Whether you're energized by this video or bummed and you hate me, please check out the rest of my videos! My normal style is in-depth, informative videos with a positive spin (no, really). I post regular pep talks, plus real talk about traditional publishing (because it's no walk in the park). Welcome :)
I feel so glad I found this. For years I kept saying " I wanted to be a writer." This year I finally started an it's just because I enjoy writing, I know on one will care if I wrote a book but I wanna see my name on a book.
Me: *reading comments instead of writing * [insert meme of person running away quickly, presumably to go write] *actually just writing a lame version of a meme * lol I'll go write now...
Every...single...step of this video, I've lived already. Nothing is original. I once wept for how similar my story was to a story I read, but now I know its unique. NO ONE CARES. 100%. Unless you have writer friends, no one cares. No one barely even READS anymore. I have a hard time getting people online to read a paragraph let alone find someone who cares about your book and the nuances of character development. Which is so disheartening. BUT at the same time, people CAN and DO care. I actually had some of the most interesting conversations about my story with teenagers, so I considered that a good thing cause its a part of my demographic of 15-30. In terms of traditional publishing, I have my own business plan. Selling a book, is like selling a script to movie producers except you have to sell it to people who read books, which is a small audience. I plan on solving that with what I feel is a unique marketing strategy.
That’s all art is, a ton of inspiration from random other sources. I’m taking a few liberties from the trilogy “Remembrance of Earth’s Past” by Cixin Liu because I like the way he executed the idea of an alien invasion, and how in depth it is.
She's not demotivating us, she's trying to wake up the real writer in us There are tons of writers whose first book became best selling Believe in yourself and work on that story
I think she means first attempt at a book. For example, Harry Potter was technically J.K. Rowling's first book but she did write manuscripts previously that she abandoned, and she edited hp for *years* before it was published.
I wrote my first novel when I was in 9th standard and rn I feel proud to have written it - yeah it sucks - no plotting, no grammar and no logic but it was fun. I even published a copy for myself and today, I realize I have been a long way from that . . . It all lies in the way you see things - if you let people tell you that it sucks - it sucks for sure then Just look at it like an opportunity and a fun thing to do, you will be much relieved at the end
My advice for people who are insecure about their writing abilities is to write fanfiction to practice, it's great and you literally get to just practice your writing and storytelling without having to put much time in the worldbuilding bit of the story. Also readers often leave very helpful reviews :)
This is what I’m currently doing. I use to write a lot when I was younger, but I never put a lot of effort into actually improving my skills and crap. So as I’m inching back into writing, I decided to write a fanfiction (no y/n type crap lol. Not even a self insert) to practice. 🥹 It’s been fun so far. 😁
It's true. My standards for fanfiction are so much lower than my standards for a published book. I can overlook a lot of grammar issues, pacing issues among other things simply because I am reading for the characters I like not trying to learn to love new ones.
Do you have any advice on writing fan fiction, I'm writing an OC insert fan fiction into the fandom of 5 Nights at Freddy's or some other fandom? IDK, but I'm new to it and scared I know I'm just making excuses, but I'm genuinely terrified. What should I do?
^Focus on characterization and mannerisms from the original work, because that's crucial for a convincing fic, and work on at least a consistent beginning and end (You get tunnel vision a lot in the early stages, and the plot tends to run away from you. Chase that chucklehead down.). Don't be afraid to indulge some fantasies because honestly? Loving your work is the only thing that can really motivate you to write. One of my favourite works is a barely ironic self-insert, but it's also a genuine labor of love from the author. There isn't a lot that's more entertaining than watching someone else flying high and having a grand time.
When I used to write stories as a teenager, it being a solitary and lonely thing was the best part. I wrote alone, barely shared anything, and just enjoyed reading my own stories and thinking about the worlds I created. I guess I really just did it for myself to be away from the people around me. It was also the same reason I read.
I can relate. I’ve been coming up with and writing my own stories since I was a little boy. I didn’t publish them but just read them to myself. Thinking of one day writing and publishing a novel one day.
I made sharing my writing my 2024 resolution because this was me. Published it online 2 days before Christmas, and the feedback has been so encouraging. people have pointed out little issues and writing quirks but the feeling of having a community like that, even if it's still fairly small, does wonders. the anonymity also shields from any harsh critics (though i haven't gotten any yet, people seem to be enjoying it). TLDR: you don't have to share, but if you want to and you're scared, don't be.
