I need genuine advice. I genuinely can't update consistently.

[TheUnsuspicious]

Sorry if this is too long of a context.

About 3-4 years ago, I posted my first chapter on webnovel, which resulted in a newfound hobby other than gaming—storytelling. This truly fits me since I love to immerse myself in my own mind and my imagination is not that bad.

Surprisingly, my story gained quite a traction, reaching I believe the top 20 in the weekly rankings despite being a newbie and not contracted. This boosted my confidence and motivation, prompting me to churn out 2000-word chapters twice a day for what I believe lasted for 8 days.

But while this was commendable for a beginner, it still paled in comparison to the crazy updates from other authors in the community. But I don't care, I still take pride in achieving this since this was a result of my sheer willpower.

But in the end, the intense pace took a toll on myself and I grew tired of writing. But it wasn't that I hate the story, it's just that it was mentally draining to pump out even a single sentence. And I believe this was when I found the concept of 'writer's block'. And so after attempting to diagnose this problem, I figured I needed to reduce the frequency of updates for my own well-being and the story's quality as well. And so I did. I took my time to write.

To keep things short, over the years, I've published around four stories, each falling really short of my expectations in terms of chapter count. Two of them barely exceeded 5 chapters, while the other two surpassed 10.

Surprising right? Especially when you realized that I've figured out the rough outline of the plots for the next 4-5 volumes/arcs for most of the stories. And even this is an understatement.

Having disappointed my readers so many times, I stopped publishing new stories........ But it's really hard.
One of the biggest joy and motivation I very much loved was when my stories were appreciated, when the readers said thank you for the chapter, or when a reader bookmark my story.
It plays a big part in my hobby, so to take that away from me is something that I refuse to let go.

So fast forward, when my desire to just.... share my story really wants to explode, I think I've identified the problem. And that is, I cared too much about my stories.

It makes sense. Striving for perfection, constant obsession over existing and potential plot holes, and endless editing to the perfectly fine sentences had thoroughly paralyzed my writing. And yet I still found myself repeatedly reading previous chapters every few days to ensure that everything was flawless and is going as intended. This expection and vision that I set were too high for my noobie skill to even touch. And of course this led to a hiatus that lasts for months.

Even with the coming of ChatGPT, a tool that tremendously aided my writing skills, there was no substantial change. Instead of using it properly, all I did was to revision the paragraphs again and again and again until I deemed them perfect. This unproductive cycle made the process of writing even a single chapter longer than a few days.

So with the things said above. Everything just click, this had to be the core problem.

And with this belief, I started a new story on a second account, a completely fresh start. I made a rule for myself to not think beyond one arc/volume, and I set a restriction for each chapter to only be over 1000 words. I also promised to keep the writing as simple as it can.

Fortunately, things seemed promising. I received some supports and a few reviews, saying how the beginning was nice....... but how the update stability was really slow.

Of course, I do not let that get into my head since the goal was not to update frequently, but instead consistently. As long as I can finish an arc/volume then I will deem this experiment a success. That I indeed can write a story. That I too, can be a proper author.

But as expected, issues began surfacing. In just five chapters, the cracks had already appeared. It's been a week since my last release. The latest chapter, even, took over two weeks for me to complete, stupidly different from the previous four that only required at most 3-4 days to write.

Admittedly, I was quite busy during that period, but even with that, no excuses could justify the two-week gap or even the current one week of silence. In the end, the root of the problem lies in me.

Did I accidentally cared too much about the story? Maybe..... I won't deny the moments when I unintentionally started criticizing and searching for flaws in my story. I'd notice imperfections in my writings and tried to edit and fix those and I would unintentionally devised the rough plot for the next two volumes of the story.
And although I managed to control most of it, the signs definitely exist.

But is this truly because I care too much about the story? There are times when I deliberately avoid thinking about the story, instead focusing on an entirely new story in my head.
So, I ask myself again, what exactly is the core problem? Could it be that I struggle to focus on one thing? Or is it a result of my constant procrastination?
Just WHY can't I finish ANYTHING? Why do I struggle to see something through to the end?

This problem of not being able to finish anything seems to exist in other aspects such as studying, it's just that it became glaringly clear because I kept trying to resist it for my desire to write stories.

