Why you stopped writing the book you once began

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Why you stopped writing the book you once began

It will greatly help me to understand why people who originally began the journey of writing a book eventually stopped before their book was completed. Your insights will contribute to my better comprehension of the challenges people face during the book-writing process. They will also help me support people like you (maybe you, specifically) to return to writing the book, or make peace with putting it to rest.

1. How far along were you in the writing process when you stopped?

Dreaming and gathering

Planning/outlining

A few chapters in

Midway through the manuscript

Near completion

In the rewrite or editing phase

Other

What was the primary reason you let go of writing your book?

Lost interest in the topic

Still interested in topic, but hard to sustain original enthusiasm for writing

Dissatisfied with the writing quality

Personal or health issues

Loss of confidence

Not clear about where to go next in the writing

The inner critic got the upper hand

Got into deeper waters than anticipated, personal doubt and pain

Other

Did external feedback influence your decision to stop writing?

Yes, negative critiques demotivated me

Yes, lack of interest from others

No, it was a personal decision

I didn't share my writing with others

Other

How often did you set aside time to write?

Daily

Several times a week

Weekly

Sporadically

Rarely

Other

Do you have a spiritual practice? If so, did you integrate it into your process of writing the book?

I do have a spiritual practice, but I didn’t integrate it into writing my book

I do have a spiritual practice, and I tried to bring it into the writing process but I didn’t know how to make that translation

I don’t have a spiritual practice

Other

Did you have a support system or writing community?

A "support system" could be as simple as a friend or family member who knew you were writing a book and who made it known that they were on your side, whether you shared your writing with them or not. Or it could have been a community of people gathered specifically around writing.

Yes, and it was helpful

Yes, but it wasn't helpful

No, but I wish I had

No, and I didn't feel I needed one

Have you ever returned to writing after a long break? If so, what prompted the return?

Looking back, would you have approached the writing process differently? If so, how?

If you were to start a new writing project, what could you do to ensure its completion?

“Do” might refer to: your writing routines / keeping inspiration going / self-care /and other levels of your life and being that, in your experience, enter in when you are writing a book.

Please share any additional comments or experiences that might be helpful for me to know about the book project you decided to shelve.

Thank you for your valuable insights!

Thank you for your honesty and participation. Your responses will be very helpful in my support of people to carry the books of their heart all the way to completion. This will be good not only for the authors, but also for their readers. And perhaps filling out this survey will cause you to reconsider the book you shelved and find its heartbeat. Let me know if I can be of service to you: naomirosedeepwrite [at] yahoo.com / www.naomirose.net