Start Writing TODAY for Beginners
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- FREE WRITING INSPIRATION: tinyurl.com/4z7mee38
If you're brand new to writing, this video has everything you need to finally get going.
I've given you solutions to the 5 most likely things that hold back new writers, as well as 3 tactical exercises to get you writing once and for all.
I'm Kieren, I'm a writer and freelance editor and I love helping writers to tell their stories, and have fun doing it.
Timestamps:
0:00 What this video is about
0:39 Mental Barriers & Writing Myths
8:15 Exercise One
13:28 Exercise Two
19:28 Exercise Three
25:18 Wrap Up and Final Motivation
MY EDITING SERVICE: www.kierenwestwood.com/editing
MY NOVELLA IN FLASH - GOLD FURY:
US link: www.amazon.com/dp/B093MKXBY5
UK link: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B093MKXBY5
MY NOVEL - PROJECT VENTUS:
a.co/d/2aV4pOB
MY WEBSITE: www.kierenwestwood.com/
Writing is my passion, and I love to support other writers and help them develop their writing along with me. I want to help you tell your best stories. If you'd like to be a part of that, consider hitting the subscribe button! Thanks for watching!
ALL THE MUSIC I USE FOR MY VIDEOS: share.epidemicsound.com/027qfv
Some of the links above are affiliate links. This means that, at zero cost to you, I will earn an affiliate commission if you click through the link and finalize a purchase.
FREE MAILING LIST: tinyurl.com/4z7mee38
My problem is I flipflop from thinking I'm trash to the best author who ever lived
Haha I feel like that too and it’s entirely random!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting Part of the process
Unfortunately, that's pretty common. Hopefully knowing that makes the lows easier to bear.
That's pretty normal.
So your protagonist is bi polar 1?
Today I’m stopping at a Dunkin Donuts on the way home from work to work on my writing because for the last two days I’ve come straight home and got on the TikTok. I don’t need to be on the TikTok. I need to write. I’m putting myself in a public place to work, so I won’t get on TikTok. 😂
I know the feeling! When I'm working I have to put my phone across the room so I won't pick it up. What have they done to our minds?! But.....cat videos....
@@KierenWestwoodWriting it was a success, although I ended up stopping at the library instead of Dunkin.
I used to write every day for years, but inner critic kinda kicked my butt. This really helped me write again. Thank you so much!!!
Really glad it could help ☺️ thanks for watching!
I always appreciate how supportive and positive and encouraging you are with yourself and other writers. Too many of us take up writing with dollar signs and movie contracts clouding our vision. That's the Hollywood-ized version of what a writer's life should be like, but it's 100% NOT reality. When reality finally does sink in, we think we failed, and we get discouraged. Media makes it it hard for us to shatter that initial disillusionment, but we MUST do it!
Absolutely, that's definitely the angle I want to come at it from. There's lots of writing advice out there, but not nearly enough encouragement!
Reading plays helps with dialogue patterns and pacing. I acted and directed for many years, which is why I prefer to write dialogue rather than setting descriptions! :)
I can definitely see that being useful!
I followed the 3 exercises. The third one is the hardest.. After these exercises, I wrote a short story with 1510 words. So I was able to write a total of close to 2000 words today. The last time I wrote a short story was 3 weeks ago. Thank you. You are very inspiring and motivating.
That’s a great result! ☺️
The timing of this video is insane. Just when I was thinking of giving up the idea of writing a story before I could even start, thinking I was too incompetent. I'm actually impressed with the dialogue I wrote in those exercises. All what I had to do is break the ice and put my ideas on paper regardless. This video allowed me to do that. Thank yo so much ✨It was really helpful.
That's great! It's encouraging to know that the exercises help. I really do think there's some secret power in breaking the ice and getting words down.
Thanks for letting me know this helped, I'm really glad it did.
Time’s gonna pass anyway is the greatest advice, especially for creative endeavors. I’ve heard that years ago and started writing. I don’t feel daunted nor pressured whenever I’m writing after that.
Hello Kieron - my name is also Ciaran, and I’ve had my story idea in my head for years now. I have only JUST started writing it out after thinking about the world, plot, ideas etc for years.
