Hey writers. I needed comfort food and honesty, so I came here! 
When I was eleven, I wrote this God-awful novel with my best friend. I was handwritten in three notebooks, about 500 pages. We knew it wasn't the best we could do, but we were happy to have finished and we looking forward to the second draft. So the second draft was typed and that lead to a MUCH better third draft . . . which we decided not to finish.
Since then, I've started a novel I love to work with every time I sit down to the computer. Sleep is rough around the edges in its first draft, but still beautiful to me. I enjoy it.
Yet there's another novel I'm not having so much luck with. I started Her Fear of Heights for NaNoWriMo, but didn't meet the goal. My Uncle asked if he could print it for my family to enjoy, so I picked it up again in March. It looks like he won't be able to because I can't bring myself to finish. I do not enjoy writing this novel half as much as I used to. It isn't going anywhere either.
Is it wrong for me to stop writing? Even at the expense of the opportunity? Writers, how do you decide to stop writing when the novel isn't working out? Lastly, am I fickle or a failure for not finishing the project? Or insightful for knowing the novel isn't working and I can write a brighter, BETTER novel in its place?
My Uncle is going to retire this summer. How do I explain to my family why I quit? I get the feeling they'll think me fickle and unable to finish anything . . . unable to meet deadlines . . .
Any advice?
When I was eleven, I wrote this God-awful novel with my best friend. I was handwritten in three notebooks, about 500 pages. We knew it wasn't the best we could do, but we were happy to have finished and we looking forward to the second draft. So the second draft was typed and that lead to a MUCH better third draft . . . which we decided not to finish.
Since then, I've started a novel I love to work with every time I sit down to the computer. Sleep is rough around the edges in its first draft, but still beautiful to me. I enjoy it.
Yet there's another novel I'm not having so much luck with. I started Her Fear of Heights for NaNoWriMo, but didn't meet the goal. My Uncle asked if he could print it for my family to enjoy, so I picked it up again in March. It looks like he won't be able to because I can't bring myself to finish. I do not enjoy writing this novel half as much as I used to. It isn't going anywhere either.
Is it wrong for me to stop writing? Even at the expense of the opportunity? Writers, how do you decide to stop writing when the novel isn't working out? Lastly, am I fickle or a failure for not finishing the project? Or insightful for knowing the novel isn't working and I can write a brighter, BETTER novel in its place?
My Uncle is going to retire this summer. How do I explain to my family why I quit? I get the feeling they'll think me fickle and unable to finish anything . . . unable to meet deadlines . . .
Any advice?