Did not expect this to resonate, nor to like it as much, as I did. You were spot on here. I had 5 novels published in multiple languages with a relatively big tie-in publisher. Went through a tough time in 2021 and stopped writing actual prose (as opposed to plans and outlines) completely. Never stopped pointing people towards my books, though. Never stopped enjoying the reaction it got. Never stopped identifying myself as a writer - not on the fact I was actually writing, but on the fact that I *had* written - I should have been saying 'former writer'. In this video you called me out. Rightly so. Identity is powerful. Time to drop the identity until I've re-earned it... and even then, so much more important to keep this front and center; it's the work that matters, not the label. Great video. Keep it up.
Thanks for the kind words. Sounds like you've covered all the tough ground before, except making it BACK to your writing, which is just a new challenge to conquer. Also sounds like you know exactly what you need to do. Good luck!
Another excellent video, and very very sound advice. Thank you. I am close to finishing my first novel, and I have the second one pushing in my mind to get out. I felt frustrated about the time I had to spend figuring out how to use social media to help my novel meet its readers. After listening to this, the pressure has suddenly decreased greately : do the bare minimum necessary to inform people, and get back to writing. Exactly what I wanted and needed to hear !
That's wonderful! As you go, you'll have more reason to promote, as you'll have things to read that people haven't read yet. But also as you go, you'll naturally have learned the avenues with the best return on investment. And ultimately, a new book is the best promotion for your existing books, so keep it up!
I started writing when I was still a teenager, pre-teen?? at about 10… my mom used to call me “Chapter One” cos that’s all she saw me writing. 😂 Changed that around now
haha I love this. my son wants a new 200-400 page hardcover blank journal to start each of his books. He had like 6 going at once and I had to tell him this was too expensive and he needed to finish some before he was getting a new one
it begins.... thank you ryker.... just in time too - I just finished my book - you were right, it was a long, arduous marathon - took a whole week to write it! jk😂#stares at research
This is the second video of yours that I watch. It is the most profound video about writing I have ever come across. As far as I remember, I have always invented stories. I wrote some of them when I was young. Then life caught me and I spent the next 30/40 years feeling like I was trapped inside a washing machine in spin mode. At times, I used to wake up early to have time to write before the day started, because I needed it like you need a deep breath before you dive underwater again. It was something I did but very rarely talked about, like if it was a shameful thing to spend time doing that instead of useful things or things to make money. I am 54 now, and I picked up my writing where I left it, but started doing it seriously 3/4 years ago. I still only talk about it as my hobby, though. Maybe someday, I will be a writer. It seems a grand thing, to be a writer. For the moment, I am just someone who writes. And who enjoys your videos.
wow, thank you so much for the kind words, but especially for sharing your story. "Then life caught me"... Such a powerful phrase! So much packed into so few words. I identify with so much of your comment, and am truly rooting for you. The thing that frustrated me when I started writing, and that now I am so grateful for as my hair turns white, is that this is a medium where age and experience continue to improve one's work. I won't be able to identify you from your user name, but I'm very interested in how you continue to progress along this path.
@@JAlanRyker Thank you. That means a lot to me. I will have to let you know, because you won't come across my book(s???) in the US. I am french and I write in french.
@@user-my4zq8ib6q I realize that if I click through I can see your name. I was thinking I'd never be able to remember this conversation tied to the jumble of numbers and letters after "user-". Definitely let me know about your progress!
