the better part of me

i don't think it's as different as you make it out to be. i mean, if you want to quit then by all means do but i don't think it's a result from lack of feedback as much as attitude. anyone can get feedback good or bad but in the end it solely depends on the individual and whether or not they will use it.

while it may take a different set of skills between writing and putting together footage i still think you can approach it in the same fashion and passion with your writing and mostly your attitude on what you want to get out of it. things in art aren't generally exclusive to one area or else i'd be stuck as a one trick pony. and i've done animated sequences in where i would start out with plain text and then branch it off into a series of storyboards with a mixture of writing and drawing that would make it for me to see what i need to accomplish. that's my work method and there are numerous others that you can do that you can tailor to fit your workflow...the basic thing is finding your own method and using what you've got to get the desired result.

it just really sounds like you just want to blame cons and other people from your lack of direction but in the end it's really up to you on what you want to do with. people can't tell you what to do and no amount of comments will be helpful or beneficial if you can't help yourself.

i also have a bunch of hobbies and things i like to pursue; and while at first glance they may seem extremely different from one another the similarity that lies inbetween then is that it's something that i want to do and something i want to get better at. if producing AMVs makes you feel this way then by all means don't do it but i think you should look carefully at yourself and what you want to get out of it. very rarely people start out as a natural to these things and they all take work and effort if you want the kind of attention you're seeking for them.

a part of it IS figuring it out yourself because being artistic is something that stems from the individual; the vision and the end result. everything else that leads up to that is about technique and having a bit of know-how that's readily available for people who want to pursue it.