Gritted Teeth and Iron Resolve

Yesterday we established that I had writer's block. Or something like that.

Something akin to smacking one's face into this:

This has never happened to me before.

Let me rephrase: This has never happened to me before when I cared.

I've begun 81* stories (not including fanfics) since the age of 11. Yes, I counted them. No, I haven't been procrastinating. Avoiding my WiP? Why would you think that?

Of those 81, I've finished a resounding 4. What happened to the rest? I quit, due to disinterest...or lack of plot. Not really lack of plot, just poor plotting. Just that horrible moment when you arrive somewhere and realize that how you got there really wouldn't work in real life, wouldn't work at all, and that anywhere you go from there is going to be tainted. I used to quit those and start new ones, because I'm quite ADD when it comes to sticking to stories anyway.

But now I'm on a quest not just to write stories but for them to be published. And to be published, you need plot. Plot that works. I can't not care anymore.

Set this one aside and start afresh? I could, but I won't, for two reasons:

1. This is a hurdle I must jump. Avoiding it now just means delaying the inevitable.
2. I believe in this story. I love it like I've loved few others. I believe that it's good, a rare thought for me, to believe that something I've created is good.

There comes a moment when one must decide to go on or go home. For me, this is that moment. I have found a hole in my skills, a tear that must be patched. I can't pretend like it's not there if I want to keep getting better. It must be faced, head-on, with gritted teeth and iron resolve.

What about you? Tell me about your perseverance. It's okay to say it was hard. :)

* give or take