I started writing when I was 13. It was towards the tail-end of the 7th grade, perhaps the most awkward year of my entire life thus far, and writing was a way through the awkwardness. Every since then, writing has played a huge part in making me the person I am today. There are days, though, where I have seriously considered abandoning it all together. On those days, I always try to take a moment to reflect on my long and complicated relationship with writing. If you find yourself considering giving up on writing, here are some things I recommend thinking about before you make a decision.

Remember why you started
Whether it was because a friend of yours inspired you, a teacher told you to give it a shot, or you wanted to capture your imagination on paper, it’s good to remember what made you pick up that pencil in the first place. Keep it in mind whenever you think about putting that pencil down for good.

Remember why you kept going
Why you start writing is one thing, but that reason isn’t always still relevant a couple years after the fact. When the novelty of starting anything wears off, there has to be something else that motivates you to keep up with it. For me, I keep writing because I feel the overwhelming need to get these stories out of my head. If I leave them in there, I know I won’t ever stop thinking about them. Your reason may be different, but that doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is that it keeps you writing.

Remember where you started—and how far you’ve come since then
The first story I ever wrote was atrocious, and I will never deny that. I still have the first page, though; it’s hanging up next to my bed. Even though it sure isn’t now, that awful story was once the greatest thing I had ever written. Every time you sit down and write, you come away a better writer than you were before. And the beautiful thing about writing? There’s no mastering it. There’s always room for improvement, and you can only improve through practice.

Realize that writing is a labor of love, and embrace the love
I don’t think enough people talk about how difficult and involved writing actually is. Converting a scene playing in your mind to actual words on paper is easier said than done. I mean, you’re trying to create a brand new world with your own two hands! That is no easy task. I know it’s one of the hardest things I have ever done. But it’s also one of the greatest things I’ve ever done. There’s a certain kind of magic that appears when you realize that you made this whole world for yourself, and the power of that magic increases dramatically when you share this world with others. It’s not a perfect world, and it needs a lot of work, but it’s still something that didn’t exist until you came along and made it. How cool is that?

Listen to the people who cheer you on
I will come right out and say it: if not for the compliments of those closest to me, I would not still be writing. There was one point in my sophomore year of high school that I gave myself a stern look in the mirror and wondered why I was still writing. I was deep in the throes of writer’s block and teenage angst, a toxic combination, and I nearly scrapped everything and just called it done.

But then, seemingly out of the blue, three separate people told me they loved some piece of writing they had happened upon. One was my English teacher at the time, whose opinion I trusted like the truth. Another was one of my best friends, someone who openly admitted to not being much of a reader. He told me that my writing made him want to keep reading, and I still hold that very close to my heart. And the third was someone online I had never met before who soon became a very close friend. We became friends because she had seen something I had written, and she always motivates me to write more so she can read more. She’s read more of my writing than anyone else in the world. I am certain that if it hadn’t been for her, I would not be the writer I am today.

Have fun!
Writing, like anything other hobby or occupation, should be fun. If you’re not having fun writing, try changing things up! Switch gears on what you’re writing about, try different styles, and don’t take it too seriously right away. And if that’s not enough, try finding a writing buddy. A writing buddy is another writer that you can talk to about what you’re writing and ask questions if you get stuck. You can also do writing challenges with this person. It creates some friendly competition while still motivating you to write. Writing challenges can be fun and effective even if you don’t have a writing buddy, too. It can be as simple as seeing how many words you can write in ten minutes, or as complicated as this Harry Potter-themed challenge. Ultimately, it's about finding what works for you!

One last thing...
If writing is something you love to do, no reason you or anyone else may have to give it up can take away from that love. If you do decide to walk away, whether it be for a few days or many years, know that it will be waiting for you.