Throwing in the towel

I just do not believe the people who say, generally, "If you love to write it shouldn't matter if you have readers, or get replies, writing in and of itself is reward enough."

*sigh* I'm sorry you don't believe me. You're right, though. Who care's what "people like me" think, right? I have more readers than I deserve. I came here and posted because I was invited to do so, so I already had readers. I don't know what it's like to not have readers. That being said, I'll tell you what I did before I found this wonderful place.

I was on SW.com as a hyperspace member when my idea for Fall of The Sith (then "An Alternate Storyline For Mace Windu") came to me after an exhaustive and ultimately pointless conversation regarding whether or not Mace was justified in trying to kill Palpatine and what the consequences of his success might have been. So...given that I had a blog there, I started writing the story. Do you know how many readers I had? None! In fact, I never expected any. I wrote it because it was eating at me and I had to. After my 4th post, the SW.com gestapo came in and shut it down (I had unknowingly violated TOS). When the entries got blocked, I found out that several of my buddies were reading it and interested (like 5 or 6). So I started writing my story in word and emailing it around. I did that for about 2 weeks. Finally, Ragozy (a member here) pointed me to this site and told me I might have a home here. I would have continued to write and email if I had never found this place. In fact, several people (4 out of 6) fell off the email list for different reasons and others popped on. My original plan was to write the whole thing no matter what. I wrote it because I had this annoying thing scratching at the inside of my skull demanding to be released. After I wrote a piece, that scratching was a little less.

I'm happy my work connected with as many people as it did. I don't delude myself into believing that it means anything more than it does. I write because I like writing. Today people like my story. Tomorrow, they'll hate my work. Who knows? I write for the craft. I write because it's fun. I love the reader response, mind you. I love the interactivity of it all. But if it goes away, I'll still write. You don't have to believe me if you don't want to. But it's true.

Good luck to all of you.

 

Join a social thread or a fanclub around here. Make friends!! It really does wonders for your readership.

I hear (I mean, read) this a lot, and while it makes a lot of sense, it's not as easy as it sounds. I've posted all around the boards here, and many times I feel kind of ignored because my username and icon aren't very familiar to the more established posters. Plus I don't have the time to be on the boards making friends here when I've got so much to do in real life. I guess it all adds up to a huge lack of advertising for my writing, which is a big part of its lack of reader popularity.

 

Great thread Sebulba.

Until recently I got really stuck with one story due to Mary-Sue Phobia. I started to tear apart whether it really was necessary for her to have many/any connections with canon characters because that's one of the things people often list as Mary-Sueish. But you know what? I looked at my OC again, looked at the reader replies I had, and realized that was silly. I know who she's somewhat based on and it's not me. And I know her purpose in the story and it's not wish fulfillment.

It's a double-edged sword. Being an old friend/relative/potential romance interest/etc of a main character can allow readers to connect or have them crying Mary Sue. But, I think it's important to focus on the story you're using your character to tell rather than being afraid of what others will think.

Honestly, I almost always find that the lines/sections I enjoyed writing most, but thought wouldn't go over well tend to be what commenters like most. I've been trying to keep that in mind when I worry something won't sound good (betas help a lot too).

 

Those of you who say that a small, devoted readership is wonderful: you're right, it is. We (meaning co-author pink_saber_girl and myself) have a VERY devoted following on the Wicked board where our fic started. There's about five in that bunch, and we love them to death. In fact, we've even decided to base a viggie off of the characters of the musical and incorperate our readers as a present thingy. They're great and wonderful, and I love those chicks to death. However, I have one BIG problem with them: in the histoy of our fic, including those devoted readers, we have NEVER gotten a constructive criticism review. NEVER. For some authors, they wouldn't midn. But for me, it really bugs me. thats one thing that makes me want to throw in the towel more than anything: I may have that great readership, but if I don't know how to make this thing better, what am I supposed to do? It's really difficult for us. The worst part is it seems that readership is dropping every chapter, and it's really dishearting. We're getting some new readers, but none give us CC. That drives me up the wall!

