Hard Truths About Writing That You Need to Hear

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There are certainly exciting parts of being a writer: the clack of fingers on your keyboard, the thrill of brainstorming a new story, the magic of zoning in on an action-packed scene. However, there are a lot of hard moments every writer experiences as well, such as the self-doubt, the daunting blank page, and of course, the struggle to get your story out there. When it comes to writing, I try to show both the good and the bad, and in this video, I delve into some of the hard truths about writing to help you understand and embrace the journey.
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GREAT BOOKS ABOUT WRITING/PUBLISHING:
Dreyer’s English: An Utterly Correct Guide to Clarity and Style by Benjamin Dreyer / amzn.to/3VE8dtt
Save the Cat! Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody / amzn.to/3Vyk2Bn
Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum / amzn.to/3Z4at03
SOME OF MY FAVORITE NOVELS:
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones / amzn.to/3vvWItt
Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips / amzn.to/3CFz4Pt
Such a Fun Age by Kiley Reid / amzn.to/3CjFFi5
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MORE WRITING RESOURCES:
Destructive Writer Habits That Are Holding You Back: • Destructive Writer Hab...
How to Publish a Book in 2022: • How to Publish a Book ...
Which Writer Personality Type Are You?: • Which Writer Personali...
HARD TRUTHS ABOUT CREATIVE WRITING:
01:53 - Your story won’t be for everyone
03:50 - It’s difficult to make a living from creative writing alone
06:21 - Your story might need major revisions
08:03 - Publishing is a time-intensive process
10:05 - There is no shortcut or secret formula
ABOUT ME:
My name is Alyssa Matesic, and I’m a professional book editor with 7+ years of book publishing and editorial experience. Throughout my career, I’ve held editorial roles across both sides of the publishing industry: Big Five publishing houses and literary agencies. The goal of this channel is to help writers throughout the book writing journey-whether you're working on your manuscript or you're looking for publishing advice.
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Chilling by HoobeZa • [No Copyright] Chill L...
Charlie Brown by Smith The Mister smiththemister.bandcamp.com
Smith The Mister bit.ly/Smith-The-Mister-YT
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Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.

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Опубликовано:

9 июл 2024

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Комментарии : 81

@simpsong00 2 года назад

One thing to remember! When you get that first bad review, be excited that someone that is most likely outside your circle of friends and family actually bought and read your book!!

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

That's a great positive spin to put on it!

@lorettaknoelk3475 Год назад

That's a great one!! And that maybe there is 1. Room to improve 2. Who your audience is.

@truthjustice61 2 года назад

As Nathanial Hawthorne said, "Easy reading is damn hard writing." Anybody who has tried to write knows how true those words are.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

Haha, exactly!

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

That's a pretty good one, never heard it before.

@y.t1670 2 месяца назад

Same for writing an academic paper 🤣🤣🤣

@markellott5620 2 года назад

I never expected to make money from this. Selling just over twenty copies of Renegade in a few days when it was released a couple of months ago was enough of a thrill for me. The subsequent feedback has been entirely positive - with particular emphasis on character development. I now have to follow that...

@joelyon1950 Год назад

You nailed the crucial juxtaposition by saying most authors have other day jobs, but that writing is a time consuming process. True to both. But when, then, does a writer have time to write instead of work?

@AlyssaMatesic Год назад

It's definitely a hard balance to nail--I've heard of some writers treating their writing as if it's an additional part time job, working on their novels on weeknights and weekends. Some others have downtime during their jobs where they can write, and still others work in a part-time capacity so they have more time in the day to dedicate to writing. This is part of the reason why I love working with writers and admire them so much! It's tough to be a creative in today's society. Thanks for commenting :)

@tamjg Год назад

Have you tried getting up early and writing then, when you're fresher?

@stephenanastasi748 Год назад

Nice dog (in background). I love big dogs. Used to have a huge Irish Setter. And thanks for your advice... It will be nice when The Druid (the one by Anastasi) and its sequels... The Runes of Ire, go big.

@futurestoryteller Год назад

I don't have any problems with negative feedback, or even with rewriting and revisions, as long as they support the story as intended, and don't alter those intentions. My problem is in feeling like I've used up all of my creative imagination on the initial writing process and can't necessarily see the story develop any other way.

