Відео

Yes!! tbh, I've forgotten what I said in this video to spark this comment. But my current understanding is that the venin are objectively antagonists and certainly a danger to society (what with corrupted magic and all). But you're 100% right that a much more personal evil and antagonism can be found in the government's suppression of information and re-writing of history. I love this twist too. It adds so much conflict on top of the obvious issue with the venin. It almost turns it from a war story to a dystopian.

@@createwithmer - She draws heavily from dystopian fantasy tropes (and I don't mean this in a bad way)

You TOTALLY should! I felt so focused for the first time in ages. I call it an investment haha

Thanks :)) it was so refreshing

You're welcome! Happy to help :)

Thank you!! :)

Thanks! it was so much fun

We really do xD

Its wonderful to hear from an artist in a different discipline than writing! I put this video up over two years ago now, and I can say for sure that good habits are the foundation for great work. I've stuck to good routines and watched my writing get better and better. Hopefully that will only continue. Thanks for saying hello :)

Ah! That's very interesting. Yes, I think both arcs have their own midpoints, but the midpoint of the main story is the one I'm after here - what you call here the Topical Arc (the one involving the main conflict). I've heard many different theories since posting this video about what exact scene actually defines the midpoint, and I have yet to see agreement. But I really like the idea you've laid out here - highlighting the misinformation and Violet starting to suspect that there is something strange going on with what her own government is telling her. Since this is the heart of the conflict, it makes sense that beginning to uncover it would signal the midpoint. And I like your point about midpoints being subtle. I think the scene/moment itself can be subtle for sure. However, I do prefer for a midpoint to create a noticeable escalation in conflict and stakes. But that can also be a reader preference on my part. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

I am STILL going through this 😆 mystery plots continue to daunt me

@@nataliejaneshields haha! I love the phrase “midday pigeon.” Honestly I wish I was a midday writer. That would be so much more convenient than crack-of-dawn writing lol.

It doesn’t surprise me that the two voice actors sound very similar. If they turned these books into movies, they could probably use the same actor lol

Thank you, I really detest these disclaimers people keep making as if JK Rowling’s opinion is the fringe one rather than the unhinged people insisting men can be women

@@zakariasdream it’s definitely not for everyone! Staying up until 4 am every night would be so rough for me, but it turns Brandon into a writing machine. I like how it demonstrates that every writer has to find a good routine for their own brain, even if it seems crazy to other people :)

@@createwithmer what routine ultimately have you found to be the most beneficial for you? or does it change?

@@createwithmer i am an extremely intuitive architect, if that makes sense. i outline rigidly, but then only write when the muse comes. i have been largely unsuccessful at anticipating this or devising any sort of regular routine as it pretty much equals creative death for me. the same goes for my music. i have never been able to truly plan anything i have created. but i also believe that all the creative works i am to complete in my lifetime are already predestined. paraphrasing Michelangelo, he talked about how his sculptures were already complete in the uncarved rock, and it was just a matter of removing the bits to reveal what was already there.

@@zakariasdream I've settled into a consistent schedule of writing right when I wake up from 6:30-8:30am before work. I've been doing it for over a year now, so I think it's working!

@@zakariasdream Being an intuitive architect makes total sense. I'm an architect as well with heavy before-hand planning. I tend to do well with routine, but if I'm too rigid, burn out is around the corner. So, I've learned how to let my creativity breathe enough to not reach that point. I've always loved the Michelangelo idea of carving away the true picture underneath. When I get stressed about decision-making, I like to lean into that idea.

😆 it’s the way of writers lol

So glad you found what you needed in this video!

Then this routine sounds like it might be something to check out! I struggle so much when trying to be creative at night. People are just wired differently, and it’s awesome that we’re all finding the ways our brains work best.

I'm back! 😆 I've been really focused on work and writing, so something had to take a back seat. But I'm excited to be posting again. Staying up until 4 am every night is definitely NOT sustainable for me either lol!

I know the feeling!! I never know what to think of a project until someone else lets me know if it works or not. Best of luck finding an agent!

😆

Had to google her honestly, but I can see the resemblance. Long lost siblings perhaps?

Yay! I hope you’re enjoying it. I found it really helpful for learning to frame a romance arc