 

I just do not believe the people who say, generally, "If you love to write it shouldn't matter if you have readers, or get replies, writing in and of itself is reward enough."

This poor quote is getting beaten all to Hoth and back.
It's apparent that anyone who is spending a great deal of time writing fanfic likes to write, reviews or not. A person who hates to write wouldn't be engaged in such an activity, so I think it can safely be established that 95% of the people here truly like to write (I'm leaving a 5% margin of error to cover the sadomasochists who do it because they hate to write and write to abuse themselves and others). 95% of the people here like to write. Viola! We've all something in common and can rejoice in that fact: I like to write, you like to write and that kid over there also likes to write.

Shouldn't we all just be happy writing?
Why do reviews matter?

I don't know, but I always check and admit that it makes me feel great to get a comment. Am I so shallow or pathetic that this is all I have going on in my little world? No, I've nearly four degrees, presented at Oxford and have a two hundred and fifty page manuscript due in May (which makes me wonder, what in the hell am I doing writing fanfic--oh yeah, I love this) I've got tons on my plate. Do I not love writing enough, because I secretly hope that someone out there is reading my stuff? Reread all that other stuff I've got going on and ask that again. When I get a review, be it a "Good" or something more complicated, it feels good because I'm being acknowledged for something I did that was purely creative.

On a regular basis in real life, I've stood up in front of my colleagues and gotten in to ridiculous fights over semantics and implications. I've had a hundred and twenty five pages of research handed back to me and called "mildly adequate" by people whose work I idolize only to have dozens of others fall all over it two weeks later because it's groundbreaking. Fanfic is my outlet. If I go into heavy handed imagery in my professional work, I've an editor who will take a red pen and mark it out or tell me to put it in a footnote. I like to think that here I have real human beings reading my "good" stuff. I don't work/live with real human beings.

I've been thinking about this thread a lot because 1.) I've been very irritable and 2.) I had a close friend tell me I was stupid for wasting my time on this instead of my other work--basically, that I should throw in the towel. Did they want to read any of my stuff? No need, the effort itself was just stupid. Give it up and get back to work! If you spent as much time on this as you do that you'd be done with this. Move on, grow up and get over it. Yeah, I hang out with wonderful folk. My decision? Hell no, I'm not giving up. I don't care if I start getting 3 hrs of sleep a night instead of my usual 5. I'm going to be the pathetic sod who isn't going to throw in the towel. Let it sink to the tenth page, but it's going to keep getting up--driven my own dark will. Somebody's got to take a stand around here.

That was an inspirational talk or at least as close to one as I get.
I've had a rough day and apologize profusely if this seemed like an extended whine.

 

Coming from another irritable person who had a rough day, I understand how many of you feel. I do have a positive reason for continuing outside of pure enjoyment and I wondered if anyone else had a similar experience.

I have had anxiety problems for ten years, starting in high school and growing steadily worse in college and law school. After the birth of my child, it reached the level of obsession (I was sitting up all night inventing things to worry about). I was determined not to take anything for it until I had tried every possible other avenue. I was already eating right, running, going out with friends, etc.

I stumbled onto this site in June--my first experience with fanfic writing--started writing and voila, no more anxiety issues. I have only shared this with two people, both of them being good friends from this board. I refused to tell anyone IRL about the anxiety because everyone thinks I have my act together and I am guilty of trying to maintain that image.

Like you oqidaun, my RL friends would find this a most unworthy hobby--many of them laugh because I saw ROTS 4 times (if they only knew, lol). Other friends have raised their eyebrows bc I bought the ROTS novel--they should see the other 19 EU books I have hidden in the closet!

I'm not giving up, readers or not, because I am thrilled to be free of the anxiety that plagued me for ten years. Am I crazy? probably. I wonder what it says about me that I am this much happier bc of a website and some fanfic writing. But I'm having a good time and plan to keep on writing.

