Writing for fun isn't fun anymore

It may be that thinking about publishing is the problem. If you've got the idea that whatever you write has to be suitable or good enough to be eventually published, you're adding a pressure that leads to stress and we respond to stress in a negative ways, including avoidance. If the idea of writing is suddenly stressful, it could inhibit you. You're still thinking of stories and working them in your head, so the desire to tell stories isn't gone. But you're keeping them safe inside your head where no one, mostly you, can be critical of them or make judgments as to whether they're publishable or if a sentence you've written is good enough.

I'd put publishing out of your mind. Decide that you're writing with a different intent. Maybe you're writing a short story for someone you know. Try sitting down and writing just a page. Just 300 words, or flash fiction. Something you can begin, write, and reach the end all in one sitting. And when you've finished, I think you'll realize that it's not any different, accomplishing the goal hasn't changed and from hereon out devote yourself to the process of writing, not the process of what comes after.

When your motives change, so does your intent, and thus too your actions.

That's rough and I totally empathize with you. I've also started to transition from writing for fun to writing with the goal of publication, and I frequently have to remind myself that it's okay if it's still a long way off. Publication does add a different sort of pressure. Especially since I've noticed that the better/more serious I get about writing, it tends to feel more difficult and take longer. You're totally not alone.

On the question of what the point of writing without publication is: I feel like this sentiment unravels when you look at it. The point of publication is to be able to make a living writing, so that you can write more. So the real question would be, if you don't like writing, why would you want to publish? (Not to say you shouldn't publish, but that you should make sure you're enjoying it before you worry about publishing too much)

Four things that help fix writing slumps:
1. Do some intense outlining or write a couple of scenes to get excited about a novel before diving in.
2. Setting a wordcount goal and a deadline (sort of like NaNoWriMo) and giving yourself permission to write without editing.
3. Scrap the old ideas that you were considering and start something totally new, with no baggage.
4. Make yourself write a little bit each day. It may be hard, but it helps you hit your stride and gets you thinking like a writer.

I write for pleasure but I don't think that I would bother if I didn't hope that someone might read and enjoy it, which I presume means "for publication"

I am currently querying a novel (comic fantasy) and halfway through a "sequel" but for one reason and another I am not really feeling the comedy at the moment ("I have of late but wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth..."). Yesterday I picked up a darker, serious, dystopian fifteen thousand word WIP that I started last year and it all clicked into place and I have LOVED re-reading and adding a couple of thousand words.

We all go through cycles governed by the moon/hormones/life events/biorhythms/insert-external-influence-of-choice so my take (typical Gemini) would be to work on a couple of things at a time so you can get the pleasure by working on a project which currently suits, surely that is the freedom of creative writing over, say scripting to a deadline?

I went through this for the past three years - I did NaNoWriMo twice, but it was a chore, and I couldn't get into it. I eventually admitted to myself that it wasn't fun and I was in a slump. I focused on doing things other than writing - which in turn led to experiences that powered my latest manuscript. I spent three years not being able to write, and then one day, sat down, cranked out four thousand words, and didn't stop.

Additionally, I think freeing yourself from the idea that everything has to be published, or that publishing is the right end goal for all works, is also crucial. I eventually gave up on a couple of unfun manuscripts because I realized that when I started them, they were ways to work out my emotions, not books with coherent plots. Allowing myself to throw away projects helped a lot.

I've found that writing with publication or money in mind ruins writing for me. I was very focused on it as a goal when I was in my teens, and it completely burned me out. I was too paralyzed to actually write anymore. So I don't worry about the "point" of my writing. I think writing for fun is reason enough, regardless of what I end up doing with the finished stories. If I decide to submit something, fine. But it's not the be all and end all for me. It's very freeing, and I'm much more productive and happy.

It's certainly possible that it's the same for you. If you think it is, there's nothing wrong with that, and don't let anyone tell you that you're less of a writer for it.