My problem is I have ADHD and dyslexia so I have the creativity in my head but since I was a little kid I have really struggled putting brain to paper and I have been using AI to help me sculpt the words, sentences and grammar.
It’s helped me massively and hopefully one day many years from now I will click publish
Thank you for your videos.
Thanks for being here, fellow Ciaran! Glad the channel could be useful for you. I'm glad you've found a method that works for you, that's a side of AI I'd never really considered before. You've opened my eyes a bit there.
Watched this due to my growing addiction to "You can do the thing!" videos I've been watching to try to get through some mental blocks and debilitating anxiety.
I admit, I am only passingly interested in writing, and my interest is more because of.. how wordy I can't help but make things. If I could apply it creatively, maybe I'd do some impressive things. Really, I just like the idea of artistic expression and thought writing might be a way to get things out if I could get through my mental dam.
But, I find the sentiment this, and the other video you made on the exact same topic years ago, to be one of the best ones I've seen. In that, encouraging is all well and good, but I feel like the idea of "You can't improve on nothing" is something I really needed to hear, and haven't seen before in these videos. Writing is especially bad about it, because yours is the 4th "how to write" channel, and the others were all more "how to make writing ideas" and "don't do this thing that annoys me that other writers do" marketed on UA-cam as "how to write".
Not sure if I'll apply this to writing or not; I'm isolated enough that I am unsure how people interact in general, which really gives me some mixed feelings on the idea of me trying to depict anything. But I am definitely applying the sentiment that connected so strongly to me on my other hobbies.
Thank you! Even if it's not strictly your type of thing, I appreciate the insight.
Exercise 2 was a very interesting conversation between invincible and Paul atreides
Absolutely love your videos. You are the only writing advice channel I have come across that seems to be rooted in truth. There are no strict rules, just suggestions. Keep it up, you deserve whatever success comes your way.
Thank you so much! I definitely just want to suggest, and not dictate. I can't tell someone else's story, but if I can help them to tell it, that's what I want to do.
"I thought I clicked on to a video to learn how to write not for a therapy session"
But, I definitely needed this: "You need to be kind to yourself"
Thank you for this. I've published three novels, but haven't written with any consistency or even dedication for a good number of years. I've been trying to slowly get back on the horse this year, mostly with essays and the like, but honestly, I want to get back to fiction. This was a perfect exercise to loosen a few of those muscles. I'll keep it handy for days where the words, the self-talk, and the motivation are all in battle with one another.
Thanks for watching! That's exactly what it takes sometimes, loosening the muscles and making a start. Glad it could be helpful ☺️
The first thing you write will be garbage. But write that garbage story, finish it & then you will be a step further down the line than you were before you started it. I've gone back & read things I wrote 30 years ago, & thought--Oh, what was I doing there? Read more, & expand your reading horizon. Step by step you will learn the craft. Start with just writing one good sentence. Then, expand that to a paragraph. You're on your way.
Absolutely!
I like how you incorporated the timings into the video. I think the hardest thing is when you start and have a blank page and unlimited time to write anything, it's just too easy to get distracted. But when you have only 3 min and a clear instruction, you start to think it's not so hard after all!
Will definitely use this video to practice some writing 😊
Thanks! It's a strange thing, but you're right. Having that limitation I think pushes my perfectionism away a little bit and subsequently leads to getting something down quicker.
I love how you answer comment Thanks, it feels like i have a teacher right here
The algorithm blessed me today!
This wasn’t a video that I was searching for however, I’ve been recently clicking on a lot of ambient music playlists for writing so it makes sense that the algorithm sent me this direction.
Immediate sub! I love the positivity and the encouragement
Thanks for subscribing ☺️
Maybe the algorithm connected it because I said something about ambient music playing during the exercises?
Whatever the case, glad you’re here! Welcome!
I've been in the doldrums for a while now, so it's refreshing to hear some positivity for a change. Great presentation, Kieren. Nice one.
Thanks for watching! Hopefully it'll pass for you soon.
1) get laptop 2) go to starbucks 3) sit at starbucks while writing so people can see you writing. Then you are an official novelist. :P
Being witnessed makes all the difference 😂
Indeed. Public areas are great places to flesh out fictional characters through people watching. Just try not to come across as a weirdo. 😂
I have to tell you - I have watched A LOT of these writing advice videos. You're one of the best, hands down. Thank you.