 

You know what, you've hit on something, VM! That is what has kept me here: The people I've met.

I know Zane posted right after me, but you know what, one of the fun things has been brainstorming with him and coming up with ideas for our story. When you get two brains together, (wacky though they may be) you can come up with some amazing AHA! ideas. That in itself, has been so much fun.

And you get connected to people through reading their stories. I feel like I know a lot of people in here because I've read so much of their works and I'm totally in love with their characters and stories.

Those connections are so much fun. Maybe that is what is best about writing and reading here.

 

Heh. I feel your pain. I fear to tell my friends what "stories" I'm writing, since I go to a very liberal artsy school that can get downright snobby about its arts. I've heard endless diatribes against fanfiction from someone who didn't even know I wrote any. Of course, he's an aspiring Creative Writing major, so he gets offended when people don't take things as seriously as he does. Actually, that goes across the board. He also hates that I take philosophy classes for fun. Because it is Serious Business, and I should care about it much more! Just because I don't happen to lose any sleep at night over it, you'd think I'd violated some law or something.

Anyway, the same attitude applies to writing. I do not take it Seriously enough, therefore what I write must be, by definition, utter crap. I wrote a philosophy paper on Knights of the Old Republic (well, it was more about a film theory, using Star Wars and KOTOR as examples, but anyway...), and if I had a quarter for every time he's bashed my paper, which he hasn't even read, mind you... well, I'd be able to do laundry for a semester.

I really hate how people stop taking me seriously the moment I bring up Star Wars, like it can't be an intelligent topic of discussion. "You shouldn't advertise the fact that you know people with Stormtrooper armour, people will think you're a geek!" "Why would you want to make a Star Wars costume?" "Oh, Star Wars fan fiction..." I mean, sheesh.

Anyway, that's really off-topic grumbling. Though people like that do, sometimes, make me want to throw a towel... at them.

I'm not gonna lie- I like getting feedback. I mean, I keep writing even if I don't get any, simply because the ideas don't stop coming just because the comments do. But it always makes me feel all warm and squishy inside to see that someone's taken the time to leave a comment at the end of the piece. I used to be a terrible lurker, but I'm making my best efforts to de-lurk and comment on things.

Fortunately, since I'm not a Serious Writer, which is part of my problem, apparently, it doesn't kill my ego if I don't have hordes of followers. In fact, I'm happy to have two or three loyal readers that honestly like my stuff. Heck, when I had one person go through and comment on everything I had linked in my profile, it just about made my day. And I guess it's knowing that you never know when the one person who likes your work will come along that keeps me from getting down too much.

I'm just writing because the ideas keep coming, and it aids in keeping my brain from rotting over the summer. And during the school year, it'll keep me sane. I can't always be killing myself over the computer terminal, after all. In fact, one of my favourite stories started completely ot of being procrastination fodder. So it keeps me entertained and sane. 'Tis enough reason to keep writing for me.

 

Something quick that a long-time fanfic writer shared with a mailing list I was on years ago -- she said that she always kept in mind that for every 1 response she got, there may've been 5 silent lurkers thinking the same thing (or something better) who were too busy or shy or whatever to respond. I know it might not help, but, it's helped me a few times in the past.

Oy!! I still hesitate to tell many people I write fanfic. I hate it when you get to that point in polite conversation when people ask what your hobbies are, and inevitably I have to mention writing because writing/reading takes up a good chunk of my time. And inevitably, they ask me what I write. I try to get off with as vague an answer as possible, but on some days when I'm feeling brave I may mention it has something to do with sci-fi. I'm thrilled to death when I meet someone in RL where I don't have to explain to them what fan fiction is, cause then I don't have to fear the odd look from then when I'm done explaining.

That makes me seethe... *hugs the JC boards*

I don't think you're crazy at all. Though in a sense, I think we're all a little crazy and that's what makes this so much fun.