@daveshif2514 2 месяца назад

the more i heard about how hard it is, the more i feel like ive got this. i just have to do what i love and be patient, two things im great at 😊 luckily i make a living writing already without selling a single book, i sell my services AS a writer and storyteller among other things. having life experience makes my writing better, and being a good writer who focused on it in college made my life experiences more valuable and profitable. i wouldnt be able to focus my experiences into a profitable job without the ability to write it down and make a story out of it. if writing isnt your strongest suit, but you love to read, and have other skills… you can still write, you just dont have to publish books. just like a chef must know how to make multiple dishes, you use more than one skill at your job. i can bake, make pizza, salad, sandwhiches, etc. its the same with making money as a writer, writing books is only one aspect

@Mrchristuranoh 11 месяцев назад

I honestly enjoy the revision/editing process, probably because there is still a sense of control involved. The waiting for a response from an agent is the worst.

@artharris515 2 года назад

I am glad that you continue to provide good advice instead of trying to make your videos slicker.

@bernicevenable8885 Год назад

You are so helpful, so focused, and so truthful. Yes, I am learning-- "Writing is re-writing!" Thank you!

@CarmenPerez-kz6rw Год назад

I have never spent one minute staring at a blank page. There’s too much to write about.

@bewareofpigeons Год назад

Thank you: all of what you say rings true, even uncomfortably so, given the time I have been trying to get over the first hurdle after completion of the MS: getting a favourable response from an agent to a query letter.

@kengause9259 Год назад

One of the hardest things you will ever do. So much self-doubt no matter how many novels you write. But when the epiphany happens and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is worth it. Also agree that if you are writing to please people, just stop. Every writer faces criticism. One reader will breeze through your novel and love it, while another won't make it through one page and think it stinks. Art is subjective. For me, I write what I would like to read. Unless I am excited about what I'm writing, I can't finish it.

@nickowchar2001 11 месяцев назад

Preach it, sister.

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

There's a great scene in the movie The Motorcycle Diaries where Che and his pal stay at a Doctor's house for a few days and he replenishes their supplies, feeds them and houses them for a few days. The doctor wrote a novel and wanted them to read it. When they were departing the doctor asked them what they thought of it and the friend immediately starts raving this and that. The doctor was elated and then asked Che his opinion. Che mulled the question over for a second, and was honest. "I thought it was trite. The story was weak and the characters were undeveloped. I think you should stick to writing about what you know best." The doctor appeared angry for a moment and then a look of acceptance brushed over him. "No one has ever been honest with me before," he said.

@rowan7929 2 года назад

The only fear I had was if my English is good enough as I partly think in German, have dyslexia and didn't really have a huge vocabulary at that time. But I told myself that I give them a huge F you, and a finger, and wrote my book. Thankfully I had people who have been very helpful and improved a lot with my writing. The only regret I have that I have tried self publishing. Worst mistake I have ever chosen for my books.

@darkephoenix1209 2 года назад

Oh, gods, I have encountered ALL of these and more. (writing for 30+ years) Thank you for the content. Keep up the good work. Have a great day!

@thatguyfromcetialphaV 2 года назад

At the end of the day, a book is onky as good as the writer who creates it, and they wouldn't write if they didn't believe it could work. Submit that story. They can only say no.

@carmenkodagoda-peiris317 7 месяцев назад

I'm currently trying to get a degree in education and plan to be a teacher. I also want to be an author, so I imagine a good time to write and work on my books would be during school breaks. I may be in the minority, but don't want to be a full-time author. :)

@painpals1 2 года назад

As usual, your content is on point. It's Brandon Sanderson levels of insight in the writing/editing/publishing process!

