Wednesday, July 7, 2021

IWSG: Reasons to Quit

 Hello.

Hello Bloggers!

Nice to see you again. I've been absent from the blogging world for several months and have dropped off EVERYONE's lists. I think I should be more devastated by this than I am. Afterall, I've been blogging since 2009. Like, a lifetime almost, lol.



This month's Insecure Writers Support Group question - What would make you quit writing? - is apropos to my current hiatus.

I've been working. Day job stuff. And playing online games. Merge Dragons is my online gaming addiction. I get to a motel between 8-9pm and don't feel like doing anything except veging out. I just want to chill and not think. Not very writerly of me. Writing is not easy when you have day stuff on your mind.

I'm good at beginnings though. I have a ton of story starts. I get like 500 or 2000 words in, and . . life.

But, I guess the real beginning of the end for me was losing those three women's fiction novels that I spent about 7 years working on. I don't have the time and dedication to recreate them like I did when I started writing. Starting over is just way too daunting. Especially in today's volatile political and cultural environment.

I don't know how to be a writer anymore. I 'm worried that I won't be politically correct. I'm worried that I will offend someone and get sued because I just write people in my head as they appear, and the characters don't always follow "diversity" rules. How do I WRITE 100% politically correct as an American Caucasian hetero woman?

Well, I know I will be back at it again someday. Soon, hopefully, as we begin recovery from Covid 19 restrictions and people return to work. Fantasy is my first love, and perhaps I'll figure out how to write a fantasy novel. At least I can write it well enough for my own enjoyment.

Thanks for stopping by. Please be sure to visit the IWSG host Alex J Cavanaugh, and July's helpers: Pat Garcia, Victoria Marie Lees and Louise - Fundy Blue.

18 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

Some people are offended by everything and just can't worry too much about it. Go for fantasy - safer.
Glad to see you back!

Natalie Aguirre said...

You might feel more inspired if you wrote a fantasy since that's what you love. And we all go through those times when we're busy with work and it's hard to add writing to our load. Enjoy relaxing for awhile.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Donna - great to see you here again - taking it slowly. Draft some pieces and see how they fit - life is challenging, and working full time I'm not surprised you veg out in the evening. You've another hobby your gaming ... perhaps draft something around that. The main thing is - stay positive and safe and all the best - Hilary

Yolanda Renée said...

Write in your own time and just exactly what you want. Politically correct has no place in the imagination! I hope life gives you a break soon, you are one of the most talented people I know!

L. Diane Wolfe said...

Don't worry about being PC, woke, or any of that nonsense. Just write for you.

Botanist said...

People don't always realize that writing takes a lot of mental effort. If you don't have the energy, it ain't happening!

And I get fed up with people trying to tell other people what they "should" and "shouldn't" do with their writing. e.g. you're not allowed to write a Black or gay MC unless you yourself fit that category. What? So I guess all those authors writing about serial killers, or vampires, or master con artists shouldn't be doing that either. How boring our literary universe would be.

Olga Godim said...

Oh, yeah. The current 'diversity' climate is not healthy, for sure. That's why I stick to speculative fiction. Nobody could tell me who my magician is. He is imaginary anyway.

Denise Covey said...

Hey Donna, sorry I didn't get back to you after your email. I've spent a lot of time thinking about you. I didn't know you'd lost your women's fiction story. Maybe I've still got my copy from reading for you all those years ago. I'll have a look and get back to you, but I'm sure you've improved it tons since.

Life gets in the way of writing. I can't write when I'm upset about something, or when I'm traveling ... or for lots of reasons. Your job must take a lot of energy. I cannot for the life of me understand young mothers who write with a baby over their shoulder! But they do ...

Anyway, Donna, not writing to me would be like cutting off a limb. I'm sure you'll be back - write what you love. If you keep it to fantasy who can come at you with a big stick. Maybe I should be careful writing about vampires, but Aussies are very politically incorrect, LOL.

Will be in touch.

Kalpana said...

I was happy to see a post from you. Day jobs take so much out of one. I would be disheartened too if I lost three novels. I hope Denise finds a version and you feel inspired to work on them again. Or something completely new. This PC stuff is hard on one. Just write. After all there are enough people in the world who aren't woke so why shouldn't your characters be true to life? You can always add some commentary to show it isn't what you are thinking.

Cathy Kennedy said...