You’re welcome!! Super glad to help 😊

Yes! Absolutely. 1. Save the Cat writes a novel - best for beginners because it outlines the absolute basics and helps put together all the essential story components before you go on to the complicated stuff. Honestly, if you never read anything more than this, you could write a pretty great story. 2. The Story Equation - this book is not at all well-known, but it had the best explanation of a character arc and how to plot it alongside plot structure I've ever seen. I have a video on this if you want the sparknotes. 3. Story Genius and Wired for Story - I actually am just reading these now so no full opinions yet, but they are great so far, and people rave about them. I'd say they're a step up from Save the Cat and dive into the brain science of how to hook and affect a reader. 4. Intuitive Editing - a great resource for a less rigid editing guide than Story Grid. Lots of helpful principles about tension and pacing. I enjoyed this one. 5. Story Grid - I recommend with some hesitation. They have some incredible principles, but they overcomplicate many things and over-simplify some CRUCIAL things. That's why it's at the bottom of the list. It's not a first resource. This should be read after you know the basics so that you can sift for yourself what is helpful and what isn't. Reading this as a first resource might have made me want to quit writing lol. But their scene structure idea is really essential and helpful. This is a tool for editing, so other resources are good for outlining. This is good once you've already written the story and want to figure out how to take it to the next level. 6. Some recs for writerly encouragement rather than technique - On Writing by Stephen King, of course. And then I found Novelist as Vocation by Murakami to be a charming and enlightening read. I wish you well on your writing craft dive!

@@createwithmer you are awesome, thank you!!

Yes point #1 relates to the second half of the book, just as the rest of the points do as well 👍 In retrospect this point needed more context, but thanks for clarifying!

Hahaha 😂 agreed about flesh being reserved for zombies. I’m on a big sci-fi kick myself right now, and the difference between it and Romantasy is staggering honestly. She spun on her heel is such a classic in YA lol, and I 100% see the lack of appeal since people don’t typically stand there and actually spin on one heel. I agree we could be finding better ways to describe promptly leaving somewhere

I remember you mentioning your Bardsy critique group a while back! Reflecting on it now, I think it was one of the things that motivated me to look for critique partners, so thank you for the inspiration :) It's sooo good for the story to get more eyes on it, even if it's not perfect.

I understand not finding the right critique partner. I feel like you do really need a specific person who understands what you're going for and loves the genre. With this website, since there's so much included in the profile, I feel like matching with others who were the right fit was easy. And they found me actually! Both of them have been incredible. I hope you'll have some more luck finding a good critique partner. And story grid is a good resource, but it makes some things over-complicated. So, I try not to stress about things that seem too rigid in their method and attempt to learn from the principles that seem beneficial to me.

@@createwithmer Thanks for the tip on The StoryGrid. 🙂 Now I'm in my trail and error phase.

I think you're completely right! Exciting was not the best word for what I was trying to describe. I was searching for a word to mean the opposite of "boring," but some better candidates would have been: hooking, interesting, engaging, gripping, intriguing. Basically, the idea of pulling the reader in rather than letter them lose interest. Excitement does go along with the idea of action and a fast pace, and that's not always good (though there is a trend toward having that ALL the time - like Fourth Wing). I have a ton of philosophical and conversational scenes, so mine are definitely not all exciting, but my hope is that they will all be gripping. Thanks for discussing!!

@@createwithmer I understand. It is also quite interesting to think about how the reader perceives the book as opposed to how as a writer we feel about it. Of course, they should not be bored. I am very intrigued about the philosophical scenes. I hope I get to read your story one day :)

They really are! It's so good to have another pair of eyes calling out things I just can't see.

I 100% do too. This scene was already copied in my save-for-later doc lol. I would NEVER delete that scene without a back up. It was too beautiful 😆

I had already copied it into a graveyard for extra scenes, so it's not gone forever. But sadly, it can't stay in the scene. Those cuts are the worst

I love that we're on the same wavelength with bookish opinions xD

Interestingly, Story Grid was designed to be used for editing, regardless of if a draft was discovery written or outlined at the outset. It’s more of an analysis tool of how to edit it into shape after you have the whole thing written. So in that way, it might be applicable to all types of writers. But I do think it’s highly on the analytical side, and some writers might not be into diving this deep into the mechanics, even in editing. My take is that if it helps, great! If not, no need to worry about learning the method. Thanks for watching!

@@createwithmer Thanks for the reply and break down. I've not read it so, I'm entirely in the dark on the title. I'll check it out though; I'm not beyond learning and evolving, especially if it helps our craft! Cheers!

I think this is a case where word specificity is very important for conveying meaning! The phrase that I said right in the beginning of the video (if that's the one you're quoting) was actually, "Regardless of what you think of her politics." This statement means that I'm actively addressing how controversial her opinions are (it's a fact that they do create controversy) and then letting the viewer know I won't be talking about them. So, the wording there was chosen specifically to NOT comment on her politics. If I had said the phrase you quoted "in spite of her views," it would have sounded like giving my own opinion. However, that wasn't quite what I said. Hope this helps to clear up the confusion. I wanted to just focus on her writing for this video :)

I find stuff like this cropping up in my writing all the time because these books are the input I'm getting. It makes sense! What I do is notice if something that I have in my WIP comes up in 2+ other books. If so, I try to change it because it tells me that idea wasn't as original as it could have been. And yes, "flesh" is such a specific, random pet peeve of mine. It's everywhere though lol!

@@createwithmer I think I'm going to try to change the female bully trope or add a twist to it. That might be interesting how it'll work out 🤔 As always great video 👌