I can't believe I only just found this thread. Thank you so much for starting it SeaKayEl!!
I would love to have a place to talk about my writing since I don't know anyone IRL who is a writer.
It's almost as alienating as being Mustachian. I thought people would be more enthusiastic about my writing since it is clear that I am very passionate about it. And I am interested in their hobbies and pastimes and avocations, so why can't they be interested in mine? But friends and family don't get it at all. They won't even read my work. Does anyone else find that?
Oh, this is normal! And understandable, I think. Writing is such an internal process, it isn't like talking about photography or kayaking or gardening. I actually try not to talk about writing at all with f&f, unless its the business end of it. Having said that, I do feel very supported by my family in that they always ask how it's going and are excited when I get something published.
I don't expect them to want to read my work or that my work would necessarily be a fit/entertaining for them... there's no reason to expect that. Everyone has their own preferences and taste for genre and style and voice. Also, nothing turns you off faster on a story than the feeling that you *have* to read it.
The other thing is, having f&f being really interested in your writing might make you feel good, but it doesn't help you write. Not write faster, not write better. You can tell yourself a story about how the fact that the people close in don't really care about your writing is why you can't write, but that would be a lie.
What's really important to me is 1) getting out of my own way so I can tell my stories 2) learning craft, always learning, so I can get better at telling stories. And while its nice to have other people who relate, no one else, even other writers, really fully understands what is going on in your head.