@@adrithmanvik1853 I'm happy to explain what I think the different is. 'Don't worry about being original, because I promise you that you're not original' 'No one will care about your book as much as you do' 'No one cares about your life story' These are definitely toxic. She also said a few harsh advice, like 'Quit making excuses. Write.' or 'Brainstorming about writing is not writing. Write.' or 'Rejection is normal' Harsh advice is something that you don't want to hear, but need to hear (like don't procrastinate). It's not said to hurt you, it doesn't belittle you or your capabilities, it's just said to help you grow. I believe as writers (doesn't matter whether you've been published or not in any way) we must understand the impact of our words. It's okay to be dramatic or harsh, that's fine. However, wanting to say something big so much that the meaning of it becomes toxic is not okay.
@@Kiki-st5bc Ok, i have also something harsh to say: Most of the points here are at least partially wrong. Writers-Block? Yeah, exists. Totally original stuff? Yeah, also exists. Just this decade, we had multiple ‚First Ever’s in Shonen-Manga. As family of an Author, i can also literally tell you ‚Yes, i care when a family member writes something’. And thats just examples. I love how she presents those things as the ‚Harsh Truth’ that you ‚have to deal with’, but no, lots of this is at least semi-wrong.
Truth is truth. Even tho it's hard to swallow. Truth is hurt to you if you're in the wrong side. If you're in the right side, u will think it's a normal thing. LOL XD And it applies to all kinds of truth. Including politics, religion, etc. For example, Jesus born on summer so wth Christians is dec25th?! Why the heck Buddhist worships Buddha even tho he just a prince that love to be humble and do some meditation?! WTH gods needs human food in polytheism religion like Hinduism, Shinto, etc. Etc. These ppl probably will get angry to see my comment here lol XD Their beliefs are joke. Delusional. BS. But truth is truth. You want truth or not? The only logic belief is islam. Islam talk about lot of stuff.. Not just spiritual ones. And it's always stay like that from the Muhammad era til this day. No edits. And if u think it's manmade, lol how illiterate desert boi named Muhammad can create such a complex teachings?? But even in islam, there are some irrational stuff like the supranatural stuff. But maybe it's real but because we dont know it yet, we think it's unreal. Like.. aliens and stuff. If every religion are same, like how those ppl says especially atheists, then I'll pick protestantism lol. It's the easiest religion. U just need to believe Jesus and done. You no need to go to church too often. Once per week or once per month is enough XD. And no other traditions. Easter? Christmas? U can skip them lol. And just enjoy the festivities. But NO. Religion is about to know about human history. About the truth. Atheism is not logic btw. Lot of flaws there too btw. For example, who created the first particle? And in politics for example is... Trump there. Ppl believes he can make USA great. But lol.. how he dealing with nature there shows us that he sucks. Nature destruction will result in other destruction n corruption.
@@DBT1007 Uhm... yeah, nice little hipster-speech, but this video does not literally have TRUTH INCARNATE. Its actually pretty bad advice. Multiple points are at least partially wrong.
We're so lucky because we have wattpad. Sorry for my bad english but wattpad really helps alot especially to us who are new to writing. Once we get alot of readers in wattpad, it would be easy for us to self publish it or what because we knew we'll have a supporters out there
Wattpad definitely helps. You could write a book and a couple more. And when you get better and realize your mistakes and you can always go back and make it better. I’ve been doing this. I haven’t wrote a book in years. I’ve tried to write when I was younger but I never finished them. And this is the first book that I have everything planned out. The plot, the scenarios, the highest peak, character development, etc. and it makes me so excited to write my book and finish it. As I kept writing more chapters I realized some mistakes I have. 1, there’s too much dialogue. 2, dialogue is followed by actions like “I don’t like that dress!” She rolls her eyes and walks down the next isle. 3, I don’t describe the surroundings too much and it disconnects the reader from that reality. And that’s pretty much it, I have everything else pretty much locked down. As I’ve been writing and I notice the mistakes I always go back and fix them. Everyone starts somewhere and perfection isn’t real. There’s just endless improvement.
I expected my overly sensitive and easily offended self to not be able to handle this and click off but this is actually so relieving. ESPECIALLY the bits about how I shouldn't stress over being super original or trying to make my first book be on the same level as the ones I read by seasoned authors. Thank you!
