if you've just wasted your life creating something no one cares about (I should have bought a subscription to Netflix and watched all the seasons of NCIS, House, and Dexter instead--people talk about that stuff). Everyone hates me. Maybe I really do suck. We internalize the rejection to point of letting it cripple us. 

Reason #3: Fear of failure (The "what if's"). This kind of goes along with being rejected, but not entirely. Sometimes the fear of failure is so overwhelming, so terrifying, that a writer would rather quit than actually submit their work to anyone--beta reader, agent, ANYONE. To stand in front of the world naked (because that's what it feels like) with your book in your hands is scary. It is. I relate it to standing in the middle of Times Square in New York, without a stitch of clothing on. Terrifying. My hope is to get more cat calls than rotten tomatoes or heckling sent my way. But there is no guarantee of that happening. For all I know, people will only focus on my cellulite and stretch marks and not the fact I have a pretty nice smile and a laugh in my eyes. This is the chance I take. This is the chance we ALL take. *a shiver of fear just ran down my spine*. Also, questions like: What if I become a laughing stalk? What if only my mother buys it? What if, out of all the KABILLIONS of writers in the world, I become just another obscure writer? What if? What if? What if? Then we think it is better to quit than to know for sure.

When I posted this question on Facebook and Twitter, these were the three responses I received in one form or another. Mostly, people are afraid of failure. No one wants to fail, whether it be writing or anything else. For many, this our dream and to fail at achieving our dream would be near that of experiencing a death of sorts.

In the Writer's Digest January 2012 issue, Jack Brickman, a novelist, said this, "All of us are scared: of looking dumb, of running out of ideas, or never selling our copy, of not getting noticed. We fiction writers make a business of being scared, and not just of looking dumb. Some of these fears may never go away, and we may just have to learn to live with them."

I think the biggest thing we need to remember is why we write in the first place. I know I made light of this in the opening paragraphs as to why I write, but in actuality, I write because I have to. I can't think of a time in which I didn't write. It's a part of who I am. I hope people will want to read what I wrote. I hope people will LIKE what I wrote. But regardless, I will keep on writing. Just like breathing. Just like sleeping. It's engrained in me.

Miss Snark on her blog had this to say, "Publication may be nice but it's not the only reward.The very act of writing is its own reward. It teaches you (if you pay attention) how to see the world through different eyes; how to wield language skilfully; how to organize a persuasive presentation. You recognize that writing is a creative art and brings you joy. You recognize that doing something difficult over and over again, and trying your utmost to improve is a worthy endeavor even if you fall short of your goal. You recognize that these moments of despair or frustration or fear are part of the process, and will make the achievement of your goal just that much sweeter."( Posted by Miss Snark 2/20/2007).

So here are my 3 main reasons why you should never give up:

1) Remember why you write. If you are writing for fame and fortune, then I guess you better get out now. But if you are writing because you love the written word, or you feel as though you have a story to tell and want to share it with people, however many that will be, THEN you must keep on writing. If it make you happy, then do it. Nothing else matters. None of it. Not the rejections. Not the lack of readers. None of it. Write because you have to.

2) We are ALL afraid. There is not one writer/author out there who doesn't tremble in their boots now and again. But if we give into our fears we will NEVER achieve any kind of success. We need to kick the inner critic to the curb, push the hairy butt of doubt off our chests, and go for it. We can't let fear rule us. We are given only this one life to live and we need to make the most of it. I want to make the most of it. If I don't go for it, and push fear aside, then I will never know if I could have reached my dream. You won't either. Fear sucks. That is a given. But don't ever let it stop you from going after what you want.