All the videos I have watched so far (from different channels)on writing, this one is the best…. Thank u for sharing 😊
Thanks so much!
Wow!!! i absolutely loved the video, the "try now" exercise sessions in between were not expected but they were absolutely helpful in challenging yourself as a new writer.
At first I frowned upon them and thought with my eyes up in the back of my head .... "oh here we go" then after the first 2 tries, I decided ... why not?
I didn't get very far, didn't complete the entire paragraph but 3 sentences later I actually saw a paragraph for my book begin to come to life. I loved it and the self challenge made me see that there is an opportunity brewing. Now the challenge for me is, staying focused on that one paragraph at a time and not moving ahead of myself, Organizing my thoughts and consistency. Thanks again, "new subscriber"
Glad it was helpful! Thanks for sticking with it :)
Awesome video!!! A bright lighthouse for new and old writers alike
Thanks so much 🥰
warmed up with a daydream of being at the coast,all the feels of wind and water!
2nd exrcise interesting, but the third! I came out with a short horror story incident. Didn't expect that! thanks for the prompts.
That’s great! Glad it could bring something out!
This was really helpful for improving my mindset. I get in my own head quite badly avoiding the start of the process, but these simole little exercises felt really good for just getting my mind to let go and just try.
Thank you for this.
A lot of us thoughtful writer types get in our own way I think, I'm the same.
Sometimes just taking over and pushing through can get the ball rolling, I'm glad it was helpful!
Thank you, Kieren.
Thanks a lot for such inspiring words. Lot of stories come to my mind but I never write them down because I think grammar is weak, sentence structure is not correct and so on. But now I will write for myself.
Thanks for the video. Of all the videos I have ever watched, yours is the only one that helped me to follow through with the exercises. I appreciate that you wrote along with us, and the music also helped. Thanks a million. I just found your video and I just had to subscribe.
Thanks so much! I'm really glad it helped. I'm going to make more videos like this for sure.
Thanks for this video. It's exactly what I needed. I've struggled with writing prompts and the advice to "Just write". Your exercises are great. I hope you give us more.
Thank you! I will do ☺️
I followed along all three exercises, and it was a lot of fun! I didn't even feel like I made any significant progress with anything I've been stuck on with my current novel, but I didn't care, I just had fun writing.
Great! Sometimes it's good to remind ourselves that it's supposed to be fun I think. A lot of work, yeah, but not always.
Thank you so much for this!!! It really helped. Until now, I didn't realize how much my expectations were interfering with my writing process (constant search for better words on Chatgpt, the mental analysis of balancing imagery and dialogue ). You probably know the rest. More of these videos, please (if possible).
It’s a mental game, it really is. I was hoping these exercises might be some kind of bypass for that, just to get things moving ☺️
I loved this video. Thank you!
Thank you very much for these exercises, they are really helpful!
Thank you so much for this video.
It's the first time that I have found someone so encouraging.
Those three exercises were brilliant and it was easy for me to complete them.
Looking forward to hearing more from you and will be listening to the other content of your UA-cam audios.
Thanks for your time and interest!
This was just what I needed thank you so much !❤
This was really helpful. Thank you!
I was literally opening up Word to write as you began talking about pausing to free write. We’re in sync dude!
Ayyy! Great minds!
I want to finally write a book because I enjoy creating stories. Some of the stories I want to write are adventures that I wish I had in table top RPGs, but didn't have the opportunity due to sometimes not having a group to play with, and when I did, the kinds of stories I wanted to play in and the mood of the game were not what the GM or players were creating so I just want to create my own stories that I have control over what happens in the plot and what kinds of characters are the story.
That's one of the best things about writing I think, you can tell yourself stories that you want to read that don't exist yet!
You're video editing skills are on fire, man! I love this channel, keep it up and keep writing!
Thanks mate! Appreciate you sticking with me :)
The dialogue that I came up with is between Andrew Medicine from a recent novel that I read and Severus Snape from Harry Potter. They had a weird conversation about the day when Snape was killed.
The opening paragraph was also pretty weird. It was about two people, one named Daisy and the other Jase. They are brother and sister, and they had a conversation about their friends, revels.
Thank you for this challenge!
Best regards from an Ukrainian!