That's why I'm skipping my first book completely and starting with my second or third...maybe seventh *Edit to add: Thanks all! I may have finally earned my mom's respect!* *Edit to edit to add: Nope, she says 10k or nothing.....*
Sooooo what we've learned so far: -No one cares -Everything will suck -just get it done with Writing is really just torture and writers are masochists (especially when u combine writing and drawing to become a solo comic artist). I love the advice in the video btw, it's direct, hard to the core but true as hell
@@user-es6qi2se1i I basically been writing a long summary of my 4 different story ideas. It helps to write multiple alternatives so your brain doesn’t feel like it needs to pick one! It’s good to visually see your ideas written and drawn where u can then decide thru a process of elimination what story you want to stick with. Also I’m teaching myself that I do not need to create the “perfect story” and sometimes just have fun with it. Also you can not control the audience you attract with your work, if they love it they love it. Currently I’m reading fictional books and other graphic novels to keep me motivated, but watching too many “advice videos” can be overwhelming (it’s nice to watch once in a while). I’m JUST now writing out one of my stories (it’s a short comic).
@@dolores4015 Wow woww, yes that sounds really cool! Also the way you deal with it sounds really helpful. Since I don't feel good enough to join award winning contests, I ususally practice with one-page stories or one-shots, I copy other manga (the sort comic I'm writing) scenes and addapt it into a different environment with different characters (without publishing it, ofc), I tend to also take TikTok POV's that I like and make them into a comic. But I've never thought about making a summary of all the stories you want to write, it might actually really help for me! What genres are you into?
I'm proud to say (sort of) that my first book SUCKED! Not because I think it sucked, but because I'm now on my 5th book, and I realize how much I've learned. I didn't even edit it. I sent it to one publisher, got denied, then self-published it due to impatience. I'm actually fond of that first book as it laid the path to where I am now. It is even being pitched as a TV show this season. A lesson to be learned is that even if your writing DOES suck, WRITE IT! You never know if someone will connect to your story. If you're looking to sell a million books...WRITE! You can't sell ANYTHING if you don't write it! Just make sure you hire a good editor lol
I think the "I didn't even edit it" is the key part. Any book will suck if someone doesn't edit. And edit. And edit. But if a writer has already figured out that there's no such thing as writing, only re-writing, then their first book doesn't have to suck. I really think her advice should be your FIRST DRAFT will suck, but saying your first book will suck is I think too negative and discouraging.
@@BookClubDisasterI think part of what she means is that your first attempt at writing, like most first attempts at things, will likely suck. It’s ok to write something, and realise it’s so bad that you want to move on and take the lessons you learnt. That’s why film directors will go back and laugh at the student films they made when they were in film school, because they’re often not great. They’re cheap, naive, presumptuous and pretentious at the same time. But it’s about building your skills and finding your voice Tarantino talked about how his first movie he ever made was a complete failure, but he realised that it was a success because Tarantino never went to film school. That WAS his film school
xLSPx she wasn’t JKR until she finally got a publisher. Not sure if you know this, but she doesn’t even have a middle name, her publish told her the book would sell better with initials so she used the K for her grandma.
"Inspiration is for people who don't finish books." Couldn't agree more. Took me years to realize 'waiting for inspiration to write' wasn't gonna get me anywhere
The problem is we writers (sometimes) sit and wait for inspiration to come to us. We need to learn how to build it ourselves. It can be done easily by watching, listening or reading something related to the world that we're going to write about. You're writing about a fantasy world? Watch a medieval movie or read about how people used to live in those times to get yourself inspired.
I can’t get motivated no matter what. I just feel apathetic to everything? I lost interest in things I’ve loved doing before or recently, I lose interest quickly just like how I lose interest in my lovers and move on. I’m gonna be single for the rest of my life and it doesn’t bother me, but writing just bothers me everyday, I get hit with inspiration and then I lose it. Plus I’m not the best author :).
@@bme7995 Then learn how to relax consciously, even during moments of depression and frustration. In a state of relaxation, you are better able to maintain focus and alertness.
