Recently, I’ve been getting back into the swing of writing my book again (which is why you haven’t been afforded the pleasure of as many blogs as you used to get). In order to get back into my headspace of booking again, I’ve been listening to a lot of writing podcasts. I use them to get tips and tricks on the writing process and craft, so I can remember how to write a book again.
The thing that has changed a lot since I was writing before is these new “book coaches”. They will tell you a little about craft and structure, but now all of them want to talk about “mindset”. I guess all the psychology majors finally found something they can use their degree for. They all tell you that if you aren’t thinking about why you are writing, you will never succeed at it. I have no time for mindset gibberish. Just tell me how to write a bestseller so I can get rich. Just tell me how I can hack AI to write it for me. Then I will be in the right mindset.
My only mindset I care about in stories is creating a bitter rivalry between the pro and the ant. …Agonist. That is what I care about.
In 22 years, when I finish my current story, I will start my work on a new story of bitter rivals.
This is the story of Dopamine and Serotonin. When I started hearing this mumbo jumbo about mindset, I started hearing these two words pop up a lot. I’m no scientist, and this isn’t a scientific blog, but I’m fascinated with these two chemicals competing to control all other brain chemicals. Depending on who you are, you may favor one or the other, but I have a clear favorite.
In one side of the ring, we have Dopamine. He’s the chemical in our brains that rewards our bodies for certain behaviors. When I say a certain behavior, it doesn’t always mean good behavior. Dopa is the guy that hands out the rewards. Good feeling rewards. So, if you have a cupcake, and your body feels the surge of sugar, Dopa remembers that feeling and reminds you to do it again, and in return he will hand you 20 Dopamines.
Back when we were relatively simple creatures, Dopamine was big player in the survival game department. He kept us alive by reminding us to eat.
But then we advanced past our caveperson days, and we didn’t have to hunt dinosaurs to survive anymore. Dopamine became less important to survival, so he had to evolve into making us feel good for getting compliments or something.
Serotonin rose to prominence in the modern era, and become the bitter rival of Dopamine. Serotonin realized Dopa was starting to get too powerful, so Sera starts becoming government regulations. It started demanding your get body meet some standards and stuff. They would say, “One cupcake is fine. Now eat some vegetables and go for a walk. Get some exercise. Drink some water.” Sera is the regulator. The cop. The authority figure. The boss. The parent. The accountant.
Serotonin is the boss walking behind you at work, insisting that you work on things related to your job. Stop working on your novel, checking ESPN.com, and watching video game conferences when you should be working. Sera is your mom telling you that, no, you can’t have cake for dinner again.
I’m not a big fan of Serotonin.
Some people would say that Serotonin is just keeping me in check. Sera just sounds like a bully to me. Always yelling at me to sit down, stop talking, do my homework, stop eating, start exercising, stop playing video games all night, go to bed, drink more water. I’m going to start calling Sera, Captain Buzzkill.
Dopa is over here rewarding me with a surge of awesome feelings when I do important things like eating cupcakes and drinking energy drinks, getting massive killstreaks in Gears of War, staying up all night, and giving me hits when I get a bunch of likes on my blog and TikToks, and rewards me when I slack off of work.
Sera and Dopa are having an epic battle for supremacy of my body, soul and mind, and to be honest, I’m cheering for Dopa. Dopa is all about making me feel better, and Sera is more about making sure I don’t look to OTHER people. In a battle between me and other people, I always choose me. Unfortunately, Sera is winning, because I’m always bitter.
Speaking of bitter, here are some Bitter Friday Giftures…
I’ve been trying to get back…
It’s been going…
Reason why I haven’t written…
Why I haven’t done as much work…
One way I’ve been trying to get back into it…
The problem is that they care less about the craft of writing…
Who cares about “mindset”…
On one side you have…
On the other side you have your…
Dopamine giving you…
And serotonin out there…
Sadly, my Serotonin is too strong…
ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHHH
Bitter Battle of Dopamine and Serotonin Ben
Ben's Bitter Blog 
You actually think you can write a novel in 22 years? Bitter reminder – haste makes waste or some such thing.
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It might take longer than that. At least if I want it to make any sort of sense.
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Ooh! Oooh! Spot on! Making sense is so very “old school.” Hurry, hurry, hurry! Judging from the current market, the more lacking sense [and plot, character, and entertainment value] the more marketable the tome will be. I’m sore confused. First the deterioration in published works largely attributable to self-published [and the like] authors, then the WGA strike, then AI as “authors” became suddenly prevalent. Bummer. Prestige has left the building with Elvis. Should I abandon thought that in retirement I can derive pleasure from writing? Should I seek another avocation? I’m considering artistic welding and pimping [in the traditional sense]. Suggestions?
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I’ve heard things about AI and it doesn’t worry me. As far as the WGA strike, I’m perfectly find crossing the line as a scrub and writing for Hallmark. I could blindfoldedly write something and it would be better than the predictable plots they throw out. As far as writing my book for me, AI couldn’t even get a chapter out before it gave up and wrote the generic, decently written but completely boring crap that Hallmark does. I would suggest welding as a side hustle, but make writing a novel your main hustle.
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Dopamine will be hating me in a few weeks when I have to start a sugarless diet. I say in a few weeks because I always buy snacks beforehand and I refuse to throw or give them away. I must finish all my chocolate first. There’s no other option. Love these gifs. Happy Sunday to you, Ben!
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Do you have to go sugarless for health reasons? Or just because you’re trying to torture yourself? Sounds horrible.
I’m pretty good at choosing Gifs.
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Yes, health reasons. Turns out the sugar is not the worst. I also have to cut cow milk and I LOVE cheese 😦 Find me a gif for that?
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No sugar, milk or cheese? I believe I would die if I didn’t have any of those things. I’ll find a gift for the next post.
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As little sugar as possible, nothing with cow’s milk. I can eat goat’s cheese just fine. But it’s not the same 😭
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Dang right it isn’t the same. Does that mean that the only ice cream you can have is goat’s milk cream?
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That is something I do not wish to find out
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That’s probably a good idea. I prefer to not drink poison when I know it is.
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By writers, FOR writers:
https://madgeniusclub.com
I read anyway.
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I tried to go to that link, but it didn’t go anywhere. Maybe my wifi doesn’t work.
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Maybe give it another shot? Hosting sites can be screwy.
Screwy enough, often enough, to cause some bitterness.
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Either that or you gave me the wrong link, or I’m just lazy and don’t want to try to click the link again. Probably the lazy idea.
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My serotonin and dopamine must be pretty well balanced, because I’m highly disciplined about eating, sleeping, and exercise, but still feel pretty cheerful mostly. I guess I’ll have to focus on building up the rivalry in my book between one teen girl and an entire cult town. Happy writing!!
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Maybe you can build up a rivalry with me. I’ll do my best to destroy your dopamine and serotonin and your bitterness will fuel me.
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