Don't eeeeever forget folks... what you read are FINISHED books. Edited and read 50 plus times! Just write your story damn it! And yes! I'm talking to myself!
Seriously. I have been reading Lord of the Rings and I'm overwhelmed by how good his writing is! But Tolkien was a philologist and spent 10 years writing it, on top of being one of the best fantasy authors ever
That helped me out. I recently compared two different books' opening pages to compare the protagonists' voices, rather than the authors' writing style. I was able to understand the contrast, even though both books used 1st person narration.
I know how you feel I’ve written four chapters out of fourteen but I’ve been two days editing the first chapter it just seems like I love it but I want it to be better I’m doing more editing than writing ☹️
@@gabbiecooke2608 Hi Madison! A little tip: Try to entirely write the first draft of these fourteen chapters before editing. I can explain a few good reasons to do so: 1. Even if you're a plotter, there's always going to be some details you'll add while writing the first draft, and you can come back in the editing phase to properly foreshadow them! That'll make your story all tied up and readers will feel rewarded for paying attention and turning the pages. 2. You become a better writer as you write: When you finish the first draft as a whole, you'll be better than when you started, and can easily spot the things you want to change in the editing phase. If you write then edit, write then edit and so on, you'll get stuck on the same chapter forever, because each time you edit you'll have improved a little bit, and will want to change something else upon reading again. If you want to study this more in depth, Jenna Morecci is also a writing youtuber, and she has a good video on editing. Hope I could be of help! :) Ps: Sorry for any grammar mistake. English is my second language
My creative writing teacher once told me that my writing was too flowery to the point that it was annoying. That comment made me hate my writing so much I ended up rethinking every sentence I came up with and just wrote down what I was saying in the most simplistic way. Harsh writing advice, but it was the best writing advice I've ever gotten lol
I LOVE pretty prose. I don't want to write it to impress people and I don't want to write it because I feel like I have to in order to be taken seriously-I simply enjoy crafting beautiful sentences. HOWEVER, when I am writing from the perspective of a character who does not care about eloquence or poetry, I intentionally "dumb it down" or make it simpler. Because portraying a character as they are is so much more important! They don't need big words to get their thoughts across, so there is absolutely no need to write their story like they've swallowed a dictionary. Pretty writing without emotion is just pretty. It doesn't move anyone, and that's what matters. Love the video! Very important advice! 👍
My thoughts exactly! I do it because I love pretty sentences 🥰 but I don’t necessarily expect that when I sit down to read a book. I don’t think one is better than the other, I just love writing it, even if it drives me crazy sometimes 😆
I always wanted to make the reader’s perception of the world and the reading experience itself as beautiful and wonderful as possible with pretty prose but that’s pretty difficult to do and when done wrong it can be pretty cringy.
I know you posted this a year ago but if you still struggle with this my creative writing teacher tells me "don't get it right get it written" and this helps me alot and if you keep editing it will be harder to finish
I like beautiful writing; I find it to be more immersive. There's something about a well written sentence that almost tastes good. That being said, I've definitely enjoyed things that were written more simply as well.
People don't have a clue what I mean when I say I can taste a story, or I want to write words that make my taste buds flutter. I feel like I finally am seen just through your use of the word taste.
I'm starting a Creative Writing degree in September & I soooo needed this video. If I get a 1st at the end of my degree, I won't just be thanking my lecturers, I'll also be thanking you as I've been binge-watching your videos since the start of the pandemic. Much love from the UK!!!
Hey I’m close go starting college and got very curious, what exactly is a degree? I don’t have the same school system you’ve got, but i rlly wanna go to the uk for my studies
@@Fof9892 You study for a set amount of years (usually three) and you get a degree that makes you more credible for work or whtever. Idk how it will be at your college but at mine there's no real learning in the uni u have to find a way to learn on ur own. Its just so that u can get the degree which usually helps students get into work easier. Depends what major you're going for, and good luck in college mate.
I’ve just finished my first year in my creative writing degree. I’m absolutely lovin’ it. It is so nice to be with like-minded people. I have learnt so much within such a short time.
I love the idea of raw, simple writing that makes me feel something; or makes me take a second thought about a scene or situation. Thank you, pretty lady!
I never heard that window analogy and it is an amazing way to put it. I definitely prefer to feel something. I get very tired from trying to "climb over the words into the scene"
I really appreciate it when one, simple sentence can reach into my soul and plant itself there and draw out emotions I can't even explain. Now that is impressive.
Awesome video! So true! We gotta be real with ourselves. Write the story inside of you, and when it comes out, people will see the passion you have behind it, they will feel the depth of the story. But don't try to make your story perfect for everyone, because if you do, you'll feel like a failure.
You're like my writing coach, Abbie. And this video saved me from a lot of negativity today. I love it so much. I can't thank you enough. Because I needed it ☺
Comparing ourselves to other writers is going to be the downfall of us. It can be great to learn from those you admire but readers come FOR YOU, not for the other writers so you should show them who you are and your story in the most authentic way possible. Love this Abbie! Thanks for always making videos we didn't know we needed!
