The Insecure Writers’ Group is an organization of writers offering support and encouragement to all those taking on the challenges of writing. Every month they sponsor a blog hop where writers can blog about a topic related to overcoming obstacles and exploring various aspects of the writing journey. If you’d like to participate in a future hop you can join here.
This month the question for discussion as follows:
July 7 question-What would make you quit writing?
Hmm. Good question. It’s a question that seems fairly straightforward, but is actually rather heavy and can lead to significant discussion/agonizing/soul-searching. At least it did for me haha. In my case, there are two answers, or more specifically, the question can be broken down into two parts. The first would be, what would make you quit writing and sharing your work? And the answer to that would be easy. A lot of things. I’ve done this many times before in my life I’m sorry to say, and I still often do. Rejection, fear of the unknown, fear of what could happen, fear of past things that have happened. Frustration with how someone reacts, memories of how people have reacted in the past. I’m really not very proud of it, but when I feel hurt or embarrassed by my work in some way, I do have a tendency to stop sharing it for a while.
The second part to this question for me, would be, what would make you quit writing altogether. As in, you don’t sit and write stories or articles, or anything even for your own enjoyment? And the answer to this question I think would be, almost nothing. The only thing that has ever come close to stopping me from writing was being sick and in the hospital. I was sick for about 6 months, and that was a time when I didn’t have the energy nor the will to sit and type. I certainly didn’t want to write by hand, and it was just too hard to face that computer screen every day. I’m recovered now, thankfully, but I still remember that tiredness, that lack of absolutely anything that would give me the motivation to sit and write.
What about you? I’m curious to hear what factors in your life would sway your decision to continue to write or to stop. As for me, I hope that you continue writing and sharing, bouncing back from any setbacks and continuing to share your art with the world. I hope to do the same. Thanks for reading!
-Winter
Winter Betancourt 
Sorry to hear you were sick for so long. I need to thank God I haven’t experienced such a long period of illness (yet).
Like you, I wrote about fear being a one-word answer to what could cause me to stop writing, at least temporarily.
It would be great if we could have a stack of people who encourage us far thicker than the stack of people who discourage us.
I can sure relate to your statement about people who have discouraged me in my past. I can think of at least 3 times when I was discouraged by people I looked to for help and encouragement when I was young and once when I was an adult.
Unlike you, though, I am not motivated to write for myself. I need to know someone else will read it or I suffer from “Oh, what’s the use?”
Even if I pay attention to the quote “Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self,” I can’t get motivated to write knowing no one else will ever read it.
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Absolutely, you’re totally right, even the things I write with only some intent to share I always end up on some level wanting to share! It’s hard sometimes to not share and not get that feedback I know exactly what you mean.
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Honestly, I can’t think of a thing. But that doesn’t mean they don’t exist.
Anna from elements of emaginette
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Six months is a long time to be sick. If that didn’t stop you, nothing will.
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Thank you Alex!!
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I agree with you. In some ways, there are many reasons to quit, but for some reason, I don’t think I’ll ever give up writing as a craft. Perhaps when I find a better way to express my creativity, but even that’s a big stretch. Anyway, thanks for this post!
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I totally agree, writing is such a fantastic creative outlet, it’s hard to imagine living without it! Thank you so much for reading Stuart!
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Winter, writing is the best medicine.
Glad you’ve recovered, and are writing again. I can’t imagine a day passing without writing something, even if it’s just a word or a note, an email or a letter.
Quenntis
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Thank you so much Quenntis! You’re right, writing is the best medicine. Even on days when I don’t feel like writing, when I try to put something down on paper I end up glad that I did.
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Yes, there is definitely a difference between “stop writing” and “stop being a writer”. A pause, even for months, due to circumstances beyond our control doesn’t mean we aren’t writers anymore.
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Sickness is enough reason to quit writing for as long as it lasts. Great to hear you have recovered. I hope you find the inspiration and motivation to write again.
In my case, I find it’s when I have lots of responsibilities to take care of. Especially during festive periods and celebrations. I’m.forced quiet for a short while.
Excitement can also do something to my writing enthusiasm. I get carried away but not for long.
I don’t think there is anything that can make me quit writing. It’s a spontaneous, a passion of mine and and my love. I’m born to write.
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Thank you Florence! It was a long sickness, but thankfully I am doing so much better. I’m so grateful! How wonderful to get so much joy from writing, it’s a blessing to have a creative outlet that motivates and inspires that way!
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