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I've got a problem. (Patreon)

Published:
2018-03-04 01:16:49
Imported:
2026-06

Content

This is really hard for me to write.  It's been tearing me up for a week now and I'm not sure what to do about it.

First, I do not want to stop writing.  I love writing.  It's one of the few good things I do in this world.  I have ideas for stories that keep churning through my head.

But the problem is I'm not writing.  February was as bad as November and December.  Back then, those two months were peak at Amazon, so I could blame workload.  February wasn't peak.  I had plenty of time to write, but I didn't.  I didn't finish a single chapter anywhere.  The only productive thing I did was a collaboration with another MLP writer which will be put out in a few weeks.

I have unfinished MLP stories.

I have unfinished original stories.

I have a webpage that I'm doing nothing with.

I have an unfinished sequel.

And I am not writing.  I'm gaming, reading junk on the internet, arguing on Reddit's worldbuilding pages, but I am not writing.  And I need to write.  Writing is a muscle and I've got writer's ALS and it's killing me.  I need to get my discipline and focus back.

First step is admitting I have a problem.  Second step is getting a support group together.  Fortunately, I still have that.  Third step is setting goals.  My goal is getting writing finished.  Fourth step is being held accountable.  That's you guys.  Please hold my toes to the fire if I go silent for weeks on end.

So I leave WHAT I write up to you.  Put in your reply what you want me to focus on.  Give me a push in the direction you think I should go.  Homelands?  Sure!  Liminal Magic?  Sure!  Mecha story?  Sure!  Fantasy story?  Sure!  Because right now, I'm just not doing what I need to be doing.

Writing.

Comments

Anonymous

While Homelands is what I'd like to see, you write what you want to write...

hunterz263

Homelands is what I want to see more of, honestly (even though I have to start reading it). Though, Somber, honestly it's really up to you. If you want to write, than write what comes naturally. That's the only way to get the brain going again in my opinion. If you force it, it becomes distorted and a shadow of the original idea.

Neo Fox

Homelands is too amazing, please never stop

Anonymous

Homelands. Granted id read just about anything you wanted to put out. Write what ever it takes to keep enjoying writing period while i and alot of other people would be sad if homelands were hiatused if you cant keep writing it then dont force it. I think i speak for most when i say that your writing has touched me/us and we would read a story of paint drying if you wrote it with your somber flair

DocSpit

You spend years making me fall in love with these characters and you think I'm not going to pitch Homelands? YOU DON'T TEASE US WITH WILL THEY/WON'T THEY PYTHIAxTAPE AND NOT FINISH IT!!1! Real talk: if you work a specific muscle too hard, you'll wear it out. If Homelands or your other projects are too hard to get going on, try an excerpt or two for a concept you've never tried/wanted to try. Write a swords and sorcery short, age of sail, or space opera. Work a new muscle to let your big projects relax for a few weeks. In my experience, when you come back, it'll flow a lot more easily after that.

C_II_R

I too want to see Homelands, the only thing is that sometimes you've gotta force finish some works when in a slump because it's the only way to move on and continue writing stuff you're really passionate for. To get you back into a driven writing pace, Homeland's quality might suffer (and that's something I fear greatly for a universe I feel so much for) just so that it's completed and done with, but it might just have to be the one to suffer so that later works can be done well (or at all)...

ZanciiKitty

I think I'm going to take the different approach. Yes, please, I would like you to get back into writing. I'll agree with the others that Homeland is something I'd like to see more of. However, please don't over-do getting back to the writing. Moderation is good.

Patty D.

You are the greatest darkgrit writer I have has the fortune to find. Being able to read and reread your stories has given me a lot of joy over the years. I only wish it was possible to publish your stories. He have a great talent and I'm so happy that you enjoy writing as much as I enjoy reading.

EnkeiNN

I love your stories, and i'm really grateful for them. But please, if writing gets too difficult, don't force yourself. Nothing good ever was made by force. Take a rest if you need. Allow yourself a week or a pair of them just to relax, don't even remember about needing to do stuff. Just make sure you have a certain time and date when you would stop resting. And then start again. Speaking for myself, i can wait if that means you feeling better and more motivated to give me your wonderful art.

