Writer Positivity - Tumblr Posts

Stories are like pancakes

Look, your writing doesn’t say anything about you.

I mean, it comes from you. But whether you write something good or something bad, it doesn’t mean anything. A story isn’t a sign. It doesn’t prove your talent or lack thereof.

A story is something you make, not something you are.

To return to a metaphor I used once: think about making pancakes. Sometimes you turn out an A+ pancake, and sometimes you burn the shit out of one. You make another one, they all go in the pile, and there’s always someone who enjoys the burnt ones. You would never take a single pancake and say it alone represents your pancake-making talent forever, or that it reveals how smart, interesting, or lovable you are. We can’t judge your soul by a pancake. It’s made of batter.

And someone always eats the burnt ones. 

It’s said a lot in writing circles that you can’t please everyone, which is true. You can’t please everyone.

But I also think it’s important to note that whatever you do, you will please someone. Someone out there will enjoy what you write.

People have written a lot of touchy-feely pieces on this subject but I thought I’d get right to the heart of the matter

Okay while I’m still coherent, here’s the thing about fanfiction.

I write fic for three reasons: a) because I want more content, b) because the writer/s did the character/s dirty and I want to fix it, and c) because my head would explode with unborn ideas otherwise.

Missing scenes are a), fix-its are b), and AUs vary depending on the level of canon divergence. You get me.

Now, why do I publish fic? a) spite, and b) need for validation.

Sometimes the lack of validation is discouraging, and I see no point in writing, but you know what? If you take away validation, you create a void; a void that will sooner or later fill with the other reason why I publish: spite.

Yes, spite. Not only at the writers of the medium, but also at the lack of response. Because you know what? I don’t care. I’m gonna subject the internet to my writing whether you want it or not. If I get comments, great. If not, fuck it. I’m gonna do it anyway not for you, but for myself.

Don’t like what I write? Hit the keyboard and write something better. Come on, I’ll wait with bated breath. Fill this tag with content and then, maybe then, I will finally chill the fuck out. (I probably won’t.)

I write because if not me, then who? I publish because if not me, then who? It doesn’t matter how many kudos, hits, or replies my stuff gets - I’m gonna keep writing until I’m no longer physically able to. If not for this fandom, then for another. I was lucky enough to be born with working hands and Azathoth knows that I’m gonna use them whether you like it or not. You do? Great! You don’t? Tough luck.

I don’t care that my stuff doesn’t get any comments, or the views are only in the double digits, or that I barely get any kudos. I don’t care. I wasn’t put on this planet to entertain; I was put here to write, and that’s what I’m gonna do.

a.k.a. you may find your work Bad and Cringy™️ but you wrote something and that’s a Good Thing™️.

All writing is good practice and progresses you as a writer.

Your book is going to be great; just put one word in front of the other. 

“You own everything that has happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”

— Anne Lamont

To all the fanfic writers wondering if anyone but you will like your new idea:

From  How I Became a Famous Novelist by Steve Hely

can i be real for a second? can i be sincere? can i be fucking earnest for one moment? nothing is more important than the human proclivity for storytelling.

me, having deeply fallen out of the practice of writing poetry: I can’t write any more, I am now a Talentless Hack

the voice of my 11th grade journalism/12th grade creative writing teacher who rly did know everything: if you stop writing for a while the words will build up and stagnate. to clear the water, you will have to open the dam completely, and accept the fact that what initially comes out will not be palatable

Sometimes you don’t make art that changes the world. 

Sometimes you make art that just makes someone’s shitty day a little bit easier to bear. 

And that? 

That’s damn good too.

I have so much stuff I’m nervous to post because I think no one will like it or even glance at it. But we miss 100% of the shots we don’t take right?