This man is so tired and exhausted looking that I am naturally inclined to trust him over the excessively manicured white girls who speak much and say little about writing. I myself tend to finish what I start, but I had to abandon a 70% completed novella due to mental health. It's whatever. Accept the failure, move on to the next task. More people need to embrace the commonality of failure and rejection and just do the work. It seems to work while stocking and cashing out at Walmart or filling out data entry sheets. Why not make take that mentality into the writing sphere?
haha that made me laugh because I watch my videos and I'm like, "good lord, I thought I was more animated than that". The naturally sleepy eyes and whitening beard don't help. You're completely correct about people having a much better understanding that their professional pursuits will take time to develop and not always be fun. Writing is maybe the worst area for people assuming their first efforts will be professional, I'm guessing because writing is so accessible, and also so difficult for the creator to view objectively since the actual experience of the work is such a collaboration between the writer and the audience's imagination, and of course we're all our own optimal audience. No one thinks their first painting should hang in a museum. No one thinks they can take up baseball and in a year be in the minor leagues. But many feel like a failure if their first novel doesn't gain a significant audience.
Thank you! I was surprised to find making video essays a real joy, but I think here my straightforward nature is a strength, which it definitely isn't always when writing fiction
The revision element is the part where I really struggle… I’m finishing off my seventh novel at the moment but find I have trouble with the revisions… have changed for my seventh novel in that I have outlined from the start where all the previous novels I’ve done that combo of draft zero/one and found it demotivating that there was just so much rewriting and work needed to turn it around… really want/need to get through the revision on this one… Very interested in your self pub series
When you say you're finishing off your 7th, do you mean your first draft or the revisions? I'm interested in if more strict plotting improves your revision experience. Either way, 7 novels in, you're doing something right!
@@JAlanRyker I’m finishing off my first draft… will be good to see if the outline upfront is going to help… I’ve got 10 scenes left to write to finish the draft which will probably be a max of about 20k of writing so hoping to have the draft done before the end of June
Since this is a new video, chances are you might pick it up. At first, I thought this video was about promoting a book as a self-publisher. Then I watched it and found it talked more about setting up your book for publication. So, this post is off-topic for your video, but perhaps it is something you could discuss in a future video? I just finished my first novel that I've worked on for years. I had it professionally edited and formatted for ebook and print (I know that's contrary to what this video is about. Sorry about that. But for me, I have a good day job and am willing to spend the cash. Most of the cost was spent editing the manuscript, such as looking for grammar, sentence structures, etc. They also formatted the book, which wasn't that expensive compared to the latter.) I'm having the final proofs sent to me and should get them back tomorrow (this is the third set of proofs coming after two previous revisions to the cover and manuscript). Rather than hitting that publish button to the world, I'm holding off. The problem now is marketing. You seem like a real, down-to-earth successful author. Myself, I'm a 56-year-old man. This has been a project I've worked on for years. IMO, I have a lot of faith in my work. But I look around, and all I see are these 20/30-something attractive ladies promoting their books on social media. That's certainly not going to fly with me. So, I'd be curious to get your thoughts on how someone with low social media appeal goes about marketing a book? I don't see myself giving writing advice as a way to promote my work. All I hear is you need to "give to get". I'm not sure what I have to offer (other than my writing) to social media. Any advice is welcome! Thanks.
