You Should STOP Wanting To Write A Novel

[@andreasboe4509]

I'm a sea turtle, and I have a problem with procrustinacean.

[@holli5251]

I want to write a novel, but now I want a cheeseburger and a cookie as well.

[@electra6821]

I'm craving small crustaceans.

[@so_tired_of_you_all]

Writing a novel about wanting that cheeseburger but also wanting that cookie even more so, with a possible plot twist of having a cookie that looks like a cheeseburger so that real cheeseburger gets really confused and is starting to have these doubts, you know, about it's legitimacy to represent actual object of the original "want", you feel me?

[@hbookreviews]

Your analysis about human desires go beyond writing. Thank you for sharing these insights!

[@houddythequeen]

So true. I have no issue with writing. I don't necessarily care if I write a novel, I just love storytelling and write all the time. However, this advice is very useful for other things that I want to want to do (like eat better and work out) but do procrastinate. I'm the "well, I'll have the burger today and start my health kick tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow, creeps in this petty pace from day to day... ok, I'm also easily distracted. Going forward I'm going to try to be more aware of the distractions and why I am falling for them.

[@mittenista]

Can confirm. Am sea turtle. Send crustaceans.

[@smokinggnu6584]

This is basically "Don't try and force it" When you're so concentrated, so intent on a thing that nothing seems to come of it, maybe just stepping back, putting everything down and going for a walk, maybe just striking up a conversation with someone over absolutely nothing you're trying to make, watching a movie or just making a good dinner from scratch. Occupy the conscious part of your brain on something else for a bit, and the unconscious bit will work on the problem in the background.

[@candidk2544]

I think you hit the nail on the head, at some point when you hit that comfortable spot certain doubts and stumbling blocks fall away and ceases to be about desire and more about what you want to do. When I was writing my first book, in the beginning I was wracked with guilt about time management or worrying about if I had the chops, etc. Etc. Etc. And then at some point you quit and try to bury it. But if it is meant to be, it never stays buried and for whatever reason you keep being drawn back to the activity. In the end, I gave up and stopped worrying about the extraneous worries - and just wrote when I could. Its certainly reduced my stress and increased my writing satisfaction.

[@ekk0140]

I think it took a good 12-15 months to find a flow state. That's where, even on the rough days, writing is still rewarding. I'm not sure whether it's the mental process or I love writing this particular story. Maybe a combination. In saying that sometimes writing may begin with a blunt force approach until it becomes a rewarding routine.

[@soraya742]

Thank you for the advice Mr. Duncan!

[@revorafalen2924]

crustaceans for me please! 🐢

[@edspace.]

While we talk about the "Battle between the TV and the Refrigerator" but in a way they often tag team to fend off people looking to their goals. They exist in the here and now, not a bad thing in itself but without a desire to change the future they can become cyclical. And yes there's been a lot of criticism of "Middle Class Morality" for its pushing of delayed gratification (especially when it seems like the reward never comes) but there is a point where the other extreme becomes bad as well since no energy is stored for growth as it is all consumed in each momentary desire to appease the TV and Refrigerator. Not that they can be ignored completely, humans are both material beings and social animals but they have their place.

[@Drudenfusz]

Overcoming desires seems to be the path that Buddhism is pursuing. My only craving is for cats, speaking of cats...well this video has not enough of that!

[@DeborahPettit]

I liked your ideas on values vs. desires. I also agree about advertising pulling us away from our values (for the most part). I feel much more fulfilled doing the things that I value.

[@aerialpunk]

Brilliant video, that's a useful take for a lot of parts of life really

[@JohnNelson1]

I actually go my first draft done during my efforts in November. Just got lucky I guess, though I admit it was a late start. Once going I wanted to see what would happen if I could get it done. I'm glad your title didn't mean that I shouldn't do it.

[@stevensudit]

ZOMG! You've reinvented Buddhism!

[@Artindi]

Based on the title, I thought the direction this video would be: "Stop trying to write a novel, instead try and write a story, then classify it later." Still an interesting discussion about motivation.

[@AvidCat5000]

I'm not procrastinating, I'm on an extensive research opportunity. I've already written a novel (a confusing one, granted) and self-published it. It took me over ten years to finish and rewrite it to my satisfaction. My new ones will get there (eventually). In the meantime, I've got a garden to manage in Stardew. Or watch strangers on KZbin.

[@babavee100]

On the other hand, if you are dedicated, nothing can stop you from combining eating a cheeseburger, a cookie, or lighting a cigarette while writing. We all need to pause and reflect, before composing the next line....