And although I have no intention of giving up, I felt afraid. I'm worried that I will disappoint my readers and caused them to leave, which will only make me angry at myself and abandoned the story. If such a future truly became reality, I might have to let go of this hobby.

But I don't want it. I really don't. But I'm really afraid. Especially now that I have some valid excuses to avoid writing like my work and my attempt to rebuild my social life after disappearing from my friends for so long.

And I guess that's everything.

For now, I'll be setting up a goal to write at least 100 words each day regardless of quality. I dont know how long this will last. But I fervently hope there will be some success with this. I can't afford to disappoint the readers or myself anymore....

Although this definitely sounds like a shameless promotion, if any of you wish to see my progress, and also be the social pressure that will force me to write for fear of showing the world just how much of a failure I am. Although I won't share the link, the title of the story is 'But Wife, I Really Am a Villain' on webnovel. Since this is not a mainstream genre and has a troupe that doesn't really exist in western media, I am sorry if you don't understand some terms or even characters. But feel free not to read the story. I just need the fact that someone out there might be checking my progress once in a while.

Anyway, after writing this long post, I am now even more certain that I don't want this to fail. I really don't. So please, if you have any idea or any tips that may help me, share it. I'll be posting this on a few other writing forums and subreddits since I figure this may be something more of a problem about personality and self-discipline.

And regardless, tq for reading such a long post of mine. The fact that you spare so much time is enough reason for me to be happy.

 

[Rhaps]

Your problem isn't one that I encounter, since really don't care about social pressures or ever felt them before, being able to turn off certain emotions.

I think that you need to chill out, go out and touch grass, calm yourself down first. Don't think about your readers, they will come and go no matter what you do.

You write stories for your own sake, you need to learn that, it ultimately isn't for your readers but yourself.

Having problems with different story ideas? Just write them down, then return to your main one. I personally have, like, almost 50 story ideas that will never see the light of day.

And practice more, I gotta be honest, 100 words a day isn't a lot. At least make it 500 words.

 

[Corty]

Well. There is a lot to unpack here.

I would say it is being too focused on making it work is the main issue.

My advice? A simple one and I can’t guarantee it will work:

Write the chapter, read it once, while doing so, then post it. Don't get bogged down and ignore the impulses.

You have to catch the old feeling, the same one when you started. What I got from reading it is that you fell into the death spiral of self-doubt and forcing yourself.

You have a story idea? Write it and post it with the above steps, spending as little time on worrying if it works or not. You need to get out of the feeling of living up to unreasonable standards and just let your imagination flow.

I think that is what is blocking you.

I don't know if this makes sense or helps. But I am ready to further talk about it if you have anything.

 

[Tyranomaster]

My advice? A simple one and I can’t guarantee it will work:

Write the chapter, read it once, while doing so, then post it. Don't get bogged down and ignore the impulses.

I sometimes read once, sometimes I read 0 times (when a friend is going to read it before it gets posted).

I write, then schedule, write and schedule. What if there are plot holes or things aren't perfect? It's easy to get around that for me, I have one goal in mind.

If the story is popular, then I'll rewrite AFTER I finish the whole thing, and publish that as a book. That's where I am now. Lots of things I'd change. I've entered a social contract (and for my patrons a monetary one), which keeps me writing even when I don't feel like it.

If no one reads the story, then I'd drop it after an apology to the few who maybe did read it.

 

[Zinless]

I have never related to someone this hard before.

I have the same exact problem as you. When I first started writing my first story here in Scribblehub, I released daily chapters, sometimes two in a day. I was on fire back then, waking up early to read new comments, looking at the reviews, etc. I slowed down to about four to five chapters/week after the first seven, but I was still consistent. This constant rapid fire of chapters gave me a lot of views and reads, which I was really happy about. But that didn't last very long.

Right around chapter 20, I realized how bad my writing was, and I slowed significantly, like, a lot. I was trying so hard to fix things that I eventually took a seven-month hiatus, only to return with three chapters before going on another seven-month hiatus. I've returned from that hiatus with only one chapter so far, lol.

 

[DannyTheDaikon]

If it is posting consistency you seek then there's no better way to achieve it but if you first write your story in full and only then you start publishing.