I know there are some who get offended but I honestly wonder if it's as bad as liberal politicians make it. Ironically, I've noticed it's usually white folks making such revelations that people of color are offended by this or that calling it "Hate speech"? I'm not saying it doesn't exist because as long as the world stand there will be some division among peoples. It shouldn't be that way but it's part of human nature. The thing is political correctness spoils everything! Perhaps when you get your mojo back to writing again, you can write around these issues easy peasy. ;)

dolorah said...

Alex: lately, I'm a fan of safe.
Natalie: thanks. Too true about work busy.
Hilary: you stay safe and positive too. I miss your posts.
Yolanda: thanks buddy! My company has help hired; now just have to hope he doesn't quit!
L Diane: good advice.
Ian: I used to want to be a vampire. Just plain too common now, lol. And the rules = aiyee, more so than being PC I think :)
Olga: hmm, have you watched TV lately? Nothing is imaginary now = especially not magicians, wizards and Witches. Perhaps sorcery is more fantastic, lol.
Dx: doubt I'm improved anything in the last 2 years, lol. But thanks for looking. I've missed you and WEP also; you've been my reason TO write for a long time. Anyway, life has to get better, right!?! Hmm, maybe all my characters should be Aussie . . .
Kalpana: Agreed, there will always be division among peoples. Too bad really, but yes, human nature. My mojo is itching to have a good long say about the state of the US right now - and not just about race, creed, or sexuality. Can we say "work ethic" to our young people without "offending" them, lol.

Stephen T. McCarthy said...

WILD THANG! ~

I'm here. I'm late, but I'm here, and just as nasty as evah!

>>... Starting over is just way too daunting. Especially in today's volatile political and cultural environment. I don't know how to be a writer anymore. I'm worried that I won't be politically correct.

Well, as the old song used to say:
"Don't Worry, Be Snarky!"

>>... I'm worried that I will offend someone and get sued because I just write people in my head as they appear, and the characters don't always follow "diversity" rules.

Rule #1 in 'The D-FensDogG Handbook To Life' :
1) NEVER make enough money that it becomes tempting for someone to sue you.
a) The Traveler on the Road of Life should never have enough money collectively, in any combination of bank accounts, nor should he/she own sufficiently nice possessions of any kind which might cause an enemy to do anything more than flip him/her "the finger" and yell, "Phuq off!!"

This, my friend, is what is known as "economic FREEDOM".

I mean, look at me, Wild Thing! I have pissed off every single type of person whom it is possible to piss off. Only the dead have been excluded from hating me. In fact, having invented the first 'Comical Sympathy Cards', I even managed to P.O. the surviving relatives of the dead.

>>... Well, I know I will be back at it again someday. Soon, hopefully, as we begin recovery from Covid 19 restrictions and people return to work. Fantasy is my first love

Yeah, no kidding! Especially if you fantasize that we are EVER going to recover from Covid-666 and return to normalcy. The imaginations of the evil-doers have already imagined 666 covid variants. They ain't gonna let us go back to 'those olden, golden days'.

Rule #86 in 'The D-FensDogG Handbook To Life' :
86) Always be a "prepper". Be prepared to survive for long durations without access to online & brick-and-mortar stores.
a) Have plenty of cheese, crackers, and cheap wine on hand. And by "plenty", we mean that a box of crackers, a package of sliced sandwich cheese, and 8,686 cases of cheap wine should be sufficient... for a few months, anyway.

Seriously, Wild Thing, I think I can imagine how devastating it would feel to lose three WIPs representing seven years worth of thought and effort. Under those circumstances, I would quit too! No question about it.

But, cheer up, my friend!
WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE... MODESTO!

~ Saint Mac

Deniz Bevan said...

I hear you! Sometimes with the day job and other commitments, it's really hard to find writing mojo. I *know* that writing a bit each day will help, but it's difficult to maintain that! I wouldn't worry what other people are going to think about your characters but just write for fun! Fantasy sounds exciting -- what a great thing, to create worlds to explore :-)

Nick Wilford said...

Ouch, losing seven years of work sounds heartbreaking. I can see how it's a kicker for motivation, but writing is still in you. It's just taken a backseat. Things will turn around and you'll be back at it.

HARSHIT said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Yolanda Renée said...

Still miss you. Hope all is well!

Ratana said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
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