There could be other contributing factors, too. You might be more critical of your work now that you've banked more practice, for example. Regardless, I think you should give yourself permission to write without too many expectations. Whatever you write can be revised and submitted for publication down the line if you want to. You don't need to worry about that now.

Yes. Writing to publish isn't writing for fun, which is why it isn't fun, its work. No reason you can't enjoy work though, just don't apply undue pressure.

I pretty much am just repeating what was said in the other replies.

But not only would I stop focusing on how soon you can publish, I would also focus on giving yourself permission to need to revise later. I know if I feel pressure to get it right the first time then I am not nearly as productive. But when I am willing to just do my best and look at it later to fix, it relieves that pressure.

No one has to read it until you are ready. So be kind to yourself and know that, and also that even if it stinks, it can be made into an amazing novel in the draft revisions. And maybe it won't stink anyway.

*Note: I am presuming you still love the idea of getting your thoughts down on paper, and are just experiencing writers block of some type. If you truly have lost all joy of writing, you might just try recoding your stories orally and see if that is more satisfaction for you right now. You don't have to write them, if it truly is not fun to get there, for now. But if the idea is fun and you just need to get the process going, then I definitely hope that some ideas here will help you get those stories into print form. You can do it!

So yeah, if you are hoping to publish it can be hard to get that out of your head. But if you give yourself permission to write and revise as much as you want, even just brainstorming when needed, you may find it much easier to get your fingers to type.

I'll throw something out here.

It doesn't matter if you are an artist, musician, writer or anyone else involved in the creative areas of life. There is a dark place in every created work ...and that's right smack dab in the middle. A wonderful idea is great, and the completed work is always great but that dark place in the middle is where you are left all alone wondering if your wonderful idea is really that wonderful and if you will ever make it to the completed work stage.

This dark, lonely area is also what separates the professionals from the wannabes. ...Professionals push on through the darkness.

One thing to remember is that not every phrase you write has to be a home run. If you have to fill a section with complete crap just to make it through, then do so. You can always go back and change it later after you are finished. The good part about finishing is that you actually have something in the middle to return to and fix.

-Birdman

I'm no expert, but one thing I've found helpful is to just write it down for myself when I'm feeling one of the stories in my head, daydreaming, imaging, or whatever. I'm writing it so that I don't have to re-imagine it again, I can just enjoy it at my leisure. I'm not worried about publishing it or what POV I'm in or even writing in complete sentences. Just throw everything in your head onto the computer screen. That tends to get me rolling, even if it leaves a mess to clean up later.

I feel your pain. I'm in the exact same boat right now!

Because I boomeranged and am back living with my parents, my father harasses me daily about why I'm not published yet and now I just don't enjoy writing anymore. The last manuscript I queried (back in 2015) was rejected by several agents purely because of its length (I dumbly wasn't aware of how debut novels have to be within 70,000-90,000 words, so my 140k+ novel was way too much for everyone, even though I love it so much and I still think about it every day) and now the knowledge that I have to be within those parameters is stressing me out so much that I don't think I'll be able to do it. I feel like I'm paralyzed.

Try to intermix some other mediums into it.
Music is usually what I use.

Drawing or painting is another good utilisation.
Anything that helps create, can further create imo.

OP it sounds like you're focusing so much on publishing, and the anxiety that comes with that, and less on just focusing on the writing. Something similar happened with me years ago, when I used to write songs. I got surrounded by people who didn't care about the songs, they just wanted fame and money, that it sucked the fun out of it. I quit writing songs soon after, but I suspect if I'd simply removed myself from the negative influence of those people, and simply focused on the enjoyment of writing songs again, I might have stuck with it.

Forget about publishers for a while, at least until you've got a fully completed manuscript, complete with edits and beta-reader feedback.

thejenmath said:

I feel your pain. I'm in the exact same boat right now!

Because I boomeranged and am back living with my parents, my father harasses me daily about why I'm not published yet and now I just don't enjoy writing anymore. The last manuscript I queried (back in 2015) was rejected by several agents purely because of its length (I dumbly wasn't aware of how debut novels have to be within 70,000-90,000 words, so my 140k+ novel was way too much for everyone, even though I love it so much and I still think about it every day) and now the knowledge that I have to be within those parameters is stressing me out so much that I don't think I'll be able to do it. I feel like I'm paralyzed.

