I've had it: Giving up to maintain my sanity

I hope writing becomes fun and fulfilling for you again Ben.

Sorry it didn't work out but you had a go and gave it your all, that's something to be proud of despite the results.

Ben, I have been thinking of you and agree that you're making the right decision for you.

I remember your struggles with one of your publishers, and how difficult you found that too--just as so many other writers did.

You got through that, and you'll get through this.

Take care of yourself.

Ben, You made a tough decision to put your emotional and mental health first! I wish you the best. Thank you for leaning on your AW friends. We're always here to buoy you. {hug}

Above all, I think writing should be something you generally enjoy, something you would do even if no paycheck is involved. If publishing and self-publishing are taking the fun out of it, I'd say it's time to step back. You might change your mind at some point, but right now, I think you're making the best decision for your sanity.

I agree, rwm. This is a good decision for Ben.

Process before product, every time.

Ben, sorry to hear about your struggles, but just wanted to chime in with support for your decision.

Some folks look at me funny when I describe self-publishing as being at times soul-crushing, but it really can be. Just remind yourself during this tough time that good books that are well written and enjoyable sometimes don't sell. There's a very strong current in self-pub that would argue with me on that point and I think that "it's you" mindset can make struggling for sales even harder than it has to be and even more depressing than it already is. Stepping back from that pursuit of sales and focusing on just writing for your own pleasure should help a lot in letting you deal with your depression.

I'm so sorry, bud. I really hope this helps you re-find the joy in writing. You deserve to be happy with your words again, and I have full confidence in it happening.

Everyday we are bombarded with "motivational" messages. Never give up. Never quit. Persevere. Some people do in fact give up too easily, and need to hear that. Some people have no sense of the journey, and thus don't know when to give up. Rare, I think, is that person who understands their journey, and knows when to stop it. It's not really giving up. It's more of taking time to rest, refocus, and decide if a different journey, on a different path, is awaiting.

Kudos to you, Ben, for having that self-awareness and understanding of your journey. I suspect we'll be hearing about your resumed journey, on a different path, in the future.

Best Regards,
NDG

Take a break. You'll probably be back. And I think you should, but you definitely need a break. Forever is extreme. Don't deny yourself something you enjoy. Best wishes.

It's good that you can recognize when you need to step back and evaluate how things are going. Even better when you can recognize that it's time to call it quits on something you've spent so much time and effort on. It can be excessively hard to stop something like that, even when you know it's the best thing for you.

I do hope you'll stick around though. You can lean on all of us here at AW for support in this difficult time, and you may find it somewhat therapeutic to share your experiences so others can learn from you.

Regardless, I wish you all the best in the future. Get some rest and try to relax.

I hope this movement in a new direction is helping your depression to lift, Ben. Still here, still sending positive vibes.

This is the same feeling I've been battling for some time now, but I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet on Self-Publishing. I've been thinking about just updating on wattpad/tapas and letting it ride there without worrying so much about (newly) traditional ebook + createspace. For now Onward and Upward...

I think we're done here.

Ben, if you'd like me to reopen this just drop me a PM.