Love Writing But Feeling Disheartened

You're scared of the unknown.

You are also scared it won't be perfect. But it doesn't have to be. You can edit and change the website every day if you want. Over time it will get better and more polished. Don't expect it all at the start.

Also enjoy learning and doing some new stuff. You will get some new skills that will help in the future.

Thank you for all of your comments. I have begun planning a website (I'm using WIX to set it up). I'm just trying to let go of expectations. I might put a few sample chapters up but I'm scared. And I don't know what of. 

Does that make sense? 

This means a lot to me... Thank you!  

Write for us.... pleeez. Just for us to devour, that is enough

I'm starting to lean towards viewing the act of me creating art as just a way for me to provide evidence I have once existed.

I am an avid writer of both stories and music, but I hit a huge roadblock when I realized that writing for other people to read/listen to my work was too exhausting. Also, I also have two small children as well so that has been a major cause of not having enough energy to write.

However, recently I discovered that when I write with the intention of only entertaining myself it is much more enjoyable for me. I still notify friends and family when I have accomplished a feat in music or storytelling, but I don’t worry about getting it published to the wider world. Like, I’ve got a Soundcloud for my music that I don’t advertise to anyone, so hypothetically my stuff can be found if you look for it. I don’t care if anyone does, though. It’s there for me.

I’m not saying that’s the solution for you, but reveling in the fact that my stuff is falling on deaf ears has changed the way I approach creating for the better.

 Stuart333 I wouldn't know where to start with that. I know about Wattpad but I've heard it's rife for plagiarism and it hasn't got any copyright protection. It has crossed my mind though. I guess what puts me off is the thought of I publish my own work nobody will read it.

 Wordsmith Wow. How inspiring. 

I love that you are focusing on writing and not getting bugged down by publishing or the author side of it ️ 

For me, I've always wanted to publish my works and it is tiresome. I wish I could just focus on creating rather than what happens afterwards. 

The book I'm writing currently could be considered as literary/magical realism as the main character is a woman who wishes she'd made different choices and gets the opportunity to "rewrite" her past. 

I do have a fantasy serial in mind, so thank you for sharing ️ 

I have tried writing groups but I was overwhelmed by the act of having to read aloud and listen to others reading excerpts of their novels. Not because I found it boring or anything, just because I uldn't take in what they were saying, so when they asked for feedback, I couldn't give it properly. And I hate the sound of my own voice so

I am part of groups on Facebook but they're terrible. I've stopped interacting with them now because it has become a place for gate keepers to show their superiority. I feel for people joining and asking questions and being met with the response that their question was stupid and could be googled. 

What sort of novels do you write? If genre (e.g. SF, fantasy, horror, crime), one possible route might be via fandom. Groups like the British Fantasy Society have lively online communities that support and encourage writing among members. And the big fan conventions like Eastercon, Fantasycon, and Worldcon are great opportunities to meet agents, editors, and publishers in informal settings.

Another possibility would be to find the right kind of writing group. But you do need to be careful here. Some are little more than mutual appreciation societies or therapy groups. A few are destructive cliques. But the one I’m most familiar with is a mixture of published authors and would-be authors with the former happy to support, advise, point out publishing opportunities, etc.

John Scalzi kickstarted his career as a novelist by publishing his first novel on his website and asking readers to donate to him if they enjoyed it.

Im a big writer myself and it’s my number one passion since being very small. Do you want to be an author ? I guess for me it depends on why you are wanting to write. I just love creating the whole story, getting lost in the world, developing the characters etc . For me publishing is kind of a lesser thing, so it would not dishearten me. My issue at the moment is getting back into the right frame of mind. If you love writing ii wouldn’t leg it out you off….

Could you serialise one and upload a chapter regularly to a website, so you have repeat content?

Then hope people find it and start to comment. Perhaps it gets some attention. Depends on how many people are already giving away free stuff.

It would mean giving something away, but having them unpublished is not helping either.