@@letsdomath1750 I don’t think you understand the worth apathetic. And maybe you do. When I say I can’t get motivated even when I try concentrating in a quiet room, all windows shut and doors locked tight, warm room on top of that, I can’t concentrate. It’s just blank for a second and then my mind starts running, then it’s blank again sometimes so I tend to sleep a lot. I woke up at 7PM yesterday, now it’s 11 AM, I haven’t slept yet. I’m going to sleep now, but thank you! Regardless I’ll try learning to concentrate and relax consciously. 🧡
@@bme7995 I used to have major depression, so I am familiar with all-consuming apathy, lol. More importantly, I know that it is something that is not permanent, especially when you treat yourself with patience and compassion. That being said, a few things come to mind from the scenario you described. First of all, sleep definitely impacts your mood, so if you notice that you are lacking motivation across the board, aim to reset your sleep schedule. That way you can sleep when it's dark and get some sunlight earlier during the day. A night owl schedule may be fine for your regular studies or work, but it's easier to remain motivated and maintain higher levels of creativity when you get good quality rest. Consider regular yoga nidra meditation as well if you notice that your sleep and mood are totally messed up. Next, try to change your writing environment often until you find a time and space that are conducive to getting your first draft done. Perhaps, the isolated environment in a quiet room is not suitable for writing on your own project at this stage, even if it may be what you used successfully in the past for academic work. Something to consider in this case is trial and error and making gentle observations. You could experiment with playing music in the background, if only to see if it relaxes you and allows ideas to flow more freely. Try writing in a coffee shop or in a library with your laptop or smart phone as the presence of people may impact your mood favorably. Also, try to write at different times of the day and notice your energy levels. On the same token, write before and after you exercise. Do not judge yourself, but merely collect data in a process of self-exploration. Again, patience is key as you take note of your findings. Now, the next step involves persistence. Practice starting so that you can practice finishing. Choose three times during the day to write for at least 5 minutes. Repeat this daily for as long as you can to gain more insight related to your thoughts and habits around writing. At the moment, you are not setting high expectations but simply creating an intention to make writing a priority. Give yourself goals to write a sentence or two of no more than 25 words before you move on to your next task. If you want accountability partners to get you started, ask a friend or trusted relative to check up on you and remind you why you're doing this. Additionally, practice writing for someone else's project or take writing prompts and write short essays for an online class or event. The idea is to make writing less intimidating by gradually increasing your exposure to it. To a degree, you will be forcing yourself to continue until the resistance begins to dissolve on its own, but persist!
This was everything I needed to hear. My own children gave me the “mum you’re not a writer if you don’t write and if you don’t try you definitely will fail but if you try then you might succeed” how are my kids so profound at 17 and 12. So mumma is writing and they’re so proud 🥹 how could I possibly stop now. Thank you 😊
If you can take that and make it work for you awesome... if you are creative you are blessed... bring it out! Go freakin for it... anything someone says that is negative is a reflection of where "they " are at.
My summary for this video: 1) Your 1st book sucks.. Write anyway. 2) Nobody cares.. Just write. 3) Rejection is normal - deal with it.. Write some more. 4) Just...write...the damn...book.
Your first book is probably bad. Probably being the operative word here. Some people have the ability to sit down and put something awesome on the page with little to no effort. The rest of us have to draft after draft after draft.
Absolutely Agree ! hahahaa. It sort of made me just trash it all there a bit tho. Till I said, 'Eh, what the heck!' If they hate it, they hate......it......
“Inspiration is for people who don’t finish books,” “not feeling like it is the imaginary writer’s block and professionals can teach them how to push through this” was something i needed to hear, it just resonated with me and I feel like this applies to everything, not just writing, but like art, subjects, life it’s all about habits and not about bursts of motivation, that’s what makes a hobby different from a profession
"Asking questions on reddit isn't writing" Me: Duh "Brainstorming about writing isn't writing" Me: Okay, fair. "Watching this video isn't writing" Me: Hello 911 I was just attacked in my own home
I find it refreshing... props to all truth tellers that do it with a smile and finesse who are STILL actually trying to HELP you. Much respect to THAT!!
Yeeaah I have like the entire world in a separate document including languages, mythology, towns and cities, people of interest, characters of the book and their plot while I only have written like 4 pages of the book lol. I literally spent a whole day inmersing myself in that world and naming the towns within the context of the history, like theres this city thats called Mirage bc its in the desert and its like an enormous and beautiful city
You're so right, I'm retired military and "nobody cares, do the work" is my mantra. This is usually a smack in the face to most people. I see so many post about people disappointed that their friends and relatives didn't read their opus. They. Don't. Care. Write for you, write your book but don't expect anyone close to you to embrace it and make it part of their lives. Write it, put it out there and see what happens. If it's good enough it will find its audience. If not, keep trying.