Anonymous

Homelands first then Liminal Magic is my vote. My solution to get my lazy creative muscles in gear is walking. I will just take an hour and brainstorm in my head while walking around and then I have to put it all down when I get home with momentum keeping me going after. Not having distractions is very important for me and physical motion gets my brain moving too.

Friday Pie

Frankly, I'd love to see you do more, you created characters I can relate to, calling Blackjack a second me. I'd wanted to see more of Scotch Tape. And I'm curious why you laughed in response to my question. To be honest, that mood you describe I find quite... normal for January/February. That's hardest months, both because of light day. It's "darkness" time, maybe you're familiar with this poem, that described author's mood during famous Year Without Summer: <a href="https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43825/darkness-56d222aeeee1b" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43825/darkness-56d222aeeee1b</a> . Among other things it might be just a nutrition problem as result of winter and stress mixed with lack of dopamine, thus you inclined to do things with immediate gratification. Be careful with yourself, don't get burnt out. Maybe the Twilight thing to make a plan, to pace yourself would work out, so you wouldn't burn yourself out. Forcing yourself to create might be bad idea, you have to be inspired to do that. Creativity process may feature more of delayed gratification. If process stops to be "fun"... I always was thinking, that we create, write, draw to eradicate the emptiness we perceive in world around us, so we can enjoy the process. That's the immediate gratification from creation process. Same with reading. To be honest I found myself caught in same situation this winter (and work isn't helping either, but that's just excuse), having a lot of unfinished art and draft of story I wish to finish. And I think, Blackjack in Heartshine's story was caught in same state too.

Anonymous

Definitely would love to see Homelands through, but if you need a change of subject to shake yourself up, Cannon Priness got me pretty intrigued, and it'd be great to have some of that too.

I bequeath to you a single dollar

Here's me putting your feet to the fire: If you release a chapter a month for Horizons for the next two months, I'll increase my Patron support from $1 to $5. At 3 months, I'll put it up to $10. Anyone else that wants to join me, feel free to. I think a tangible recognition of your writing would be a help to you, and I'm committed to it. As well, I really want to see more of your writing, and I think that you can do it.

Adam Berta

I would say Homelands, though before you start writing I would suggest that you'd better take a few days of rest. Yeah, I read what you wrote, how you spend free time playing games and stuff, but what I mean is, that you'd try to not think about writing this time. Just sent for yourself a date when you will start and spend the days not worrying about... well, not writing. Hope it makes sense ^^;

Союз писателей и переводчиков Табуна "Стальные Перья"

Homelands is a good thing to write. And since we just completed translation of Chapter 18 (it’s only some editing require before publish) we need more chapters on our plate to translate. And Adam is right you really need rest for a few days to put yourself together, and return to writing. And don’t forget to publish Chapter 18 of Homelands on Fimf. It will be really funny if translation appears earlier than original chapter itself, but it will be funny only for us. Check our PM talk on Fimf there are few errors we have found during translation.

Anonymous

putting my vote for homelands

Anonymous

Hi, Somber. Hopefully, you're better, and we might see somthing of you anytime soon. It would be quite unfortunate if you did get tired of writing really loved your stuff.

Anonymous

Hi, somber, I dunno if you still mess around with patron and read these comments, but I don't know any other way to get a message to ya, so here goes: I'm aspiring to be a gunsmith, you know, make and repair different types of guns and junk, and I wanted to ask your permission for, in the future, if I could use Ironshod Firearms as the name of my smithing shop/company? I'm not really sure if you made the name or someome else did and if it was someone else I'll have to find em... But, anyway, project horizons was and still is my favorite book ever, and I still listen to the audio book 3 years after having discovered it. All I can offer you in exchange for permission is that I would pledge much more towards you, a percentage of my profits, like if you bought stock or something in a different company. Of course, I'm not there yet, but when I do I'll be more than certain to give credit where it's due. So, eh, that's about all I wanted to say and I do hope you keep writing your stories. They're always unexpectedly amazing, and it would seriously be the coolest thing if I could use that name in real life. I dunno how patron stuff works, but lemme know what you think, yeah? Hopeful to hear from ya soon, bro