This video was originally 25 minutes, which is insane, so I cut a ton, including a part that said that if you have more money than time, I don't see any problem with paying someone to do those parts. I know you don't need me to approve your actions, but just thought I'd let you know. I'm as lost as you are in the modern world of booktok promotion, and I never was a good fit for social media promotion, even 15 years ago. I'm going to do a video about what worked for me, but I'm also going to ask what people are doing. I think that, especially given that you have more money than time, and less willingness to be on social media (which I think in the balance is an advantage you have over the smartphone addicted), that paid advertising is going to work for you. Bookbub is the one everyone talks about and one I may try at some point. It requires a certain review score, so you can't do it out the gate. I know people who are successful with facebook ads. I don't know if you have a writing community of true peers. If you don't, joining/starting one will save you money on edits as they can help with the early rounds, and will also amplify your voice. I'm talking about a tight community. That was my biggest advantage. I joined forces with a very small group of talented peers early in the kindle days. Writer's Cafe on Kindle Boards (k boards) was very adventurous then as it was new territory we were all figuring out, so I found a group of very dedicated writers. We put out a quarterly anthology. We knew each other's works and could authentically recommend each other to our own audiences, putting our own names on the line. And we would repost for each other, because we believed in each other and were genuine friends. This could be how you give and get. I am getting my name out there in this channel, because I found that I can be my authentic self in this way and not get disgusted constantly pushing promos of my work, which I guess is the difference between giving and pure advertisement. But you're right, not everyone has the time or disposition for this, just as I don't have the disposition for daily self-promotion. The fact that good writers are usually self-aware and so self-conscious of such things is a cruel catch-22. I do think, though, that if you're going the self-publishing route, some type of online interaction is unavoidable, unless you have a huge marketing budget. Some people are great at connecting with readers. Most find it easier to connect with writers. If you can find some writers who you can mutually help, they can share their audiences with you. So yeah, I've basically written the rough draft of a script on community, which is something I want to make a video on soon. I'd like to facilitate people finding community, because I'm connecting with a lot of serious writers who have had problems finding other serious writers. I have an idea for how people can do that in the comments. Right now, there's little upside for me actually running a forum community where I will be responsible to some degree for everything that everyone says. I have so many videos I need to make.
@@JAlanRyker Thank you for your advice. The sad reality is that after all the mountains I've faced to get the book to the published stage, the part that isn't so fun now looms before me. I don't mind interacting via posting or even talking to people. It's more the idea of recording videos for Instagram or even RU-vid. Overacting and pretending I'm excited over stupidity (like so many RU-vidr stars act like) is not me. That's why I actually like your content. You are thoughtful and genuine, which I appreciate. I do think the next step for me is to start getting reviews. I don't know if authors are the best critics. I may splurge to see if I can get a few influencers to review my book and see about promotion that way. I've got my book to the state where I can hit the publish button at any moment. But I am trying to avoid leaping into a fire of complete despair.
@@klv3160 Definitely don't despair. I think the book influencer route is a good one. I unknowingly befriended the admins of the biggest goodreads horror group and their word means a lot. They're also great people who really appreciate the authors who create their drug of choice (I doubt all influencers are that way). To get initial reviews, I used to do giveaways on librarything, back when it was a similar size to goodreads. I got a lot of very good reviews this way, but this was before amazon allowed kdp authors to give away books, so I'm not sure it works as well anymore. Something to try, though. The thing I can say for sure is to work on your next book and not make the promotion of this book your "daily writing". That is a path to despair and quitting. In this war of attrition, you don't lose until you give up. Outlast.
I have found that its the mindset you have to have. Some people are plotters, others just fall into the other catacory. I myself fall into the latter. Each writer has to find what fits them to write, for me, i easally manage 2k words a day, 1k on the days im on my 7-5 job. Befoure I got used to writing, i thought I would never write anything longer than a short story, writing no more than 100 words a day, then as I started improving the total story lenght, wordcount per day increased. I have my own philosophical idea on what could actually help writers brake thoes blocks hindering them from finishing their work, or dragging them past their deadlines. i would really wish to see more authours write, and be more like "the pros" as some people refere to them as.
I’ve written in a flighty kind of way throughout my life (very much a starter but not finisher) but I finally published my first novel last fall after what my family refers to as “The Worst Year of our Lives.” I’ve wondered at my ability to not only find time to write, but to see my writing to completion and publication during such a grueling period of time, but I think this probably has a lot to do with it. I knew that I needed a creative outlet to survive, and having the goal to publish made it into a priority even when there was so much else going on.
I'm glad you made it through both your tough time and your first novel. I talk a lot about looking down at the next step, but it's also true that being able to look up at a north star goal when you're in the thick of messy life can be invaluable.
As someone who bought a lot of shovels early on, I appreciate the discussion. Getting my first books out and removing myself from groups and author drama, shovel sellers, etc, has helped a ton. Thanks! Re: reading. Now I learn most from reading books and authors that impacted me instead of craft books. Craft books still have a place but learn from the people doing it.
