8 Signs You're a Better Writer than you Think 

Typing this before watching this video: I'm kind of scared that rather than learning I'm a better writer than I think, I'll learn I'm a worse writer.

It baffles me a little bit: writing a novel, sitting down over the course of years often, just putting to paper your own ideas, opinions, visions, enthusiasm. It has to be among the most self-esteem ridden things a human can do with their time. And yet, so many people don't seem to have access to that basic truth of the writing life. Whether the book even gets read by another person or not, you've given this time, all this effort, worked your own creative edge as hard as possible, to yourself. To your dreams. Whether we realize it or not, writing is self-esteem in action.

I write fanfiction.... the most negative thing I've received recently was them complaining that I didn't publish the chapter in months. I am outlining an original novel. Meaning it isnt fanfiction 😁

I have been a writer for over 30 years and have never published any of my fiction due to a horrible combination of imposter syndrome and fear of failure. Currently I fight to even finish a novel because if I'm not going to publish, what's the point? I've also lost my entire stash of finished work not once, not twice, but three times during the past few decades due to a multitude of reasons (house fire, rogue lightning that decided my computer had to die, etc.), which is one of the most gut-wrenching things to happen to a creative. I'm finally fighting to finish my current project and I've got writer friends who are refusing to let me talk my way out of finishing it or publishing it. And even though the imposter syndrome is still showing itself, after 30 years of daily practice and studying the craft, I think I can finally push through it. As for the fear of failure, after 30 years I don't even care if it sells a single copy...just finishing it will be a huge win for me. TL;DR: Keep going. The only way to get better is to keep trying

I started writing at the age of fifty. Self published both true crime and fiction. The things ive learnt are: Go through the process of self publishing a book, its about progress not perfection. You will learn more writing your fourth book than rewriting your first all over again. You will know you are good when writing feels like playing music. Nobody picks up a guitar for the first time and plays an amazing solo. Dont write for fame, write for eternity. Your work is something that didnt exist in the universe until you created it, and will still be here when you're gone. Van Gogh never sold a painting while he was alive; if you were the literary equivalent, would you rather has his talent or sell a few mediocre books?

bitter and burnt out? Been there did that.. Quit writing for about a decade, it almost killed me to deny the need to exercise creativity, that was after my first book... 11 books (working on number 12) later. I'm happy as a clam just getting them out there.. Doin it for me!

Writing storylines in a group dynamic…head-hopping every other paragraph 😳

After working on my first novel for over 5 years, taking the leap to self-publish was one of the most terrifying things I've ever done. I didn't tell anyone I was doing it and hoped it might be seen by one person somewhere, somehow. It's first 24 hours up I made 755 KDP page reads and earned almost $4 in royalties. For me, that was an enormous victory because I had zero expectations. No reviews came with those reads but it's the fact it was read and downloaded at all that keeps me encouraged to finish the series and brave the process. Self-publishing and by that I mean doing everything by yourself, sent me to tears multiple times because it's arduous. Tedious. A learning curve. I've had to take the book down to fix formatting errors for example. Just here to say that this video is encouraging and I want to encourage anyone reading to complete their work and keep writing and publish if it's your dream. The voice that says you're crap or "only" getting a few readers and zero reviews means you're trash might not be entirely accurate. Keep going.

1) Gonna get your book, I was unaware of its existence 2) All you said is true, and there is that plus that I think I commented on your first video that I watched, a couple of months back: writing is mystified by almost everybody. Schools treat it in the worst ways possible, with methods that are not very effective for dozens of reasons, plus it is almost exclusively essays. Almost all people that want to write have no idea what exercises they should do, how practice in the context of writing works, how reading plays into that, how translation plays into that, how having a community is half the job, etc etc. One of the most fun exercises I ever did was rewriting a Keats poem as a Weird Horror short story. We did that for Grad School (so see how far we were from the average educational experience of the average person), we did that to test semiotic translation (Jakobson jargon for translating one genre/media into another). It was super fun. Last, but not least, people don't understand how plagiarism works in writing, that kinda clicked for me seeing illustrators discussing their processes, and they have it very well articulated the difference from designing from references/allusion from plagiarism. I don't feel people have "process" very clear in the context of writing. Keep up the good work

Thank You. It has been said. It takes 7 compliments to overcome 1 insult. 👍💥

Honestly this video just reminded me why I got the hell out of publishing 😅 I couldn’t write for years after. But now I think I have a better conception of my writing: if it makes me happy, then it’s good!

