giving up
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You are currently reading a thread in /lit/ - Literature
You are currently reading a thread in /lit/ - Literature
has anyone here given up on writing?
what happened?
>>7945452
I suck at grammar.
>>7945456
>Grammar
Really? THAT is your concern? That's really fixable anon.
The things that aren't fixable are talent and creativity. I imagine most people give up because they don't put in the effort to churn out something good or just aren't creative enough to write something worth reading.
Grammar doesn't sound something that you should give up over imo.
>>7945452
I've given up on life m8, pulling the plug tonight
I got married. I'm 25 years old but I've always been pretty conservative I guess and my girlfriend is someone I will always care about. She admitted when we spoke about it once that she isn't really interested in the whole "date various people in your 20s then settle down in your 30s" thing and so I asked her to marry me and we were wed this February gone. I guess we're still in the honeymoon period but still, I've had to focus on finding us an apartment to share and so on so my writing has taken second place, plus I'm just too happy right now to write anything that isn't more terrible than it would otherwise be. She supports my ambition and has said she is happy for me to take a year off working to focus on writing and that if we have to go without for that time and only have one wage coming in she's ok with it. She really is special. You won't imagine my surprise each morning when I wake up and realize she doesn't exist IRL.
>>7945462
So people who have English as a second language can write too?
>>7945452
I have nothing interesting to say, no interesting observations, no nothing. I haven't really experienced fucking anything and that will most likely never change. If people have entropy then mine is to be a dull, motionless retard.
>>7945483
tldr
>>7945484
Not sure if you're being caustic but Nabokov's second language was English.
>>7945483
Nice.
never even tried
i'll never write anything good and even if I do I won't get published so why even bother
>>7945462
What are some books that can help my writing style as far as grammar is concerned then?
I struggled with decent sentence structure in highschool and it's holding me back as far as my output goes as a writer.
>>7945679
Literally 8th grade grammar textbooks. It's dry and dull but you have to know the rules.
>>7945452
I give up writing every time I write.
>>7945483
You got me
>>7945452
I did for a while. Got my associates degree in tech, then was full NEET for about three years.
About a year of that time, right in the middle, I told myself that writing was causing my life's stagnation. My worries about not writing were much stronger than my worries about the well being of my parents or for my future.
That year was just depressing compared to the other two years. I gained nothing from stopping except increased panic attacks, which began to fade when I started writing again.
Now I write as a hobby, and nothing more. I've stopped doing second drafts, stopped editing unless I feel the urge to. I've given up on my dreams of being any sort of published author, with 30+ garbage manuscripts unedited and sitting around doing nothing but collecting dust, and probably even more just unfinished because I lost interest.
>>7945452
I realised I had nothing to say, at least not to the degree that it calls for a book.
I then also realised this is the case for most people who do actually publish, so I read a lot less than before as well.
Can't say I've completely given up yet, but after two months and a dozen query letters to agents I haven't even received a single request for the full manuscript. And I really don't want to go self-publishing because I wouldn't be able to market it by myself for shit. I'm also really scared that my book may actually be complete shit and I just can't tell because it's mine, and all the rejection letters are stock polite replies while every single one of them actually laughed at how terrible my writing was.
>>7945452
I got good at talking myself out of it.
>>7945673
Same thing doesn't seem to stop plethora of shitty fanfic-tier writers making their living off it to this day. You don't really have to create new Crime and Punishment, just something a bunch of people would find entertaining.
>>7945452
I read thousands of stories and manga; watched films; eventually I was honest enough to realize my writing sucked, my stories were garbage, and I didn't have anything new to say.
>>7945452
I'm boring. I don't know how to expound on whatever it is that I already find clear. Apparently, my long sentences somehow end up being labeled as run-ons even though they aren't. (I'm not even sure what constitutes a run-on anymore nor do I care.) This led me to think that my sentences are just too confusing, or maybe I'm just too confusing as I'm often confused. Also, I suck at grammar as can be seen here. I keep starting sentences with the same words quite often, which is probably a good indicator of bad sentence construction skills or worse, a lack of creativity.
Maybe I don't really know what good writing is or I just have terrible taste. The good news is that no one will ever have to suffer through a publication of my own fault.
>>7945850
If youre gonna be a serious writer, I think it starts with what you want to say, not how you say it. I've seen a drastic improvement on my own writing by being fully self conscious of mypotential audience and formulating a clear and succinct word flow they can absorb readily and adroitly. Once that's established one can say anything and express their creativity through that medium.
>>7945899
If you read manga then you should understand that garbage stories sell very well.
>>7945930
Wrong. It's actually the opposite.
