101 Reasons to Stop Writing » Demotivator

NaNoWriMo : Your November Demotivator (x2)

Sean Lindsay — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 21:16:06 +0000

Ah, National NOvel Writing Month, that magical time of the year where over a hundred thousand confused misanthropes sequester themselves from their daily miseries to join a massively multiplayer online game where every character is a writer, and when you amass 50,000 points you Win! It’s just like World of Warcraft, but with no graphics, sound, or incremental reward system. Remember, folks, the first month is free, but an ongoing subscription requires talent.

(This year, I’m going undercover as a NaNo participant, to see what havoc I can wreak upon the enterprise from within. If you want to help, sign up to NaNo then post a random number as your daily wordcount. Even better, keep posting zero! With your help, we can achieve our goal of reducing their average wordcount by a digit.)

To counter the unbelievable surge in temporary motivation that NaNo causes, November needs 2 new Demotivators:

NaNoWriMo
Almost as challenging as solving 500 crosswords,
and almost as rewarding.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Jane Sawyer, of MorgueFile.

NaNoWriMo
It’s all fun and games until you expect someone else to read it.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Andrea Church, of MorgueFile.

And if that’s not enough to dissuade you, check out last year’s 2 November Demotivators as well.

Beginning : Your July Demotivator (Belated)

Sean Lindsay — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 12:59:24 +0000

BEGINNING
The last chance the reader has to put your book down,
before they start to hate you for wasting their time and money.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Stephanie, of MorgueFile.

Pseudonym : Your June Demotivator (Belated)

Sean Lindsay — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:06:36 +0000

PSEUDONYM
When you are embarrassed about your next novel,
or your publisher is embarrassed about your last one.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Scott Liddell, of MorgueFile.

Slushpile : Your May Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Thu, 01 May 2008 11:10:35 +0000

SLUSHPILE
Looking for a needle in a field of haystacks, and having
to tell each stalk that it’s not the needle you’re looking for.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by P. Winberg, of MorgueFile.

St Patrick’s Day: Your Bonus Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 09:25:28 +0000

ST PATRICK’S DAY
The best Irish writers were usually drunk.
Doesn’t seem to be working out for you, though.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Tim Hansen, of MorgueFile.

Allegory: Your March Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 01:01:03 +0000

ALLEGORY
What you say your story really means,
after someone else tells you what they think it really means.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Clara Natoli, of MorgueFile.

Valentine: Your Bonus Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Thu, 14 Feb 2008 07:08:51 +0000

For that special someone in your life, who can’t take a hint.

VALENTINE
Honey, I love you.
But your writing sucks.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Roswitha Schacht, of MorgueFile.

Solitude: Your February Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 23:14:02 +0000

My apologies to everyone who visited in January to find not much going on. More content coming soon. For now, I present two versions of this month’s Demotivator.

SOLITUDE
You think it will make you a better novelist.
Everyone else thinks you’re being an asshole.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Original photo by Clara Natoli of MorgueFile.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Original photo by Scott Liddell of MorgueFile.

Meaning: Your January Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 14:00:43 +0000

MEANING
People don’t read books to find meaning in their lives,
but to take comfort in someone else’s misery.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Original photo of Charles Ardai by Naomi Novik. My thanks to Mr Ardai for permission.

Christmas: Your Bonus Demotivator

Sean Lindsay — Tue, 25 Dec 2007 12:56:53 +0000

Just for today.

CHRISTMAS
Stop writing and take the day off.
Go kiss somebody.

click for larger version (widescreen)

Photo by Jane Sawyer, via MorgueFile.

If you get books or writing-related presents this year, please share in the comments. A family member who doesn’t know about this blog gave me a self-published Harry Potter knockoff by a local writer. There’s a quote from a rejection letter on the back cover.