While my experience isn't exactly like yours, I think I kind of know where you're coming from. When I started going through some rough stuff, the one thing that I could focus on and kept me on track for a bit was a fanfic I was co-writing with a friend. And it sounded dumb even to me at the time, but it helped.

It was when I stopped writing fanfic that problems everywhere became almost too much for me to handle. I don't even remember why I stopped writing -- I have so many bunnies and unfinished stories and plot outlines -- oh yeah, I started role playing, heh. Anyway. I've realized over the past couple of years that I needed to do something creative that was from my efforts and my efforts alone, no co-writer, no person to roleplay off of, just me. Writing's an outlet for me. No matter what I write about, it's a catharsis, and it is for lots of other people too. Fan fiction's just...funner.

And just so you don't think you're crazy at all, I have an article that appeared a few years ago in a newspaper:
~~~~
15 Minutes of WHAT for Good Health?
Writing. Turns out that people who write about traumatic experiences for 15 to 20 minutes a day for three or four days are healthier! They visited doctors less in the following months than people who wrote about superficial topics, according to psychologists James Pennebaker and Anna Graybeal of the University of Texas at Austin.
Writing about trauma can boost the immune system, reduce levels of stress chemicals, and improve grades in school, reports the Dallas Morning News.
~~~~

So, there you have it. Writing's actually healthy for you!

-Mia

 

This has been a very interesting discussion!

I just do not believe the people who say, generally, "If you love to write it shouldn't matter if you have readers, or get replies, writing in and of itself is reward enough."
This quote has gotten a lot of "flack", for lack of a better word from my currently non-caffeinated brain, but I think it has a little bit of merit when you view it in terms of the posting of stories. I love to write, and I've written many things that I've posted (in this fandom and others) and many things that I've never posted. Yes, I do write for myself, first and foremost. However, once I decide to post something, then I've crossed over from just-writing-for-myself-land and am now in also-writing-for-other's-enjoyment-land. Because, if it were truly just for me and readership mattered nothing, then I wouldn't take the time to edit the html and post the work. And, frankly, comments/reviews/PMs/recs are the only way anyone knows whether the people who are reading actually enjoy the work. So, in that respect, I'll admit that yes, reviews/comments do matter to me because they indicate someone's enjoying my writing. I cherish each one that I get, particularly for my OC novel-length WIP since I know that's not a very popular genre for readers. And it takes a long time to read more than a one-shot story, so it's flattering that someone (even just one or two people) likes the story enough to spend the time reading and then the extra time replying.

 

I'm probably missing the point of this thread, but . . .

I've never thrown the towel in on my fics. There are some I haven't updated in ages, but I've never said, "All right, that's it. I'm not going to continue this any more."

Still . . . there are times when I wonder why I bother. Not when I don't get lots of replies. I consider myself lucky if I get four or five per post. But when a one-poster that required very little brain power gets more replies than a multi-post fic that has cost me sleep, I have to wonder: Why don't I just write simple stuff? It'll increase my output, if nothing else.

Which isn't to say I'm not fond of the one-poster or that I think it's bad in any way. And I'm pleased people read it and liked it enough to leave their comments. But a desperate voice keeps shouting in my head: What about my other fic?

The ancient piece of advice about writing for yourself and so on has already been said. I agree with it . . . somewhat.

But if I get a certain amount of pleasure from writing and a certain amount more from getting replies, then why shouldn't I stick to fics that will? My time is limited and I've got plot bunnies to spare. There's no way I'm ever going to write them all (and to add to the bitterness, there's very little chance of them ever being adopted, either), so why not give up on those that I know will take time and effort?

But if I don't write them, who will?

- lazy


PS - Don't ever throw in the towel. You never know when you'll need it to save yourself from the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal.

 

Bravo...couldn't have said it better my self.

VadersMistress No one gets the kind of response that your mother does. Everything she writes is perfect...