How you say it is infinitely more important than what you want to say
>>7945850
don't give up on a book until after you've queried over 50 agents. maybe more like 100. and then try the publishers directly.
every dozen or so query letters if you don't get a bite then change up the letter.
going through the same thing, my friend, we'll make it eventually.
>>7945517
Does he write good dialogue?
>>7945517
Actually no.
>The family spoke Russian, English, and French in their household, and Nabokov was trilingual from an early age. ... In fact, much to his patriotic father's chagrin, Nabokov could read and write in English before he could in Russian.
>>7945452
Shitposting mostly covers my literary needs.
>>7945820
I don't know if you're still there anon, but it seems like you should spend just a little bit of time editing the better pieces and trying for publication. Take pride in your work, even if it's not the best, you know?
>>7946927
English was Conrad's third language.
If you're reading patrician god tier lit then how can you go on trying to be a writer?
We can't compete, our education was based on trivia and conformity.
>>7945452
I bet you're like 20 years old 25 at most. This is whats wrong with this stupid fucking generation. You haven't achieved worldwide renown for doing absolutely Jack shit and so you come to a Chinese cartoon forum and whine that writing is just too god damned hard. Well I'll tell you what, go take a look at all of your favorite authors and see how old they were when they wrote their opus magnae. I'll bet you half a shork and a calfs liver they weren't no goddamn horny but old enough to pretend they aren't sonofabitch. No they had already lived a full life before they were able to pump out their tomes of wisdom. They didn't learn everything they needed to be a writer in 4 years of university. They fucking lived it. Now piss off and go make something of yourself you whiny plutard.
>>7945452
Talent. I just realized it's not working without one.
>>7947407
according to that image, they all should converge at the center. does the image imply that you can reach definitive conclusions as long as you're a part of a group of people with self contained beliefs and followings?
Writing is a skill that can be learned. Take a look at any writer's juvenalia and you'll see how far they progressed.
>>7945483
Beautiful.
>>7947590
>oh-puss mag-nay
>>7945483
Fuck you man. For a brief moment you gave me hope that happiness was achievable in this life, then just dashed it to bits
>>7947656
>juvenalia
lol you're such a faggot
>>7947590
>the "you must have lived it to write it" maymay
>most writers /lit/ worships haven't
>>7947590
I bet you're that faggot in English class who thinks reading every book as being autobiographical is actual good literary criticism
>>7945452
I used to write, but then I realized it was gay, and only gays write.
And I am not a gay.
>>7947827
You're just in denial.
I almost gave up because of poor prose.Then I realized I can manually edit that shit, evry word, every letter and punctuation. I will edit everything to perfection. Even if it takes me 10 whole years, I'll still be published in my early 30s, which ain't that bad.
>>7946992
Second this
>>7947636
Yes
I'm not sure it is relevant but I never had this aspiration, and I don't understand why so many users here are assuming writing is a universal ambition. I keep seeing threads with titles like “why aren't you writing, anon?”, “how much do you write each day?” or “when did you realized you were a terrible author?”. Well, I don't want to write, I couldn't care less not getting published and literary fame doesn't appeal to me. I read for its own sake, the pleasure it gives me and the culture I slowly acquire. I show little to no respect to writers and I have a much higher opinion about those who are truly well-read, speak fluently a foreign language or have a solid knowledge in humanities. I may be exaggerating but I think most authors who survived in the posterity shared this taste for general knowledge over writing issues.
>>7945571
>writes to get rich and famous
>not bc he enjoys the process
Fuckin pseud
>>7948131
I think it's about natural people's ambitions to create, and literature being the easiest field to realize them in.
>>7948209
Sure but there are different degree in “creation”. I'm currently writing as I answer you, and I enjoy the production of text. The kind of aspirations I'm referring to is to be a “writer”, with all the surrounding status, fame, publishing process and imaginary—the infamous example being this ridiculous “literary lifestyle” some are wanking over.
>I have nothing new to say
What a bunch of faggots.
Whenever I write posts on 4chan I feel like I've given up writing.
>>7948476
I wonder if it's some sort of narcissims that a person believes his creation should be no less than revolutionary and world-changing.
>>7948209
>literature being the easiest field to realize them in
Nigga have you seen what happens when 98% of the population tries to write fiction? It's not pretty and nobody likes it.
>>7948636
Yeah, but to try and write a book all you need is your PC and knowledge of grammar, other forms of creation like movies, video games, comics, and whatever else require specific knowledge and/or tools.
>>7948636
He didn't say "easiest to field to realize them in [with good results]".