I'm a huge fan of both flowery and straightforward prose! I prefer a mix of both in every book, of course... Flowery, descriptive prose highlight dramatic moments, and straightforward prose work well for the mundane. But I also love the converse: an intentionally pain-staking over-description of the ordinary - and when something Incredible/Horrific/Beatific/Cataclysmic or otherwise awe-inspiring happens, and is described in just three simple words...
Woah 😳 this advice hit me so hard. I've always loved creative writing, but everytime I've tried really getting into it (drafting a decent manuscript, creating a writing life, etc) I've found the excitement sputters out and leaves me only drained. Why? I've never been able to figure out how I could end up hating something I loved, but it's because my goal when I got serious was to craft something "beautiful." Ooof. Thank you! Sometimes a lil tough love is what it takes.
I'm editing my first novel (yay!) and this is exactly the video I needed! I caught myself being overly flowery with my words, and obscuring the actual content in an attempt to be a ~good writer~. The point about "who are you trying to impress" hit really hard, definitely something I'm going to be keeping in mind as I continue forward!! :)
I’ve been writing almost every day for the last year. The good news for anyone that writes, is that our beautifully designed supercomputer, automatically will make us a better writer, just from using it. I’m so much better than I was before, it’s wonderful. Thanks Abbie, for all your advice, I now have a novel that matters and is fun to read.
YES! thanks you abbie. I was reading my favorite books because I literally forgot how to write. (Thanks prose) I found the simple writing was the one that got me hooked and made me read it over and over. I CAN WRITE AGAIN!!!!
Somewhat related, but that is why I love John Mayer’s FIRST album (Room for Squares). He did that so well with all those songs. He didn’t get flowery with anything. He just used every day, common language to paint pictures in your mind that you just felt. Like there’s a line in “83” where he’s talking about revisiting his childhood home and he says “You can paint that house a rainbow of colors, rip out the floorboards, replace the shutters but, that’s my plastic in the dirt.” I felt that.
I’d love to do a period piece sometime. A flowery literary fiction that baffled people, however, I myself have more fun writing easy-to-read fantasy and science fiction. Almost every book has its place 😊
I was a complete bobblehead through this entire vid. SO much good stuff, Abbie! I am with you on keeping it as simple as possible to evoke the most emotion. Great advise (side note: glad to see you didn’t give your jacket away, lol - love your style 💜 #LinenEverything)
I completely agree! I mean, Harry Potter is the most popular series ever and it's not known for its wonderful prose but it's compelling story and characters. That being said, good prose guided by a solid story is one of the things I love most about writing and reading. Works by Cicero, Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Odyssey, Shakespeare, and Lord of the Rings have left me gushing many times at the prose which so perfectly crafts the tone of the story. Of course, the stories here are also incredible and I wouldn't be interested in the prose alone! One thing Brandon Sanderson said was that his first drafts are all about making a good story to make sure it works, then he makes it sound better later. I think this is a great way to do it. Story/characters first, prose later.
I don't tend to like very flowery prose, but I feel like where I live, the "trend" is to write as plainly (as in no frills) as possible, and I think that can get boring as well as there isn't so much personality in that. But I do like when I can say a lot with a few words. My main concern when writing is being repetitive.
Is it bad if my writing isn’t ‘pretty’? Like I don’t even try to make it that way, my vocabulary is limited and I know it but idc, I don’t want to be a writer, I just want to tell a story.
I guess my fear is that if someone doesn’t know what a word means, to the point where they need to look it up (or they do it even out of curiosity), it breaks their trance and detaches them from the story. That’s a genuine fear of mine, because frankly if that happens enough to a reader, then I bet they will lose interest in the book.
@@jackgaffney8468 I think if it came off pretentious, your fear in your last comment is valid. But remember that reading is how many people, especially those who don't have other opportunities to do so, develop good vocabularies. So I think purposefully "dumbing down" your work because you believe that a) your readers won't understand the words or b) your readers don't want to learn new words or c) your readers will be annoyed overall by new words does a great disservice to your potential readers. ETA: That said, if you naturally write simply, or prefer to, that's not a problem. But be careful about making assumptions about what your readers are or aren't willing to do/accept in terms of vocabulary, and making decisions based on those assumptions. It's definitely possible to have a range of vocabulary levels within a work and not come off as pretentious/forced.
@@Kailandra29 I fully agree with that. I love learning new words through books, even if I have to stop and Google what they mean. In fact, I have a list of new and unusual words that I would like to remember and use in the future. These are currently the words I have: Guffaw Mirth Swindle Ire Bursar Tablature Luster frivolous Mallow Expunged Vice Warren Thoroughfare Atrium Frenetic Dilapidated Sedition Effulgent Pompous
Yay! Your advice is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you Abbie, for your quality packed videos! I learned so much from your channel! I agree! Simple yet precise prose is amazing! Thanks to you, I made my writing more impactful than flowery!
I didn’t know prose was a thing until people talked about it in a GC. It was a struggle to find my writing style and hard to compare. So true, Abbie. A lot of my writing style change i noticed with different books of mine. It’s a little different.
