Young Writers Society

Or is it just me?

I sometimes find it hard - and sometimes I fail completely - to push on, because I become so disillusioned with what I've written so far. Even something I think is okay whilst I'm writing/editting it, I'll look back in a day or two, and the prose will feel so thin, the characters lifeless, and the plot weak.

So, is this something many of you have a problem with?

No, not me. There are times when I don't like my idea for the story (the plot, the characters, etc...), but I never actually hate my work. I know what you mean, though. I've gone through that I don't know how many times.

Extremely annoying.

I try to write everything a few chapters ahead and then work back, (Weird, huh?) but sometimes it just doesn't work and needs to be trashed. I've already trashed one here, but that's somewhat besides the point.

I will always find something to toss out, due to either lack of interest or if everything crashes, but I can never hate my stuff. Ya know?

Bah. I can't explain well.

I wouldn't say I hate my writing, but no matter what the piece, I am always painfully insecure and self-conscious about it. I can overcriticize my writing so much that every last word makes me feel sick, no matter how well-written it actually is.

But yes, I know your problem all too well. X_X

As for battling it, I've found that not going back to edit until something is finished helps a lot. And if, like me, you have a problem with comparing your voice to other voices, abstaining from reading too much can actually help.

Yes.

...Not always and not endlessly, but rather often.












IMP

I dunno, it depends...it usually inspires more frustration than hatred. I don't think that most of it is very good, but that doesn't make me hate it. I just get sort of annoyed at it (and myself).

I'm usually just depressed by its utter mediocrity. But I don't usually loathe and despise anything I write.

When I first began to write I thought I was really good. Now that I have 100+ pages that stuff seems sooooooo bad. So, yea, from peice to peice.

~Pol

I try to remain neutral...as it happens, when I really, really love a piece that I've done, other people read it and go, "Eh." Which isn't good for the self esteem. XD

Ergo I'm usually indifferent. But I usually like the idea of the plot and the characters better than the actual prose, even though it's quite fun to read through drafts for a laugh. It's why we love NaNo, yes?

Usually... until I take a red pen to it! Then I'm not so mad at the style as with the nuances that I can't seem to grasp

It varies for me. Sometimes I hate it, sometimes I love it and sometimes I don't really know. Occasionally I read stuff I wrote years ago, and I wonder why I thought I was a good writer, but we're always getting better. I do love the stuff I wrote before I could write properly. It was so cute!

I hate it.

I've always hated it.

It's a wonder I get anything done.

It varies from piece to piece, and sometimes even from bit of piece to bit of piece. For example, in Gorrath: Part 3 (I KNOW it's amazing! after millenia it's done! oh yes, and I'm not trying to plug, just giving an example) I like the way I wove it all together, but I think my writing was a bit too purple.

I always cringe, always. It takes effort to read through things again, because I just don't want to face what I've written, hence not enough editing gets done.

I can write something, and then be really happy with it, and surprised that I came out with something so good, and then a few days later I can't stand to read it anymore.

Constantly. However, in saying that, I guess I hate the things I write because I'm able to know when something I've written is really good. Sometimes (very rarely) I'll write something, re-read it and say to myself "you are amazing, you know that?" Haha.

Although the vast majority is horribly disappointing to me, I keep writing (quite often cringing at the things I don't like) in the hopes that I'll produce something I do like.

In short, I either hate or love everything I've ever written... there is no middle ground. The hate greatly outweighs the love though.

Hm.

Its odd for me, I am bizarrely confident of my writing (with nothing to go on as well), so no I don't hate what I do, or the stories I tell.

At the same time, I do recognise my strengths and weaknesses. And that, I think, is important for finding a balance. The only reccuring thought that I have - and it never ceases to horrify me - is that what I write is flimsy.

And its as bleak a thought as you can have. I console myself though, because I know you can only go from strength to strength in this profession, and I'm sure with more experience and time, I will gain the depth that I (and I alone atm) feel I lack.

I'm playing the waiting game...with myself lol. That being said, I dont love what I do either. Its just...what I do.