The more you said "no one cares", "your first book will suck", "no one cares x 2", "failure", "rejection", the more I felt like writing; especially when you said that writing is a lonely process... I personally love the fact that writing IS a lonely process, you get to play with your own ideas AND you have fun with yourself. No one cares as much as you do and that's totally okay!!!! I'm SO glad I ran into this video.
SunsetSpice I also love writing but my problem is I'm not very connected to my characters. My plan is to make my characters more like me 😂 that would probably help lol
My sister and I are on our fourth (yes fourth😭) rewrite of a book we’ve been working on for about 6 years, but we’re finally to the place we want to be with it. Don’t give up!!
i REALLY needed to hear that “you’re not original” and “i guarantee someone else already did it” because idk if this is unique to me but im SO WORRIED i will get copyright or be called the equivalent of an art stealer here and GOD this helped
@@pedrof7101 yes you will. Plenty of folks who make stuff for free (remember youtube poops?) with copyrighted content still get DMCA'd/sued. Record labels will have people go into your bar and sue you for playing the radio without a license. You will get your video taken down if it has copyrighted content in it and you don't have permission to use it. You can get sued even if your infringing book is free.
It happens to be true, some of the worst writing comes what is called “inspiration”. As the late Shelby Foote once said, “writing is very hard work and you have to know what you’re doing every step of the way”
I needed this. I used to write tons as a teenager and young adult and gave up as life happened. I let myself fall into several of the things you pointed out, I need to write. Thank you.
@Lava I have worked in some fascinating fields...I know that my own life isn't worth writing about - I am mundane. In my 35+ years, I've found one person I want to write about because I would want to read about him. One. I've known hundreds of addicts (who almost always have vaguely interesting lives), and a number of other people with vaguely interesting lives, and everyone's life has points that are interesting, and I always think it's interesting how people get to where they are in life...but I don't want to read a whole book about it. This person that I would read about? What makes his story different is that things didn't just happen *to* him, he made things happen in his own story which the rest of life reacted to, and he rose to meet. It's a redemption story, to be sure, but the events are highly unusual, and how they come about are unusual. He doesn't think any of it is...and all of that is why I want to write it :)
We must know who we’re writing for, what we want to achieve, and adjust our expectations accordingly. A few years ago, I wrote a biography of my grandfather. He had been secretive about his past in Ireland, but, after my parents passed, we discovered historical documents that explained his early life, his role in WW1 and the Easter Uprising, and why he hadn’t spoken about either. I wanted to tell a story I found inspiring, but checked with my extended family to see if anyone was interested. It turned out that, yes, they did care; it was their story too. So, I typed away and self-published 50 copies, then sold the lot of them at cost price to relatives. But not for one second did I expect anyone outside the family to be bothered, nor did I send it to publishers. My aim was for my grandfather’s great, great grandchildren, when WW1 is the topic in class, to be able to read how their family was affected by those tumultuous events of history. I achieved that aim, learnt a lot, and had fun. That’s enough.
I always watch these writing videos to encourage me to finish my book. Its almost like affirmation that im doing everything right and fix what i did wrong.
"Your 1st book is going to suck." Thank you, that was exactly what I needed to hear. I have been beating myself up a bit too much for failing the first time, so I guess it's time to shut up and write again.
It's more like she's saying, "Hey! Don't get demotivated by people not being as passionate about your book as you are. THEY'RE NOT. So what? Write anyway! Stop caring! Don't rely on others to get yourself to write, it won't work, because they'll never care as much as you do."
@@jamespilgrim3774Depends on the story and on the family and friends lol But generally, no one cares much about your first stories since your first stories will likely suck.
Haha. Ok, i have also something harsh to say: Most of the points here are at least partially wrong. Writers-Block? Yeah, exists. Totally original stuff? Yeah, also exists. Just this decade, we had multiple ‚First Ever’s in Shonen-Manga. As family of an Author, i can also literally tell you ‚Yes, i care when a family member writes something’. So yeah: Duh. And thats just examples. I love how she presents those things as the ‚Harsh Truth’ that you ‚have to deal with’, but no, lots of this is at least semi-wrong.
@@loturzelrestaurant it's true for most people tho especially beginners who like she said are in love with the idea of being a writer than actually being a writer
@@deforeestwright2469 Sometimes you just gotta put words on the page. Maybe take a walk (though sit back down in that god damn chair when you're done, and get back to that blank page.), than just write something, anything, anything at all, even if it's complete shit. You just have to do it, even if you don't feel like you can.
