Is it okay to be a bad writer if you enjoy what you write?

[nice90sguy]

Ah yes, the surprisingly common fetish known as litdom.

It all started with my English teacher, but that story is strictly ASSTR.org

 

[CalBishForNow]

Fuck Deepseek. I've seen your improvement and I think it's awesome.

The only quality metric that matters is your own.

Yeah, OP, I'm sorry it took 17 comments for someone to make this point. Maybe you're a bad writer and maybe you're not, and if you're bad maybe it's OK and maybe it isn't (you have to put food on the table somehow!), but asking an AI this is one of the worst uses of AI I can think of.

 

[droberts44]

I haven't posted anything in several months, but I've been slowly working on a couple stories.

I've known since I started that I'm not a good writer, but I liked what I was posting up. I don't really have the drive to be the best writer ever, but I was hoping that there would be some improvement.

Today I put a draft of a story in DeepSeek and told it to give me a harsh critique. It said it was bad and that I should delete the draft and start over (among other things).

Fine, I told it to be harsh and it was, but it also told me things that I know about my writing.

I don't know what I'm looking for, but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

Sure, keep at it.

 

[MillieDynamite]

After all, AI would never tell you that you're a bad writer unless it thought that was what you wanted it to say.

Yeah, OP, I'm sorry it took 17 comments for someone to make this point. Maybe you're a bad writer and maybe you're not, and if you're bad maybe it's OK and maybe it isn't (you have to put food on the table somehow!), but asking an AI this is one of the worst uses of AI I can think of.

 

[Timesup]

Everybody started out as a bad writer. You get better by writing, and writing what you enjoy is the best thing you can do.

I love you

 

[Off_base]

I'm no pro, but if you really want to see some bad writing, look up some of the all-time most favorite stories, in a few categories. You might feel much better about your own writing after you read a few of those literary gems.

 

[Djmac1031]

I don't know what I'm looking for, but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

Dude, ive read some of your stuff and we've had discussions over it.

And being honest, yes I said they could some improvements.

But I certainly never thought they suck. and trust me, in my time here ive seen some of the suckiest stories to ever suck.

And lets put it out there. What if they DO suck?

SO... FUCKING...WHAT?

If you're making an honest effort and having fun with it, that's all that counts.

 

[UnexpectedLuggage]

Sure. And by writing more, at least in my experience, you get naturally better. Shit, you should  see some of the stuff I wrote when I was 13.

 

[EmmAgain]

lol! I’m a terrible writer and I enjoy writing! As long as it’s a topic you’re passionate about, as long as you’re not neglecting your real life, as long as you’re not counting on it to put corn flakes in your bowl, who cares?

I scribble random stuff when I’m stressed at work. I click on random pics on my drives, try to remember their context - maybe close the door and masturbate if they’re hot enough - and see what my typing comes up with.

It’s fun. And it’s for me.

 

[SimonDoom]

Just about anything worth doing is worth doing half-assed. It's great if you can put a full ass into a project (and then publish it in Anal), but unless there are lives on the line, I think it's fine to devote just one buttock to a hobby.

Well said. This sums up my view of the question.

 

[Robin_Starveling]

There’s a basic misconception when people talk about bad writing on free platforms: there’s rarely anything truly good.

The difference between a story rated 4.3 and one rated 4.9 is usually that the latter just sounds better—like the class queen who isn’t necessarily deeper, smarter, funnier, or kinder than the rest; she only looks good.

When you start reading those supposedly brilliant works, you can tell from the opening that, though the language is smooth and well-phrased, it’s painfully shallow. Sometimes I force myself through a few paragraphs, wondering if I’m just biased or jealous, but it never lasts long. It usually ends at the first dialogue—which isn’t really a dialogue at all. Regardless of age, gender, or geography, everyone sounds exactly the same, all speaking in that same predictable voice. It’s essentially one character talking to themselves. And when I can already guess the next line in a “conversation” almost verbatim, that’s my cue to step away.

So no matter how bad you think you are, you’re in the right place.

And when the once-rejected rise to become the kings of the class—that’s my private hell, and I’ve got plenty to atone for.

 

[DeMont]

I haven't posted anything in several months, but I've been slowly working on a couple stories.

I've known since I started that I'm not a good writer, but I liked what I was posting up. I don't really have the drive to be the best writer ever, but I was hoping that there would be some improvement.

Today I put a draft of a story in DeepSeek and told it to give me a harsh critique. It said it was bad and that I should delete the draft and start over (among other things).

Fine, I told it to be harsh and it was, but it also told me things that I know about my writing.

I don't know what I'm looking for, but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

@alohadave
Y'know my dear colleague, a published writer of some repute once told me, when I asked the same question,
"Knowing what sort of writer you are is half way to becoming a better one, question is how badly do you want to a writer?"

I first started fiction writing in high school, man it was rough but the ideas and the presentation of the concepts saved my behind and got me good marks most of the time. The one thing that did for me was give me the impetus to want to be better. I read, and read, and read more. I wrote endless scribbles that I compared to existing examples of what I was writing about. I tried to mirror, not plagiarise, what I was reading.