Souderwan Not to be rude, but you are in the "Have" category...You have a very large following and that is great for you. I do not mean to take anything away from your talents and readership...I just think it is a little unfair of you to talk about not having readers or comments would or would not bother you since it doesn't apply to you. Come see me if your readership falls off...then we can talk.

I think that my point was lost (I guess I can attribute that to my obvious lack of skill). I do like to write...I am not into torturing myself, I do have a love for it. As it was so eloquently stated above...it is when my work is posted and no one responds do I feel bummed out.

I did have a following of sorts and there are people that leave comments on most of my stories, I am not saying that my work goes completly ignored. I just wish that some stories got more attention than they may have.

But back to what the main point of this thread is about...

This isn't what it sounds like - yet. This is just something I'd like to toss out for discussion and advice. Is towel-throwing ever something you feel like doing, because you feel like your story is a waste of time and board space? If so, how do you deal with that? When your readership plummets to an all-time low, and you lose interest in writing the story as a result, what do you do in a case like that - particularly if it's a story you're very excited and passionate about writing?


I have actually tossed in the towel on 2 stories (One because it dealt directly with EP III and once spoilers and details leaked, my story became obsolete or AU-ish)...but when I get a sense of no interest and the story is a waste, I usually just rush the story for the boards so that it is completed. This means that the quality of the story (In my mind) suffers. I usually go back and finish it the way I originally intended and repost it a few weeks or months down the line to see if readership improves...

Hope this helps Sebulba2179...

 

A_F, dude, you're SO not crazy! Well, no crazier than the rest of us. Having this creative outlet probably does everyone here a bit of good. (Don't mean to speak for all board participants but you know what I mean right?) Like you and many others I stumbled onto writing fanfic & posting it when my marraige was going down the tubes. When things got rough I could lose myself in my writing and share it with the friends I made through fandom. People who didn't judge me, tell me I was wasting my time, or demand anything from me other than to write more. It made DRL so much more bearable. Still does.

So like ya said, keep on writing! Keep sharing it with the boards and if the folks out there in RL don't understand, well...to each his own and all that.

 

I might have come off a little snide in my response to that quote, for which I apologize. I happen to agree that if everything you say here. If I got zero replies to a story I was writing, I might consider not posting any more to it. I would continue to write it (that whole scratching at the inside of my skull thing) but I wouldn't waste the time and energy required to post it. I hadn't considered that difference so I thank you for making me think about it from that point of view. Posting has some challenges associated with it and is a performance, in a way. An actor standing on a stage performing for hours on end every night with no audience at all would be considered insane. If I found myself one day being that actor, I wouldn't post anymore.

But. I would continue to write! Writing is about me. Posting is about you.

wendynat, great observation! I am wiser now than I was.


Edit:

Fair enough. I'll drop out of the conversation. But before I do, please see above epiphany. Thanks.

 

I find myself agreeing with Souderwan and Mia. I've been very fortunate to have gathered a small but merry band of readers since I joined the boards, but the bottom line is that I write because I love to write.

Recently, I wrote and posted a story that got zero replies. *shrugs* That's okay. I'm fond of the story and always will be. I'm willing to bet that this sort of thing happens to almost everyone at one time or another.

There are days when I want to throw in the towel - yesterday, for instance, I almost tossed my stories and the boards altogether. Then I find myself waking up this morning and a new story is forming in my head. If you're a writer, you're a writer, and you should go ahead and write. Do it for yourself and your mental health (as Mia suggested). I'd be surprised if most writers at the JC don't eventually find a readership if they're creative and persistent.

In my case, finding a Master early on helped give me the confidence to post. I also knew that I had at least one reader, built-in. My association with a well-respected board member paved the way to more readers as well as friends. It may seem silly to some, but it worked for me and I'm grateful. I also found that the more replies to others' fics I posted, the more likely they were to return the favor and read my stuff.

