Rome wasn't built in a day. Well, it's highly unlikely at most. We can't exactly prove that it wasn't built by aliens or something, right? Let's just assume that it took an appropriate amount of Earth hours, just for the heck of it, okay?
Another sin, woo!
Don't say that near a church, buddy... but yeah, we're back in business for another one! This time we're gonna take a look at the writers behind some of your favourite stories, and more importantly, the mess of unfinished books that they might leave in their wake.
Unfinished? But Tyro31, you've done exactly the same thing with-
Ahem!! Moving on, the important aspect to focus on is motivation, the driving force behind anyone with a pen in their hand and ideas swirling around their head. The trick to creating your own unique story is taking personalised concepts and fitting them into your plot like a giant jigsaw puzzle, which is done by sitting down and writing it all out.
...Are you seriously describing how to write? Thanks, genius.
It's not just about knowing what to do; any dum-dum can headbang their writing desk with a face plastered in ink and call it 'fantasy drama', but they are already doing better than most Wattpadders. Why is this the case? It is because most authors barely get through their first three chapters before quitting on themselves.
You see, sometimes people have great ideas and instantly jump into writing excitedly. While it is great that they have such a passion for their story, more often than not you'll see it burn out rather quickly. They'll post updates slower and slower, make promises that they cannot keep and eventually drop the book entirely just as the readers were getting into it.
They lack the motivation to continue their work, and still expect people to vote and praise their unfinished mess before they feel obligated to pick it back up again. It's wrong to focus on a project solely because there's a demand for continuation, but that's another sin for another day.
So, let me get this right. Some writers... don't actually like writing?
Yes and no. To some, short stories are perfect bite-sized chunks for writing whenever they feel like jotting something down. However, in larger projects you would obviously need to dedicate spare time and resources towards your work, and that's where most people jump off the ship.
After writing a few chapters or even a few sequels, it becomes something like a chore to set aside time for a plot that has been exhausted of all personal interest. As a writer myself, I can attest to how draining it feels to have eagerly planned out the epilogue of a story, only to lose interest in the character's journey towards reaching that point.
It's sad to see so many budding authors drop out or go on 'creative hiatus', but it is simply a fact of life. If you don't love what you are doing, then the chances are that those negative feelings will reflect in your working attitude. Delivering no chapters at all is better than giving your readers poorly-designed ones, in the author's mind.
Wow, that blows. How are they supposed to get interested in their own stories again?
That's a tricky one... I mean, you can't force someone to love something that bores them. Instead of authors asking themselves 'How do I get interested?', they should be asking 'What can I add to spice things up?' and wondering what elements/plot devices can be changed.
A somewhat-amateur technique that I've developed to keep myself intrigued is to just... write. No planning, no continuity-checking until the chapter is completed. Sure, I have a basic outline of the plot ready to keep myself on track, but as I am writing, sometimes even I don't know what is going to happen next. It flows naturally towards new and exciting events, the character relationships flare and revelations come out as temporary improvisations.
Nothing makes the cut until it has been reviewed several times over, and on rare occasions I've had to redo entire chapters because of this method... but it gets results. I end up with pages and pages of work, whereas previously I could barely force myself to put a single paragraph down on paper.
You shouldn't have to make yourself write, but maybe it could start with something simpler. Tell yourself 'I am going to sit down for 5 minutes and try to write. If it goes somewhere, I will continue. If it doesn't, I will stop.' If it's a no-goer, you can always come back and see if you have any fresh ideas. Just stay positive, and change however many details it takes to regain that spark again!
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That's the segment on motivation, and how writer's block can affect the author's schedule. There's no need to keep beating around the bush, if you genuinely want to move on from a project. Life gets in the way, and there's no reason to feel guilty about leaving a book or two behind. However, giving up too easily is a habit that you don't want to get accustomed to; give each story the chance it deserves. Who knows - it may even turn out to be your next bestseller!
You totally lost your motivation to write this chapter, dude. Like, for months.
Oh, shut up.