For the other stuff you mentioned, like spending too much time perfecting the chapter, then all I can say is: every time you finish writing you are better than when you started. If you keep rewriting your chapter you will be stuck in a loop.

 

[Seren]

I believe it will be useful for you to consider the starting point of your story and reflect on your own interests. It's not necessary to concern yourself with comments or bookmarks. Although this may come across as disrespectful, my intention is not to offend you, but rather to suggest that you should not rely on others to dictate your actions. However, the perspective can always be present. So, I advise you not to think about other people's thoughts because this can lead to an unhealthy obsession. The readers might have their own perspective as well. The readers may not always feel compelled to respond, and some readers may prefer to remain silent and may not be sure how to provide feedback, or may be preoccupied with new responsibilities, personal matters, or other interests, which may divert their attention from the books. Just focus on writing your story and creating an enjoyable experience for your readers. Write for their interest as if you are the protagonist. Admire how much they love to read. Just concentrate on your own goals until you become successful, which will be impressive, and don't push yourself too hard because you are the most important person in your own journey. It's important to focus on staying calm, reflecting on things, and appreciating the things you already have. It is very important to cultivate a positive mindset and avoid succumbing to negative views, as this can complicate things. Taking a break from hobbies when feeling tired is useful, as it can prevent burnout. It can help you to recharge. Scenarios can lead to burnout. It can prevent you from updating, and setting aside personal matters are reasons for temporarily stepping away from hobbies. It is just a normal advisable course. In any case, hobbies are for personal enjoyment and to pass time constructively, which is definitely a positive aspect as it signals us to stay productive. The key is to allow things to flow naturally and refrain from being overly competitive. One should think of their story as a piece of literature from the library, waiting to be discovered and read for self-improvement, and see the creative works, or see their type of story.

 

[ChubbyLiv]

Mention in the synopsis your planned schedule, for example, minimum 2chapters/week. You either stick to it or make the readers see your inconsistency. It will eventually turn to social pressure, and you will literally force yourself to pull out two chapters a week, lol. I sometimes stare at my empty word document for an hour just to kill the writer block. I cannot wait for an inspiration to hit me out of the blue since it no longer happens like in the beginning.

This helped me to stock up at least 20 chapters for emergencies (sickness, holidays, huge writer blocks, etc).

 

[Daitengu]

My opinion, just write the whole story, THEN publish. You dodge many of your problems that way.

 

[ParticleOfSand]

The thing about art is that you need to learn to accept your imperfections. Story telling is no different. You might be able to create one perfect piece, but you also fail a lot. Don’t be bogged down by those failures and run with it. Maybe you have a few plot holes, but you should use that to create new ideas. You’ll be surprised by how many different ways you can write something based on a single detail.

 

[Temple]

But in the end, the intense pace took a toll on myself and I grew tired of writing.

Your passion became an unenjoyable job. One where you are "paid" by attention.

I think I've identified the problem. And that is, I cared too much about my stories.

The problem is you cared too much about your readers. You should care about your stories for yourself. But you seem to care about your stories to please readers and gain traction, perhaps to experience the same amount of fame you did when you reached the rankings of webnovel.

Having disappointed my readers so many times, I stopped publishing new stories........ But it's really hard.

This is one proof.
And even after you said you discovered the reason for your problems, you say something like this.

I'm worried that I will disappoint my readers and caused them to leave, which will only make me angry at myself and abandoned the story.

I just need the fact that someone out there might be checking my progress once in a while.

See? You're chasing the approval of readers. Your motivation is external. It once was internal, now it isn't because you had a taste of popularity.
I experienced this before too so I know it when I see it happening to others. The solution is easy. First, recognize this is happening. And second, go back to your roots.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

Surprising right?

No.

Did I accidentally cared too much about the story?

Yes.

But is this truly because I care too much about the story?

I said, yes.

So, I ask myself again, what exactly is the core problem?

You've done this too long and the dopamine response has worn off. You no longer get that same 'lift' as when you started.

Could it be that I struggle to focus on one thing?

Sure. But a lack of enjoyment is more likely.

Or is it a result of my constant procrastination?

This is a symptom.

Just WHY can't I finish ANYTHING?

Yer bored.

Why do I struggle to see something through to the end?

YOU. ARE. BORED.

For now, I'll be setting up a goal to write at least 100 words each day regardless of quality.