@marklunde1986 Год назад

I was lucky when a friend mentioned that one of his neighbours was a former editor at a small time (not Big Five) publishing house. I got in touch with this editor and she was kind enough to give my first novel, The Phantom of Witch's Tree, a once over. She liked it enough to pass it on to her former employers. Initially, the fiction editor at the company accepted the manuscript for publication but it was tough working with this guy. He was very exacting and we didn't get along. Finally, he rejected the novel. In the meantime, of course, I'd told all my friends that the novel had been accepted by a real publishing company. In desperation I wound up contacting the woman who owned the company and asked if she'd read the manuscript. She hadn't but relied on her fiction editor. I asked her to take a look at the novel herself before dumping it. She did, overrode the editor's opinion, and did the editing herself. She did a great job and helped immeasurably. So, the book came out on print on demand as a hardcover, paperback and ebook. It decent reviews from Kirkus and a few others. And one bad review. Neither I nor the publishing house made much money. Online vendors like Amazon and Barnes and Noble etc. took the lion's share. I can't honestly say I was disappointed by the experience because I know getting a first novel traditionally published is about 80 to 1 against according to Canada's National Post newspaper. But would I do it again? No.

@AlyssaMatesic Год назад

Thank you sharing your process--it's interesting to see how your process differs from the Big Five process!

@joshuafurtado2299 Год назад

I love your content. It's helped me a ton while writing my first novel. Thank you.

@johnsullivan4413 Год назад

Thanks so much for your work, Alyssa. I am learning so much from you. Although I have been writing all my adult life as lawyer, alI nonfiction 😏, have been working on my first children's book for several years and I have learned so much about book categories and publishing in the process. I have learned about common writing problems, like info dumping, etc., and I have revised my book extensively. As a trial lawyer I have come to enjoy getting my work critiqued, so that has not been a problem for me. Rather, it has caused me to think of new ideas for my book. I totally agree that it is good to put the book down for a while. Doing so has allowed me to see it again in a new and fresh way. This has also allowed the book and characters to evolve and grow. My book started as a 32-page picture book and is now a middle grade novel. It is a fun process but, as you said, I probably would never expect to make a living from book publishing. I also love drawing and painting, and I would not expect to make a living from that either. Thanks again, Alyssa.

@BinaryRex18 20 дней назад

As Red Smith said, "writing is easy. You just have to sit in front of your typewriter until drops of blood appear on your forehead."

@davidlocalio1124 2 года назад

Thank you for your candid words! I go through all of these writing challenges almost daily! It's nice to know that we're not alone.

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

You got this!

@davidlocalio1124 2 года назад

@@AlyssaMatesic Thanks for the encouraging words!

@the7thseven873 Год назад

I heard the author of Harry Potter got declined many times before someone finally decided to publish her book. And now it’s one of the most known book.

@jjcakejj Год назад

I’m enjoying your writing guidance and advice. Love your style Alyssa…cute dog too.

@manuelcantu8572 2 года назад

Very informative video. Thanks so much Cheers!!!

@mirandahawley Год назад

This is my 2nd time watching you, and I literally found you just today. You have some great ideas and so thank you for information that you give. I am for the first time ever trying to dive into getting published and I am not at all sure what to expect so in searching for "how to get published as a writer" led me to find you.

@taylorharbin3948 3 месяца назад

Forget everything else, I just wish I could have fun again.

@samuelmcquillan9680 Год назад

What does it mean when an agent rejects a query because my project is “not a right fit for them at the time”? They said my premise captivated them but that my project wasn’t a right fit. Do smaller agencies stray away from bigger projects?

@bewareofpigeons Год назад

It's their formulaic way of wriggling out of answering with something helpful. Usually they say that they didn't feel 'passionate' about the work or the characters in the novel.

@kitwayne4891 Год назад

I'm about to turn 47 years old. If I get accepted by a publisher tomorrow, I'm not actually getting published until I'm 50. That's disheartening.

@davidlohrey4793 Год назад

You are doing an excellent job. I like your style, your enthusiasm, and your knowledge. My thought worth making perhaps is that one must learn to overcome by doubt by ignoring other people, even when positive. I feel that I asked too many for advice while I should have worked harder. Much that was negative was personal and much of the positive feedback was uninformed. I found that I allowed others to distract me. I learned eventually that other people should be ignored unless they are a professional like you.

@bewareofpigeons Год назад

I get tired of people telling me gratuitously that I will never be able to live off writing when I mention that I am trying to find an agent. I am aware of this, and do not need to be told, as though I had said that I was sure I was going to be a celebrity author on the best seller list.

