Post History

Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/24376
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

Servus,

I once again started wondering what might be the problem that keeps me from finishing most of my novels. To compare, there are two novels about 400 pages; one of these was really liked by its (single) reader while I thought it was a huge mess (looks like there is serious character development happening I didn't even notice), while the other one confused the living daylight out of the other (single) reader (while I hoped it was way more... tidy in terms of structure).

Beside this, there must be about 20 or more drafts which barely made it past 50 pages (usually it stops at 20 pages), which may be better or worse than the "finished" ones. I often ponder about why I never did end them, and usually its the same conclusion: _It feels stupid_.

Its not like the finished ones are more "sane" in any case; we are talking about sci-fi and fantasy with some espionage elements or steam-punky worlds, cruel architecture and some references to favorite media art. To be honest, both stories are kind of insane when thinking about it, but for some reason they came to an end.

Now whats wrong with all these other stories? I know it will be hard to find out if you didn't read them, but usually they are more or less as "insane" as the other ones...

**but why does one keep ending up with the impression that what has been typed to virtual paper is crazy batsh!t and not worth a continue?**

When carving out this cry for help I stumbled upon [this writers question](https://writers.stackexchange.com/questions/22135/how-to-keep-writing) which touched a topic kind of close to mine, but it didn't came up with an answer for me (while still offering some insight).

To push this further... this is highly sujective perception, but sometimes when wandering through bookstores and looking upon new books I start wondering "_This has been printed? Seriously?_", and wonder why they managed to pull this through while I (not even aiming to publish this) end up thinking bad about what I made up so far.

Thinking more about it usually leads to the idea that I simply failed or will fail to keep up the suspension of disbelieve... but at the other hand there are stories out there which are about zombies/apes/aliens/insert-favorite-menace-here taking over the world or being beaten by some pretty unlikely heroes.

Why this feels more sane than... hm...

- I once let my characters lay waste to the grand exhibition (the first world exhibition in London) using a experimental blimp which ended up in... uhm... lets say there are mummies, airships, vampires, conspiracies and romances happening. 

- Other example includes some lab assistant who teleports not from A to B, but back into time, and whats happening after this are... it messes up the timescale we know and produce an infamous art thief usually known for other reasons. 

- Some older stuff includes (sci-fi this time) a missing battleship, a near-collision, huge empty areas, invisible stalkers, ninja-assassin-kitten and pretty scared (not scary) mutants. 

- Last example includes a classic fantasy-world, a pyramid, some guys which failed to summon a demon and a magical gate which leads right next to the comic con. Oh, and Bob of course, which is... a janitor. 

So why did one (I in that case) came to a complete halt at a point early in the story and keep on thinking "_that's just plain stupid, do not waste your time!_", while out there authors are busy writing stuff like this and even earning enough money for a living. I do not think there is a "secret" they have, but... what is missing at my side?

I feel motivation building up to create a new story (as discovery-writer I cannot tell what will happen at this point of time). And this time I hope I can end it at least. Wonder who will be the single reader this time.

Anyway, If you can point me in a good direction I would be most grateful. Before formulating any responses about books to read please consider that English isn't my first language and less common books in English sometimes are hard to get here.

Greetings, ConfusedMerlin

* * *

EDiT: From one answer I will pick up something to read which I stumbled upon some time ago but didn't remember exactly what is was about: [The Gap](https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/01/29/ira-glass-success-daniel-sax/) You'll find a youtube link in the answer of... Ken Mohnkern, but for all who can't/won't watch a video, this link of mine will offer a silent reading of what this is about (and that video too).

Original score: 6