Did I neglect to tell you that it took me TEN YEARS to finish my first book? No; I wasn't being lazy or suffering from writer's block. There were a number of valid circumstances you should probably consider for yourself.
For one, I was deathly afraid of what readers would think of my choice of subject matter. I've never written anything that I felt 100% comfortable sharing with an audience, and I doubt any of my work will go without harsh criticism. My fear stifled me some.
In addition, my characters kept outgrowing me. I started writing when I was ten years old or so. At age ten, it is hard to accurately portray what an adult might do. It took some time for me to understand how certain characters would think or react in certain situations because I had never experienced (or even heard about) anything similar.
Lastly, sometimes it just took a few days, or months, or years, to figure out exactly where I wanted to go next. Do I want a plot twist here? Do I want an epiphany to take place here? Do I want to end tragically or comically? What is the overall goal of the story?
I would encourage anyone at a crossroads in writing to just keep going. It might take a while for you to plant your foot exactly where you want it, but don't give up.
There's still time to develop what you have began.
That's for real.
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