Although this is not my first accomplished book, my third btw, I still had a lot of fun.
Thanks for your video
I appreciate your walking us thru some writing basics
Excellent video
Thanks for another excellent class on the basics of writing
A massive help! Thank you.
I'm glad! Thanks for giving it a go :)
Thank you sir. Your videos are really helpful for teens.
Was kind of looking and very much hoping for some outer element to help walk me out of my head, which is in a very tough place at the moment, and you showed up in my internet rambling’s. Your approach is lovely and has actually got me writing. Thanks!!
Sometimes all it takes is that nudge from something outside of our own thought processes. Glad I could help! :)
I needed this today. Cheers!
Thanks for watching :)
Your video on micro fiction was hugely helpful for me.
Great! I might try another video on that soon.
14:47 well, that was a good meeting between Jon Snow and Naruto Uzumaki 😂
Is it likely…maybe not, but was it interesting to write? Hopefully yeah! ☺️
@@KierenWestwoodWriting not just interesting but, also productive ( loved it ) ❤️... That was really good excercise 👍 ( Hope we get more videos on writing excercise)
I can definitely look into doing that!
@@vaibhavgore165well mine was Naruto and Harry Potter
Thank you.
I just subscribed. This was great. I haven't started the exercises but I'd really like to carve out a little bit of time to write fiction sometimes and just let myself have fun with it and maybe I'll get somewhere eventually. :) one of my bucket list goals is to write a dream novel with certain representation in it.
I’ve been following your channel for a bit even though I don’t write but have wanted to for a long time. I’m 40 now and I feel like this video has finally given me permission to try. I’ve always wanted to attempt writing a story but have never had the confidence. I’m not interested in getting published I just like the idea of being able to articulate my thoughts and of seeing something through to the end.
Taking the time to write with a pen and paper helps me slow my thoughts down and not be so anxious about everything. Thank you for the writing exercises. It was oddly comforting being able to keep the video running while you did them as well.
That sounds like a great reason to write, a direct link to something that will feed your soul. That's why I do it too really, and lately because the more I write, the more I find out about the craft that I want to share with other writers.
Publishing and all that stuff is a very distant concern and I find that quite freeing.
I'm really glad the exercises worked a bit for you, I was hoping they'd in some way take the edge of for folks trying to get the ball rolling.
Thanks for watching and taking part!
I feel good.
Thank you, this was such a beautiful video! The exercises are super fun to follow along, no matter the result :) And to anyone reading this, there is no need to criticize yourself. Love yourself, encourage yourself and treat yourself the best, not just while writing but in life. Embrace yourself for who you are, cherish what you created and there will be progress. Enjoy the journey :)
Perfect! Exactly :)
This video is great. I did all three exercises and I was surprised with what I got down. I found the dialogue exercise the most challenging. Thanks for this.
Thank you! ☺️
Thanks so much, I just recently (like within the last week) decided to go all in with taking my writing seriously and this video helped me to tell my inner critic to shut up lol. Also, I loved the exercises and the part where you mentioned that you didn't need to know everything to get started, like grammar and how to develop a plot or characters, those were the main issues holding me back.
I’m really glad it could help a bit! It’s natural to feel stuck by all of that stuff, but just writing something is often the best way to make progress, the rest of it can come later ☺️
Loved this, far from beginner but nice to just sit write and listen. Great job!
Definitely :) It's mad how three minutes can feel a lot different in something like this, to scrolling on your phone. It's almost worth doing just for a few moments of peace! :D
Thank you
Great video. I wish I’d had a guide like this one when I first started out writing at 15.
But I don’t regret it. 😊
Me too really, I realized a while ago that telling people to 'just get started' wasn't all that helpful, hopefully this is!
Thank you for this. I've wanted to write a book since I was a kid. My favorite genres and fantasy and military science fiction. I wrote a lot when I was younger, but stopped when I started a family and later, a career. Now, at 46, I think I'm ready to pick up the pen (or keyboard) and try again. I did all three exercises, and that is the first creative writing I've done in a long time. It felt really good to write again. I have a lot of self help books on how to write, but this is the first time I've actually put free writing into practice. I am going to try and make it a daily habit, and see what happens.
Good luck and have fun with it!
