If it makes you feel any better, make a new document for every time you go back in and start rewriting. I personally save each draft as their own document and it really helped me write more.
No, I spent a few months querying but ultimately decided to self publish. Happy to share what I’ve learned if you have any questions about either (the querying process or indie publishing)!
Absolutely! I started with a video recently on how to design a cover but will have more coming soon about the publishing process. Wishing you luck on your journey!! ❤️
I Like Joseph Campbell's take on beginnings. He says to begin in an "everyday trouble." Show the MC dealing with a minor problem which can foreshadow their type or character arc. It demonstrates the MC's surface before the deeper stuff they are made of comes out. It not a change. It is an indication they need to change.
of the 50 or so craft books I have read the best one, to me, is from Larry Brooks called, Story Engineering. Larry covers everything you need to know about the mechanics of story.
Lovely list, congrats. The greatest rule I've learned is "Be your number one fan. If you don't love what you're writing, no one will love to read it". But yeah, adding those to my personal list. Thanks.
Great ideas. Im 7 years deep into my relationship and i hadn’t thought of some of those. We recently donated our set of matching sweatshirts… ill need to make new ones just like the one you showed us 🎉🎉🎉
I'm getting ready to publish a book series and I definitely understand aboutbthe ego! Ive written over 200 novels but never published anything because of anxiety. With the book series, I have 5 characters and i feel so close to them... its as if they're my best friends. I feel so close to them! The story begins with a young man who is a bit of a pushover. He dies, meets a spiritual guide who sends him back to earth to learn how to overcome his fears. He meets four other individuals who have also died and returned, and they travel through time, being placed into difficult situations, and work as a team to find solutions and overcome their fears along the way. I've written four books in the series so far. I'd like to publish the first one. This advice you gave has been helpful. So much better than the other advice I've seen in a lot of other people's videos!
@@abbygeigerman Thanks! I enjoy writing! Yes, I would love to see a video on how to get over the anxiety. Sharing my books and characters is like sharing something personal. Then I fear no one will like my books. I'd love to know how some people get over that anxiety!
I LOVE the shoes! And also how personal all of these are to his interests and things you do together. So sweet. I also finally got my hands on The Power of Shadows and couldn't put it down. Such a cool debut novel!
There is one thing about self publishing that has helped me. I have written a few books, and have improved with each one. The advice I would give is to publish that first book just to get it out of the way, because you can always go back and revise later.
Great video. #2. No Work Is Lost reminds me of a quote I read somewhere. I don’t remember who said it, or the exact words, but it went like this: “A good 400 page novel probably started out as a 600 page novel. The missing 200 pages are still there, you just can’t see them.”
I’m only just starting to take writing seriously, and with the first intention of writing for a 2D fantasy RPG I’m trying to create, but I still find this kind of advice to be so helpful. I feel like I want to start strong so I don’t need to re-write everything fifty times, but if that’s what it takes to get my vision into reality, then so be it. Great video and nice vibes 😊
i just came across your channel and i absolutely love your vibe 🥹 oh my goodness you have such a sweet presence on camera. but i also feel you on the wanting to write more but just...not lol. when writing isn't your job, finding the time and energy for it, despite how much you love it, can feel so daunting. also hello!? 400 words in 10 minutes in insane!
Aw thank you!! Exactly, especially when work picks up writing is one of the first things I let fall off… hoping to start prioritizing better but definitely a work in progress!
Well done 🙂. At the rate I’m going on my book , it will take me twice as long haha 🤦🏻♂️. How many hours a day did you generally write for to achieve that 2year time frame ?
My biggest problem is that I always doubt myself, even though I get fantastic feedback. I rewrite my story repeatedly, afraid it's not good enough or missing parts. I'm also a perfectionist and get easily stressed out by working on the same page for days-sometimes weeks. 😮💨
That’s so relatable-it’s so hard to see how fresh eyes will read your story, but it helps me to remember how little time I take to read a page and that mostly I remember the full story arcs and characters over a single paragraph. I also force myself to push through and not go page by page until the end (although I know it’s hard)! I hope I’ll find your story someday in a bookstore :)
@@abbygeigerman It sure is, and I find it challenging when I have no family members or friends interested in reading or writing. I'm eager to share my thoughts and what I learned from amazing authors on RU-vid. Tricks and tips to become better. Maybe help each other by reading and talking about the character arc, the outline, or ideas if you get stuck. When you have writer friends, it’s easier to overcome self-doubt when you encourage each other. Thank you, I hope so too🌺
To be honest this may be too specific to warrant an entire video... but advice on how to make good decisions on what things to cut from a story that are really cool to write but not necessarily helpful for a good book or reading experience? Sorry for the word salad there I'm bad at answering questions like these 😅
6:03 Number 5 is possible if you don't identify with your role. "I'm a writer" is a role you're playing and identifying with while "I'm writing books" is just one of many things you're doing. Also, productive feedback is supposed to help you grow and learn as a writer, so always seek it
That’s so true-it’s funny because I think I read the converse (saying “i’m a writer”) about establishing habits, but it can get tricky when feedback comes into the picture
All great advice. Taking the ego out of feedback is so incredibly hard sometimes. Because (a) you are married to the material, and (b) folks giving feedback you often view as not understanding what you are doing. Shove that stuff aside. I can't remember who said it, but criticism often doesn't hit the mark precisely, but it usually highlights a problem you need to address. I.e. What they criticize is often just the symptom of a needed improvement. You need to find the underlying cause. I founded a critique group. They have identified significant issues in my stories. They have been invaluable.
My current WIP novel is 130k and I have only hit the midpoint. When I'm done, the entire novel will only be 80 to 100k words. Obviously tons will be cut, but also, entire chapters will be rewritten. ... Nothing is lost in this process. It's a process with an end goal. Sometimes you need to go down long and windy roads only to backtrack and find the better path until you get to the finish. Also, plotting more would reduce this meander, but the larger point stands. From word one to finish is not an obvious linear path.