I've been binging all your videos, Abbie, and they are helping me SO MUCH. This one made me realize I was trying to make my stories sound good instead of get my readers to feel for the characters. Thank you so much!
i always write what i feel, i dont care about the writing and then i go back and i perfect it! you shoukd step into the story and you cant do that if you are distracted with the word you should use
I think I'm more of a raw writer, but sometimes get caught in the trap of thinking I"m not writing beautiful enough prose. I'm on my first draft of a novel and have to keep reminding myself to just write. I've written about 100K words and have done most of it pantsing. It has given me a clearer insight into my character's POV. Thanks for all the great advice, Abbie!
The best example of a writer with not as ostentatious writing as others yet still being good is Brandon Sanderson's writing , his writing is loved for the plot , characters , world building imo he is the best writer of our time putting out bangers after bangers.
My favorite quote about writing is, "Plot is a verb! If it is not moving your story is dead." Also, Dean Koontz says writing is, "Action, action, action." Flowery and long-wided prose slows things down.
Oh... I've just begun to watch it but spending 40 minutes on a sentence already sounds way too familiar to me!!! Abbie, thank you sooo much for this video; it's pure gold!
I’m not a native English speaker, but I loved writing and illustrating for my books as a teenager and didn’t care about how my English sounded when writing. But now I’ve become so self conscious about my writing because I’ve been reading books with such wonderful descriptions and wow words, and I love them a lot but I’m sad that I can’t write like that. It just sounds so boring and plain compared to the books I read, but hopefully I’ll get over that and my writers block
Hey Abbie! I've been re-reading my writing over and over again waiting to find that one thing wrong. This video was a life saver and very helpful! Thank you so much for making this, I needed to be personally attacked for my weird sounding prologue
This totally makes sense! I enjoy dramatic writing (that's just my style, I suppose) but words are the lens that readers see the world through a character's mind, so it's more important to make sure it sounds like a character than be pretty. Great video, Abbie! 😃
I spend so much time trying to think up clever, pretty ways to say stuff that I actually don't end up with ANYTHING on the page. I find the only time I can get anything decent done is when I'm being raw and unchecked, so this lines up with me nicely.
Honestly, I don’t write more than I used to. I take care of myself more than I used to 😊 Impressing? Career? Nah nah, I just want to share the stories I’ve had ever since I played with toys as a kid XD
This is exactly what i’m dealing with right now 🥺 i’ve been trying to write in a way that would appease others because of how critical I am about my writing style
You hit on the head. I read other people’s writing until I feel diminished. I when I force myself it gets wordy and tedious, not only to write but to read😩
I just discovered your channel. I did a youtube search for how to write flashbacks and your video came up. I have to say my writing is getting better thanks to channels like yours.
I've struggled with comparing myself to other writers, and for a while, I thought the constant loop of hating my writing and trying to change it to be more like someone else's was. . . . well. . . normal. But I think the biggest hurdle in a writer's life--in fact, probably their career--is coming to terms that they won't have a perfect book, won't have a perfect story. Do I like that? No, absolutely not. No one does. But our writing is like a fingerprint. Different and unique in so many ways, and that's OKAY! Abbie, thank you so much for braving the waters and giving us this *harsh* writing advance. You really are a star 🌟
Loved the video! Totally agree with the clear window metaphor, personally I have struggled for years with the ideia that my writing should be “pretty” and have felt really bad when it sounded “simple”. It was only after I read King’s “On writing” where he talks about writing a book in 3 months (and his books are huuuge) that it hit me: I bet that he is not obsessing over pretty prose when he is writing, he’s just doing it! And that honestly freed me in so many ways! ✨✨
I strongly agree, achieving that emotional oomf in a story is why I love writing them so much. The first short story I wrote has an ending that people said was really emotionally resonant. I think I'm already on good terms with myself when it comes to worrying about impressing others. It's still interesting to watch ur videos as it helps me remember what matters most, thank you for all these videos they helped me a lot.
This is some of the best writing advice I've heard lately. I've been through the whole trying hard to be a fancy writer and in the end, what I'm writing stops making sense, and I wonder if anyone reading it won't understand what is going on. I end up re-writing it in a more practical way. I also agree with the notion that the POV character at that time should probably dictate how things are worded. Thank you!
thank you for this! i tend to overwrite and immerse myself with beautiful words and sentences that i forget about how my readers will feel. this realization hits so hard. i might edit them all once im finished with the second draft ( im halfway through )
From my experience when I read a new book I sometimes don't like the writing style but after 40+ pages I am in the story and if the author makes me feel what the character is feeling, I don't mind the writing style in the end. What stays with me is the great story I've witnessed and that I was a part of.
Thanks Abbie for stopping me before I start, lol seriously though, thanks! Great videos! It is so true that the most beautiful part about writing (any kind) is making your readers care, and making them feel things.
I just started writing my first fiction novel and I'm not feeling the pressure to be anyone or knock anything out of the park. I'm just writing because I'm inspired and I'm having fun!
You have helped me so much!! I love that you tell it how it is. I came across you about a month ago, and since then I have written my first chapter. The first chapter on the book that has been an idea in my head for 5 years. You are very clear with what you say which makes it so easy to learn from you. Thank you!