Thank you. I've been struggling with my inner critic and I just felt like I didn't knew enough to write a story. These exercises really helped me lower the stakes to something more reasonable.
Sometimes it’s just a matter of shaking that stuff off, but it’s easier said than done!
The constant fear in the back of my head is that whatever I write isn’t original. Everything has been done before and thinking my version of it could be as good than what’s already out there is absurd. 😔
I can understand that, I've felt like that too, but you're not considering something really important...
You! The unique part of what you write comes from you.
There may be many similar stories out there, art influences art, and stories influence stories, we can't help that. Things will echo each other, but the writer is what makes the difference.
There's a 0% chance that you've got nothing of value to add to the world. It's impossible. You'll write a story in a way that nobody else will. If you can learn to love that about yourself and to lean into your style and the personality of your work, that's where you'll start to flourish.
You don't have to change the world, or write the best story ever for it to have value.
Be your own best ally, support yourself and your writing will flourish.
You can do it, and if you can't do it today, comeback tomorrow and the next day and you'll get there!
Appreciate this video, I’ve been wanting to try my hand at this for a while but never put a ton into, I’m early retired and have a lot of time for new things, so I’m going to at least try this. 3 min typing anything like “ all work & no play make jack a dull boy” ha ha just kidding…thx again very fun helpful video. 🤓💗✌🏼
9:06......I'm pleased to see free writing is the first exercise you suggest. Its absolutely invaluable I find. I do however approach it a little differently. When I write whatever I want, I do so using my already established characters. I'll put them somewhere, it can be two of the senior members of the group, having a random conversation about a particular event in X country, or the intended plan to make a move to install a more favourable regime in Y region etc - all in the comfy surroundings of a private members club haha.
It might be one of the analysts working on a particular assignment, and I'll use the opportunity to just dig into the characters mind and let them speak to me. Its undoubtedly one of the best ways I have found to flesh out my characters and create something much more real. Even my main antagonist to my novel, he's not a cardboard cutout. I've delved into him deeply, given him a legitimate grievance and fleshed him out - dare I say I might have put a bit more work into developing him than my actual main character.
Free writing is one of the best things a writer can do, and for me it even works well to plant the seeds for future novels I intend to write with the same characters. At the risk of rambling further, I'll stop here :D
That sounds like a great idea for a regular exercise. I hadn't thought of doing that, but I can imagine it's really helpful if you're in a rut too?
@@KierenWestwoodWriting Yeah it can - I think on some subconscious level, I always have some idea of what I want to play with narrative wise. As I say, I've had a few instances where its actually led to something much bigger that has blossomed into an idea for other books with the same characters. I find it helps prevent my writing from getting rusty/stale also. I used to struggle with long procrastination periods where I would literally go several months and only have half a chapter written. It then becomes counter productive because as a writer you KNOW you're supposed to be writing, but then you fear the quality of what you are going to write so you procrastinate even more and avoid the issue. THIS then bleeds into mentally beating yourself up for the aforementioned lack of action and it just becomes a cycle of procrastination and self irritation haha!
I'm fortunate to have a work from home job at the moment, so if work isn't too busy I can write too which is a huge plus. Last night I couldn't sleep and my sleeping pattern was all to pot. I ended up finally just getting up close to 4am, putting on a fresh cup of coffee and sitting down at my keyboard. A couple of hours later I had just over 800 words written - yes not a lot but progress is progress. I'v since done a bit more writing today, time allowing, and I'm feeling good :)
Thank you very much, dude! I've been thinking to start writing for years and I've been watching videos about writing and story every day these last few weeks, I've even read Stephen King's book On Writing during this time but I've never actually started putting words on the page untill this very video.
The hardest part for me, I feel, is coming up with something to say, especially an idea 'worth' saying, that's what probably freezes me the most. Paradoxically on the last exercise I've encounter the least difficulty on that front.
That's always a hard part I think. It tends to help me if I remember that I can find that 'meaning' and that thing that's worth saying along the way. It doesn't have to be all figured out upfront. Sometimes you don't know what you want to say until you start. Also, some stories are just stories and they're fun or they're sad or they're exciting and that's all, and that's fine too!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting I see, thanks again, this video has been really helpful!