Just my two creds.

oldj

 

I just want to peek in and say that for the folks who have corresponded with me, I still DO plan to check out your fics. I just don't have much time right now.

When my BF goes back to Michigan, I'll have more time to lurk and read.

 

When my BF goes back to Michigan, I'll have more time to lurk and read.



Nice one.

 

As Oldj's stalker let me just say, "What!"

Oldj: you only got zero replies because I hadn't seen it. Where is it? What's its name?

And I can't believe you would even think of throwing in the towel, any one of you.

I know it's hard to get readers. I love reading the stories, but there is just no time to read them all. And if for some reason I miss a couple of posts I get so lost.

I know I've lost touch on two stories I liked. But because of RL and my desire to learn how to write I've not responded to them. (which one of them is yours CommanderConrad, sorry)

But I'll get back to them. Most people do.

I know that I started a story and after a couple of posts I saw a girl stop responding. When she finally did I simply said, "Hey. I was wondering where you went." She then told me she forgot the name of the story. When she saw it on the first page, she recognized it and caught up.

I find I do that also. I forget story names or even authors. But if you keep posting I'll eventually see it again and catch up.

So as a reader, please don't throw in the towel. Or I'll have to throw it back.

 

I have often wanted to throw in the towel. When I first started posting, I got very few readers. My reader numbers have grown slowly over the years and I have a loyal bunch that I love dearly. They don't just say that they like it for the most part but actually tell me what part they like. They are wonderful, we share similar interests and it's been a lot of fun entertaining them.

But the number of readers isn't the problem for me and has never been the issue. It was that writing is so damn difficult - it's more a labor of birth than a labor of love. Yes, you get a present at the end but really sometimes it's just not worth it. Then my readers remind me of one of the main reasons I write, to tell them stories. Yes, I do write (and post) for others and not just for myself. I know a lot of people write to entertain themselves and that's great. But I have many creative outlets and some actually pay money so if it was just for me, I'd be quilting instead...


As for the whole readership issue, frankly some people write stories that a lot of people want to read and some don't. That is always going to be true, here and the real world. I don't think that a person that has a wide readership should be troubled about it or that they should be chastised or made to feel somehow ashamed for it. It is what it is. The readers go where they want to go - you can't force them, you can't really bribe them and you can only deliver what they want to read. Or not.

There have been a number of threads that deal with how to gain a larger readership. Since a lot of it is pretty darn good advice, the writer can either follow it or not. It is really up to them.

 

I'm a writer who's been on these boards for several years. When I first started I somehow, magically attracted hords of readers. This probably came from the fact that my first fics were light and fluffy and full of mush. After my DE trilogy was over, I started working on somewhat darker stories, plunging my cast of characters into much more gut-wrenching and more serious situations. The mush dried up - and so did my readership.

Where I used to have 15+ people responding to every post, I'm now lucky if 5 consistantly check into my current stories. I cherish each person who's stuck with me also. My readers are important to me, as few as they are.

I've learned to accept this change, mostly because I created my own website where I have all of my previous stories now posted (I write GIANT epics - having them all in one place is preferable to emailing files to people, or having them hunt for original threads here.) I put a link to my website in my signature blocks on every site that I register for, I put in in my bio, I post things on my site other than just fanfiction, in order to attract people to snoop around at everything (photos of my SW collection, essays I've written on the SW films, other hobbies, etc) - and then possibly I can get them suckered into my FF writing.

When I check my daily stats for my site, my heart swells when I see that pages w/ middle-of-story chapters have hits - that means people are reading. My site's guestbook got spammed so I had to take it down. I used to regularly get feedback from people there - but now I don't even have that luxury of gratification. Occassionally they'll email me out of the blue and that always makes my day. I once got an email from a guy who said he found my site while he was overseas in the service and shared it with all of his friends. I was deeply moved when he told me that he was shocked to hear I wasn't a published writer.