This is exactly what I needed to hear today. My WIP is embellished and fictionalized account of my grandmothers childhood in the early 1900s in central Texas. I currently belong to a small critique group who meets online and I have been given lots of wonderful insight and direction from their experience. It’s only natural for all of us to compare what we write to other people that we admire but it really does get down to telling our story with emotion and feeling. I am struggling on a chapter about Thanksgiving and I woke up this morning wanting to take out the bits and pieces of that story that make a difference and exclude the rest. It doesn’t need to be about Thanksgiving. It needs to be about her world at that time that included a Thanksgiving meal. Thank you so much for your wonderful insight as always. You always seem to have the right thing to say when all of us need that information.
i keep on procrastinating because i think my writing is sooo juvenile. i am addicted to beautiful prose because i wanna win an award (Pulitzer to be specific) hahaha
This is amazing advice. I feel like my writting is so elementary compared to other authors. It's that imposter syndrom feeling. But, like most things you must keep practicing your craft and the rest will fall into place. I think this video gave me alot to think about. The old saying less is more. I think that is the case with a lot of heavy scenes in movies, where there is a big reveal and then the other participants say one word responses. That one word, usually contains so much meaning. I love your channel and am binge watching all your videos! :)
During this video novel Flowers for Algernon instantly came to my mind. I remember how much trouble i had to get past first half of the book, but I never felt more emotionaly invested into fiction THAT much. And I cried like baby at the end. So yeah, I would say that Flowers for Algernon definitely proves your point and you are absolutely right. It's still hard to ignore that reflex trying to make every damn sentence beautiful and perfect though. My daily strugle xD
Thank you! I was thinking about this since I started writing and you just clarified my same position. I actually hate to read poetic prose and prefer a clear story with simple writing that goes to the point, and that’s also my style of writing. Thank you for this video 💖 you’re the best!
Me the whole video: "YASS GIRL YASS!" Couldn't agree more on ALL THE THINGS! I enjoy pretty prose sometimes, but honestly, I gravitate more towards prose that is clear while telling a good story.
I needed this episode. I’m writing an adult romance and I was comparing my writing to some of NY times bestsellers. I need to chill and just write-my way.
I needed this video so much! I want to write because I love to do it but I’ve been comparing myself so much to other people that I’ve come to hate my writing and It’s like I’m paralyzed and cannot write at all. This video was godsend, thank you!
There's a quote about the movie Amadeus that I think it relevant here: "Salieri wanted to be a great composer, but Mozart wanted to make music"
Nailed it
I really, really needed to hear that: thanks so much!🥰
Don't eeeeever forget folks... what you read are FINISHED books. Edited and read 50 plus times! Just write your story damn it! And yes! I'm talking to myself!
Seriously. I have been reading Lord of the Rings and I'm overwhelmed by how good his writing is! But Tolkien was a philologist and spent 10 years writing it, on top of being one of the best fantasy authors ever
EXACTLY!!!
Loved this 😂
You're right though. I don't think prose should be pretty so much as memorable.
😊😊😊😊😊😊@@mathlaaalbarwani6601
"I don't want the readers to hear my voice. I want them to hear my characters' voice"
Thank you!!!
That helped me out. I recently compared two different books' opening pages to compare the protagonists' voices, rather than the authors' writing style. I was able to understand the contrast, even though both books used 1st person narration.
I have the overwhelming pressure to make every sentence pretty and purposeful... this is the perfect video for me-
I know how you feel I’ve written four chapters out of fourteen but I’ve been two days editing the first chapter it just seems like I love it but I want it to be better I’m doing more editing than writing ☹️
@@gabbiecooke2608 yeah... it isn't easy! i hope you get through the drafts. four chapters is great progress though!
@@amitamridha6036 thank you so much 😊
That's a beautiful (and handy) thinking. Thank you for sharing it! :)
@@gabbiecooke2608 Hi Madison! A little tip: Try to entirely write the first draft of these fourteen chapters before editing. I can explain a few good reasons to do so:
1. Even if you're a plotter, there's always going to be some details you'll add while writing the first draft, and you can come back in the editing phase to properly foreshadow them! That'll make your story all tied up and readers will feel rewarded for paying attention and turning the pages.
2. You become a better writer as you write: When you finish the first draft as a whole, you'll be better than when you started, and can easily spot the things you want to change in the editing phase. If you write then edit, write then edit and so on, you'll get stuck on the same chapter forever, because each time you edit you'll have improved a little bit, and will want to change something else upon reading again.
If you want to study this more in depth, Jenna Morecci is also a writing youtuber, and she has a good video on editing.
Hope I could be of help! :)
Ps: Sorry for any grammar mistake. English is my second language
My creative writing teacher once told me that my writing was too flowery to the point that it was annoying. That comment made me hate my writing so much I ended up rethinking every sentence I came up with and just wrote down what I was saying in the most simplistic way. Harsh writing advice, but it was the best writing advice I've ever gotten lol
Maybe you should try poetry
SAME! Minus the annoying part. Lol.
There's nothing wrong with flowery prose per se, but it can feel like too much if it's... Well, too much.