I read in an interview, Stephen King said, "I just wrote a book called, 'It'. Should have called it, 'Sh*t'." It happens...

As a software engineer I am intensely familiar with Imposter Syndrome - it's always present with my writing too but I'm used to squashing it from my choice of career at least. I'm in the final stages of reviewing my first book before I self-publish and unleash it on the world in the next few weeks. I just remind myself every time I work on it: "even if people think it sucks, a crappy published book is infinitely better than no published books." I could end up with only one star reviews - but that's better than all the people who couldn't even get that far. Even if people hate it, I can use that feedback as a learning experience and do better next time.

I find it frustrating that other artistic media, like painting and singing, can so readily be shared. You can post a short on RU-vid and get massive attention. But there's no quick and snappy way to share writing.

Criticism does not necessarily mean your a bad writer. It's the same as creating a painting or a sketch, noticing the flaw improves the entire composition. Although authors and critics may occasionally focus on the flaws it does not mean an author is a bad writer. And of course it's up to the author to weigh a piece of advice or criticism and choose which may or may not apply their work.

With the 'we concentrate on the negative reviews' point, my mind does this and justifies focusing on that by saying 'hey, if you look at the positive reviews at all, it's clear you're just avoiding criticism and you're only reading what you want to read. You shouldn't be one of those people who only read the nice comments, so you're better off just focusing on the negatives because there's bound to be some good advice in there'.

I just discovered your channel, and I am so thankful.❤

This is a practical and encouraging video. Your points are so true. Thanks!

Thanks Bookfox. I'm really enjoying your posts. Very encouraging, very clear. Compelling, actually. Nice work. Keep posting.

Good points on the criticism to compliment ratio. This applies in a lot of professions.

This is great! The explanation of the timeline from writing the book to reviews of the published book 'years later' makes so much sense. I wonder how many authors make it a point to never go back and read their old published work. Would you cringe? Or be overcome by the urge to go back and tweak? Or (gasp!) do a complete re-write? I like that your advice is not 'one size fits all'.

This video transformed my outlook. Thank you.

I already wrote a book Mr. Fix It and Miss Sue but it is not that popular but I got some good feedback form friends, family and strangers to help my story evolve into what it is now.❤

Excellent video! I relate to all of these, or at least to their indie equivalents (I'm self-published). I'm passionate about leveling up as a writer, so I bought your book and I'm looking forward to reading it.

I'm definitely the second type lol. I'm only writing my first book and I feel like it's really good, while conciously knowing I should probably not expect too much success with it.

This was just the video I needed ❤

One of the best books I've ever read I found in a remainder bin in Dulles Airport. It's called Weight of the City by Will Rhode. I've asked at several top end book stores and they've never heard of the book or the writer. It has of the 13th of June 2024 zero reviews on Amazon and it came out in 2007.

Thanks John! I'll keep this one saved for when I need it! =)

Thank you, John...subscribing and acquiring...best wishes

#7 blew my mind. I never thought of the fact that it seems to be only art that people get imposter syndrome. Thank you!

Thanks! ❤️

I think this is your strongest video. I really enjoyed it.

I'm an artist who want to make my story into an illustration. I am coming back into writing again and maybe I'll draw it digitally someday. This really helps me a lot ❤

I think you are one of my favorite human beings on this platform by now

Thank you.

I recently looked at the best earning movies of the past 40 years and that point is true , money doesn't mean it's good. Making loads of cash with a story probably means it appeals to a wide audience.

I BEEN DOUBTING MY ABILITIES FOR OVER 20 YEARS. I WAS ALWAYS A WRITER, I CAN WRITE ANY THING. I EVEN WRITE MY OWN QUOTES.

🙏🏻👍😊thanks…very encouraging ✏️😃

1:11 - "Criticisms are like tapeworms, they stick with us. Compliments are like lollipops, taste good in the moment then they are gone."

Excellent

I’ve published various books and I have a handful of readers that I can count on one hand. I’m okay with that.

I am the greetest! Now I am leafing earth for no raisin!

It probably helps that I'm a fanfic writer, I don't get rejections and negative comments really. Just ignored and the occasional positive comment 😅 I feel like I'm pretty good at some parts of writing, but still struggle with writing a long story. And with polishing/finishing up my writing when it's not graded and have a deadline. It's definitely an ADHD problem, and lack of practice. My writing is basically 90% complete, an awkward patchwork of brilliant and mediocre parts. But my ADHD is definitely also my strengtht, the source of my creativity and associative thinking!

I don't get negative feedback - I just get rejection notices. That isn't the same as negative feedback, I just haven't yet been published which FEELS adjacent to negative feedback.