@@eureka5635 I only run into writer's block when I am out of ideas, don't have enough information to write about the ideas I have, or am having issues with style and can't put my finger on what's wrong. Simply writing anyway for volume can definitely help. A strategic retreat can help. Sharing your work with a friend and listening to their critique can help. A strategic retreat to exercise or do some other mood lifting activity can help. There are plenty of strategies for dealing with it. It shouldn't be dismissed, it should be worked with and around.
"Your first book is gonna suck" This is the one im most afraid of, because what if i write a story that has a cool concept but i poorly execute it. I'm afarid i'll ruin a story with potential to become something great.
I know exactly what you mean. If my baby has been sent out into the world to get slaughtered, I won't be able to retrieve it in ten years to give it the armor it needs to be better.
Thats what I think too but I accept its probably going to be bad, but I just write multiple short stories for the concept so that I can write about the concept and improve my writing skill because no way am I writing a really good concept, relizing the writing is trash, the rewrite it all, short stories is a nice middle ground for me, hope thisw helps!
i have the same fear! what i'm planning on doing, and what may work for you, is to just save your drafts and unpublished works that have potential. then, after you've spent time working on other things and improving, you can revisit them, rework them, or even rewrite them into something you really feel proud of :)
Not me man... I've spent so much time doing crap I dont care about, networking, web design, editing, cover design ect. I want nothing more then to go back to the point I didnt realize I'd have to do all this crap. Send me back to the writing mines! lol... course then I'll just have a 1000 pages of rough manuscripts I cant use... gah.
@@adamortega1 If I had a choice between writing a manuscript, vs writing query letters, whoring on social media, and negotiating with cover artists and editors... send me to the writers mines! Ill work away with a smile on my face creating worlds and stories I have control over... vrs this shitty life of rules, corporations, and suits deciding whats good and bad.
Your first DRAFT of your first book is likely to 'suck.' But learning how to edit it so it doesn't 'suck' is a really really really good skill to develop. Figure out what is wrong with your first book, and change that! Even if it means a major re-write. The problem is, if you abandon a book every time because it 'sucks', you're not learning anything. Nothing is more satisfying than to turn a pig's ear into a silk purse! Don't just force yourself to write; force yourself to edit till the book is good. Boring opening? Dull characters? Stilted, unbelievable dialogue. Silly plot? Ending that doesn't work? Tangents abound? Lost the plot? Pacing is dreadful? Over-use of lazy language? Something in the book that annoys your beta readers? Just not the story you want to tell (any more?) Fix these problems. One of the worst habits a beginning writer can develop is walking away from everything they write that isn't very good. MAKE it good! Whatever mistakes you make in your first book, I guarantee you won't make them in the second book.
"brainstorming about writing isn't writing, not writing isn't writing" *me, who always draws every character extremely detailed so my aphantasian brain finally can finally find peace* edit: but no shit, this video is super motivational and amazing because it just is straightforward and shows the truth. thank you.
Haha. Ok, i have also something harsh to say: Most of the points here are at least partially wrong. Writers-Block? Yeah, exists. Totally original stuff? Yeah, also exists. Just this decade, we had multiple ‚First Ever’s in Shonen-Manga. As family of an Author, i can also literally tell you ‚Yes, i care when a family member writes something’. So yeah: Duh. And thats just examples.
Thank you! I put this in a playlist to watch it every time i am lazy and feel demotivated or just in love with the idea of being a writer than actucally writte. This video is the callout i needed
I just want to say that it’s not always BS to take a break and refresh. If it’s excessive, I get your point, but breaks in between and especially for me (an 11 year old who has to balance schoolwork, home and family life, and the book) it’s perfectly within reason for me to take a break or do another project.
"Nothing is original" just made me feel better. This reminds me as I also do character illustration and nothing is indeed original, we often take a few elements from other artists as a reference and twist and add seasonings according to our skills to make it unique. The same applies to writing books! As a budding writer, thank you so much for your advice!!
Haha. Its a lie though. Stuff can be original, as proven again and again. Ok, i have also something harsh to say: Most of the points here are at least partially wrong. Writers-Block? Yeah, exists. Totally original stuff? Yeah, also exists. Just this decade, we had multiple ‚First Ever’s in Shonen-Manga. As family of an Author, i can also literally tell you ‚Yes, i care when a family member writes something’. So yeah: Duh. And thats just examples. I love how she presents those things as the ‚Harsh Truth’ that you ‚have to deal with’, but no, lots of this is at least semi-wrong.