I saw some author drama the other day where the guy said that each individual's silence on the drama of the day spoke louder than words. So not only do we have to see this nonsense, but we MUST participate in it or be branded as the enemy?! Ugh. No.
Wrapping up my fifth novel as I listen to you (fixing commas and stuff before sending it to the editor). Thanks for sharing. I'm also an introvert and enjoy talking to authors.
This video brings forth a very interesting question I had never considered under this angle. Yet, I realise I made related choices. I am 54. When I was young, I did try for a successful career. Despite the fact I got some success, I felt bored and overworked at the same time, and not satified at all with my life. Ten years ago, I threw all that away, and started selling stuff on markets, which is a great decrease of status. But I came across authentic people who were not after status either. They are now friends. This job pays the mortgage and a simple way of living, but gives me free mind time. I started creating things : crafts, paintings, and writing. I am now on the verge of finishing my first novel. I will be looking for a publisher soon. If I don't get one, I will self publish. It certainly would be nice to have it published and see it sell. But i realised I d'ont really care. What I love above all is the writing, the creating, and whatever happens, I will keep doing that. I get the impression that creating is our true nature. It brings life so much interest and satisfaction in itself that now I know I cannot not write anymore. I feel like I have escaped, and am now free.
For me, being both bored and stressed--which to a lot of people seem antithetical--is the most unbearable condition. And that is the reality of putting people like us in most jobs today. I actually thought I might be the only one, because most people seem better suited to it. So I'm very glad to be meeting likeminded creatives
@@JAlanRyker You certainly aren't the only one ! It is just something people dont talk about, because it makes them look ill suited to our society. Once, for the 20 year anniversary of the company site I was working in at the time, I included in the events I organized an Employee Talents Show. I was amazed at how many really talented pleople worked among us without anybody knowing about it : musicians, sculptors, stained glass window creators, photographers, painters, etc. Most of them confessed that they were doing their job (sometimes high responsibility jobs) only because they had to make a living, which their art did not allow.
You don't know how much hearing this meant to me. Thank you. While writing is a creative process in intself, it's harder for me to root myself to the disciplinary action needed to close the gap from where I am to where I want to be. Seeing the more technical aspect of it being broken down like this really helps me visualize that goal. 🤍
That's great! It's hard to balance the artistic nature of the pursuit with the realities of struggling with something for so long. Keep at it and you'll get there
Idk I always found the middle to be the easiest and most fun part by far, followed by endings, and lastly beginnings. I write for the end and the middle, the beginning is just obligatory setup for me.
since the middle is twice as long as the other parts together, you're one lucky writer! You get the part you don't like over with first, leaving only the fun parts. Very enviable
I know at that point it can feel even more difficult. But you have learned a lot to get here. If you want to, feel free to drop knowledge in the upcoming self-publishing videos. I'm sure you could teach me a lot about what's changed since I set my processes.
The whole company or the self-publishing part? The thing with the self-publishing aspect is, Amazon can set the price to the writer at whatever they need to to make it profitable. There's no speculation on Amazon's part; they get their money. I sell novella's for $6 and only get $1 a sale because Amazon is going to make its money. And writers are desperate enough to get their work out that they will gladly not make any money on the process if they think they're getting "exposure". There is a bubble for each individual writer where they will invest expecting a return that won't happen, but there is always another writer to replace them if they drop out.
honestly, that's the million dollar question. And there's a huge amount of survivorship bias in most people's answers. How many people tried the same tactic and got no result, but we only hear from the few it worked for. I'm going to try to address promotion in some way, but with a major caveat that I have a few things that worked for me, but they may not be reproduceable and I'm hoping that some people will fill in gaps in the comments. I will beg for comments. One thing that helped me was to find a tight crew of fellow authors and make a group, with a name, and put out a quarterly themed magazine. Did that make sales/money? It got a few sales, but more it put us on the map, made us look legit, and tightened our relationship so that we authentically amplified each other's voices. We didn't spam each others promo, but we could say, this guy's stuff is amazing, he does this this and this better than anyone, and our audiences would each listen to that.
