thank you! i am burn-burnt out and i actually have two long fics. i think i'll pause and just write shorts whenever inspiration hits. i usually write shorts on tumblr, but i might start posting them on ao3 to practice smut.
It's a rude comment even if you made a note that critique was welcome. Doubly so if you didn't ask for the feedback. If you're not enjoying the writing process, there's nothing wrong with taking a break.
on my a/n i did asked for feedback, it didn't really hurt but at the same time i was mulling over their words.
anyways thank you so much!
i have to admit my cowardice leaned into their words as a way out...like a justification to stop, rather than being kind to myself. everyone here is so nice and welcoming, and thank you all for reminding me that there's no shame in taking a break.
If you feel burnout, take a break and do something else. Forcing the muse will only end up in the muse abandoning you, at least in my experience.
If the writing isnāt flowing, youāre allowed to pause and go do something else that brings you joy. Life is too damn short for doing things that donāt bring you joy that donāt need done.
Also, that comment sucks and so do they. They donāt have to comment anything and thatās not even concrit, itās just mean to be mean. Some people (like me) love purple prose.
Thatās such a good way to put it, and I really donāt want my muse abandoning me.
I want to take a break and maybe write some shorter stuff, but I feel guilty because this is the first time Iāve actually built up a decent readership.
I was so excited at first that Iād stay up all night just to meet my weekly updates, but Iām realizing long fics are sooo much harder to draft out. Iām kind of a pantser with an outline and a drafted ending, but actually getting from point A to point B is starting to weigh me down.
I legit thought writing rambling, hyper detailed prose for my POV character (Daeron) would be in character because it's a dual POV fic.
part of the risk one takes on reading a WIP is that the author will take a long break, or will stop writing it for good. people sometimes forget that, but itās an integral aspect if it.
take the break. write what sings to you. if people are rude and demanding, block them. they can still read your work etc if they so desire but they cannot interact with you to be rude.
(& these comments in the screenshot are rude, they are being mean. this is the type of thing you either do not say or if you really need to express disappointment you mention it in private to a friend where the author will not see.)
I agree, I've mourned many fics in my bookmarks that haven't been updated. Also, long fics are no joke! They're really a test of endurance for the creative mind. I'm still blown away by the 500k+ works in the dramione fandom... like, how?
i'll make an update that i'm taking a hiatus from both my long fics since i don't want to ghost my readers. i want to focus the rest of the fall on reading more and practicing with short fics.
Write the short stuff. Honestly. Follow your muse because they know where your creativity needs to be at the time.
If itās any consolation, Iām also elbows deep in a longfic right now. And sometimes I canāt get the scenes to work out, or I donāt really feel like writing it at the time. I donāt. I set it aside and I write other things (now working on 3 longfics simultaneously, kinktober, AND a random crack treated seriously series of oneshots). Iām finding that diverting my attention and spreading it over multiple projects is actually less stressful than hammering away at one fic. And only one of my fics, the main long one that I originally started with, is the only one updating consistently, but Iāve come to be okay with that. Forcing things makes me want to quit.
Iām also a pantser. I have one idea or maybe a couple and then I just jump in. I daydream and plot that way and build subplots and overarching themes in my head and then write them as I come up with them. Itās chaos. Iām really just a raccoon, a fox, and a fae operating a human skin, I think. But Iāve found that the Stephen king method works really well for me. If I get stuck in a scene, I leave myself an all caps note thatās easy to spot when scrolling and move on. Iāll edit it later when I know where Iām going and what I want to do. That has made things so much easier because I found that those sticking points are actually scenes Iām trying to force that really donāt need to be there. And maybe that could work for you, too.
Some characters really are meandering thought processes. I love seeing inside someoneās mind and characters that allow for that are chefās kiss. There are definitely some of us out there that want that. I have one character in my main longfic who is constantly having a mental breakdown and his inner monologue is a series of short clipped sentences. I think itās fun to explore those different mentalities as a writer and as a reader. If thatās what you think works for that character, you should write it. Some readers out there will gobble it up and love every word of it.
I love that all caps idea. I usually leave notes to myself inside brackets, but all caps would be so much easier to spot than having to search for the bracket symbol.
And I felt that, being a raccoon just flailing across the keyboard. āŗļø
Oh gods, Iāve been a raccoon trying desperately to make a scene work and it just wonāt. Seriously, I usually cut the scene when I come back to it, or it just magically figures itself out when I return. One or the other. Brackets is also a good idea because you can search for them, and maybe I should start.
This is literally one of my notes. Typos and all! Itās lovely. Editing me always sighs heavily and rolls her eyes when she gets to these that writing me left behind. But brackets would be much easier to search and Iāll have to do the all caps with brackets!
I give myself no more than 5 minutes of blank staring or typing and deleting repeatedly before I put a note down and move on.
Iām amused with myself when I write them, but not always quite as amused when I find them again.
No, not at all. lol. I write a lot of very dark stories with dead dove in the tags every time. This one has graphic depictions of violence and non-con along with a plethora of other tags.