@dirkbruere 2 года назад

Coming towards the end of my first novel, although elsewhere I have probably written upwards of half a million worlds although only one book of non-fiction. Of the rest, none for profit or even publication in most cases. I could provide you a link to an example but it seems Google doesn't like such things. The most daunting factor though is the time between completion and publication, which is longer than the writing. OTOH, I don't need the money because I am writing for myself, or rather, I am writing for who I was at the age of about 30.

@johnferriso4377 2 года назад

Always helpful information.

@SultanSezam 2 года назад

Thank you

@ohsnapitslauren1007 Год назад

Awesome video!! :)

@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy 2 года назад

Great commentary.

@andyclark3530 2 года назад

Thanks Alyssa. I've definitely bumped into several of these. I'm on my fourth novel, but this is the first one that I've pushed this hard on, and I'm intent on publishing. I think there are a couple of things I'm wrestling with now. One is that my book will not be perfect. I could revise it the rest of my life, but at some point, I'm going to have to say, "this is the best I can do right now" and let it go. The second is one I think applies very strongly to science fiction/fantasy, but I can imagine it coming up in historical-based works as well. I went through several revisions where I was mainly adding elements, and there's an almost infinite supply of these. You can't put everything in one novel. One other thing I think is that I spent a lot of time during early revisions cleaning grammar. Some of that I needed because I'm a dirty drafter, but most of it should have been delayed until I reached the last revision. Of course, that would involve me knowing when I was on the last revision...

@AlyssaMatesic 2 года назад

It sounds like you've put a lot of heart and thought into your process--I wish you the best with this novel!

@cjpreach 2 года назад

Yep.

@markmarkel5120 Год назад

The video is a great help. Most of your hard truths are Relevant. But the hard truth on the revision, not so sure? A writer crafts a story the way they want and some one with Opinion, thinks it should be another way. Who writing this book? That doesn’t work for most. I have several times wanted to see your steps you offer down below? I sign up a couple times to review it, however I get nothing.

@zigaudrey Год назад

I wish to make a story that care about itself over readers. If we focus too much on the reader, the story become inconsistent, characters will be incoherent and it drives away from the writer intention/plan. I am not looking for a book publishing. I have FictionPress account. If only story care about plot. For this reason I prefer reading Japaneses books.

@ryanclark9386 5 месяцев назад

Why is writing a college eassay so freaking complicated I dont understand how to write properly I can take some of the hardest exams and pass them with flying colors but ask me to write a paper for school 🤬

@rori5168 Год назад

Hey Alyssa! I was watching your writing tips as I am having a story in my head for couple of years and it simply needs to get on paper one day (problem? I am not a writer apparently), so I am trying to learn some basics and absorb some advices to avoid the greatest errors. I consider writing only as a hobby and I need to attempt to put this story on paper just so it finally leaves my head haha. + I sincerely love the writing process of creating detailed draft etc. This is my first novel idea. Ive gotten published poetry before but never proze. The question I have for you is regarding translation. I do write in other language than English. Do you think it is better for me to translate my text in English (use my words) and then let it edit by native speaker (so its not such a grammar-horror) rather than let it get translated? I feel as if I let it translated directly then it could change too much from the original (I want to make my book in my original language and English as I want to share my story - one day - with friends who either speak one or other language). Thanks for your reply and thanks for your videos it helps a lot!

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

Would it be worse to be a good writer who isn't a good storyteller, or a good storyteller who's a bad writer?