3) Writing is hard. But wait, you say, that was a reason you gave for writers give to up. Why are you saying it should be a reason to keep going? Because nothing that is worth anything comes easy. You put in the work, you will reap the rewards. If writing were easy, then noone would applaud your efforts, ever. Everyone would be a writer (I know it feels like that is the case, but it isn't). It's hard to become a doctor. It's hard to become a great ballerina. It's hard to be a construction worker. It's hard to be a waitress. It's hard to be a fireman, cop, EMT, computer programmer, chef, dog groomer, you name it. It's all hard. Why then should writers be given a pass? We shouldn't. We wouldn't want that for ourselves. The harder it is to get what we want, and the harder we work to achieve it, the more we will be grateful for the success we attain. It's humbling, really. I don't think, if we are honest with ourselves, that we would want the writing experience to be any other way than it is. Am I right?

At the top of my blog is my writing motto. I will be successful. I will taste it. Maybe not today or tomorrow or a year from now, but success will be mine. I'm pretty determined to find out what flavor success tastes like.

I hope you want to find out what it tastes like too.

I wish you all the best of luck and it is my hope that if becoming an author is your dream, your passion, that you will NEVER give up. Please share your reason why you write and why you won't give up in the comment section below. Not only will this cement in your mind why you must keep going, but will also help others who may be struggling with the very decision to push onward or to push up daisies when it comes to their own writing.



38 Comments
Michael Offutt link
12/20/2011 01:28:10 am

I love this post. It is full of inspirations simply by being honest about how we all feel and how easy it is to give up and just collapse into a pile of goo on the couch.

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Derek Mulhern link
12/20/2011 02:41:05 am

I used to say "I write because I have to," and I suppose there is some truth to that, but upon further reflection I've come to a different conclusion. I write for a simple reason (and perhaps the simplest of all): because it gives me pleasure. Writing is fun. It's one of the most entertaining pastimes I can think of. Writing is creating mind-movies and the sky is the limit. It's both exhilarating and addictive and I wouldn't trade it for anything.

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Graeme Smith link
12/20/2011 02:41:53 am

Lady Angela

Fear of failure. There's a thing.
I can't tell anyone writing isn't hard - though to some rare talented individuals it may be easy. I can talk to Rejection, and simply change it's clothes and say it is not that we have been rejected, merely that we have not yet been accepted. But failure?
Ah, Failure :-).
Smith's Law #2 says (and I don't claim credit for writing it - only for adding it to my list) 'If you can't win - change the victory conditions.' Because we only fail when we try to achieve expectations set by others. Not because we don't achieve those expectations, but because we simply accept them as the 'rules of the game' in the first place.
If someone decides they have sufficient creativity to write, they win. They've identified a level of self belief many do not. If they begin a book, they win. Many think they can, but never write a word. If they finish a book, they win. Many start but do not finish. If they write their first Query, if they look round and find out that Queries exist, what they are, their purpose...
I could get repetitive. Heck, I probably am already :-).
Why do I write? Because when the words start to dance, my fingers itch. If I don't let the words out, the itch moves from my fingers, becomes a form of indigestion.
I hate indigestion :-).
This is me. Graeme Smith. Writer of comic fantasy. Well, it is if you laugh when you read it :-). And why do I carry on?
Because, for me, writing is like life. If you'll pardon the phrase, it's a right bugger. Until you consider the alternative :-).

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Diana Tracy link
12/20/2011 02:50:32 am

Thanks for giving me a fantastic image of the "big hairy butt of doubt". Great post. You are always the best at encouraging me to move forward, so I think it's fantastic that you are here for the rest of the writer folk.

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Cary Caffrey link
12/20/2011 03:01:10 am

Great post. Very encouraging.

It's funny, I just wrote this longggg comment on why I quit writing so many years ago. But then I read it back and thought, gahhh! If people read this depressing nonsense, they'll be liable to quit too!

So, fear not. I deleted it. Your post is much better, and much more encouraging.

I still have to keep reminding myself why I decided to start writing again: because if I didn't, I knew I'd totally regret not giving it another shot. And you're right; writing is difficult. I'm having to really kick myself to keep going with this second novel. After taking the time to get the first one out, though, I'd hate to leave it swinging out there on the vine all by its lonesome.

