I’ve been having a whole load of very confusing thoughts lately. Part of it is due to recent terrible upsets amongst the group of people I see most frequently online, some of whom are friends and most cherished. Part of it is due to my own rather uncomfortable mental health issues, where on any given day I yoyo back and forth between the numb apathy of depression and the hyper-awareness of anxiety. Neither are helpful when trying to create entertaining fiction.
This could be why I’ve written myself into a plothole in no less than THREE separate stories and I am REALLY struggling with the temptation to pack it all in and write fan fic instead.
Elin Gregory 
I’ve had that temptation too. *Hugs* But I think I’ve decided that this is the point where I make my writing all about me. Essentially, this is my chance to start again and write the things that I really want to write, unencumbered by genre expectations that I never seemed to fit into anyway. This is going to be the year of cozy mysteries and over-ambitious Science Fiction that nobody but me wants to see. It can’t end up *less* successful than my now-defunct m/m writing career. Call it a new beginning 🙂
PS I am looking for people to join an author cooperative for promotion and cheerleading purposes. Do you fancy that? (No pressure.)
I’m all for writing for yourself.
I’m willing to join an author co-op if you’re looking for members.
We’ve spoken before on the ‘not fitting’ bit and yes, writing primarily for ones own consumption seems very enticing. I view writing as a source of great happiness, but to others it’s self indulgent unless I can wave that magic royalty cheque! Promotion and cheerleading sounds wonderful. Please count me in when you make a start. ❤
Take a break. Go hang around a cathedral. Bake cookies and send them to a service member overseas.
Thanks, Elliott. I should go and see the Jessetree in our local church. He’s so huge and cool and calm that he’s really good company.
I’m sure your fanfic would be wonderful – and I suspect you already have some out there. But your books are wonderful too – and we would miss you terribly! There are always problems everywhere and as Alex is saying in the previous comment, the best thing is to ignore them and write to please yourself. You are then almost bound to please at least some others.
Thank you so much. I’m coming to the conclusion that it’s better to write something about which I can feel happy and excited than to try to crank out something that’s more commercial but that ups my anxiety levels.
LOL, I do have fan fic out there that I enjoyed writing enormously and it’s atrocious from a craft point of view – but I can look at it and think “yes, there’s a STORY there” even if the execution is a bit lacking.
So hard to give advice, but I understand completely. It’s so wearing. I do think it will get better though, so hang on – keep yourself as number one priority and do take things easy. Big hugs.
*hugs* i know you know 🙂 looking forward to it getting better is a good thing for us to do ❤
Take time out, take care of yourself, be gentle with your self. But remember that your writing is valued, appreciated, and will be missed.
Thank you, Georgie *hugs*
I hear you. These days it’s hard to write, and I’m not also fighting depression/anxiety. I hope you find your way, because Briers and Myles have more stories to tell.
Thanks Liv. TBH what with the political climate on both sides of the pond I’m surprised more of us aren’t doolally.
There’s nothing wrong with fanfic. It’s very soothing. Not sure if it helps you clear your head – it does for me – but why not take a bit of time and play in someone else’s back garden? At the very least, the place has different weeds and different flowers. 🙂 Take care of yourself.
*cwtches* thank you. I ❤ fanfic – I have a high regard for 00Q! – and I'm eyeing my old unfinished, barely canonical HP epic, but I have a whole slew of betaing coming up so that has to come first.
If you need anything, at all (rants, a rope ladder for the plothole, my firstborn) you know where I am.
You’re a star. Also rope ladders 😀
I love Jackie Keswick’s comments and so agree with them. Be kind to yourself, Elin. You have a lot on your late (sorry for the cliche, but it’s true)
*hugs* thanks Cat. Cliches become cliches because they are true. 🙂