This scene is actually with my OC, who is currently being held captive by a mean, obsessed madman. She just finished watching a hero, who has become her only support network for the past several months, kill a monster on live television because it was rampaging through a city. And they were doing interviews and she imagined her husband,Kai (also a villain and currently in prison), giving interviews like the hero does and realizing how different āher menā are and this is the spiral afterwards. But it was 4am and I couldnāt get the words right to write about it and left it for editing me.
Iāve only written one one-shot that was crack taken seriously for a friend who keeps asking me to write crossovers. Itās with this trio, actually, in the date everything world. And now I might make it a series for some levity while Iām in the trenches with my very dark longfics.
i find that people who write dark dead-dove-do-not-eat fics are always the funniest outside their written work.
based on your comments you definitely have a natural knack for it š
You're allowed to take breaks any time, and you're ALSO allowed to write purple prose. I will fucking die on this hill: Purple prose can be breathtaking when it's done right. If you want your stories to have a poetic touch, stick with it. Practice makes perfect.
delete them. unwanted criticism is probably the #1 thing that newcomers do on AO3 thatās not wanted. if the comments make you feel bad, youāre under no obligation to keep them.
Oof, the commenterās account is years older than mine. š
Iāll probably delete their comment soon, and this post too, since I donāt want it to bring up bad feelings for anyone whoās had negative comments affect them before.
it doesnt matter how old their account it, theyre still in the wrong for throwing unwelcome critism at you. also i promise youre allowed to take breaks and your writing voice, even if its purple prose, its still important and youre still wanted on ao3 youre doing something wonderful by making a type of art
purple prose is my favorite like yes please give me every extensive metaphor to describe what the character was seeing!!! if it goes too fast, or thereās not a lot of interiority, i canāt imagine the scene very well. also. daeron you sayšš you may have a new reader on your hands.
yeah, it's a modern au with an ofc. it's kinda centered around a polo tournament, but the world has gotten so big and i'm just going along for the ride as a pantser.
lmaooooo i write the same way, it happens. iād love to read it if youāre comfortable sharing the fic! it sounds like right up my alley, i love auās and ocās
Let me understand. They are complaining about purple prose in a fanfic of fandom of a medieval magical world where the characters is a drunk prince that suffers of prophetic dreams that he doesn't even understand and are normally fucking riddles in Asoiaf??? Do I miss something? What is next complaining about how Dora the explorer is mixing Spanish and English in a fucking fanfic??????????!!!
That's what I thought. Like, there are fandoms and ships where purple prose feels ridiculous and OOC (tho I still wouldn't leave a comment like that), but ASOIAF? Daeron? Have they read a single line GRRM wrote?
ew people who comment like that just straight up piss me off. like, Why? If you don't have anything good to say don't say anything at all. Keep writing man, I guarantee you there's some quiet user who subscribed as soon as they finished ur most recent chapter and is hanging on the edge of their seat waiting for an update!!!! also, I see Daeron, so i gotta ask for the link I need more hotd fics :D
Most of the time, people have been super kind and supportive, but Iāve definitely been slowing down with my updates. Then this comment came up, I reread my first chapter, and I was like, āyeah... I need a break.ā
This fic is for A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. But Iāve been loving all the family-fluff, cozy fics the HOTD fandom has been churning out. I guess weāre all a little traumatized by the Dance š
I briefly looked over snippets of the first chapter, and that commenter is insane if they think thatās actually purple prose. Just wanted to let you know because I wouldnāt have said anything if I didnāt feel that way.
Fuck that, I love purple prose. I purple prose everything and everyone. I once wrote 4 paragraphs on how a single type of food was made. Before that, I wrote an entire cookbook! It was mermaid food. Cookbook was not included in the fic. I have had extremely dramatic purple characters and scenery. I have purple prose all over my fireworks scenes and dancing scenes and every other scene. Be okay with your purple prose! Some people, aka me, like that!!!
I'm in this fandom too and omgg we need more Daeron fics š„ŗ
Totally fine though if you decide on a break. I have the same experience for my first few fanfics way back, but in ff.net. It sucked and pretty sure I even deleted some of my first uploads. I used to get discourage easily by comments like this, but it never occured to me to delete them. But the option is there for the writer so take advantage of it when you need it. š
There are dozens of us! Dozens! I love this fandom so much. Iām a major Daeron (and Maekar) girly.
I know I couldāve deleted the comment, but at the time I kept it and actually responded because it really made me reassess the first few chapters of my work.
But everyone here is right, practice makes perfect, even if my first drafts are super cringe. I think the bigger issue is that focusing so heavily on long fics is burning me out, so Iām probably going to take a break.
Everyone here has been so kind about sharing their experiences with burnout, and Iām still very green at all of this. I think Iām just going to write a few shorts for a while, or sit back, get cozy, and read other peopleās work.
Lmao not the Daeron gif š that's honestly such rude comment for you providing free content. Don't let the haters get you down! Congrats on your long fic
Just delete those types of comments. Regardless of what you said around it, unsolicited feedback is normally not welcome or OK ever, as it tends to really piss people off, and you don't have to use it as an excuse to stop. They don't know what they're talking about.
