Where does it go from here? Is it down to the lake I fear. Aye-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya, Aye-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya-ya. I'm becoming somewhat obsessed with my inability to finish a novel and I don't know what to do. I have no passion, incentive or desire to write a traditional, plot-driven novel that will appeal to publishers or readers alike, and yet I can't write from the gut without sounding like a (very) poor man's Bukowski. My only option is something wholly character-driven, but I can't do that either because my characters have nothing to say. I feel utterly hopeless and inadequate at writing anything of any worth and it just makes me want to call it a day. In fact over the last few days I've been experiencing a sort of relief that I don't have to beat myself up over my writing any more. If I'm not trying, I can't be failing, is the twisted logic my mind has come up with. I've heard it said a number of times that all a struggling writer needs is to find a subject they're passionate about, and the words will flow easily because they're writing about something they know and care about, but if I've not found mine after all these years, I'm not going to, am I? I feel it's destined that the rest of my life will be spent writing, giving up, writing, giving up, writing, giving up... and never finishing anything.
Take a break @OurJud. Go and read a few good books. Go for walks in the rain. Go watch the waves breaking on the shore. Go feed the pigeons. Go listen to children laughing. Go watch a wedding. Go watch a trial. Put a few pound coins in your pocket and seek out beggars. Do something DIFFERENT from the norm. Come back and tell us how you feel then.
You don't have to write a novel to be happy. I was like for a while, and then I turned my attention to poetry and short stories.
Well I'm sorry @shorthouse, I really should address comments to Jud. Though Jud won't speak to me, after I inserted the word 'prick' in a post. It wasn't you, Jud, I was calling a prick, it was my prick, all along. If only he would see reason. Stop wallowing, Jud. Write an 800, stick it on a website. Write a 2000, send it to a magazine. Write these two objectives on a 'post it,' scratch them out, done, achieved by the end of the weekend. Monday, secure a part-time job, or failing, sell something big on e-bay.
Explain what? You said you never found a novel that you're super passionate about. So I was wondering how old you are? How long have you been waiting?
Never mind. I know where my confusion lies now. I don't see Mat's posts so to me you appeared to be having a random conversation with yourself.
That happens also. Your age isn't listed on your info. So you haven't had an idea for a novel that you were passionate about or there is no subject you are passionate about enough to write? What's the problem again?
you do realise that its not compulsory to write anything ? (unless you are dependent on writing for your income , but even then you could get a joe job instead) As a hobby its supposed to be fun , or at least make you feel fulfilled - if it doesnt you could always take up golf/woodwork/photograpy/folk dancing/needlecraft or whatever instead That aside theres always non fiction, or poetry, or journalism, or political proganda or you could forget about readers/publishers and just write a story that appeals to you.