It was a lot of work but I came through, somehow, to be something of a writer - not the worst (I don't think) - definitely not the best but I managed to get some bits and pieces published, got a few commissioned (Business and Commerce) operational pieces done and won a few contests. I'm just your average hack but working here, on my writing I mean, I've had some great help and guidance from these Lit folks (They're pretty nice really)

All I'm saying is the only person that REALLY needs be happy with your writing is YOU. If your going for ratings and "Happy Smiley Face" comments then you need to impress the readers. You are the only one who can choose your course. The tools are available. The decision is yours my friend.
Deepest respects,
D.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

Of course it's 100% okay. But I would also caution that if you suspect that you are not that good, you shouldn't go around telling others that you are better than them.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

'don't get it written right, just get it written'

... and then edit it to get it right.

 

[caleb35]

I haven't posted anything in several months, but I've been slowly working on a couple stories.

I've known since I started that I'm not a good writer, but I liked what I was posting up. I don't really have the drive to be the best writer ever, but I was hoping that there would be some improvement.

Today I put a draft of a story in DeepSeek and told it to give me a harsh critique. It said it was bad and that I should delete the draft and start over (among other things).

Fine, I told it to be harsh and it was, but it also told me things that I know about my writing.

I don't know what I'm looking for, but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

I agree with the other comments in this thread but I wanted to say a few things. First, I don’t know what DeepSeek is and I don’t care. The only legitimate source of feedback is other readers (including yourself). Second, if you enjoy writing, or if you are driven to write, keep writing. Third — the only thing that would be bad is if you don’t work on your craft. If there are things that you think you can improve on, do so. But of course the only way to do that is to keep writing.

 

[StillStunned]

There’s a basic misconception when people talk about bad writing on free platforms: there’s rarely anything truly good.

But here's the thing: at least those writers have written a story, they've published it, they've presented it for the world to read.

And that makes them better writers than all those supposed authors who never complete or publish anything.

 

[ElectricBlue]

But here's the thing: at least those writers have written a story, they've published it, they've presented it for the world to read.

And that makes them better writers than all those supposed authors who never complete or publish anything.

To be fair, the great Tilan did have some content here until he removed it, an alt or two ago. Essentially channeling Proust, with the same excess of nineteenth century verbosity. But now, it's pontification central without the balls to be measured like the rest of us.

Here in Oz we would say, a legend in his own lunchtime.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

To be fair, the great Tilan did have some content here until he removed it, an alt or two ago. Essentially channeling Proust, with the same excess of nineteenth century verbosity. But now, it's pontification central without the balls to be measured like the rest of us.

Here in Oz we would say, a legend in his own lunchtime.

We all want feedback and we all want to discuss opinions here. If we limit that to only people who publish then we won't get much discussion and we will get massively less feedback. If you don't like how he measures you then why do you even care if he does?

 

[Robin_Starveling]

We all want feedback and we all want to discuss opinions here. If we limit that to only people who publish then we won't get much discussion and we will get massively less feedback. If you don't like how he measures you then why do you even care if he does?

Fair point. There’s also that simple, uncomfortable truth that should be obvious to any decent, self-assured person: a reader’s standards can, and in fact should, tower far above their own craftsmanship. One can be a terrible writer and still hold exacting standards as a reader.

Essentially, they’re just begging for the chance to tear into their tormenter’s work, so they have a target to vent at. But as predictable as this protective reflex is, it’s a loser’s mentality masquerading as critical integrity.

 

[Areala-chan]

I think it's perfectly fine to be a bad writer. I was the worst writer in the world when I was two years old. We only get better through practice.

What I don't think it's okay to be is someone who settles for being that same bad writer. Getting better as a writer isn't a linear progression, it goes through peaks and valleys, not every story is going to be better than the one before. But at the very least, every subsequent story you write should build on something you learned when writing your previous ones that improves your skill as a storyteller.

 

[ChloeTzang]

I don't know what I'm looking for, but is it okay to suck at writing and know you suck, if you like what you write?

You shoulda seen my first stories! I was writing away right thru high school and college and only got started here after I started working - I look at my early stuff (yep I stil have all those docs) and they are truly AWFUL. Like, worse than sucky. Worse than...well... BUT if I hadn't written all that shit (thats what they are) I wouldn't have improved enough to start here, and if I hadn't started here I wouldn't have improved enough to get a couple of novels and novellas published and won a few of the competitions - and if I hadn't done all that I wouldn't have been asked to co-write a novel with a name author - about five million words later (maybe more, I stopped even trying to count, I have so many unfinished stories and ideas and versions....)

So you know what, some of my stories still suck but I don't care - I'm writing stuff I enjoy writing, telling stories I enjoy pulling out of the ether, and somewhere I did a rough approximation, and gven Literotica is all about jerk-off stories, I figured based on views I have probably inspired a million or two blissful male ejaculatory experiences LOL which, honestly. is my personal measurement of sucess!

So what the heck - maybe you think you suck but if people are reading your stories obviously they're better than you think and if YOU enjoy writing them, well, you're doing it here for love, not money, so go ahead and enjoy!!!!!! As for Deep Seek, what the heck would a s/w program know about writing? You get good ratings, you get quite a few views, you've got the big Red H - that puts you up there, dude.

Fuck DeepSeek and stop doubting yourself. If you enjoy writing, just do it! and hey, I have this event I was going to ask you to write a story for, so stop fucking around and get writing!!!!!! LOL

 

[kreemi_pi]

It's fine if you're writing's no good
Or perhaps you're just misunderstood
I mostly write lim'ricks
A genre so limp-dick
I'd write better porn if i could

 

[alohadave]

and hey, I have this event I was going to ask you to write a story for, so stop fucking around and get writing!!!!!! LOL

What event?