Subscribed. 📖

Good video

I'm a plumber, and yes, I certainly have imposter syndrome.

Brian? I think your names Brian Fox? After hobbling around with arthritis for 5 years, last year I had succumb to it. Unfortunately, I suffer from hips erosion. I became disabled, loosing my housekeeping job. (I loved). Instead of sitting around feeling sorry for myself, I decided to do something I've always wanted. Write a book! And boy was I surprised! Starting with, Show don't tell, the long lists I've been collecting polishing, sharpening my writing skills? I compare writing to. Painting with words. After receiving my 2nd. prosthetic hip replacement implant 2 weeks ago. I've graduated from the wheelchair to the walker, to the cane, hobbling around. I've enjoyed gaming Dungeons and Dragons over the years. An, idea came to me one day. Why not take these little collections of adventures and put them in a book. I'm 3/4th's through self editing. My friend's Dungeons and Dragons (like) adventures. Thank You Brian for you much needed help! 👍💥

please!! teach us on how to promote our book before it is finished 😭🙏 (sorry if my english is bad

Do you have any ideas for when you just can't seem to find a starting point for your book?

1. Ratio 0:0 2. Publish - feedback 0:0 3.... I think I need to check it after finishing the first book

I’m an author who works as a pharmacy technician in my day job. I get imposter syndrome in both roles 😂😭

Yes I think I’m a terrible writer, but I’m a hoarder, so I don’t throw anything away.

Daily workout will fix all those things. It does something to your brain, raises happiness levels, rewires it. Strenght lifting, bodybuilding, running, brisk walking, anything... I find I get my best ideas and solutions to problems in the gym! Many writers would agree, Joyce Carol Oates and Murakami to name two.

I would to send you my book

But if were all better writers then the criteria for average goes up and if the criteria goes up then we’re all technically still the same

I’m still doing my rough draft, The writer’s bloc is hitting hard because of the fear it might not be good.

I can't get people to sell 20 copies

I have a book that I wrote it 3 years ago and published it on Wattpad where I got good reviews. I’m now publishing on kdp. I am already feeling distant from it and cannot bring myself to immerse into it. Every single step feels tedious. When I wrote it I was very passionate about the story but now I cringe at it. I already feel it’s going to flop and I’ll make a fool of myself in front of friends and family. I haven’t let any of them read it and will be using a pen name so no one can trace it back to me 😢😢😂😂😂

Hello, I'm an aspiring writer with an odd question. I had a passion for creating stories for years, but I have no talent. I was born with a litany of mental disabilities and with a low IQ. Despite my attempts, I've been unable to improve my intelligence in a way that would yield any merit, both in writing and in a number of pursuits. I'm in my late 40s and I believe it's too late to build any career in writing.I've been wasting my time and energy in trying to write a number of books to no avail. This passion for story creation will not leave me. Any advice on how to eliminate this passion for writing? It's not going anywhere and there is no extrinsic value for me if I continue with this dream.

I don’t know, I think I’m just as good of writer as I think I am. But I think no one will ever really appreciate my talent because if the LeBron James of the book world is any indication, most people would rather read badly written smvt instead of decent writing. Apparently that makes me a bad writer for thinking that, though.

The problem is, you could be talking to someone who thinks he's a better writer than he actually is.

These don’t really support the premise of the video though. E.g. If lag time between publishing is a sign that you’re a better writer, does frequent publication mean you’re a worse writer? Maybe the title was just an engagement trap, in which case you win I guess.

Been in the self published world about 10 years. I've noticed the majority of texts produced stink. Like a lot. The problem being, the author oftentimes are delusional and think they are truly great when in reality they struggle with writing correct language, varied sentences, avoiding repetition. And I haven't even started to discuss if the story is compelling or not. Some bare minimums for the aspiring author. 1. No spelling errors. 2. The characters keep their names through the story. There, now you are 1% on the way.

Am here again procrastinating my writing by watching video about writing. Am not mad at myself, just disappointed.

I wish I knew how to promote my book so I wouldn't be a bad writer according to you

I guess this video is only for trad published writers. Amateur writers are absolutely NOT their own worst critics. That's why 99.99% of what they write is unpublishable drivel.

just here for my dose of ego. 😅

1. You make a living from writing

Amazon is not the world.

Jesus-Christ is Lord and Savior. Whoever believes in him will not perish, but have Eternal Life 🙏

Since you took my comment down, i will not follow you. And i reported you.

I am the greetest! Now I am leafing earth for no raisin!