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Sounds like you have a lot of pressure on you. I sometimes complain I don't receive enough interest from people in my life, but it's sound like you get too much, especially from your father.

Is there anyway you can disconnect a little from the external pressures, and bring your love for writing to the fore again? Maybe tell them you've quit writing, but secretly carry on - so that they back off and you can write in peace and comfort, at your own pace.

By the way, the Roald Dahl quote in your sig is one of my favourite. Love it.

What everyone else has said. You've got to strike the right balance between loving the act of writing itself (or even more masochistic, the act of editing), against the dark, dank slog in the middle.

Every single project I've ever done that was worth the effort, had that problem middle. And I work in a lot of different disciplines and media, so believe me when I say 'every one of them'. Some projects I set aside, abandoned, or gutted for useful parts. Others, I fought through that middle, and found gold on the other side.

It may help you to stop obsessing about publishing, and focus on writing the best things that you can. 1. You'll learn how to overcome that middle and finish more projects, 2. You'll have better manuscripts to send out when and if you jump into the publishing quest.

This is a long process. Be patient with yourself. You may need to set clear boundaries with your father, who doesn't understand this takes time.

True story: I started writing-with-intent-to-publish 30 years ago next month. Along the way I used my graphic arts, technical writing, and other certs to make a living in other fields. I've written eight novels, had two published, and worked with two different literary agents. I have a couple of 150K novels on the back burner, for splitting or self-publishing. I have some wicked good beta readers, and AW to thank for my sanity. I'm just now, in the words of one of those betas, 'leveling up' to where my work is really strong. My current editor thinks so, too.

But gawdamighty, it took me a long time to get here. Lots of family and friend support, lots of small victories in other fields (I'm in worldcat.org for my book art, a thing that still floors me after 20 years of making book art).

Other than my friends and AW, the thing I'm most grateful for is modern self-publishing. It's opened the door to opportunities I wouldn't have had, back in March of 1987.

I can relate to the original poster. I have ideas all day long but it's not fun putting it on paper. I am going to stop thinking about publishing anything and just continue writing. Doesn't have to be a published work for my kids, grandkids, and those long after I am gone to read and say, "Wow, granny wrote that?!" If only I could be a fly on the wall to see their expressions.

LeAnn

Brian, imagining is superior to writing. Writing has all of these problems to work through where imagining translates to other things more quickly. A writer will write a scene where someone is going through terrible pain using words. An actor or just someone playing will scream and pretend to collapse to the floor. A painter will go strait to the old worn out brushes and all of the darkest colors.

I find screenwriting the most fun way to study writing. It helps you get into all of the imagery, actions, and emotions of being alive and write at the same time. Here's my favorite screen writing teacher's blog. http://www.secretsofstory.com/ Matt writes about life using movies as examples.

I guess the next step for you is to discover what writing problems you enjoy. Writing is like any other discipline, it's about solving problems. Imagine a doctor who couldn't bear seeing another patient, a mechanic who couldn't touch broken cars, a teacher who doesn't want want to teach lessons. Come to think about it, those are great characters. Since you are a writer and you don't find writing fun, write about yourself. Just write your autobiography.

You really have to separate actual writing from the effort to submit things for publication. They are very different enterprises using very different talents. I still, despite everything, enjoy the process of writing (and editing). I DETEST the process of submitting material for publication, to a degree inexpressible in my limited writing power. I detest the futility of the latter, which in my case has led me to stop submitting altogether for the past year+, there being no evidence that anything I write has been or will ever be suitable for publication anywhere. That, in turn, has limited my creative writing efforts, it being hard to justify spending the time writing with no realistic hope left that anybody will ever read any of it. My writing energy over the past year+ has been expended on academic writing projects, which carry a different form of satisfaction. I wish I could revive the old aspirations to get creative writing published, but the endless unbroken succession of rejection (or just plain no response) has pretty much destroyed it.

