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When you hit a wall?

Blue Saturday

Unfurl your Blessed Wings!
I'm currently writing a fic. that I haven't updated in a sizable amount of time unfortunately, I still very much plan to continue this fic. and I do think about it every single day. My problem is, naturally, I'm not sure where to take the story and do so in a way that would interest the readers. There are several things I was planning to open up in the next chapter about the characters, their past, past relationships, characterization, new character introductions, antagonistic force rearing its head, introduction of new Pokemon, etc. But I feel as though these aspects might not have their own aura in a sense where the readers will feel really really engrossed into them 100%. Then again part of my insecurity about the next chapter also could come from my general lack of self-confidence about the execution of them, since it'll be my first time dealing with a major antagonistic force, foreshadowing them and building upon their characters and motives. I'd appreciate any criticism on what you think I should do.
 

mjunior3

Link Jokers!
Well, I may not be an expert (only have one fanfic myself), but you could do what you think makes the best story. If you put something that shakes things up and is totally unexpected, that could lead to an anticipation of excitement and huge twists. If you work on character building, do it in an exciting, funny, tragic, or normal way. Do what you think flows, and go with it. Good luck. :D
 

Negrek

Lost but Seeking
Stop thinking about how your readers are going to respond and just write it.
 

JX Valentine

Ever-Discordant
Yeeeeah, to be perfectly frank and honest with you, self-confidence issues are highly personal, and it sounds like that's the main crux of the problem you're facing here (given how concerned you are with how your readers will react). And really, that's something you have to solve your own way, by sitting down and taking a good look at your skills and what you can do. It might be intimidating to post your work online, but ultimately, to put it extremely bluntly, a lack of confidence in your own work is, well, your own issue. It's just not going to be solved by trying to coax other people into liking your work, and I mean that in the nicest way possible.

The more confident you are in your abilities, the more your story works. Now, don't get me wrong. There are egotistical authors out there who suck, but what I mean is if you put forth your best effort to write a decent, coherent story (as opposed to writing an awesome, mind-blowing story), the more likely you are to actually write one because you end up focusing on telling the story instead of how people will react to it. But the problem is that if you don't think you can do it, that lack of confidence is absolutely going to bleed into your work, no matter what you do or how much you try to get support from others by telling them you don't think you can do it. The best thing to do, as Negrek said, is to stop thinking too much about it and just write it to the best of your ability.

That and, well, take a good look at yourself and figure out a way to stop beating yourself up.
 
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