“everyone is going to hate it” someone will love it. someone will reach out to you and tell you it changed their life. someone will hold it close and treasure it forever in a way you can’t even understand. keep going

hey!! i just wanted to send some thanks and some love!! your cute get to know you post has introduced me to a whole bunch of new stories and writers I hadn't found in other ways. i wouldn't have found if not for you!!! you're really out here doing the lord's work for this writeblr community. thank you so so much!!!!! 💖💖💖

ahhh you're so sweet!! thank you for all the love! and no problem! I love connecting with other writers. Writing itself is a lonely process (since you're basically creating your own world and characters), so I thought reaching out to others who are also "going through it" would be nice!

💖 seriously, thank you! it means a lot that my posts have helped others!

writing is lonely

it's true, being an author is lonely. you're stuck-and not in a bad way-in your own world and with your own characters, and it's like you either want to bottle your precious gem up inside or tell the whole world about it.

but reaching out to other authors-and possibly fellow readers!-takes time and effort. don't be scared to promote your works, or tell others about your wip's. we're all in the same boat here, and doing so makes writing a little less lonely. ♥️

plus, we all reply :)

MON. MAY 9 1:04:31 AM.

I've been motivated to write, but I've written more drabbles and snippets for random thoughts in my mind more than I worked on this WIP, which I haven't touched in 2 weeks due to stress & life stuff.

Part of me doesn't get why this WIP weighs so heavily on me. Like why can't I work on this idea that I was so excited for? I want to get into this story, but why am I scared? I think it's because I don't want to see the flaws in my writing, but I should, and I should be excited to see them, too. It's part of the writing process-part of my growth.

So I forced myself to write in this WIP for 5 minutes, after writing a bunch of drabbles for hours. In the ten minutes, I got 75 words. It's not a lot. I wish I spent more time on this WIP, so I'm going to try and work on it every day until I finish. If anything, I just want to write it, let my thoughts that have been stirring in my mind out. Because I've been thinking about this WIP for forever, and I really want to finish it.

Here's to hoping I'll find my zone again, at least :)

destination seoul updates / snippets

feel free to interact with this post through discussions + reblogs + likes, and thanks for stopping by <3 oop almost forgot inspiration taken from the genius @talesofsorrowandofruin !!

yes, I swear I'll make a proper, detailed wip intro soon! this is more for my immediate gratification and seeing myself spiraling lmao, reactions to look back on.

wip general notes (to be updated):

A fake dating ya romance set in Seoul, Korea where a teen tries to escape the blind dates her chaotic family sets her up on for her aunt's wedding.

One of the few members in her family unable to connect with Korean culture-starting from grasping the language to understanding the mannerisms-the only reason Hyeri Kang comes every summer is to visit her beloved grandfather... who has cancer. This year, though, is more chaotic than ever. Caught up in blind date shenanigans to her aunt's wedding, she employs Taeyoung Kim, who is as infuriating as he is straightforward, as her fake boyfriend to escape awful men who propose to her on the spot. Surely it wouldn't be hard to not fall in love with someone who's connected to a culture she's been resistant towards...

links: taglist | writblr intro | ko-fi

SUN. APR 17 2:45:24 PM

I WANT TO GET BACK TO THIS DRAFT BUT I GOT ACADEMICS

brain's so blank I don't even know what to think

It’s complicated.

You’d think I’d be more excited, coming to Korea over summer break. But this is a mandatory family meeting in the guise of a meeting. Trying not to topple over while dragging the luggage bag from the taxi’s trunk, I glance up at the 11-story apartment. It’s quiet. No hands sticking out through the nets, no voice shrieking our names.

I don’t know whether to be worried or relieved. 

note to self

if you have a thought, write it down. don't push it back or take the chance of forgetting about it.

because that idea can go a long way.

i don't know who needs to hear this (its me) but. to any of you creatives out there with brain stuff that makes it hard to finish things.

make the thing anyway.

you don't have to create to finish projects. you do not have to start things to finish them. do the projects because they're fun, not because you need to complete something.

it's okay to have six thousand unfinished things. its okay to abandon projects if they're just for fun.

do it for fun first, and for completion's sake second.