So, I'll persist. I'll keep going. I'll muddle through.

At least we have this thing called the inter-ma-web these days, so we writers don't have to feel like we're all alone, writing in a bubble.

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Phoebe Conn link
12/20/2011 03:17:36 am

I write because I love it! My mind is filled with amazing characters who won't let me quit. I've also found my books that went unsold at one time, are bestsellers in another. Never give up on your work. Save it, polish it, and let it shine when the time is right.

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Charlotte Rains Dixon link
12/20/2011 06:28:43 am

I write because I can't not write. I've tried. I've decided a million times to chuck it all and forget about it and my resolve lasts about a day until I'm back at it. Writing is how I process my life, whether I'm writing a novel, a blog post, or on assignment. If I couldn't write, I'd be a basket case. (Some might say I am anyway, but don't listen to them.) Thank you for a wonderful post.

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Abbie Rhoades link
12/20/2011 07:05:30 am

I write because only when I'm writing am I being my true self.

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Kortnee link
12/20/2011 07:52:20 am

I write to create order from chaos.

Mwahahahahaha! Dance, my little puppets, dance!

Actually, my response was too long so I posted it on my blog instead.

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Kandace Mavrick link
12/20/2011 09:33:32 am

I write because I can't NOT. It's compulsive. It gets in my head and if I don't write it leaks all over the place. And when I DO... it's an adrenaline rush - creating worlds, being a god, manipulating words that dictate the emotions of other people... I can't imagine ever not writing.

I worry that everyone will hate my work, that I'll never be published, that no one will buy my books... but I can't imagine ever stopping.

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Nancy M. Popovich link
12/20/2011 10:32:37 am

Great post! What can I say that hasn't been said before me, very eloquently, I might add.
I write because since I allowed my imagination to reconnect, it is like breathing. Taking an idea from my mind and making giving it life in words is a major high.
I met with my friend and beta reader today and I worried what she would say. There were two sentences that set my heart flying. One was, "I loved the book!" (thank you, God!) and the second was, "When I read this paragraph I could see it in my mind." These are the moments that help to take away the self-doubt and the why's. Until the next time :-)

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Connor Rickett link
12/20/2011 12:04:44 pm

Great advice. Which is always the hardest kind to remember during the lower points. . . for example I've just spent not man-hours but man-days improving my blog website to make it more accessible to readers and search engines alike............. and this has been my lowest viewership week in months. Sigh...remember why I write...remember why I write.

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Morgan Shamy link
12/20/2011 01:46:44 pm

Loooove this post...

Gosh, thanks so much for posting this. I think it's hard to remember sometimes that we're not alone in this...that we're all there, feeling the same things ;)

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Adam Collings link
12/20/2011 02:07:32 pm

I write because my head is always full of stories and I love to tell those stories.

The main thing that would keep me from writing at the moment is that I'm just so bloomin' worn-out. It's been a long year and I've been very busy with work. I have very little brain power left and not much motivation. I'm hoping my short break between Christmas and new year will revive me somewhat.

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Cassie Mae link
12/20/2011 02:13:01 pm

I'm at a loss for words, which doesn't happen a lot because words are my life. But you put everything down so beautifully, I can't add anything to it. I will tell you why I write though.

I write for me. I write for the characters in my head. I write because I am IN LOVE with writing. And I'm not looking to break up with it anytime in the future :)

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Nancy Lauzon link
12/22/2011 08:01:10 am

Great post, Angela, as always.

As Tom Hanks said in 'A League of Their Own':

"Baseball (or writing) is what gets inside you. It's what lights you up ... It's supposed to be hard. If it wasn't hard, everyone would do it. The hard... is what makes it great."

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Mike Hays link
12/23/2011 09:43:05 am

Hard work IS the magic! Great post and a timely reminder for me. Thanks.