Everyone starts out overdoing it.
I will. Are we still discussing other BOOKS?
I didn't ask to be attacked personally...but I needed to be 😌
😂
Lmao yess
Lol
I LOVE pretty prose. I don't want to write it to impress people and I don't want to write it because I feel like I have to in order to be taken seriously-I simply enjoy crafting beautiful sentences. HOWEVER, when I am writing from the perspective of a character who does not care about eloquence or poetry, I intentionally "dumb it down" or make it simpler. Because portraying a character as they are is so much more important! They don't need big words to get their thoughts across, so there is absolutely no need to write their story like they've swallowed a dictionary. Pretty writing without emotion is just pretty. It doesn't move anyone, and that's what matters.
Love the video! Very important advice! 👍
My thoughts exactly! I do it because I love pretty sentences 🥰 but I don’t necessarily expect that when I sit down to read a book. I don’t think one is better than the other, I just love writing it, even if it drives me crazy sometimes 😆
Same, it feels so satisfying reading the sentences I craft in this way.
Same!
I always wanted to make the reader’s perception of the world and the reading experience itself as beautiful and wonderful as possible with pretty prose but that’s pretty difficult to do and when done wrong it can be pretty cringy.
I came here because I was feeling discouraged about my writing being too childish, and I'm leaving encouraged. You're amazing
I felt the same. Discouraged and saw no improvement. I’m happy there are people helping writers for free
Me trying to make my writing perfect, pressured, frustrated: 🥺📝
Abbie: *posts*
Me: ❤👁👄👁📝
I know you posted this a year ago but if you still struggle with this my creative writing teacher tells me "don't get it right get it written" and this helps me alot and if you keep editing it will be harder to finish
Abbie - STOP trying to impress somebody who doesn't care!
Me - :0
best part of the video by far
same😭🤣
I like beautiful writing; I find it to be more immersive. There's something about a well written sentence that almost tastes good. That being said, I've definitely enjoyed things that were written more simply as well.
People don't have a clue what I mean when I say I can taste a story, or I want to write words that make my taste buds flutter. I feel like I finally am seen just through your use of the word taste.
Sometimes the most simplistic sentence is beautiful and captivating.
I'm starting a Creative Writing degree in September & I soooo needed this video. If I get a 1st at the end of my degree, I won't just be thanking my lecturers, I'll also be thanking you as I've been binge-watching your videos since the start of the pandemic. Much love from the UK!!!
Hey I’m close go starting college and got very curious, what exactly is a degree? I don’t have the same school system you’ve got, but i rlly wanna go to the uk for my studies
@@Fof9892 You study for a set amount of years (usually three) and you get a degree that makes you more credible for work or whtever. Idk how it will be at your college but at mine there's no real learning in the uni u have to find a way to learn on ur own. Its just so that u can get the degree which usually helps students get into work easier. Depends what major you're going for, and good luck in college mate.
@@thebobman1834 gee thanks! Strangely more helpful than what google told me
I’ve just finished my first year in my creative writing degree. I’m absolutely lovin’ it. It is so nice to be with like-minded people. I have learnt so much within such a short time.
I love the idea of raw, simple writing that makes me feel something; or makes me take a second thought about a scene or situation. Thank you, pretty lady!
My thoughts exactly
I never heard that window analogy and it is an amazing way to put it. I definitely prefer to feel something. I get very tired from trying to "climb over the words into the scene"
Oh my goodness, the thing she said about Writers voice being flexible to the characters??? MIND BLOWN THAT IS SO TRUE
I really appreciate it when one, simple sentence can reach into my soul and plant itself there and draw out emotions I can't even explain. Now that is impressive.
Awesome video! So true! We gotta be real with ourselves. Write the story inside of you, and when it comes out, people will see the passion you have behind it, they will feel the depth of the story. But don't try to make your story perfect for everyone, because if you do, you'll feel like a failure.
You're like my writing coach, Abbie. And this video saved me from a lot of negativity today. I love it so much. I can't thank you enough. Because I needed it ☺
your introduction rlly describes how i am. LIKE LITERALLY MY CURRENT CONDITION FOR THE PAST 3 MOTNHS 😭 I feel like giving up, writing is so hard..
I’ve just sit down for my writing and check UA-cam for fast motivation and it showed me this new video posted two minutes ago! That’s awesome!❤️
Comparing ourselves to other writers is going to be the downfall of us. It can be great to learn from those you admire but readers come FOR YOU, not for the other writers so you should show them who you are and your story in the most authentic way possible.
Love this Abbie! Thanks for always making videos we didn't know we needed!
I feel like being hit by a huge thunder right now *weeping
Thanks Abbie for this video.. definitely a wake up call that I need..
What I love the most about your videos is that it feels like you know exactly what goes on in my mind
I'm a huge fan of both flowery and straightforward prose! I prefer a mix of both in every book, of course... Flowery, descriptive prose highlight dramatic moments, and straightforward prose work well for the mundane. But I also love the converse: an intentionally pain-staking over-description of the ordinary - and when something Incredible/Horrific/Beatific/Cataclysmic or otherwise awe-inspiring happens, and is described in just three simple words...