@@JAlanRyker interesting 🤔. You used what is called the "second voice effect." I've often wondered if it would really be effective, but that's one data point that says it can be. A video about how you set up the group and distributed it would be great
@@emmettobrian1874 one outsized factor could be the small nature of the horror fiction community. Westerns, last I checked were the only genre smaller than horror, so everyone knows everyone, and those connections and word of mouth really matter. Still, could be at least partially cross-applicable
I am on my third book and I recognise that I am not the finished article. My first book is not the best and needs to be revised and my second is a big improvement. I also realise that I have to learn to work in a different way. I need to learn to structure my work using an outline. I am a Pantzer and need to be a plotter. It won't be easy but it has to be done. I retire from the day job in December and I am planning to write full time from there. There will still be an element of discovery writing but in a framework and that's what I need. Every writer needs to develop and I am no exception. There are of course times when unexpected characters appear and can become important additions to your story and that can be very positive but there needs to be some control.
The willingness to experiment and adapt, that's what takes a writer all the way through. Sounds like you've got what it takes. I mentioned Save the Cat. Though it's for screenplays, it's one of the shapes a novel can take (though you'll need to write more than the recommended 9 scenes per quarter). I think it can be a good place to start because we tend to have passively absorbed that structure since it's there in almost every movie, and because so many people have written about it. It helped me move from feeling like outlining was a real struggle to it being a fun part of the process.
As a natural pantser I always feel like a natural plotter is speaking a different language when they are talking about plotting 😂 Its very weird how different these two methods are. Ideas come to me as well as the writing itself. Honestly its the most fun part to get on the ride and see where your characters want to go. Many times I find myself killing nice characters I thought would stick around for longer. 😂 Or little ideas I had for the story get caceled since the story wants to go somewhere else. Sure, it takes a lot of time to work on that first draft after its done, but hell, its so much fun! 😂 Enjoy your videos and yes, please tell us about self publishing.
@@JAlanRyker I only follow my natural writer instincts I was born with 😂 In terms of writing you are right. Its fun and therefore its easy. Self publishing on the other hand sounds a bit intimidating to me, although I really want to do that. For someone like me, who always stayed away from big social media platforms (exept for RU-vid) this is the hardest part. Opeming accounts and taking care of - yikes! - promotion. 😂 And Id prefer to go that way Thats why I think your advice and stories about that subject matter would be very helpful.
I write fan fiction currently, haven’t tried to do anything professional or publish anything to make money, maybe I will in the future once I develop my skills, but I think fan fiction in general proves that some people truly just love writing. Because the returns you get on your stories are almost non existent. Maybe you might get lowkey famous within the fandom you write for, but other than that… you don’t get paid, most of the time you might get a few likes or comments, if any. You’re pretty much creating just for the love of it. At times it can be demoralizing because it’s easy to get caught up in comparison, like if another writer gets more popular, or if they’re able to write more and write it faster-which ties into what you say about always needing to be working on your next book or people move on and forget you. But even despite my ego taking a beating, I always come back to it. There’s always a new fandom or new characters to explore. A new situation to conceptualize. And my mom and friends sometimes tell me I’m insane to go through all the stress and pressure of crafting a story, when I don’t “get anything out of it”, and I’d have to agree. But it doesn’t even feel like a choice sometimes. I feel like I *need* to do it. So yeah, I totally get what you’re saying and the stereotype of the suffering writer is often true 🤣😭 because I’ll literally put myself through hell to complete stories I start, no matter how much of a struggle it is, and it’s all with the knowledge that literally nothing except the work itself is coming out of it.