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Rebecca L Fisk link
12/25/2011 10:43:58 am

I write for two reasons- I love reading more than anything else in the world and devouring a good book has been my escape since I was 3 years old. I want the opportunity to provide that for some other little kid, who will crack the spine of a brand new book with as much relish and anticipation as the best Christmas morning you can imagine. Which leads me to the second reason I write- in the words of Toni Morrison, "If there's a book you really want to read, but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it."

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Kristy K. James link
12/26/2011 02:14:58 pm

Loved this post! Why do I write? I've been doing it since I fell in love with it at 15. Why won't I give up? I wrote for a long time for just me and the ideas kept coming. Just because I've found a way to share it with others doesn't mean that I have to stop writing for myself. I need to write, to get the ideas out of my head and on paper (or the computer).

Just a quick word about the fear...it's true! I was SO scared when I decided to go the indie route this summer that I was almost sick. Then I was scared to tell anyone that I know. It took awhile, and I still don't push it with everyone I know, but it does get better. :)

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Tom Doganoglu link
1/8/2012 01:51:14 am

I loved everything about this post. I've been writing screenplays for over 13 years without any "success" yet. Just this year my first script was optioned and about to be filmed in LA. I turned to writing shortly before this happened so I could write the kinds of stories I wanted to read. I don't feel like I've become successful yet, but turning to novels has introduced me to my favorite character: Johnny B. Fast. While I still want success in traditional terms, meeting Johnny has been its own reward, and whether the rest of the world learns about him or not, I'm grateful for the experience.

Keep writing!

Tom

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Margo Kelly link
1/8/2012 02:22:14 am

GREAT POST! And, I really really really love your motto! Hang in there ... I think the long journey makes the success taste even sweeter ... just like a slow cooked roast, or a blackberry pie, or warm brownies on ice cream ... wait, I may have gotten distracted. haha. Just keep writing.

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Eileen link
1/8/2012 07:55:32 am

This was a great post! You are not alone in your feelings...writing is hard but the hard is what makes it great :)

Write on!!

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Melissa Pearl link
1/17/2012 01:39:09 am

You have know idea how badly I needed to read this post today. Thank you, thank you, thank you :)

Just last night, I was lying in bed thinking, is this stress really worth it?

It is. It so is. All these stories in my head need to come out and I LOVE getting them out. I have always been a dreamer and there is nothing more satisfying than watching these characters come to life.

Like you, if I didn't write, I don't know what I'd do :)

Thanks for such a fantastic post.

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Melinda VanLone link
1/19/2012 01:46:11 am

Nice post! I write because I hope one day to entertain someone on their commute to work or while they are on vacation on the beach. You know, take them away from the daily grind for just a little bit. Like so many do for me. And besides, the process of writing it takes ME away from a daily grind too. Well, parts of it does. Parts of it not so much. The editing part in particular. lol

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Maybelle Victor link
3/4/2012 01:46:38 am

What a very insightful and inspiring article! Writing indeed is most rewarding when done selflessly and with passion. The gift is shared and not owned. Thank you for sharing!

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Gabriela v.b
12/25/2012 11:20:12 pm

Thank you, this is a great post. I needed it.
I think I write because even though I'm scared of writting (for the reasons you put and more) I'm even more scared of not writting.

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Kate
12/25/2012 11:24:16 pm

it's writing not writting! :P

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Gabriela v.b
12/25/2012 11:26:12 pm

oops!! Thanks for reminding me!!

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Beth Stilborn link
2/18/2014 12:18:52 am

I write because of the books that have sustained me over the years. I write because I know there are people out there like me, kids like the kid I was, and I want to show them it's okay. I want my writing to sustain and encourage someone the way other writers books have for me.

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2/18/2014 12:20:51 am

Somehow I missed saying what an excellent and encouraging post this is -- thank you for it! And thank you for encouraging us to articulate why we write.

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