Woah 😳 this advice hit me so hard. I've always loved creative writing, but everytime I've tried really getting into it (drafting a decent manuscript, creating a writing life, etc) I've found the excitement sputters out and leaves me only drained. Why? I've never been able to figure out how I could end up hating something I loved, but it's because my goal when I got serious was to craft something "beautiful." Ooof. Thank you! Sometimes a lil tough love is what it takes.
I'm editing my first novel (yay!) and this is exactly the video I needed! I caught myself being overly flowery with my words, and obscuring the actual content in an attempt to be a ~good writer~. The point about "who are you trying to impress" hit really hard, definitely something I'm going to be keeping in mind as I continue forward!! :)
I’ve been writing almost every day for the last year. The good news for anyone that writes, is that our beautifully designed supercomputer, automatically will make us a better writer, just from using it. I’m so much better than I was before, it’s wonderful. Thanks Abbie, for all your advice, I now have a novel that matters and is fun to read.
YES! thanks you abbie. I was reading my favorite books because I literally forgot how to write. (Thanks prose) I found the simple writing was the one that got me hooked and made me read it over and over. I CAN WRITE AGAIN!!!!
Somewhat related, but that is why I love John Mayer’s FIRST album (Room for Squares). He did that so well with all those songs. He didn’t get flowery with anything. He just used every day, common language to paint pictures in your mind that you just felt. Like there’s a line in “83” where he’s talking about revisiting his childhood home and he says “You can paint that house a rainbow of colors, rip out the floorboards, replace the shutters but, that’s my plastic in the dirt.” I felt that.
I just got nostalgia so hard reading this comment. Great album.
I’d love to do a period piece sometime. A flowery literary fiction that baffled people, however, I myself have more fun writing easy-to-read fantasy and science fiction. Almost every book has its place 😊
I was a complete bobblehead through this entire vid. SO much good stuff, Abbie! I am with you on keeping it as simple as possible to evoke the most emotion. Great advise (side note: glad to see you didn’t give your jacket away, lol - love your style 💜 #LinenEverything)
I completely agree! I mean, Harry Potter is the most popular series ever and it's not known for its wonderful prose but it's compelling story and characters.
That being said, good prose guided by a solid story is one of the things I love most about writing and reading. Works by Cicero, Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Odyssey, Shakespeare, and Lord of the Rings have left me gushing many times at the prose which so perfectly crafts the tone of the story. Of course, the stories here are also incredible and I wouldn't be interested in the prose alone!
One thing Brandon Sanderson said was that his first drafts are all about making a good story to make sure it works, then he makes it sound better later. I think this is a great way to do it. Story/characters first, prose later.
the way i dropped everything once the notification popped up 😅
Same lmao
I REALLY needed to hear this. Thank you for this brain slap, Abbie!
As a writer who is super critical of themselves in not just writing but all aspects of life, this rlly helped me 😭 Thx abbie
I don't tend to like very flowery prose, but I feel like where I live, the "trend" is to write as plainly (as in no frills) as possible, and I think that can get boring as well as there isn't so much personality in that. But I do like when I can say a lot with a few words. My main concern when writing is being repetitive.
Is it bad if my writing isn’t ‘pretty’? Like I don’t even try to make it that way, my vocabulary is limited and I know it but idc, I don’t want to be a writer, I just want to tell a story.
Me too bro, All I want to tell this world is my story, not how it is written
I guess my fear is that if someone doesn’t know what a word means, to the point where they need to look it up (or they do it even out of curiosity), it breaks their trance and detaches them from the story. That’s a genuine fear of mine, because frankly if that happens enough to a reader, then I bet they will lose interest in the book.
@@jackgaffney8468 I think if it came off pretentious, your fear in your last comment is valid.
But remember that reading is how many people, especially those who don't have other opportunities to do so, develop good vocabularies. So I think purposefully "dumbing down" your work because you believe that a) your readers won't understand the words or b) your readers don't want to learn new words or c) your readers will be annoyed overall by new words does a great disservice to your potential readers.
ETA: That said, if you naturally write simply, or prefer to, that's not a problem. But be careful about making assumptions about what your readers are or aren't willing to do/accept in terms of vocabulary, and making decisions based on those assumptions. It's definitely possible to have a range of vocabulary levels within a work and not come off as pretentious/forced.
@@Kailandra29 I fully agree with that. I love learning new words through books, even if I have to stop and Google what they mean. In fact, I have a list of new and unusual words that I would like to remember and use in the future.
These are currently the words I have: Guffaw
Mirth
Swindle
Ire
Bursar
Tablature
Luster
frivolous
Mallow
Expunged
Vice
Warren
Thoroughfare
Atrium
Frenetic
Dilapidated
Sedition
Effulgent
Pompous
Yay! Your advice is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you Abbie, for your quality packed videos! I learned so much from your channel! I agree! Simple yet precise prose is amazing! Thanks to you, I made my writing more impactful than flowery!
I didn’t know prose was a thing until people talked about it in a GC. It was a struggle to find my writing style and hard to compare. So true, Abbie. A lot of my writing style change i noticed with different books of mine. It’s a little different.