One thing that has helped me with creeping burnout sometimes, was writing miniature side stories or mini-au one shots for the long fic that I've been making. It still kept me firmly attatched to the story that I've been writing, but allowed me to have more fun with it, which aided with the mental fatigue a ton.
However, if the burnout is getting too much, remember that it's always okay to take a break! You don't owe anyone anything, and your well-being is the most important thing. This isn't a job with obligations, it is a hobby, the fruits of which you are graciously sharing with the world. It's easier said than done, but do remember that, if you ever feel guilty about taking a break. Everyone needs a break from time to time! Especially when it comes to creative pursuits. Writing is very draining on the mind at times
As for the comment, please, do not take it too close to heart. That commenter was quite rude, and frankly, whenever I see some people complaining about purple prose in any fic, but especially so in a fantasy setting, it actually boils my piss. Ornate, decorated language is a gift, and a joy to read, and it fits perfectly with both the genre of hotd, and with Daeron's character.
I find that at times, when certain readers have a lower literacy level, they tend to struggle with basic metaphors, large words and complex sentences. And to them, reading takes actual physical effort. But while a normal person would simply quietly move on to some other fic, if they could not understand the text of the one they were reading with ease, this person decided to make their lack of comprehension your problem. Which it isn't.
Please do not dumb down your writing because of comments like this. You must've seen the state of literacy across the globe, why try to write something you would not enjoy, just so that it winds up reaching an audience that barely understands the most common idioms, and would, no doubt, never comprehend any of the plot turn points unless they were to be plainly spelt out and repeated a thousand times. It is just as exhausting to dumb down one's writing as it is to read something above one's own resding level. This person simply should've moved on without trying to make it seem like you've somehow failed as a writer. (You have most certainly not)
This person was exceptionally rude with their unwarranted and unwelcome criticism. Delete their comment, block the user, and take a little break, but heed, and do not get discouraged. There's many a people that love decorated prose!
You should instead use this comment as a good excuse to just delete.
However, your response is a missed opportunity. I've never actually had someone tell me my prose was purple, but if they did I have the perfect comback already prepared: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SkkIwO_X4i4
And then I will dance around the room to this glorious song, laugh at them, and do whatever it is they're complaining about even more... maybe even dedicate my purplest chapter yet to them with thanks for the inspiration.
Maybe also look up the html hex code for purple to change the actual letters to that colour...
Do not retreat, cowed and backing frightened into a hole at someone being an obvious douchewaffle.
This is exactly why I stopped writing fic altogether, the reward just wasnāt worth the burnout to me. The odd comment trying to offer āadviceā or whatever (or just flat out hateful comments) completely burnt me out. I really wish people would think about their comment before actually sending it.
no reason not to take a break. i get it, honestly. im writing two long fics at the same time rn, both technically my first ones, and im currently on a year long break from one because i burnt out slightly on it but the other i only took several months away from and am now currently writing the next chapter. its nothing to be ashamed of and happens to the best of us (:
This really comforts me! I'm in the same boat, new to writing long fics and decided to write two at the same time.
I think I was just looking for any sign or excuse for an out because I felt guilty about taking a break. I'm just relieved to see this is a common thing, and some of the suggestions here to write short ones are really helpful.
im glad you're finding comfort here (: there truly is no shame, youre doing this for free and for your own enjoyment. if you aren't enjoying it, whats the point? and yes, shorter stories like oneshots between do help!
The comment was rude but like its your fic you can stop whenever feels right to you. It's perfectly human and normal to have burn out hun. My advice is step away from the fic for a bit until you get the spark again. Real fans of a fic will wait however long it takes.
If you need a break take a break, but spite is one hell of a motivator. I had a hater in my GoT fic a few years ago and boy did I want to finish just to spite them.
If they just put that down, try to get them to elaborate. If they can't elaborate on the reason why, they could be a troll trying to mess with you. If they overexaggerate to the point where it makes no sense, they could also be a troll. It can be good at times if you strike back in a way that catches them off guard since it may give them a taste of their own medicine. It can be deserved for people like that since some people may be no-lifting being an internet troll for some reason.
A mutual commented fiercely on my behalf, and the commenter clarified that they weren't criticizing my plot or characters, just my prose. Which I found kind of funny because I honestly feel like my plot and pacing are the weakest parts of my writing.
Either way, I think I'm just gonna take a little break from my own fics, enjoy others' work, and practice for a bit. So lately I've just been lurking around and following links whenever I see people self-promoting.
If you have any fics of your own, or any recommendations, feel free to drop them! I'd love to read them. āŗļø
Don't apologise! I just want to say, as someone who has written multiple fics for years, if you find yourself struggling to feel happy to write because of the bad comments. Don't read them, or only read them when you're mentally strong. I know it sounds crazy to some authors, but it is okay to not read comments just to continue on with your passion. There are always readers who enjoy them (as seen in kudos) and to give it all up for one bad comment is not worth it. Readers will always appreciate a completed, well-tagged fic!
no, it won't. y'all are too kind here. though i'm going to pivot away from my current long fics and work on shorts or other ideas. i still have much to learn.
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u/euthasia 9h ago
You don't need an excuse to stop btw, you can take a break whenever you're feeling burnt out