Wattpad Block Party - Summer Edition III (August 2017)

SarahBensonBooks Presents: What to Do When You Feel Like Quitting

Hey everyone! I'm SarahBensonBooks here on Wattpad and am happy to be returning to the Block Party. I wanted to thank my friend KellyAnneBlount for putting the party together and providing the opportunity to share my thoughts with you! She always does such an amazing job on these parties.

I've been thinking what to write about for awhile now and finally settled on a topic that's been on my mind lately. I wrote about this topic on my blog a few years ago and thought it would be worth revisiting.

What do you do when you feel like quitting?

This is a poignant post for me because I've been there. It's hard to stay motivated when the story isn't coming, or I get one more "this isn't quite right for me" response to a query, or after an exhausting day with the kids and work and all I want to do is curl up on the couch in front of Netflix.

It's one of the unique things about being a writer.

Most of us have to labor at the craft for a period of time, usually years, before we know we have something to show for it. What other job would you work that long and hard for without an assurance that you will be paid?

It's hard to shush the sneaky voices inside our heads asking, "What if you're not good enough? What if you spend all this time on your writing and nothing comes of it? Is it worth the sacrifice when you could be spending (fill in the blank—more time with the kids, cleaning the house, relaxing, exploring a hobby, working a job that actually pays)?"

I don't know of a single writer who hasn't struggled to stay motivated at some point. Most writers can point to piles of rejection letters and manuscripts that probably ought to be torched. At what point do you transition into publishable?

A lot of people want to be writers. A lot of people give writing a shot and quit when it doesn't come easily. What I want to know is why some people stick with writing long enough to "make it" and some don't? What is the difference?

I remember one time I had completed a manuscript and had thought it was fairly polished, but then the structural edits came back and it needed a lot more work than I realized.

Discouraged, I quit writing for awhile. I couldn't muster up the energy to keep it up. I wasn't sure what direction to take. I wondered whether I even had the potential to be a good writer.

In the midst of my funk, I stumbled across this video. It helped me, and I hope it can help you.

Tony Robbins, Frank Kern and John Reese have some interesting insights into why we succeed or fail. Most people have heard of Tony (Mr. Motivation), but if you don't know Frank or John, they are internet marketing guys. It's a little long, but watch it, particularly from about 3:25 to 19:10. The rest of this article will make more sense if you do.

Okay, pretty fascinating, right? Let's dig into how this applies to writers.

Why Do Writers Fail?

The main reason writers fail is because they quit. Why do they quit? Generally, it's because of fear, which leads to doubt. Fear is what keeps people from seeing something through. If you notice all the excuses above, they are all rooted in fear. I'm not good enough. I'm wasting time. Nothing will come of it. They are all rooted in the negative. It's as if you already know you're not going to make it. Doubt and fear is what causes hesitation. Doubting your potential is the biggest motivation killer. Before you know it, you revert to old habits and your dream is never realized.