Should You Ditch Your Project?

  Everyone has moments of doubt when writing... It's a natural part of the writing process. It's a natural part of everything in life! But how do you know if you should ditch the project, or keep going? Is there any instance when giving up on something is a good idea?
  Well, you're about to find that out... Here are some of the instances when ditching that project is for the better. (This also applies for most things in life! Jobs, hobbies, relationships (to a degree), etc.)

1. If You Outgrow It

  If you start a project when you're 13, you won't have the same taste when you're 20. You grow and evolve, you aren't the same person, your preferences change. You won't want to write the same book you wanted to then! If your story happened to take 7 years to write and evolved with you or you're still invested in it, then good for you, keep on writing! But if you look back on that half-finished draft and it just looks childish and boring, then don't force yourself to write it if you don't want to. 

  So scenario #1: You've grown past interest in your story. 

2. Life. 

  Sometimes life happens. Sometimes you have to prioritize. It makes me sad that this has happened to me, to a degree, and I've had to postpone writing until I have the time. With school, life in general, trying to fix my brain, and dance, I haven't had the time nor energy to write. I've wanted to badly, but I just can't at the moment. 

  This isn't so much a project-ditcher as a postpone, but it still counts. You shouldn't feel guilty for having higher priorities than writing (as long as the writing isn't your job!)

3. Prolonged Hatred

  It happens... You don't feel motivated, you've gotta force yourself to write, that's normal. It's when you feel that way for a prolonged period of time that you should seriously reconsider your project. As for what time period prolonged would be... I'd say about a minimum of a month, in which you have forced yourself to write and tried various methods of getting reinvested in the story. 

  But if you don't feel motivated to write for a long time, then you shouldn't be using your time and effort for something you don't believe in. There's nothing wrong with leaving a project (or writing at all, for that matter!) if it doesn't genuinely make you happy and you have to force yourself to work on it. 

4. What Not To Leave it For

  Okay, so that's that... Now here's what you shouldn't leave a project for. 

• Disinterest that isn't prolonged
• Self-doubt
• Shiny ideas (other book ideas)
• Criticism
• Feeling like no one will like your story
• A random bout of rage or depression 

And never, I mean never, just delete your draft... You can still use that, or give it to someone else who's interested in writing it! Never, never, never ctrl + a backspace that thing!!