>>7947590
joyce started dubliners when he was like 19 or some shit
>>7949151
but when he was 5 someone took him to the fair
>reread stories I wrote in high school
>dialogue has characters saying "kek lmao m8" out loud
that's why I gave up
>>7947764
what's wrong with looking at the author's life to find more meaning in their work?
I'm always redrafting/rewriting
I doubt I'll ever give up even if nobody wants my trash
I'm envious of people who have at least published short stories, I'm hopeless
>>7945474
i got drunk instead and now im still alive
>>7947590
But this is completely wrong, what an idiotic post, I understand if you're writing a song and you need that emotion and passion for something YOU'VE lived to put it on paper as a song, but even then writing in general can all be made up.
You can write about pirates and it'll be a best seller even though you never were a pirate, maybe you just like pirates.
This guys never learned of "historical fiction" aka authors who insert a character into historical yet fictional situations that they never were alive for.
Fuck you, what an excuse.
>>7951239
Pussy.
>>7951239
Glad to hear it, anon. Now start writing about your experience
I have a similar problem: I can't write without thinking it's going to be published; I'm incapable of writing for "my own", as a hobby, with no audience implied.
I blame society. You can paint dicks all day long and everyone accepts it as a hobby, but if you write, it's suddenly supposed to make you famous or something.
>>7945483
fucc
>>7945452
I sadly never began, I don't necessarily think I'm awful at it, but English is not my native language and I'm pretty bad at my native language (long story), so if I were to write anything, I would have to relearn the language I would want to write in first.
Oh and being afraid of failure.
>>7951837
>just deutsches Fühl
>>7951844
>Fluent in 4 languages
>Not good enough to write in any of them
>>7951853
Embrace it, anon. I feel that Conrad's unique style wouldn't have been possible if Conrad would have been a perfect Queen's English speaker.
Vizinczey was pretty good too, and you can't even understand him in YouTube interviews.
>>7951854
Maybe I'll pick it up when I have a solid idea, but I feel like I would have to read a lot more before even imagining writing my own books.
I have no discipline. Trying to break through it every day though.
I started writing music/lyrics instead
>>7952610
This site will definitely help in that endeavor
>>7952531
German (native), Polish (second native), English and Spanish.
I'm not bad at English, I think my English is very good, just not good enough to write a novel.
>>7945483
Well written.
>>7945483
I didn't ask for this man
>>7945452
I've always wanted to be a writer. A filmmaker and just generally loved the arts.
No, I wont give up. Lost from my path for some time, I wont leave it again.
>>7945452
I hit puberty. Damn shame, really- I'm not in the best place to judge, but I suspect I was a top-tier writer as ten-year-olds go.
>>7947722
If it helps I have a great wife. Not sure why hearing that random strangers are happily married gives you hope, but there you go...
/lit/ should build a practical "how to write lit" workshop so we can take over the literature scene with our magnificent prose, patrician stories that would make women weep and men tip their hats.
I made the mistake of chasing the Devil in music where the distance between you and the words are seven major notes rather than seven genres. It bleeds your muse dry much faster than vomiting on a page ever would.
>>7945452
Everytime I try to begin a new story I work it out in my mind, and I suddenly feel like I'm not experienced enough about what kind of story I want to tell. I feel like I should search for books, comics, films or whatever that approaches the setting or archetypes I want. And it's never enough. I guess I give up before even starting, I just leave all those notes sitting there to revisit at times but then feeling like I'm too green again.
>>7945452
utter hopelessness of being published let alone receiving good critical reception.
also I'd have to capitulate my political and moral beliefs in order to find success with the today's readership which kind of sucks
>>7948497
Interesting point tbf
>>7945452
I'm scared.
I was 13 years old and they were doing test to me in school because they though i had a high IQ, they told me to write a story in a piece of paper they gave me, i started to write it thinking about my favourite book and when i was done i read it and it was the worst piece of shit i ever read, barely made sense, butchered pieces of every book i ever read, i don't know what the fuck i was thinking, i wanted to tear the fucking paper apart. Now i feel like shit thinking about it and i can't be serious writing stuff. what can i do? Sorry for the bad english
There came a point in my life when, no matter what I tried, I felt unable to write.
I don't know how or why but that's how it is. One day I could put my pen to paper and write anything, even if it wasn't very good - prose or poetry. The next day I couldn't, and since then I still can't. It coincided with other issues I've had with expressing myself, among other things
It's less "writers block" and more of some kind of mental block. I've written maybe two short stories since, and both took me far, far too long.
>>7948497
I'd attribute it more to the society many of us are born into.
The ultra-competitive, individual ideals pushed into us makes people think that if they can't stand out and make it to the top in some wildly original way, nothing is worth anything.