Thank you so much for these amazing videos. I have been writing for a little over 3 years, have finally completed my first manuscript and am working on a line edit before sending to beta readers. The sentence level edit is really hard and of late when I reread or edit my work, it feels like I’ve written a big pile of horse poop 💩 and it will never be good enough. But your words of encouragement have made me feel much better. Your videos give people hope, so thank you so much 😃
I know that feeling! It's crazy how you can feel so differently about your own work depending on exactly when you read it, too. It's very inconsistent for me. Just got to roll with it I suppose!
your video did help alot, so thankyou for that. also this is what I wrote for the last exercise.
mark sits in his chair, looking at the exam papers he was feeling down after the morniing roll call but he was not letting that get to him. A phone rings and the teacher in a condesending yet calm tone ask whos phone is that. Mark feels a pit in his stomach as he knows that it is his and that it will be confiscated. A whole lot of thoughs rushed into his head as he thinks of how to handle this situation. situation.
there are typos there are grammar mistakes but it still feels good to be able to just write for once
I don't like routine writing. I write down ideas, scenes and concepts anytime. As long as I have something to write. It's a hobby so i want no obligations.
Makes total sense. It's art and expression and creativity. I get that!
For the second exercise, I wrote a conversation between Tyrion Lannister and Kaladin from the Stormlight Archive. I'd never have thought to write something like that without your prompt, but was pleasantly surprised by the amount of things they could talk about.
I feel like if there was a flagon of wine around Tyrion could find something to talk about with anybody! ☺️
@@KierenWestwoodWriting True! To hear himself talk if nothing else 😂.
Absolutely! He drinks, and he knows things, and he talks himself right into, and out of trouble!
Thank you for making this video! I tend to become very absorbed in trying to make what I'm writing about sound finalized, or close to it, so I end up spending too much time working out the minor details instead of just writing. This video has helped push me to just write down the ideas without worrying too much about how I want every moment to come across. Example: It's very easy for me to get caught up with writing things like "he inquired," or "she cried out in exasperation." If these things come to mind, great. But I have a nasty habit of actively trying to come up with those statements after a character's dialogue, which kills my progress. So I'm just going to start writing "he said" just so I can move on with the story.
Also, subconsciously trying to make things overly wordy for a first draft. That's a thing with me too. 😅
I can understand those things popping up, it’s really hard to engage your creative mind when you’re writing but at the same time also limit it and stop it running away with things!
Thanks Kieren. I recently found your channel and have been mining it for inspiration and information. I've found it to be one of the best of the crowd of writing channels out there.
Anyhoo. Here are my efforts; I thoroughly enjoyed completing them. I hope others also share.
Exercise 1.
I don’t know why he always has to meet at these places. It's 3am and cold. I stamp my feet and rub my hands together to stop them from freezing. He said he’d be here at 2:30 but he’s already thirty minutes late. I pull out a cigarette and pause looking at the sky in a moment of stillness. “Fuck, look at those stars.” Then I feel very small in a very large universe. I guess me killing someone doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in the big scheme of things. Headlights crest the ridge of the road leading to the station platform, the light reflecting off frost on the road.
Exercise 2.
Gavin from the Lola Quartet by Emily St. John Mandel
Case from Neuromancer by William Gibson
“Have you ever lost anything?” said Gavin.
“What do you mean?”
“You know. lost something that you now miss, and wish you still had it.”
“Yeah.”
“Me too.”
“Okay. What? You obviously want me to ask you what.” said Case, eyeballing Gavin.
“Well, I lost a whole girl and her baby. I was a fucking idiot. But I let them go.”
Case snorts.
“What. That’s not tragic enough for you?”
“No. Not really. I once lost a girl and humanity's future.”
“Oh. Yeah. That’s probably a little worse. Sorry man.
” “Shut the fuck up and buy me another drink.”
“Two again thanks bartender.” said Gavin, raising a hand.
“Oh and some dex as well.”
Exercise 3.
It’s like the island is sinking. They keep building the walls higher. With them, the sea also rises. I imagine that the city, and the island it’s built on is sinking. It’s easier to believe that it’s just this place that’s going to end up be sucked into an abyss, flooded by the unending sea beyond, than to accept that it is the whole world. Humanity, art, all the great things that mankind has achieved will be gone. No more rockets launching to worlds far above and way beyond, or someone's creative spark bringing into existence some great work of art
Thanks so much!
