#so then you try to brainstorm a quicker and easier story you're less attached to

[bookshelf-in-progress]

The great thing about not having time to sit down and write is that you can brainstorm lots of story details in the spare moments of the day no matter where you are.

The bad thing about this strategy is that when you do have time to sit down and write, you have lots of well-developed story ideas competing for your attention, and you like them all best for different reasons, and there's no way to choose which one to write first.

[deception-united]

hiiii, i'm sorry if this is a bother but can i ask for advice from a fellow writer? it's not about writing a story, but more so just me burning myself out because of it, and i have no idea why.

for a good while, i've been wanting to find the "perfect" first project; i first planned on writing, animating and uploading a movie series online and it's like my "dream project/story", if that made sense? but, lately, i've been getting more and more desperate to have another project before this, for credentials and for me to get a little bit better at everything before working on the movie series.

no matter what i do, i can't seem to find a good enough "first project". i look at the story concepts / universes i scrapped, revive them, work on them for a little bit, before eventually bring unsatisfied and throwing it back in the trash, or at least just "on hold". i tend to work quicker and have more passion for a story if i get very attached to the characters, which i noticed tends to happen over time. but my patience is wearing thin and the fact that i'm stuck is catching up to me.

you don't have to answer this, but i'd appreciate any advice. thank you ^^,

Hi! This is a struggle I think I can safely say every creator goes through—the phases of feeling stuck or unsatisfied with their work, and losing interest in the story as time goes on. I've gone through it myself, and was in that cycle for the longest time: I'd come up with a vague idea for a novel, or a character I wanted to make the protagonist in a new story, and spontaneously start writing it without much planning or thought. And as you can imagine (or as you're experiencing, it seems like), that led to me abandoning all of them at some point or another. One I nearly finished, but I left it and came back a while later and was so immensely disgusted that I deemed it irreparable and turned my back on that, too.

Of course, what worked for me might not be helpful at all for you, but what I think is most important is just to focus on one thing at a time. Easier said than done, I'm aware. But flitting from one project to the next, trying to find the one that you'll have the most passion for, just doesn't work out very well. If what you're planning for your "dream project" that you mentioned is a movie series, and you have that all figured out, you may want to start with a novel that you can then base the movies off of. This could help you get a better idea of the characters, plot, and overall storyline so that the movies you plan to create in the future will have everything worked out already.

But maybe you feel that doing so will then make your passion for the movie series wane—that, after spending so much time and effort into writing that, you won't have the motivation to start over with a narrative you're already so familiar with. You mentioned you work better when you're attached to the characters, so that may be a good place to start. Don't think about the plot or worldbuilding yet—just focus on the characters. Everything else can come after. You know your creative process better than anyone, and this may not work for you at all. It likely wouldn't for me. But sometimes, it can help to start off with that and build upon it with time. Allowing yourself time to play and experiment without any pressure or specific goal in mind can lead to renewed passion and enthusiasm.

Another option is co-writing. Again, doesn't work for everyone, but working with others can provide new perspectives and generally make the process more enjoyable. Writing with someone else may help to increase your motivation and encourage you to hold yourself accountable, and can lead to brainstorming sessions that spark new ideas and solutions to problems you might be facing alone. It allows for the sharing of skills and strengths, making the project potentially stronger and more well-rounded. Collaborating on a project can also lighten the load, making it less overwhelming. Finding a writing partner who shares your vision or complements your style can lead to work that neither of you might have created on your own.

In any case, allow yourself to create something imperfect. I hate to say it, but even if the process of creating is flawed or the end result is despicable, the lessons you learn from it are valuable, and instrumental once you're ready to take up your dream project. Think of this, your first project, as a stepping stone rather than a definitive work.

So sorry for the late reply, and I hope this helped. Best of luck ❤

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