@lorenzovrolijk 2 года назад

Hi Alyssa, I've recently found your channel and find all of the advice incredibly helpful. I would like to return the favor and offer you some advice on your RU-vid channel. You have excellent credentials, excellent information and are easy on the eyes: so why do you have only 12.7k subscribers after all these years, despite all these things you have going for you? As an aspiring author I watch a lot of similar channels. I have identified a few things: 1. The background music ('chilling by hoobeza'). This makes your videos hard to binge, as the tone becomes incredibly repetitive and annoying when trying to watch more than 2-3 in a row. Your content is evergreen and RU-vid loves promoting channels that are 'bingeable', it is no coincidence I was only recommended your channel recently despite voraciously consuming authortube/booktube content since 2021. On top of that, there seems to be a disproportionate amount of people in the writing community that suffer from disability. Case in point: I linked one of your videos to an aspiring author friend of mine who said she had to turn off your video after a minute because of the music, claiming she couldn't focus on your voice (she referred to this as 'cocktail party syndrome', it has a wikipedia entry and is apparently a real thing). Although I do not suffer from any auditory impairments, the music still REALLY bothers me, and after watching some ~30 videos of yours I simply can't stand this tune anymore. 2. If the plot of a book (the info you provide) is amazing but the characters (your ways of communicating) are bland and uninteresting, I probably wouldn't read the book. In a book series I may read book 1 for the plot (watch a few of your videos), but I won't come back for book 2 if the characters didn't grip me. It looks like you are literally reading words from a script and the jump-cuts create more distance. I often find myself zoning out and having to rewind because I missed vital information - this is a problem I don't have with other channels. It would probably be better if you simply had a rough draft and rambled on for a bit, it would make you more engaging and likeable. I hope you do not take offense to these criticisms - I gain nothing from writing this comment, the sole reason for doing so is because I feel like it could help you (as you have helped me with your videos - despite the soul-crushing background tune!).

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

Because she makes these videos for the right reasons and doesn't algorithm snipe with clickbait and viral hashtags.

@adaddinsane Год назад

But it's a lot *easier* to make a living if you're a self-published author. I know many of them, and I'm going that way myself.

@frankwalton7323 Год назад

Is this weird? Story parts will just pop into my mind out of nowhere and if I don't write them down right away they can be lost. Dialog comes to me that way too, kind of like a flood of info.

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

Cart before the horse question here, but does publishing rights include the rights to sell it to be turned into a screenplay?

@simonburton992 7 месяцев назад

At the end of the day ! What about the start of the day??

@LegitRespect 2 года назад

First yes!

@clintoreilly 2 года назад

The truth is what sets us free. How long should one wait before considering self-publishing? In you opinion.

@vulgoalias4050 2 года назад

It's not about time, it's about whether or not does it make sense for a guy in your situation. If it does, do it now. if not, don't bother regardless of time.

@happydayssunny7830 Год назад

Start 1.52 👍great vid

@belaubekiis 2 года назад

What is this word obstacles?

@apope06 Год назад

Most Pulitzer Prize winning books are well edited but extremely boring novels

@BudsCartoon 5 месяцев назад

LOL, set up a marketing plan... ummmm I'm a writer, not a real life Mad Man.

@alandavies3727 2 года назад

You don’t need to get any of the things you mentioned in self publishing. You can design the cover yourself. If you chose a proper self publishing company. They’ll do all this work for you. I personally design all the illustrations for my books. The publishing company take my crude drawing and get their expert illustrators to copy them into book quality. They do all the editing and proof read the work.Then they lay out the pages. We go through it together until we think that it’s right. I do the blurb, and the sub title, I have complete control of my work. They will then make a one minute animated film with the details of the contents of the books. They place them in all the national libraries. It’s a fantastic collaboration between me and the publisher. All this work is finished in three months. You’ll have your book in your hand and be proud of yourself. Why should you wait for years? The days of agents and traditional publishing companies are nearly over.

@johncrayon1602 2 года назад

sounds like someone couldn't get traditionally published and is now spreading bad advice to prevent other aspiring authors from getting published...not cool man.

@LynnaKatriel 2 года назад

Did the "proper self-publishing company" do all this for you free of charge? Probably not, eh?

@alandavies3727 2 года назад

@@LynnaKatriel it’s all part of a package. They have several packages, you chose whatever suits your needs. They also set up a website for you. There’s no need to worry about anything, people are frightened to self publish but there no need to be. It’s the agents and trad publishers that put out these frighteners trying to stop the self publishing companies that they know are a threat to their monopoly,

@dirkbruere 2 года назад

I self published a non-fiction book and did everything myself, including cover art and getting an ISBN number. It's a total PITA and I was utterly sick of the whole thing at the end.

@alandavies3727 2 года назад

@@dirkbruere I’ve got a proper publishing company. They do the isbn number. If get the right organisation it should be a pleasant experience. I didn’t have to do the covers or illustrations. I wanted to, it was a pleasure. You’re with the wrong company.