caw

I think you need to sit down and have a hard and honest think about why it's no longer fun. Is it the stress of writing with an aim to publish? Is it the fear of failing, or that your writing is not up to scratch? It seems like you are consciously 'stepping up' your game and scrutinising what you write more - do you read it after and cringe or is it staring at a blank page and words are like pulling teeth? You need to accept that first drafts are always going to be clunky, and not get too worked about about the quality. The polishing happens after that. Or maybe you are just bored/in a rut. Try writing something different: switch from 3rd person PoV to 1st person, write crime when you normally write fantasy etc. Write a wildly experimental short story or two.

Now that I'm older, I just don't know. I've always dreamed of being an author and seeing my book in a barnes and noble, but if I can't write, I can't publish. Maybe I'm thinking too much about publishing? It's something I want - and I am working on querying one novel at the moment. Maybe I'm stressing myself out thinking everything I write needs to be published - sure, it'd be great but does everything need to be published? But if I write without the thought of publishing and write just to write is there a point? I hate writing that question.

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It is definitely the thought of publishing that is hindering you, I believe. When you hinge everything on writing that one bestselling novel so you can make the switch to full-time writing...well, that's a lot of pressure.

Many full-time authors started out little by little. Working side jobs, etc. No need to rush to get your debut. With patience, your rewards will come!

Some advice: do you have family members / friends you think of when you write? For me, my kid siblings keep me motivated on my kids' stories. It's helpful to think of at least one person out there who could possibly enjoy your story, and write for that person. Could be a stranger in Norway for all you know. Point is, you have stories to tell, and someone out there wants to read them.

It sounds like you're a lot further along with writing than I am, so this probably won't help. All I know, is that when I finish a story I've written that I think is good and that I've proofed for the last time, I can't help letting out a little laugh of satisfaction. I hope I never lose that.

I also know this feeling. For me writing is always fun, but as mentioned before, the thought and prospect of trying to find an agent, writing that perfect query letter and dreadfully waiting as you hope your story pushes through really scares me. It definitely can feel like a chore when your trying so hard to get your work out there.

I try not to think about that part so much and to make writing seem more fun, I almost play my book like a movie in my head. I don't know that just seems fun to me. Keeps me writing.

I hope things pick up for you soon. Keep on keeping on!

Cheers

Brechin Frost said:

It may be that thinking about publishing is the problem. If you've got the idea that whatever you write has to be suitable or good enough to be eventually published, you're adding a pressure that leads to stress and we respond to stress in a negative ways, including avoidance. If the idea of writing is suddenly stressful, it could inhibit you. You're still thinking of stories and working them in your head, so the desire to tell stories isn't gone. But you're keeping them safe inside your head where no one, mostly you, can be critical of them or make judgments as to whether they're publishable or if a sentence you've written is good enough.

I'd put publishing out of your mind. Decide that you're writing with a different intent. Maybe you're writing a short story for someone you know. Try sitting down and writing just a page. Just 300 words, or flash fiction. Something you can begin, write, and reach the end all in one sitting. And when you've finished, I think you'll realize that it's not any different, accomplishing the goal hasn't changed and from hereon out devote yourself to the process of writing, not the process of what comes after.


When your motives change, so does your intent, and thus too your actions.

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I was about to post this response until I read this. This person put it far better than I ever could. If you're writing for fun, then write for fun. Yes publishing is great, it feels great, trust me. Regardless, that perfectionist urge we get when trying to get published can absolutely stifle our writing if our initial goal was simply to write something we enjoy. I have volumes of work I would never dream of publishing, stuff i simply wrote out of enjoyment.

Now, this is not at all to say that we cannot also enjoy writing material that we DO plan to publish, on the contrary, we should also enjoy that as well. The difference is that sometimes we just need to write without the constraints of perfectionism. Honestly, I have beaten a lot of writer's block by stepping back from a professional piece and just writing something for myself.