[@0o0eM]

I would say this - does the process of writing make you feel good? then write. not 'a novel', 'a pamphlet' or 'a recipe', just go and write. let the process itself motivate you, not the result - journey before destination

[@PaulRWorthington]

Yeah, I dunno… I have a pretty simple life and don't want much. I do want to write and complete my novels. I don't have competing desires actually… For me, and I would bet for many others, the issue is that writing a novel is HARD. I have the time, I have the desire, I open up my file, look at it on the screen… and I just get overwhelmed with how much there is to do, and how difficult it is to do all of it. Writing one scene is fun and easy. Making that scene work with every other scene in the book and in the series is difficult. Revising 170,000 words is extremely difficult, even doing the final polish to remove half of the 900 times I use the word “just” is overwhelming. I can turn away from the difficult work to do something else that I might find easier or "want "to do. But those are just fleeting distractions, and I turn away from them just as quickly because I don't really want to do them. I can start a movie I've been "wanting” to see, and then turn it off as that’s not what I wanted to do either. It was just appealing because watching is easier than writing. Most things that we wants that are worthwhile are hard. That's what's difficult to deal with. Long ago I wanted to play guitar and piano, but it was very difficult to learn, very hard to make any sounds that weren't awful noises. Writing is just as difficult to master, and even when mastered - or at least I'm able to do it well enough that the actual one word after another isn’t the hard part and I'm not just making awful noises - it isn't any easier to complete a novel as there is just SO MUCH to do.

[@paulkay3594]

Super Love Your Videos! Thank You.

[@letswritetonight]

Precisely why I started streaming my writing. It’s relentlessly boring to watch - working on that - but it holds me to a schedule.

[@oneMeVz]

This why the common idea of an author is a modern hermit and writers groups advertise weiting retreats.

[@hardnewstakenharder]

Could it be I'm first?! This video, as I'm opening Google Docs 😂

[@coffeshrap]

I watched this video after baking cookies.... now im struggling if i should eat them or not 😂

[@aliceberethart]

I think a lot of people want to write a novel because they want to overcome an obstacle that they then can present to others to "boast" with, for a lack of better words -- but, they don't realize it themselves. And because of this I believe they want to write for selfish reasons, and that's why they never get to it. I'm not blaming anyone for this, I sometimes do it also. It's a desire to show others what you're made of, but that in turn makes it less fun when you realize you actually have to spend a lot of time not getting any praise, and the odds are your first peace of work will be of lesser quality than you initially imagined. I don't think there's any single remedy for this, you just have to find the fun in writing on your own, and that often require some mental strain and discipline. I personally find joy in writing exaggerated characters that act in more extreme ways than a real life person would to any given situation. I also write best when I expect nothing of the end result. These are two things that keep me going, and they might be different for you.

[@janefaceinthewind6260]

Hi! I wonder what one should do if one's story is making one sad? I have a fantastic plot and it was supposed to be a gothic horror story in the traditional British style. But somehow creepiness only turns into people just being upset and having a hard fate and it is really dragging me down. I used to love creepy stories but I mostly enjoyed them with my ex partner. I am still so full of sadness that, no matter what I write, the sadness is leaking into it. The writing being sad is what keeps me from doing it because it is not enjoyable and makes me feel even sadder. Do you have any idea how to use one's writing to access one's positive emotions? Or at least other emotions than sadness? I'm leading an ok life, the breakup was 4 years ago. Yet when I write, the sadness comes out on the paper and it is depressing. I want to feel passion for my story again. I want to feel enthusiasm and excitement again. I'm also dealing with temporary but very long physical pain and it is making it difficult to feel joy and excitement for writing, too. Where is my inner spark, my happiness that I used to get from writing? Writing used to be my everything and it came so easy to me in the past. It just flowed, and I would write ever day and the ideas were inspired and sparkly and fun. Is it perhaps as simple as writing a story that is more fun, and if I'm writing horror, should I add a bit of comic relief? If you find this problem interesting, perhaps you could make a video about this? Thank you and have a great day. I love what you are doing.

[@DaltonKevinM]

Wanting to write is not my problem. Within the first few sentences of composition, the world falls away and I simply watch my story unfold - I live for this moment, I'd rather have this than free tickets to Disneyland. The problem is getting there. I think my problem is that I simply do not know how to set reasonable mid-term goals. Long terms goals are easy - complete the thing. Short term goals are easy too - do one thing, take the first step, do the first sit up, write the first paragraph. But novels are big, sprawling beasts and I have no idea how many sit ups I need to do (mixed metaphor, I know) before I finish the darn thing! What I need is a sense of efficacy

[@danw.1250]

I like when people explain things. Hmm, I wonder why that is....

[@mdavidmullins]

If you stop wanting the universal will begin to act through you. Action will flow naturally and effortlessly. Also, may I recommend a book? It's out of print but you can still find copies. I don't know a lot about the author, but I know of the now hundreds of writing books I've ever read, this one seemed to know more truth: _How Writers Journey to Comfort and Fluency: A Psychological Adventure_ by Robert Boice. Ultimately the answer we're leaning into is that habit trumps desire. Build the habit to write and all your bad desires might make you fat, but they won't be able to keep you from a big goal like writing a novel.

[@om6418]

I didn't know i want a cookie. Until i watched this video.

[@TimMaxShift]

Most of the most successful and talented writers in my opinion are a bit disconnected from society. Or rather they are observers rather than participants. It seems to me that nowadays such people are much less likely to use messengers, TV, social networks.

[@brantjustilian3791]

They close to me because I am just a drawing on a paper

[@grafinlady6524]

theres been a misunderstanding... i want to write at least 8

[@v.w.singer9638]

To me, writing is something I want to do and enjoy. It's like people who collect stamps, build model ships, play the guitar, or make vases. If anything, I resent things that take me away from writing. There is no struggle. You just get lost in the doing of it.