These are great I think! Your result on the first exercise especially is impressively coherent. I ended up with nonsense when I filmed this!
How did you like The Lola Quartet? I'm a fan of Emily St John Mandel, though I find there's a bit of a difference in style between her stuff pre-Station Eleven.
@@KierenWestwoodWriting Thanks Kieren! I found out about her from you. I started with station eleven after you highlighted her use of a “flash forward.” I’ve bought all of her books, except for the first, and they are lined up to be read. I tend to buy second hand where I can, but I am finding it hard to find a decently priced copy. I found the Lola Quartet to be a bit of a master class in how to engage a reader who needs to know more. Not a lot happens, but it’s so well written and hooks you with a few details and unanswered questions right from the start that your along for the whole ride. Thanks for all your uploads.
My problem when it comes to writing is the framework, so I won't get distracted because I already had a few blogs and have a lot of patience when writing but I don't know how to stop writing and I always end up with too long articles that are just painful to read. 😅
I'm not an absolute beginner writer but a beginner none-the-less. I still followed along and did the exercises but I couldn't help adding inner thoughts and action to the dialogue.
That’s good! If it comes to you, get it down, no need to limit yourself if more comes to you ☺️
i did write...thank you
I have an easier time writing out descriptions than dialogue since i mostly think in images. But it was kinda fun and surreal writing an interaction between Charlie Bucket and BSD Dazai Osamu😂 not my best work but its a start
My brain wanted me to stop. But I refused to stop until I finished.
Writing the paragraph was pretty easy
That's good! Getting started is often the hardest part. Once you've got something, it's much easier to make it into something better if needs be.
I have a hard time putting it in words...I have everything from the idea..the storyline.., the theme..plot.., and points for every chapter...but the reason I'm still stuck from the start of my book is to create the sentence of word.
I can understand that! I think the big picture stuff like the overall story is often the most important thing to sort out though.
It's much easier to change the sentence-by-sentence wording of your story once it's written, it's not quite as easy to change the story and the plot points.
I'd say, try not to worry too much about the line-by-line stuff, just stick to your plan and make progress, without any expectation of it being good from the off.
By the time you get to the end, you'll have learned and progressed, and you'll find that when you look at the start of the story, you'll be able to make it better.
Bit by bit, inch by inch of progress, that's what writing is all about, in my opinion.
It doesn't have to be good the first time, it just has to exist so you can make it better!
wish i had help with writing mine
3 minutes I got... 93 words of nonsense that was oddly deep at the same time 😂
2nd exercise - 122 words and omg, I want to turn that into something. I used the MC from jthe book i'm writing (my first novel) that i'm 40k of the way into and the creature from Frankenstein because Frankenstein is my favorite book. 🥺
3rd exercise - well I wrote a paragraph, and it's coherent.... It's weird though lol. It ended up turning into a one paragraph horror story. 104 words.
It was a bit easier than I thought to get something out, even if it's weird and nonsensical. I could totally edit these into something using this as inspiration though. Something that makes a little more sense lol.
That's great! Exactly what I was hoping would happen really, just getting the ball rolling on something. If it turns into something, fantastic, if not, it's a little writing practice that wouldn't have happened otherwise.
I like to write too. My hero however is not an author, it's actually a song writer, Jon Bon Jovi. In my opinion, no one can put words together like him. I have written something that I have saved on my pc. My self-esteem is what kills me. It's so bad that I don't even call what I do "stories". Usually, I don't even call my stuff writing. When I talk to my gf about it, I call it creating a new project. Using words like "write, writing, story or stories" makes me feel like I'm insulting the writing community. My gf has so much schooling and reading for work that I don't like to ask her to read my projects. I'm also a very private person, I don't know where to find people that can read my stuff and give me their unfiltered opinions.
I get that, there was a time I felt stupid for even trying this. Genuinely though, the only person whose opinion you need to take into account at this stage is your own. If you feel drive to tell stories, you are worth doing that for!
You may find that your harshest critic lives in your own head, mine certainly does, if you can win that voice over, even just a little bit, things get easier.
Write for yourself, first and foremost, tell yourself the stories that come to you and they'll get better!
This guy has the truth for you.
