Writing things no one will read

[GlumyGloomer]

Does anyone on here write without a view to getting published? In many ways writing is just something I enjoy doing, and as soon as I try to polish it up it becomes more like work. However, it still feels a bit sad knowing no one is going to read my work.
So I wondered, does anyone write just for their own enjoyment, or do all writers dream of being published?

There are websites that you can publish stories on that aren't as 'serious' as being actually published if you wanted to do that? I've done this in the past and do enjoy getting reviews.

I don’t think you need to second-guess your own activity. You’ll know when you want to take another step - whether that’s starting a course, entering a competition, or even switching to a different form - fiction to poetry or prose to song.

Another thing to consider is that, although the word writer conjures up a solitary individual, that’s not always the mode in which a writer will find greatest satisfaction. Maybe your written words want to be performed? Maybe you want to use them for a purpose beyond entertainment - with children, or dementia sufferers or refugees?

Eventually it will become apparent what sort of relationship you want the words to have with the outside world. And then you’ll open yourself up to comment, criticism, competition … All of which will strengthen you and your writing.

It’s worth asking yourself whether you think you’ve reached the peak of your achievement or whether you’re eager to learn and improve. If the latter, that’s what you’ll seek out.

It’s really easy to be an unread and undiscovered genius!

Yes. I write because I get ideas or stories in my head and it's something I enjoy. I don't think I'm good enough to get anything published.

I do feel guilty "wasting" time but it's not anymore wasteful than mumsnet or social media really.

Me. Then I was encouraged, a few years ago, to take my work to 'open mic' nights, and did so, to share it. Otherwise it was destined to go straight to the skip when I die, no-one to have heard it at all. I also had a poem blog for a while, and people looked at it from all over the world. I think my next 'outing', if I write more, will be just to fb. Other writers say 'Oh, people will steal your work!' But it will be out there.

Thanks for the replies. @Ginger1982 I do think of trying one of those sites, but worry I would just get buried. I did self publish once on kindle, and just sank into the ether without a trace.
@Newnamefor2021 I wonder what I might have achieved if I didn't spend time writing, but the answer is probably watch more TV, lol.

Anything could be considered wasting time depending on your perspective though. My actual business died it death during covid 😂 So that took up a lot of "wasted" time.

If you enjoy it then nothing is off limit or wasted.

I've written a novel but I am yet to do anything with it. It is not commercial enough to attract an agent and I'm trying to find the courage to self publish - it has been proof-read etc. and I have invested money to achieve the finished article. I don't see it as wasted time or money - it feels like it was a productive thing to do rather than watch TV, go on social media etc. and I feel proud of my accomplishment. Having said this, I know how time consuming it can be. I want to write another novel but I feel I ought to work on some other projects/interests first as it will certainly absorb any free time I have plus I found editing the book required loads of resilience...not sure I've got that right now thanks to the perimenopause. As others have said, it isn't a waste of time if you enjoy it, I guess it is a matter of priorities.

I think it depends on how you view a waste of time.

I have a couple of children's books that I would love to get published. I know it's a long shot publishing in the traditional way, but I think I might give it a go, and then perhaps have a shot at self publishing them.

I also have written shorts as a release of feelings for me. They are not intended for anyone else to read ever.

I also have a very long running children's fantasy which is not intended for publication. It's stretched to 5 parts now, and I write entirely for fun. When I'm not writing other things I fiddle about with it and perhaps write another part. I love writing it because I can put things that are totally implausible without trying to justify it, I can totally overuse adverbs, it only has to make sense for me. I know the characters so well I know exactly how they'll act.
It started life for my children, but they're too old for it now really.

I do sometimes take a scene that started life in this fantasy and take it across to another story though.

This would be me! I do share some of my writing with some of my family and friends though. After grapping for a long time about the reason behind this, I've realised it's largely because I'm more interested in the dynamic of the characters I create than the writing structure. The writing is just a way of getting down on paper what I envision happening. I don't think it is a waste of time and there have been some great points on this thread about this.