>>7945930
>>7946332
How are you even having this debate? What you say and how you say it are the same thing--how could you possibly separate one from the other? The sense of language doesn't exist outside of it, the same no matter what way you point at it. It's a mistake to think that, if you want to describe a green house, saying "The house was green" is the same as "The abode was chartreuse." How you say something creates what you say.
>>7947590
I've noticed that author's best works are usually their earlier works.
>>7957254
Reading this is awful, my english is pure shit, sorry guys i did my best writing that
>>7957254
>butchered pieces of every book i ever read
I am a published author and this is literally how everyone writes, anon. Your voice also reflects the last author you've read most of the time. The trick is to recognize it and keep it under control
>>7957401
I felt really bad about the whole thing for a lot of time, in the other test they made me recognize patterns from a book for a hour but i got bored and left after sometime, i don't even know if i was doing that for 40 min or 80 because no one controlled me, i changed schools like a week after that so i don't even know the results.
I have nothing to say. All of value has been pried from my eyesockets like gems from a sad, old sarcophagus. Tomb Raider-style.
All that's left is some scrub.
They said write about what you know. I know nothing, so I don't write.
>>7945452
Anyone who determine to write and then give up on it is just fucking hipsters following the trend. Fuck it, this shit requires deep research and methodolgical approach. You hipters shit won't learn it cause you shit head believe creativity exists. You know what, it doesn't and it won't come to you in your dream. It is all about researching and structuring the shit. And those works are hard and boring, so you hipsters should just give the fuck up and shove that dildo of your moms in your asses because that would bring you more pleasure.
>>7957254
'cause your IQ is low
>>7955258
Wow. Never seen so much pathetic and salt in one comment. You were definitely a top tier musician.
>>7956127
>i'll only make my 'art' if it makes me rich and revered
>boo hoo such is a suffering artist
I got tired of sending out query letter after query letter and hearing nothing. If all I got was "no" then I'd be more understanding. Fuck em. If I'm going to be offered the choice to epublishing my books in the digital age then I'm going to utilize it. First book comes out for free for 30 days on Amazon and smashwords then goes to 3 bucks with a new book every 90 days for the next 3 years. Fuck waiting around to be chosen. I've got other shit I want to write.
Just fuck it. I'm going to bed.
>>7958666
i'll read your book gaskun.
is that a GitS poster?
>>7945452
I've definitely been in a major slump, but in truth I've still been writing in some form (screenplay collaborations, freelance, etc). When I have no work, I get lazy and neglect my short stories. I've tried to get back in gear, but it seems lately all I'm interested in writing about is naked girls.
>>7958666
ha, loser
>>7945679
Bedford Handbook. Seriously.
I have no motivation and can't stick to a schedule, also I doubt I'm well-read enough to bring anything actually moderately decent.
My grammar is also completely reprehensible.
>>7945452
Nothing particularly special. A few people let me down when I needed them, a few people turned out not to be who I thought they were, a few different forms of biting paranoia set themselves on my mind.
For me it was never a matter of whether I had something unique or important to say. I wanted to write trash, but I at least wanted it to be legible. Nobody I knew gave me good criticism, but I was too much a coward to seek someone who would really rip me apart. At some point I just told the people around me, enough, I'm not a writer.
I run TTRPGs for my friends. That's about the caliber I consider my writing, and I don't see any real reason to improve it.
>>7958666
Good luck! Post in /lit/ when it comes out. I will give it a shot.
I've written a dissertation on a highly technical topic. It was very dry. Ever since I feel no joy turning thoughts into words.
>>7960676
I write very dry papers too but in my time off I enjoy posting little sexual stories about ayn rand on /lit/. It's the antidote. Write out your fantasies, then masturbate to the text.
>>7945679
Strunk and White's "The Elements of Style" is all you need.
>>7960676
When I was defending my master's thesis on electrical engineering, one of my professor said in the end it reads more like a novel than a dissertation. That was pretty funny, still got the highest grade for it.
>>7960759
I think its normal to write or speak like what you read. In some parts mine dissertation was a little bit too much of a postmodern leviathan with the appropriate syntax. Wasn't that entertaining for my professors.
>>7945452
Writing as a hobby or for money?
Never give up, that's my motto.
>>7960781
I'd argue there are places where you have to rein your own style in and succumb to the norms, and scientific works are very much a place you should write in conventional style.
>>7960788
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KxGRhd_iWuE
>>7960789
Yeah, it was only few parts, like the history and the future possibilities.
I tried to contain myself but sometimes the horses brake loose. Nevertheless it was still a good work
