Abandoning Stories

I have a story that's been a long work in progress. I really liked the original idea, but after looking over it a few times, it's just not coming along the way I wanted it to. After noticing multiple things that are problematic, I think it's time to move on and let this one go. It's good to be able to recognize weaknesses in a story, but it's sure frustrating to give up on something that required a lot of time and work!

I've quit writing stories a few times or even finished stories that ended up not being very good. Typically it's about the characters' actions just being too far of a stretch or the plot not working out.

Does anyone else ever begin a story, realize it's not working, and then abandon it? When do you decide to call it quits and for what reason?

Through many years of writing, I've let go of a few stories because I just lost interest in it. When writing a story, we have to be ALL the characters. We have to say what WE would say, and DO what WE would do in all scenarios and instances. I started a story about a psychologist and a man seeing her. It started out pretty good, but then it simply became a cliche' of sorts.

Don't fret about it, Sarah. Sometimes it's good to just let go of something.

I've deleted some hefty chunks in my time (with that same pain/frustration you mention - all that effort clicked into oblivion - ugh). But I've always managed to save something from the wreckage, either by deciding to be less ambitious, pruning out extraneous side-plots or characteristics, getting back to that original good idea, or by adding a section that better explains a character's motives.
You could just leave it in the larder to mature - you never know when your Muse will take you back there with renewed enthusiasm and all will slot into place neatly.

I wrote part of a story, gave up on it for a few months, then went back to it and finished it. As such I'm a believer in keeping a copy of what I've written, just in case I want to return to it. In theory, I've never quit on a story (note the in theory). Just my 2 cents.
Nswitch/thereader0987

Bingo! Just because you have ran out of ideas (or steam) today, doesn't mean that you won't want to resurrect your story in the future. I've salvaged unfinished stories years after the fact.

If I had a spanking for every half-written, less-than-fully-developed, mediocre-at-best, incomplete, short-on-substance, great idea-that-turned-into-drivel, great-ending-but-how-about-the rest-of-the-story, or suddenly-I-am-stuck-with-nothing-more-to-say, STORY. . . well, let's just say I would be far better behaved.

But seriously, there are too many stories I never finish, for one reason or another. I lose interest, or motivation, or sometimes, I just can't get the story to where I want it to be. Sometimes I plow ahead, and end up with what is likely not a very good story, and other times, I just give up the ghost.

One thing though: I never delete any of these snippets, or unfinished work, even if I have already determined it is drivel. I may come across them someday, and get re-inspired to continue, or change the story, and be able to use those orphaned paragraphs for something worthwhile. So, even though it feels like it now, Sarah, it may not be completely wasted time and work.

I have several stories sitting in various stages of completion, but I will go back and try to finish or rewrite them eventually. It hurts to delete dialog or portions of a story, sometimes my favorite portions, that don't flow with the rest, but to me, it would be even worse to give up on the whole thing. Sometimes all you need is a break. Sometimes I will go and write other things, then return, even weeks or months later, look at it with a fresh attitude, and know exactly what to do. Going back to the drawing board can be a good, productive thing, especially since you liked the original idea. But you do need to be happy with your own work.

I have never deleted/thrown away anything that I have written. Even stuff I wrote 30 years ago is stuffed under my bed for safe keeping. Every few years or so I spend an afternoon trawling through it and although most of it is so bad it leaves me cringing...it still makes me smile. And in the pages and pages of rubbish and cliched nonsense, every now and then I come across a line that is actually quite good! Lol. And sometimes that line has inspired me to write a whole new story built around it.

So I agree with everyone else...leave it for now Sarah but please don't delete. One day you may read it again with fresh eyes and be inspired all over again.

I've never abandoned one completely, but I've rethought the idea and more or less started over from scratch a few times when I didn't think it was working right.

Same here. One of those came after 10 years. Others I've returned to after several months to a year plus.