Simpsons
Let me clarify. It isn’t if you don’t want to publish. These questions deal with situations where you aren’t able to publish. Maybe you can’t afford cover art or lack the time to properly edit. Maybe you don’t have the time to promote it, so you don’t want to put it out until you can give it some attention. The reasons are endless and personal. So . . .
- How would you keep your confidence up during a period where you can’t publish?
- Would you continue writing new books or stick to the old ones?
- How would you handle the ‘just do it’ statements when you simply can’t do it?
Legends of Windemere 
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People think publishing is even easier than writing too. Just put the book out and money rolls in. We wish.
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There are many reasons for not publishing, but cover art and editing can be worked around. I have friends who can edit and places where you can get a cover made for cheap. I had to do that, initially. And self-publishing on Amazon is pretty easy. Where there’s a will, there is always a way.
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Cheap cover art is risky. You get what you pay for. It’s hard for anyone writing a series too. Covers need consistency, so you can’t go to different artists for each volume.
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Good answers.
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Thank you, Charles.
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I agree. Especially the last one. Write a book; write ‘The End’; use something like Canva to create an image for the cover; go to Amazon and put it out there. Easy peasy.
Not!
But that’s what many people think. That’s why they get frustrated with the author and say, ‘Just do it.’
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My answer to questions 1 and 2 is the same. I’d continue to write: new novel, poetry or short stories.
Question 3 has no answer. Short of boring the other person by going into the intricacies of writing a book, I don’t think you can explain why you can’t ‘just do it.’
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It is frustrating for people to repeatedly quote Nike ads though.
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😀😀
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Confidence is personal and I really don’t have a lot of advice there. I would fuss with existing things up to a point, then start producing new material. If I was on a “forced” break, I would probably return to short stories. I might produce enough for another collection. I would absolutely keep writing. Well intentioned advice is still appreciated, but until someone has walked a mile in our shoes they often don’t know what they’re talking about.
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I’ve become leery of well intentioned advice. Never sure who the intention is for. Me or the person who wants me to act a certain way?
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How would you keep your confidence up during a period where you can’t publish? Perhaps retreat and read more, different work. You also can identify ideas where you want to do better, and focus on short projects or even individual scenes that will build that skill.
Would you continue writing new books or stick to the old ones? If I felt really stuck, I would look for something completely different. A genre or a style I hadn’t considered before.
Martha Wells famously says she thought her career was over. Then she wrote Murderbot, a complete change of pace for her. All the skills she had built during her previous “less successful” work turned her new project into a raging success.
How would you handle the ‘just do it’ statements when you simply can’t do it? You could say, “Well this is what I need help with. Can you read it and make suggestions? (or whatever)
To me this comes down to identity. So many factors try to grind us down and make us cogs in a machine. (Sometimes more than one machine at a time. Fun!) You shouldn’t give up your art because that is what makes you you.
That said, if you’re feeling guilt about not writing more, it’s okay to take a break. Forbid yourself to write for two weeks and see if your energy starts to refocus on what you “can’t do.”
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A little confused. It’s not about being unable to write due to block or mental stagnation. It’s about not being able to publish because life is too chaotic and abusive. Money gets tight. Support system disappears and there’s no sign things will ever improve. What does one do when that happens?
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Money gets tight = budget and save up for your goals.
Support systems disappear = seek new ones.
“But I can’t” = sounds like you’ve made a decision.
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I don’t have enough money to save. Living requires money since starvation, homelessness, and muscling through disease are death sentences. I have no idea where to find a real support system, especially since I barely have the time to relax enough for my constant anxiety to drop enough for sleeping. 30 minutes a night is approximately what I get to relax, write, and get ready for bed every weekday. Nobody offers to promote my books since I can’t afford the help. Nobody buys my books because I can’t promote and I was unfortunate enough to not be born rich.
The decision was not made by me. It was made by the fucking assholes who won’t let me have peace. The narcissists that I cannot rid myself of without sacrificing my son and being deemed a monster myself. The backstabbing dickwads who are happy I fucking failed as an author and seem to appear whenever I think I can try again. I have a fucking army against me these days and nobody able to do more than wish they could help or do what they can to make sure I haven’t fallen completely into a depression. So, where exactly was my chance to make a decision? Because I sure as fuck didn’t decide to be miserable, broken, and battered on a weekly basis.
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Good answer for 3. I think this touches on why so many people can’t publish. They can write, but not publish due to everything else going on. Might be why many authors I’ve met are retired or have a highly supportive spouse to help.
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