Don't. You are setting yourself up to fail. Goals like this are good ways to get behind, hate yourself for getting behind, then create an endless feedback loop of crushing despair which will turn you into a black hole of emotional need.

Although this definitely sounds like a shameless promotion,

And it does.

The fact that you spare so much time is enough reason for me to be happy.

Stop being wishy-washy. Get some self-esteem. You are not a burden upon the world for posting shit.

Look. You didn't ask, so I normally wouldn't say anything, but the fact of the matter is, you need to stop doing this shit for "dah readers". If you aren't enjoying putting on a show, then this is gonna suck. You don't enjoy it, because there isno longer any dopamine feedback. You got USED TO IT. It happens to everyone. It's how people learn skills. So, you need to deside, "Am I doing this because I want the pride of having told my stories?" or "Am I doing this because I like the feedback from people clicking on tiny icons and posting TFTC?"

if it's the first, THEN SPEND EVERY WAKING MOMENT WRITING AT LEAST ONE STORY UNTIL YOU ARE DONE. No other recreation. Just write. I don't care how CRAPPY it is, FINISH THE DAMN THING. Nobody cares about perfection. Close enough is good enough. Get the story out there and then go back and do a rewrite later when you have time.

If it's the second, give up. You've lost the feedback loop and it won't come back. Go away for a few years and come back when you've reset.

 

[Hans.Trondheim]

Sorry if this is too long of a context.

About 3-4 years ago, I posted my first chapter on webnovel, which resulted in a newfound hobby other than gaming—storytelling. This truly fits me since I love to immerse myself in my own mind and my imagination is not that bad.

Surprisingly, my story gained quite a traction, reaching I believe the top 20 in the weekly rankings despite being a newbie and not contracted. This boosted my confidence and motivation, prompting me to churn out 2000-word chapters twice a day for what I believe lasted for 8 days.

But while this was commendable for a beginner, it still paled in comparison to the crazy updates from other authors in the community. But I don't care, I still take pride in achieving this since this was a result of my sheer willpower.

But in the end, the intense pace took a toll on myself and I grew tired of writing. But it wasn't that I hate the story, it's just that it was mentally draining to pump out even a single sentence. And I believe this was when I found the concept of 'writer's block'. And so after attempting to diagnose this problem, I figured I needed to reduce the frequency of updates for my own well-being and the story's quality as well. And so I did. I took my time to write.

To keep things short, over the years, I've published around four stories, each falling really short of my expectations in terms of chapter count. Two of them barely exceeded 5 chapters, while the other two surpassed 10.

Surprising right? Especially when you realized that I've figured out the rough outline of the plots for the next 4-5 volumes/arcs for most of the stories. And even this is an understatement.

Having disappointed my readers so many times, I stopped publishing new stories........ But it's really hard.
One of the biggest joy and motivation I very much loved was when my stories were appreciated, when the readers said thank you for the chapter, or when a reader bookmark my story.
It plays a big part in my hobby, so to take that away from me is something that I refuse to let go.

So fast forward, when my desire to just.... share my story really wants to explode, I think I've identified the problem. And that is, I cared too much about my stories.

It makes sense. Striving for perfection, constant obsession over existing and potential plot holes, and endless editing to the perfectly fine sentences had thoroughly paralyzed my writing. And yet I still found myself repeatedly reading previous chapters every few days to ensure that everything was flawless and is going as intended. This expection and vision that I set were too high for my noobie skill to even touch. And of course this led to a hiatus that lasts for months.

Even with the coming of ChatGPT, a tool that tremendously aided my writing skills, there was no substantial change. Instead of using it properly, all I did was to revision the paragraphs again and again and again until I deemed them perfect. This unproductive cycle made the process of writing even a single chapter longer than a few days.

So with the things said above. Everything just click, this had to be the core problem.

And with this belief, I started a new story on a second account, a completely fresh start. I made a rule for myself to not think beyond one arc/volume, and I set a restriction for each chapter to only be over 1000 words. I also promised to keep the writing as simple as it can.

Fortunately, things seemed promising. I received some supports and a few reviews, saying how the beginning was nice....... but how the update stability was really slow.

