: Re: How do you know when to give up on a writing project? Writing is rewriting. The first draft of a novel is commonly riddled with mistakes: the beginning doesn't grip, the characters aren't consistent,

@Nickens642

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I'd say there are three possible scenarios here:

The basic idea is hopeless. You set out to write a novel that would combine a sweet, romantic love story with juvenile gross out comedy, so that it would appeal to both Mormon spinsters and 13 year old boys, and you now realize that this is just not working out. Or some such.
There's nothing wrong with the basic idea, but you're stumbling over fundamental problems. The hero's personality just doesn't fit in this story. You had a great idea for how the story should start and a great idea for how it should end, but now you can't figure out how to get from here to there. Etc.
You're struggling with a bunch of details. A scene that you intended to be exciting just seems flat. That speech the hero gives that's supposed to make him sound brave just makes him sound like an arrogant jerk. What was supposed to be a romantic love scene that leads the characters to live happily ever after sounds more like two friends chatting about the weather. Etc.

If you think your story fits scenario 3, then likely the solution is to step back and rethink it a little. As others here have suggested, work on something else for a while. Perhaps discuss it with friends and get suggestions. Read other people's books and see if you can spot solutions to your problems.

If you think it's scenario 1, then yeah, it's time to either abandon the project completely, or do a major redesign.

Scenario 2 is probably the hardest. Can the story be salvaged, or is it hopeless? I'd incline to working on it and seeing if I can't come up with some solutions, much like scenario 3.

One piece of advice I heard years ago that has really stuck with me: Don't get married to anything you have written. No matter how much work you put into a scene, no matter how much fun it was to write, if it isn't working, if it doesn't advance the plot or character development or contribute SOMETHING, be prepared to throw it out. It might seem like throwing away a chapter that you spent six months working on is a terrible waste. But it would be an even bigger waste if the entire book is ruined because you are unwilling to admit that you made a mistake.

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