This is fantastic. This sort of story is what has gotten me so much more invested in my channel. This is why I watch documentaries about Olympians in sports I care nothing about, because they push themselves to do insane things, all for something that will make them no money. I am big into Doom 1 & 2 (from 1993 and 94), and I only play it because of the huge amoung of work modders put in to create these unbelievable mods that completely transform the game and extend it, and I just marvel at them, because all they get is the admiration (or criticism) of a tiny, hardcore community. Some of them do make something so outstanding that they translate it into a standalone work and sell it on Steam. One day, when you decide it's time, maybe you'll just change some identifying details and publish one of your fan works as your own IP.
@@JAlanRyker yes exactly!! Similarly, I find myself watching videos about people taking care of their snakes and reptiles or doing DIY projects like home improvements or crocheting, or really anything, and I have no interest in the things themselves, but the creators’ love for the thing is entertaining enough. I think we like to appreciate authenticity for authenticity’s sake because everything is so saturated by ads and influencing now, when we see someone do something honestly and for no financial gain it almost feels like a relief, and sometimes groundbreaking. And I think it’s why I can never truly hate something, like a film or a song, or a book, even if it’s “objectively” bad or not my style, because whether it’s just one scene or one line, I think there’s something of value to be appreciated and/or extracted for my own creations. New perspectives. I relate to you as well when you say you read stuff you doubt is going to be good (if I’m remembering correctly that this was you-I forget which exact video) like some of those self help books just because you know you’ll gain something of value by not gaining something… if that makes sense. Like the content or the style shows you what you don’t want for your own writing, which is valuable information! Anyway all this to say that creating is cool lol!! Thank you for your videos and your response. I really hope to one day take the next step and publish something!! xx
I think a series about the self-publishing process is an excellent idea. I've written many books and treated them all as practice, but this is the first time I'm seriously considering publishing. Self-publishing seems to be the best route for me now. While I "enjoy" spending my entir day crafting personalized queries, it's disheartening not to hear back or worse. I believe my time is better spent creating an e-book. I'd love to hear your thoughts on making the process affordable. Currently, I'm stuck in a holding pattern, potentially for a year. I had a budget for copy edits and promotion, but an unexpected dental emergency wiped out nearly all of it. I've invested a significant amount into a website, cover, and writing tools. I was shocked when I got a $2,500 quote for copy edits, but I suppose that's standard for a full-length novel. It makes me wonder if there's a reasonable chance of recouping my investment, especially since this is the first book in a series. At this rate, the cost of edits alone will exceed ten grand over the series' lifetime. Anyway, I appreciate your content and will definitely watch your videos. My name is Corey, by the way. I don't know if you'll remember, but I thought I'd introduce myself. Great video-you're right, many will quit. After this dental debacle, I considered stopping too, but I'm passionate about music and writing. Thanks for the inspiration!
I would counsel you AGAINST the series of self-publishing practicalities simply because you mentioned two or three different times that your interest/passion does not flow in that direction. Do NOT do it. Do NOT risk burning out your enthusiasm for making these videos as you have thus far been doing exceptionally well. Dance with what brung ya’.
Thanks for this. I have had exactly the same thoughts. I think that what I'm going to do is just try one, and to record it while I'm actually doing the work for my own book. If it's more fun than I think it will be, I can push on and do more. If it's okay but not great, I can do one per book, a very slow video series, as I have a lot of books that need republished. If I hate it, well, that hopefully that video about one topic will be useful!
@@JAlanRyker - that’s a reasonable trial strategy if you detect a nagging urge to try it and reevaluate every step of the way. Your keen self-awareness will be your best friend here. I spent 12 years intensively writing non-fiction. The first seven years were joyous, then progressively less so - until the final two years were such agony that I utterly burned out on writing in general and had developed a basic contempt for sitting at a computer for any task. It took about a decade to recover enough to soldier onward with meaningful headway on a novel that had been percolating for 20 years. So I’ll say again, from experience, do NOT risk burnout, especially not of the self-inflicted sort.
