I really appreciate your honesty and vulnerability here. I’m at the point of “hating writing” lately too. I’m currently working on my first draft of my first novel and it’s hard. So damn hard. I don’t have a writing or lit degree. No MfA, no workshops, I don’t have a writing or critique group. Sometimes I feel like I’m on a deserted island trying to figure out how to survive on my own. I’m reading craft books and learning as I go but it’s so hard to do alone. And when I do sometimes chat with other writers, so often they say things like, “I can’t help but write” or “writing is my greatest joy” and almost no one talks about when writing becomes miserable. I’ve heard writers say that you should write for the joy it brings you not for the end goal of publishing and if it’s no longer a joy, maybe it’s time to step away. And honestly that advice has gotten me close to quitting, myself. But reading about how you’re pushing toward your dream even when the warm and fuzzy feelings of writing have faded is truly an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Thank you so much for this post! I'm currently on the cusp of quitting my job to actually hunker down and work on the novel I've been telling myself I would finish, for the past three years. Also, I'm based in South Korea as well!! So nice to meet another Substacker here!
Thank you for sharing this and being so honest about your process. I’m at the stage in querying where I’ve got so far and then pass after pass, year after year. Yet many of my peers are now signing contracts. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s my background that’s so undesirable or my lack of celebrity 🤣 I’m a nobody with zero qualifications and not many followers. So I’m wondering if self publishing is the only route. I’m ok with it if it is.
I really appreciate your honesty and vulnerability here. I’m at the point of “hating writing” lately too. I’m currently working on my first draft of my first novel and it’s hard. So damn hard. I don’t have a writing or lit degree. No MfA, no workshops, I don’t have a writing or critique group. Sometimes I feel like I’m on a deserted island trying to figure out how to survive on my own. I’m reading craft books and learning as I go but it’s so hard to do alone. And when I do sometimes chat with other writers, so often they say things like, “I can’t help but write” or “writing is my greatest joy” and almost no one talks about when writing becomes miserable. I’ve heard writers say that you should write for the joy it brings you not for the end goal of publishing and if it’s no longer a joy, maybe it’s time to step away. And honestly that advice has gotten me close to quitting, myself. But reading about how you’re pushing toward your dream even when the warm and fuzzy feelings of writing have faded is truly an inspiration to me. Thank you for sharing your journey with us.
Thank you so much for this post! I'm currently on the cusp of quitting my job to actually hunker down and work on the novel I've been telling myself I would finish, for the past three years. Also, I'm based in South Korea as well!! So nice to meet another Substacker here!
Thanks for sharing these tips. I am also a huge Dungeons and Daddies fan! Congrats on wrapping up your revision!!
You got this! Thanks for the tips. HIIT is my survival too!
This is all great stuff! Thank you! Enjoy your break, Kat!
Cyber hug! Great news that you finished this latest draft. Thank you for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing this and being so honest about your process. I’m at the stage in querying where I’ve got so far and then pass after pass, year after year. Yet many of my peers are now signing contracts. I’m beginning to wonder if it’s my background that’s so undesirable or my lack of celebrity 🤣 I’m a nobody with zero qualifications and not many followers. So I’m wondering if self publishing is the only route. I’m ok with it if it is.
Good work, Kat!!