@@CaptainZhariff Good? Next time, dont just take someone saying "You need to hear this, even though its harsh" as Gospel. Honestly, RU-vid just shouldnt give you any Gospel whatsoever...
@@CaptainZhariff Also: As i said, what i said were just examples. But yeah, Originality in fact exists and youre family can also be valuable Beta-Readers; thats just facts that this RU-vidr blatantly does not know...
I love my characters, but they hate me. I should stop writing them because of that. But I'm somewhat sadistic and take pleasure out of torturing their little souls for disliking me. Also, I think I may have a god complex.
This is exactly why i'm taking a character from Disney (Captain Hook) and twisting him majorly. I know since I like Captain Hook and I don't have to completely develop a character, I won't completely dislike it. I may have to do some tweaking at the end, but I won't hate it.
I needed this video as a wakeup call. I had this friend long ago who I used to write with. They basically ended our friendship and it left me devastated and unmotivated to write because it just hurt me to even think about it. Many of the hard truths here are something I needed to hear. I’ll incorporate this advice into writing again. I know you might not see this but thank you.
"Your first book is gonna suck" Well, the first novel john grisham wrote was his masterpiece (a time to kill), so it's not a rule guys. And I think the best advice here is: "don't expect much from your first book, it may suck and may not, just write anyway and keep writing". And Yeah 2 things more: - William Golding's FIRST novel was LORD OF THE FLIES. - Umberto Eco's FIRST novel was THE NAME OF THE ROSE.
The chance of success for your first novel depends on a lot of factors. Experience, preparation, and skill will often play into its success. A 30 year old man who’s never written a novel but has had 10 years of practice writing descriptive articles with interesting hooks and properly outlining the plot could write a damn good first novel. Likewise, an 18 year old who’s never had much exposure to the writing world, didn’t properly plan out the novel, and has no concept of basic writing prose most likely won’t write a good first novel. Sometimes other life skills and experiences can come into play when writing your first novel that allows it to shine more brightly than other first novels. All you have to do is take the leap.
daisyhinojosa23 No, I’m pretty sure she meant your first novel? Not your first draft? It seems like a rule of thumb that even after editing, revising, and publishing your first novel, it most likely won’t be your best. That’s why so many authors start with bunker novels.
Thanks for the blunt, straight to the point advice. I've been a good writer all my life. As I left school at 15, I battled addiction through my teens and 20s. I ended up in several different types of rehab centres. Whether it's 12 steps or not, every institution I stayed at has required its residents to write a 10 page brief life story - to be read out to everyone else in the group. Every time I've read mine out, I've been congratulated on the way I write and been told I should write my life story properly. But I've never felt that was the right thing to do. There's so many life stories centred around battling addiction, and once you've read a few, it's like you've read them all. Plus, the few I have read have been much more chaotic and intense than my truth. That's why I liked to hear yourself say what my mind has always told me despite others telling me I should. I agree I should write a story, just not my life story. Thanks
I’m 11 and I am writing a book right now trying to finish it before quarantine! Of course not looking to publish it because I’m underage but it’s still *AmaZInG*
"Brainstorming about your book isnt writing" Me: *regularly tries to brainstorm, but writes a scene instead* When am I ever gonna get my worldbuilding done 😢 Also the "nobod cares" bit, actually finding people who genuinely care for your story or even a community that your story resonates with is gold. Hold on to them.
thank you- every other youtuber adds so much fluff to these videos and doesn't get to the point and made ADHD brain cant focus so the fact that i finally found someone who get straight to it and is harsh really helps me out^^
Harsh but absolutely necessary. I loved the part "watching this video isnt writing either". Most authors in here forget about that statement *thumbs up*
Honestly, I appreciate the honesty and bluntness. These are all things I have taken in recently and I’ve been writing my book a chapter a day. I’m really excited to publish it at the end of summer!
“Inspiration is for people who don’t finish writing books” this hit me like a truckload and shook me with such accuracy that it deeply hurt. And that is exactly why I came here, so thank you very much. Taking notes of this while sobbing
to be fair, RR Marten has taken decades and he still isn't finished, inspiration isn't as consistent for everyone. Finding your style of writing is very important for finding consistent motivation, its not always a matter of FORCING yourself to write because chances are, for people who work in short bursts, that will be counter productive. So go for a walk, constantly think about your story. THINKING is your best writing tool, not sitting down at a computer with a blank document open. Ask yourself questions, don't think you'll just find the answers right away if you don't even know what questions to ask. "why am I writing this?' "what is this scene trying to express?" there are so many small scale and large scale perspectives that focusing on any ONE is a distortion that will impede your pursuit.