I've been binging all your videos, Abbie, and they are helping me SO MUCH. This one made me realize I was trying to make my stories sound good instead of get my readers to feel for the characters. Thank you so much!
i always write what i feel, i dont care about the writing and then i go back and i perfect it! you shoukd step into the story and you cant do that if you are distracted with the word you should use
I think I'm more of a raw writer, but sometimes get caught in the trap of thinking I"m not writing beautiful enough prose. I'm on my first draft of a novel and have to keep reminding myself to just write. I've written about 100K words and have done most of it pantsing. It has given me a clearer insight into my character's POV. Thanks for all the great advice, Abbie!
The best example of a writer with not as ostentatious writing as others yet still being good is Brandon Sanderson's writing , his writing is loved for the plot , characters , world building imo he is the best writer of our time putting out bangers after bangers.
My favorite quote about writing is, "Plot is a verb! If it is not moving your story is dead." Also, Dean Koontz says writing is, "Action, action, action." Flowery and long-wided prose slows things down.
Writing help me for fighting my lonilesness. I write because it fulfills my emotional side which I needed from someone else 🙏🏾
Oh... I've just begun to watch it but spending 40 minutes on a sentence already sounds way too familiar to me!!! Abbie, thank you sooo much for this video; it's pure gold!
I’m not a native English speaker, but I loved writing and illustrating for my books as a teenager and didn’t care about how my English sounded when writing. But now I’ve become so self conscious about my writing because I’ve been reading books with such wonderful descriptions and wow words, and I love them a lot but I’m sad that I can’t write like that. It just sounds so boring and plain compared to the books I read, but hopefully I’ll get over that and my writers block
This came out at the right timing, thank you!
Hey Abbie! I've been re-reading my writing over and over again waiting to find that one thing wrong. This video was a life saver and very helpful! Thank you so much for making this, I needed to be personally attacked for my weird sounding prologue
This totally makes sense! I enjoy dramatic writing (that's just my style, I suppose) but words are the lens that readers see the world through a character's mind, so it's more important to make sure it sounds like a character than be pretty.
Great video, Abbie! 😃
I spend so much time trying to think up clever, pretty ways to say stuff that I actually don't end up with ANYTHING on the page. I find the only time I can get anything decent done is when I'm being raw and unchecked, so this lines up with me nicely.
In addition to make readers "feel", it is also important to provoke their "thinking", add a new perspective to their point of view
Honestly, I don’t write more than I used to. I take care of myself more than I used to 😊
Impressing? Career? Nah nah, I just want to share the stories I’ve had ever since I played with toys as a kid XD
Love this! The pressure to create something others would appreciate has kept me back for almost a decade.
This is exactly what i’m dealing with right now 🥺 i’ve been trying to write in a way that would appease others because of how critical I am about my writing style
You hit on the head. I read other people’s writing until I feel diminished. I when I force myself it gets wordy and tedious, not only to write but to read😩
I just discovered your channel. I did a youtube search for how to write flashbacks and your video came up. I have to say my writing is getting better thanks to channels like yours.
It's an amazing video! Many writers need to hear this more. Keep it up, Abbie!
I’ve recently thought that I’m not enough as a writer but now that I’ve seen this, I’ve realized that I’m much better than I thought
You were able to capture what I see so often in many young authors today. Thank you for mentioning this. They need to hear this.
I've struggled with comparing myself to other writers, and for a while, I thought the constant loop of hating my writing and trying to change it to be more like someone else's was. . . . well. . . normal.
But I think the biggest hurdle in a writer's life--in fact, probably their career--is coming to terms that they won't have a perfect book, won't have a perfect story.
Do I like that? No, absolutely not. No one does.
But our writing is like a fingerprint. Different and unique in so many ways, and that's OKAY!
Abbie, thank you so much for braving the waters and giving us this *harsh* writing advance. You really are a star 🌟
Loved the video! Totally agree with the clear window metaphor, personally I have struggled for years with the ideia that my writing should be “pretty” and have felt really bad when it sounded “simple”.
It was only after I read King’s “On writing” where he talks about writing a book in 3 months (and his books are huuuge) that it hit me: I bet that he is not obsessing over pretty prose when he is writing, he’s just doing it! And that honestly freed me in so many ways! ✨✨
I strongly agree, achieving that emotional oomf in a story is why I love writing them so much. The first short story I wrote has an ending that people said was really emotionally resonant. I think I'm already on good terms with myself when it comes to worrying about impressing others. It's still interesting to watch ur videos as it helps me remember what matters most, thank you for all these videos they helped me a lot.
This is some of the best writing advice I've heard lately. I've been through the whole trying hard to be a fancy writer and in the end, what I'm writing stops making sense, and I wonder if anyone reading it won't understand what is going on. I end up re-writing it in a more practical way. I also agree with the notion that the POV character at that time should probably dictate how things are worded.
Thank you!
Spot on, Abbie! Your view of "writing style" is exactly what I've found--it changes based on the MC.