My obstacle, my only obstacle is having to write on a machine that goes online. I have an ongoing hacker problem and I've been hacked while reauthorizing Scrivener and Movie Magic and even Microsoft suite. Adobe hasn't had the chance but I'm expecting it. Security measures and hardware keys do not help. I detest having to use anything online.
That sounds horrible!
I saw a thing the other day about a writing machine/gadget/thing that just connects to your keyboard, and is designed to help make writing distraction-free. I think there was an option to write onto a pen drive or an SD card. As far as I remember that isn't connected to the internet.
I can't seem to find it right now, but I'll post something about it if I do! Maybe there's other things like that out there.
How many things in story need to be included? I always don't know what to perticular thing need to be mark like dialogue, action. I got lot of confusion on it. Make a video on it, i think it'll help others people as well.
Several of the most famous writers just made stuff up. Their own grammar rules, their own concepts, their own play off of tropes.
For sure, there'd be no innovation without that.
@@KierenWestwoodWriting oh, and I forgot. Coining their own words. A typo can easily turn into a thing worth keeping. Great video, bro
Turkce alt yazi ekleyebilir misiniz? Kanaliniz cok guzel
I’m looking at adding better subtitles all around very shortly!
5:33
You look a lot like Jude Law!
I'll take it!
Can I using this technique for something like scriptwriting? For video or youtube?
Sure, if it works for you absolutely. The concept is the same even if the exact form of writing would be different.
My biggest problem is not being able to stick to a subject in a coherrent way. Its tough for me to link subtopics in a way that it continouus.
When it comes to the story, the ideas itself, you need to stop putting in any effort at all.
A story is a puzzle. The ideas you get are puzzle peaces. Over time, you will get more puzzle pieces, and the picture becomes clear.
The problem that 99.9999% of storytellers make is when they get a puzzle peace or two they forge the rest and try to make it fit rather then waitting for a thousand puzzle peaces.
So be patient my friend and wait for the ideas to flow.
Do you have any advice for how to break the ice as an author? I've written a series of children's books. Four of them have won in the Purple Dragonfly Book Awards, which is an international competition. But still no one really knows about my books beyond those who have heard by word of mouth. I've gotten some nice reviews on Reader's Favorite, but unfortunately even though reviewers really enjoyed my books, none of them have bought any.
It’s not my strong point at all I’m afraid. I think there are a lot of issues in the world of book sales and I’ve sort of accepted that, strange as it sounds, actually selling books isn’t likely to be a big part of my writing journey.
I sell a very small handful of copies of the two I have for sale each month, but that’s only because of this channel really.
If you’ve won awards (first of all that’s fantastic, congratulations!) I’d definitely lean into that in your marketing though.
It’s incredibly tough 😕
The thing is I'm not good with the language.. Even if i have a good scene i cannot get the correct words to put it down
I'm not seeing the "Chapters" or timestamps. Am I missing something?
Hi, I found them in the Description (I think that's what it's called - the gray box at the top of the comments) Hope this helps:
Timestamps:
0:00 What this video is about
0:39 Mental Barriers & Writing Myths
8:15 Exercise One
13:28 Exercise Two
19:28 Exercise Three
25:18 Wrap Up and Final Motivation
@@parisgreen4600 Oh wow - you're a champion! Thank you so much 😊☺️
@@dannydreadnought-xk4qx Happy to help 😀
Exercise 2
You were a pompous ass. Elizabeth accused.
Mr. Darcy threw his hand in his hips- You giggled like a child during a ball with prominent guests, such as myself. You thought I could find that behavior attractive?
With your upbringing, yes indeed I do. Elizabeth replied shifting her skirts.
Then you are mistook. Mr Darcy kept his lips parted leaving a smile as an after-beat in Elizabeth’s heart.
That was fun 👍 Edited to say, I’ve been writing for decades. My 4th manuscript just came back from my editor. All of your tips were refreshing. Learning never ends!
I'm really glad it could be useful, even for more experienced folks, thank you!
I definitely agree, there's always more you can learn.
If you are offering FREE writing inspiration, then why is it asking people for their card information? that doesn't seem to me.
What do you mean?! I’m not asking for anyone’s card information!
Dear Kieren I will contact you soon via E-mail thank you so much. regards