@@CircumcisionIsChildAbuseThe problem you’re going to run into, is that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard. Let’s compare writer A and B. Writer A waits for inspiration to hit them, and every two or three weeks writes at max maybe 1000 or 2000 words when inspiration hits them. Writer B writes 1000 words every single day on a good day; and maybe 500 on a bad day Assuming nothing but good days, let’s look at progress after one month. Writer A = 4300 words on average Writer B = 30,000 words on average If you want to become a professional writer, you need to make writing a consistent, practically daily habit. Traditional publishing agents will take the moderately successful consistent worker over betting on an ‘impulsive genius’ every time. If you try to write when inspiration strikes in self publishing, you will be outclassed and simply out published by people that come to the table every day. My concern is that people using this ‘hehe im a gardener’ mentality will find themselves severely behind where they want to be because they were encouraged to only work when they felt like it. George R R Martin is the worst example, he’s written himself into a complete corner in his story because he doesn’t outline, and is constantly lying to his fan base while he works on other projects because he’s too scared to fail. He’ll die before the books are done, compared to Sanderson, who while not my cup of tea, meets his deadlines and treats his readers like adults that have valid expectations
I am so glad I am moving away from the inspired writer to the writing writer. (All in the writing process of the same book) This is the first year where I have actual tangible goals for writing and a somewhat consistent writing habit (still working on that one, but I'm only 7 days of work behind my due after 3.5 months and plan to sort that out today (which I might actually be able to do). EDIT: The update noone asked for: Still keeping my writing habit after 15 months, now 10 days behind
@@LibraryofAcousticMagic3240 Congratulations. You’ve taken a real positive step towards your writing career. My wake up call was King’s “On Writing” where he explained that you need to stop thinking of writing as your ‘hobby’, your ‘passion’ or your ‘art’. Writing should be classified as your ‘Trade’, because then you start thinking of your writing skills not as flights of fancy or gifts from a divine muse, but a consistent pool of tools in a box you can draw from. Additionally, as a tradesman you have a duty to keep your tools clean, sharp and proper through consistent maintenance and practice
I have nothing and no one else left in my life. So, I write because I have nothing else to do. There will be no validation and no attention. I've been in writer's groups for 20 years...long enough to have figured this out.
Another piece of advice.....READ. Apparently, some "writers" out there believe reading will taint/influence their creative voice or some crud like that. They shouldn't be writers if they don't read.
You’re right. Reading gives you insight into other writing styles and brings new inspiration. Your vocabulary grows and you can fix most of your own problems by reading and seeing what they do or don’t.
I miss when this was still common in school. In elementary and middle school, I would often skip eating just to go sit in the library for as much time as possible.
My story is about a girl called Aster who almost never shows emotions or feelings has to use her heart to make her family remember themselves after their souls get corrupted.
“Inspiration is for people who don’t write books” yup, I have so many inspired story starts and nothing else. This was more uplifting than I expected. Thank you.
sounds like you might be just a short burst writer. if you have a massive burst of inspiration, and then it suddenly goes away, that doesn't necessarily mean the idea was bad, it just means you don't have the ability to sit and write for hours, so come back to it. The longest I ever wrote was 10 hours straight, and that was with the help of magic mushrooms lol think in scenes. if you can finish a scene, you have a piece of a puzzle and if you eventually have enough pieces you can start putting it together. Sometimes I'll have an inspiring idea that I have no idea where it can go, if anywhere in my story, so I'll write it down, and leave it. If i need it, it's there. plus, writing it down puts it in my memory banks so one day I can finally go "oh yah! that scene I wrote a year ago would be perfect here!" plus, if you have no writing friends, GET ONE. The average person is not creative, the average person is BORING. If you surround yourself with boring, no one's going to care about your writing, the only people who LOVE to talk about writing are OTHER writers.
What I learned from this video: Write Fail Try again Write Hope for the best fail Write more Hope for the best Get rejected Write Get rejected some more Write because you have a strong resilience and know you have potential Write Get a deal Succeed Write again ......etc etc
@Zamman Zakkar Nobody who puts the right and consistent effort leaves the world without success. Just try to do something you enjoy, and things will definitely go well for you.