I was always scared of writing but now I can’t stop all thanks to Abbie
That's great to hear! ☺
Abbie you are the best. Your videos keep correcting my perspective
Raw, simple writing works for me. That’s my style too! Thanks Abbie for this amazing video❤
thank you for this! i tend to overwrite and immerse myself with beautiful words and sentences that i forget about how my readers will feel. this realization hits so hard. i might edit them all once im finished with the second draft ( im halfway through )
Happy Wednesday!!
From my experience when I read a new book I sometimes don't like the writing style but after 40+ pages I am in the story and if the author makes me feel what the character is feeling, I don't mind the writing style in the end. What stays with me is the great story I've witnessed and that I was a part of.
honestly, I was returning to my second draft, and this video was perfect for me. I feel the advice here was 100% obtainable and vital.
I just wanted to tell you how much you've helped me improve my writing over a few months, Thank you so much Abbie
I'll probably rewatch this video dozens of times, it was so encouraging to hear
Thanks Abbie for stopping me before I start, lol
seriously though, thanks! Great videos! It is so true that the most beautiful part about writing (any kind) is making your readers care, and making them feel things.
I love your positivity and the energy you bring ❤️❤️
The "Shatter Me" series has most exaggerated prose and metaphors but they're so beautiful to me as well 🌺
baahahaa omg not even a minute into it and already feeling like I need to take some serious notes :D thanks Abbie !
I just started writing my first fiction novel and I'm not feeling the pressure to be anyone or knock anything out of the park. I'm just writing because I'm inspired and I'm having fun!
Your first words hit me so hard. I was like that once, I still kinda am, but I'm getting better.
You have helped me so much!! I love that you tell it how it is. I came across you about a month ago, and since then I have written my first chapter. The first chapter on the book that has been an idea in my head for 5 years. You are very clear with what you say which makes it so easy to learn from you. Thank you!
This is exactly what I needed to hear today. My WIP is embellished and fictionalized account of my grandmothers childhood in the early 1900s in central Texas. I currently belong to a small critique group who meets online and I have been given lots of wonderful insight and direction from their experience. It’s only natural for all of us to compare what we write to other people that we admire but it really does get down to telling our story with emotion and feeling. I am struggling on a chapter about Thanksgiving and I woke up this morning wanting to take out the bits and pieces of that story that make a difference and exclude the rest. It doesn’t need to be about Thanksgiving. It needs to be about her world at that time that included a Thanksgiving meal. Thank you so much for your wonderful insight as always. You always seem to have the right thing to say when all of us need that information.
I enjoy doing simple prose most of the time, then getting poetic or flowery whenever there's a swell of emotions or magic involved.
i keep on procrastinating because i think my writing is sooo juvenile. i am addicted to beautiful prose because i wanna win an award (Pulitzer to be specific) hahaha
I always look forward to Wednesdays! This is SO GOOD. Thanks for this video Abbie
This is amazing advice. I feel like my writting is so elementary compared to other authors. It's that imposter syndrom feeling. But, like most things you must keep practicing your craft and the rest will fall into place. I think this video gave me alot to think about. The old saying less is more. I think that is the case with a lot of heavy scenes in movies, where there is a big reveal and then the other participants say one word responses. That one word, usually contains so much meaning. I love your channel and am binge watching all your videos! :)
So to summarize: It's generally best to make your characters sound like real people. Is this correct?
I’m always frustrated to make my novel perfect and this help me to just not write like other Authors
During this video novel Flowers for Algernon instantly came to my mind. I remember how much trouble i had to get past first half of the book, but I never felt more emotionaly invested into fiction THAT much. And I cried like baby at the end. So yeah, I would say that Flowers for Algernon definitely proves your point and you are absolutely right.
It's still hard to ignore that reflex trying to make every damn sentence beautiful and perfect though. My daily strugle xD
I think you once said this Abbie,
'Your writing is either great or is making you great.'
That alone has been my amour to keep writing since then
Simply put: Your readers want the story, not the pretty prose. Every single word you write should ultimately contribute to the story.
I always want my readers and myself to feel something when writing. I want to be a good writer these days but I also wanna make people connect deeply.
Thank you! I was thinking about this since I started writing and you just clarified my same position. I actually hate to read poetic prose and prefer a clear story with simple writing that goes to the point, and that’s also my style of writing. Thank you for this video 💖 you’re the best!
Me the whole video: "YASS GIRL YASS!" Couldn't agree more on ALL THE THINGS! I enjoy pretty prose sometimes, but honestly, I gravitate more towards prose that is clear while telling a good story.
First drafty is always raw. Any pretty prose only comes during revision and editing when I've lived with the story a while.
just wanna say, i love u. u gave me so much confidence right now.
I love this video! I can't believe I am just now finding your channel!
I needed this episode. I’m writing an adult romance and I was comparing my writing to some of NY times bestsellers. I need to chill and just write-my way.
I needed this video so much! I want to write because I love to do it but I’ve been comparing myself so much to other people that I’ve come to hate my writing and It’s like I’m paralyzed and cannot write at all. This video was godsend, thank you!
I totally get where you're coming from. Believe me, you're not alone on this. I also know you can overcome it. Just don't be too hard on yourself ☺
@@MG.dreamgirl thank you so much ♥️
❤