If I'm feeling low that my current fic has disappeared into oblivion on the boards here, I just check my own website to cheer me up. I'll also write up a quick Vignette that's mushy and light to give myself immediate feedback gratification if I'm feeling particularly unloved

The truth of the matter is that published authors probably don't know what people think of their works unless they suddenly become popular and get scads of fanmail. Not every writer out there is JK Rowlings. Lurkers are everywhere, and even though feedback is something we all crave, in the end, you have to do what you love...make your muse happy and WRITE. If you deny your muse and quit writing all together, you'll probably be even more miserable than you were when you thought that you were not attracting readers.

 

Yes... denying the museys is bad... very bad. We learned this the hard way, didn't we precious. Better to give them what they want!



-Mia

 

As a long time lurker and fledgling writer, I just wanted to throw my two cents into the discussion.

I never realized, before I started writing, just how stressful the whole process is. This is probably a function of my personality, because I tend to be very detail-oriented and have these annoying perfectionist tendencies. However, before I posted my first story (a challenge response), I think I went through 9 or 10 drafts and had my beta read it 4 times or so (driving her crazy in the process). All for a little 2,000 word response that probably nobody cared about except me.

What I'm trying to say is that the whole writing experience has sensitized me to how important feedback is for an author. Sure, I've thought about throwing in the towel, which is pretty funny considering I've hardly written enough to justify 'quitting.' However, I do understand the feelings involved: the writing process itself may be personal, but once it's put out there for public consumption, you're leaving yourself open for criticism and neglect - and the ironic thing is that, since writing is such a personal process, it's almost as if it's you out there. I do get satisfaction just from finishing a story and knowing that I accomplished what I set out to create, but then I do have those worries: is my story adding anything that hasn't already been covered, is it a waste of space, is it worth the time and effort when it seems to get lost in the shuffle?

However, then I realize that as a reader I would often read a story and not provide feedback, even though I enjoyed it. Lurkers are everywhere (I'm one of them) - even though it's hard to remember sometimes. I'm trying to be better about that now, because I realize how much work and effort goes into each post. For me, I'll never be someone with a lot of feedback or a devoted readership, since I'm such an infrequent poster, just one of the multitudes. However, I plan on continuing to write until I lose interest (i.e., the muse leaves) or the stress outweighs the fun I have.

Thanks for staring this discussion, Sebula2179 - I've learned a lot from reading the thoughtful responses.

 

I don?t suffer so much from a feeling that I should throw in the towel as much as a lack of motivation to get on with writing the story in a form that can be shared.

If I?ve thought of something and daydreamed it then that is good enough for many ideas. With more complicated ideas if I?ve made some notes, worked out the structure of the plot, written it with partial detail, and figured things out then that is good enough for those.

So if I?ve managed to (as Sounderwan put it) still the scratching at the inside of my skull by working the story out and I know that the most I can hope for would be 2 or 3 ?I liked it!? responses then why bother? I?d not be denying the muse as I?d be sating it with the plotting out and the promise of ?maybe write this later? but I?d not be ?wasting? time either. There are things I could be doing, some things I should be doing, so why not get on with those instead?

I?ve got enough readers, and I?d be annoyed enough with myself, that I?m not going to stop but sometimes it is easy to procrastinate.

 

Many times I just lurk on a story if I do not like it. I may see what looks like a great idea, but then I don't like what the author does with it, or their idea is good but their writing skills aren't.

I hate to post only to complain. Sometimes I am checking in to see what they're doing, but I don't want to share my opinion.

So sometimes I think, when I know ppl read but didn't comment, it's the same phenomenon at work.

 

Lurking is not always about whether or not something is good or not. Sometimes (like me) you lurk until you catch up with the story and then you feel left out. So you wait for an opportunite time to post. It's silly...but that's the way it works sometimes.

Othertimes the work is so brilliant, you have no idea what to say. I hate posting one-liners like "good job". I'd almost rather not post anything at all. Perhaps that's wrong.