Reasons NOT to Give Up On Writing

As writers, we all doubt ourselves at one time or another. Writer's block is a challenge. Some people tell us we'll never make it—there's no point in pursuing writing, it will get you nowhere, majoring in creative writing is pointless, etc. Negative comments, thoughts, and hate can leave you discouraged as a writer. Such things can leave you wanting to give up on your writing and author dreams.

There are many reasons to quit writing. But there are also many reasons to keep putting those words down. Here are some reasons to keep writing:

Writing is Fun

why did you start writing? Did it start as a hobby? Was your goal to be published? Did you have a story knocking around in your brain and needed to get it down on paper? No matter what your initial thought was, you really started and kept writing because it's fun. Passion is about enjoyment, and that's what writing is for many—a passion. Go back to that reason you started writing. Make time for it, bits at a time. Push aside the big picture of being published, don't think about your writer's block, or what people will say about your book. Instead, let that love and enjoyment return to you. Write because it's fun.

Write for Yourself

one major reason to keep writing is to use it as a form of escapism! Life, and everything that comes with it, is hard. It's a struggle. Wouldn't you rather escape into a fantasy world and fight a dragon? Wouldn't that make you feel a bit better about what you're battling in reality? Write for yourself. Take what you're going through in reality and turn it into a conflict on the page. This can be therapeutic even if you're writing contemporary. Again, write about the struggle or turn it into something else. If you publish that work later on, your readers are likely to feel a connection to that plot point if they're going through something similar. If you publish, your book could become someone else's escape. In the meantime, write for yourself without worrying about the quality of your writing. Let yourself be somewhere else and fight those pesky dragons.

Creative Outlet

express yourself! Some people paint, dance, sing, you name it. Some, like you and I, write. We express ourselves through words. Don't downplay that. Writing is just as valuable as playing a sport or cooking or any of those other things. Writing is an art. It isn't something that should be locked away. You should be free to express yourself through words, to get those realistic characters on the page, to create a whole new world, to spread a message you'd like to share with the world.

Last Reason…

your (future) readers and the writing community. Whenever you feel like you can't go on with writing, someone in the community will pick you back up and encourage you to keep going. You started writing for a reason, remember that reason!