Of course, I do not let that get into my head since the goal was not to update frequently, but instead consistently. As long as I can finish an arc/volume then I will deem this experiment a success. That I indeed can write a story. That I too, can be a proper author.

But as expected, issues began surfacing. In just five chapters, the cracks had already appeared. It's been a week since my last release. The latest chapter, even, took over two weeks for me to complete, stupidly different from the previous four that only required at most 3-4 days to write.

Admittedly, I was quite busy during that period, but even with that, no excuses could justify the two-week gap or even the current one week of silence. In the end, the root of the problem lies in me.

Did I accidentally cared too much about the story? Maybe..... I won't deny the moments when I unintentionally started criticizing and searching for flaws in my story. I'd notice imperfections in my writings and tried to edit and fix those and I would unintentionally devised the rough plot for the next two volumes of the story.
And although I managed to control most of it, the signs definitely exist.

But is this truly because I care too much about the story? There are times when I deliberately avoid thinking about the story, instead focusing on an entirely new story in my head.
So, I ask myself again, what exactly is the core problem? Could it be that I struggle to focus on one thing? Or is it a result of my constant procrastination?
Just WHY can't I finish ANYTHING? Why do I struggle to see something through to the end?

This problem of not being able to finish anything seems to exist in other aspects such as studying, it's just that it became glaringly clear because I kept trying to resist it for my desire to write stories.

And although I have no intention of giving up, I felt afraid. I'm worried that I will disappoint my readers and caused them to leave, which will only make me angry at myself and abandoned the story. If such a future truly became reality, I might have to let go of this hobby.

But I don't want it. I really don't. But I'm really afraid. Especially now that I have some valid excuses to avoid writing like my work and my attempt to rebuild my social life after disappearing from my friends for so long.

And I guess that's everything.

For now, I'll be setting up a goal to write at least 100 words each day regardless of quality. I dont know how long this will last. But I fervently hope there will be some success with this. I can't afford to disappoint the readers or myself anymore....

Although this definitely sounds like a shameless promotion, if any of you wish to see my progress, and also be the social pressure that will force me to write for fear of showing the world just how much of a failure I am. Although I won't share the link, the title of the story is 'But Wife, I Really Am a Villain' on webnovel. Since this is not a mainstream genre and has a troupe that doesn't really exist in western media, I am sorry if you don't understand some terms or even characters. But feel free not to read the story. I just need the fact that someone out there might be checking my progress once in a while.

Anyway, after writing this long post, I am now even more certain that I don't want this to fail. I really don't. So please, if you have any idea or any tips that may help me, share it. I'll be posting this on a few other writing forums and subreddits since I figure this may be something more of a problem about personality and self-discipline.

And regardless, tq for reading such a long post of mine. The fact that you spare so much time is enough reason for me to be happy.

I think you should do the following things:

1) Write for yourself, as others said. There's nothing wrong with wanting to give what the readers desire. However, if it takes too much toll on your well-being as a writer and eventually affects you negatively, don't. Especially if you write for free.

2) There's also nothing wrong with wanting to give your best to your readers, that's why you strive to perfect your sentences, and your story as a whole. However, nothing would really get done if you keep on changing/editing those. Put a limit on your edits, and keep yourself from editing what you have already released, readers' opinions be damned (you won't please everyone, anyway).

3) You don't have to force yourself to write everyday. There are writers who write according to their schedule, like they only write when it is 'time for them to write'. It takes a matter of self-discipline, but it works. The breaks in-between also helps them get the rest they need so they won't burn out.

4) Planning your work/project ahead can help. This is so that you won't get lost whenever you take yourself off to rest. It also can help to keep you from that endless chain of editing, especially once you attained your goals. And focusing on just one story at a time can help you finish what you started.

5) Finally, a sliver of self discipline. All of these advices (including the others here) won't work if you're just reading this. Authors have a penchant for being lazy and procrastinate often, or push themselves too hard until they burn out; it's a given. Nevertheless, controlling yourself is a helpful trait in the hobby that we are doing, especially if you want something done. Try some routines, see if those work for you (there's no 'one solution, cure-all' advice for authors out there, see?). Then adopt it to your writing schedule. That's one way to keep up consistency.

 

[Succubiome]

Maybe write a story under a different pen name with the explicit goal not of writing a good story, but just writing a lot?