@@BooksForever I hear you. Once your nervous system decides "no matter of effort seems to relieve the pain/stress", it takes so long to get back to being able to stand something and put effort into it
I've completed a 168,000 word manuscript (fantasy) and I'm having a devil of a time getting to the next phase, because it feels reliant on other people. Wonder if others might have thoughts. Essentially, I finished a draft back in March. Went through and did a developmental edit, ensuring there were no conflicts and/or plot holes in the narrative. Posted links to the document for betas on Facebook and the various writing discords I'm on and...crickets. A few people promised to read it, and then I never heard from them again. Sometimes people would bop into the google doc for a bit and nope out without leaving an open comment. Literally the only feedback I've gotten is from one of my critique partners (who has been slowly working through it - he's still only like 1/3rd through) and my paid beta from fiverr (who loved it). Due to feeling stuck, I've gone through two rounds of line edits and proofing now, including signing up for a month with prowritingaid. I feel like the book is strong overall, though I know that the first three chapters are a bit of a slow start, but feel kinda stuck because the scenes are needed to establish character relationships and foreshadow later elements of the narrative. Still, I know that this is the section that agents will look at before deciding to continue, and that essentially all of the betas have flaked out without comment isn't making me feel confident in the start. Without plopping down thousands on a developmental edit (or an equivalent amount on more paid betas), I just don't know what to do as a result.
So my publisher went bankrupt, which was a big part of my spiral away from writing, and I'm just now getting those books back into print. My most representative work out right now is probably the novella In the Shadows of Children. At some point soon I'm going to be releasing a collection of 3 or 4 novella, because CreateSpace makes it infeasible to sell individual novella for a decent price. I think the book I would most recommend is The Hoard, but I haven't put it out yet (maybe next), so only very expensive collector's editions are out there. I'm bad at selling my own work.
@@JAlanRyker why infeasible? Do you mean in paperback? I see lots of novellas on sale in ebook for about the same price as regular books. But I know, it’s a lot of work to republish books. That sucks that they went out of business.
@@zrienkersh1475 I sell my novellas for $3-4 as ebooks, and that makes me $2-2.70 per. I sell my 80 page novellas for $6 to make $1. I don't want to price them higher than that. that's direct from amazon. In expanded distribution, I make nothing, $0. But if I put 3 or 4 together, I can price the collection less than the sum of the novella by far and make a lot more money still. Because of the initial cost per book not scaling to the page count. Some does, but a lot doesn't. Small presses go out of business a lot. Unfortunately, they're in the same boat as us writers, putting in a ton of work out of love to get small returns, so it just takes a little shift and they're in trouble.
that's such a kind thing to take the time to comment, thank you. I'm going forward with it! By the way, I'm a massive Monster Hunter fan, just started my first campaign in MH Generations
I like the format you've got here. So many people on youtube chase trends and look at what's important, don't worry too much about how your channel is changing. It's an unfortunate fact that youtube can and does choose what trends most of the time. If you feel like that's the content you want to do you might as well get it out there. There's a lot of same-samey writing advice on youtube and barely any of it feels like a discussion (even if it's one way), this is good different though.
Thank you. I only have patience for certain things. You'll never see me doing wild edits. I just edit out some of the worst pauses from my slow-thinking mind.
Really appreciate you sharing all of your experience with the community! And the adivce is great, so realistic and level headed. I do agree it makes a huge difference to appreciate writing for itself, as a path to a deeper understing of ourselves and our world rather than just a means to an end. If the self publishing series gets done, I'll be there! If not, I'll still be here.
Ha well I've got a lot more ideas for videos, so no problem there. But as far as marketing goes, that is honestly my weakest point in this whole process. I'll share what I know, but I'm hoping that some commenters will let ME know how to best market, because I leaned heavily on my publisher, and they went bankrupt so I don't have one now. BTW your book sounds really interesting and has a great cover
