1:02 No story structure 4:40 Not editing/revising. 9:20 No confidence. 12:05 No constructive critism / taking it poorly. 14:08 Copying. 19:05 Forcing it. Idea: Try leaving timestamps in the comments or segmenting the video. Much love , stay well ❤
You two are doing good :) About Picasso, look at his early work. He learned the ropes first by copying. He could draw and paint almost photographically. It was kind of like writing fan fiction, learning from the masters. He learned the rules and then when he was good enough, he broke them and painted what he's known for.
The biggest mistake I made as a beginner was: during high school glass had fallen on my head and I received a concussion, I was having trouble staying focused and getting angry all the time one day I just said F**k it and gave up and deleted and threw out everything I had. So now that I’m picking it back up again I wish I would have kept everything so I didnt have to start from scratch
@@StudPuppy947 I felt how much that must of hurt just reading that. I have a 400-500 page document that I just don't have the heart to delete because it it is all my ideas and inspiration and even a bit of a time capsule of how my big series idea I am currently planning came to be. Sometimes writing it down helps you to move on to other stuff but losing it, oof it is like losing a part of your brain. I literally call my document Author Brain because it is just so much, I even have little notes for myself in it XD
Yeah. I also notice when young writers show me their work (I get a lot of short story material) they often think it is unique and the idea is enough to make the story work. But as a much older and more experienced reader I've seen a lot of those ideas worked out before by other writers and it would greatly improve the young writers skill when they read the older material and add elements and a structure to their first idea that make it really standing out. Starting with copying what you like most and then varying and building your own voice is not a bad way to start at all.
The biggest mistake I made with my first book was that I didn't plan *at all.* I didn't have an end goal in mind, and the characters were cardboard cutouts. I was just like "ooh, that's a cute plot bunny. That's a cute character. Let's go write somethingggg! :D" and it ended in disaster when I realized I didn't know where I was going with the story and the whole thing was just rinse-and-repeat and I needed to plan it, lol. To be fair, I was 9 years old and had 0 experience before that point, but yeah, it needed work. XD
I have one book published. It's not a bad story, but I realize my characters are rather shallow, the story is plot driven rather than character driven. I'm starting another story in a different genre, and I'm taking the character creation nice and slow. I hope for this one to be better written.
I have a quote on my bedrooom wall - not in my livingroom cause I find it stressful and relate it to hard work, based on exercising and working there...anyway - "If you get tired, learn to rest. Not to quit." When I need to remember something, I literally put it right in front of me. Right where when my gaze is wondering, it falls there. No I'm not a quitter, but the amount of times I have wanted to in EVERY.SINGLE.THING I do, because I always work hard and always feel like I'm not getting anywhere (I do multiple things, can't do just one). But I still literally have the inability to quit. And I realised recently, through watching Abbie's video about the psychology of decision making, that the reason why I have never been able to is that it is more painful to never succeed than to feel like I'm failing again. And again. And again. And again. And again (I can keep going). Because if I feel like I'm failing, I have to work till I no longer feel that way. If it means hell, then it still doesn't mean I will NEVER succeed. So the quote on my wall is to remind myself to rest - because when I see those words "to quit", I am reminded that it's not what I want and that I can't so there's no point in going through the pain of thinking that I have. I also relate to you Kate, and was so relieved to hear you really don't read fiction because I have so long battled with the idea that you have to be a reader to write. And since you write well, I feel like it affirms to me that I can as well.
pantsing! I wrote 16k words that I ended up deleting because it was both plotless and not really driven by my characters. planning is 150% where it's at.
*yessssssssssss* I relate to this 100% oh my word. Mine was 19k and I plan to keep the general idea, but the actual transcript will never see the light of day in any way, shape, or form, lolol.
You bring up picaso. What needs to be understood about picaso, is that he didn't start his painting career with abstract art. He first got good at the fundamentals of art, and THEN went abstract. The lesson to be learned here, is get good at your craft before you challenge your audience's sensibilities.
This is one of my favorite episodes! I needed this so badly. I’m a prime example of mistake number 6!! I work myself into the ground. I have never had a problem with discipline or checking things off. My problem is almost, in a way, too much discipline. I’m almost overly motivated. And it’s tough because most of the advice out there in the world is for people looking to boost their productivity or get more organized. I don’t know where or how I got this idea in my head that I need to do so much every day otherwise I’m short-changing myself. Thankfully I’ve become aware of my thought patterns, and I’m doing my best to rewire my thinking. You guys couldn’t have said it better when you mentioned that creativity is often influenced by other areas of our lives. Taking care of ourselves isn’t a waste of productivity time, it’s actually the necessary step stool to elevate us even higher. *OK MY TED TALK IS DONE* thank you for another great episode ❤️
I definitely feel the first one in my soul 😂 My story was definitely "just a bunch of cool things happening" and characters just reacting. Finding Abbie's videos definitely helped me with character development and story structure. And now I feel more confident that my story is more solid than it was at the start.
I'm probably one of the few people who prefers editing to writing. I think maybe it's because I struggle with writing without critiquing myself. While I'm writing I'm almost editing as I go which I know is a bit counter-productive but I can't stop the critical thoughts. I hate the feeling of producing something that hasn't been fully thought out so it's really satisfying to just improve something that already exists instead of coming up with something new.
Same! I can't write a first draft without editing what I just wrote atleast 1 time, I know it's counterproductive for a first draft, but can't change it!
Another great video, thank you so much! You are always very informative and encouraging. From the way you listen to each other its clear you have a great bond, makes me miss my own sisters!
Thanks for another uplifting video. I struggled with writing before researching. I wrote a book in a place where I don't live. I wrote, "They travelled North for six days..." "She rode South for two days..." After checking a map, I had to rewrite hundreds of words. Lol. It was a mess!
Great tips. On the last point, I think people are different. There certainly are some people who should not be writing every day and work best only when they're inspired. Other people need structure and their inspiration comes from their discipline, so writing everyday might work for them. Stepehen King says he writes his books in 3 months. Michael Crichton would lock himself in a room until he finished drafting...the point is to KNOW youself and do what works for you.
Thanks. I wrote off the seat of my pants on my first, but that helped me to realize the importance of outlining which helped the writing on the prequel to the first effort.
17:33 you're wrong here, Picasso actually had a great training in classical art. His earlier works show a very good understanding of art principles. He knew the rules before he went to break them and I think that is a better approach.
I would like to know more about your typical writing times. For me, I find it easier to explain my world I am writing like I am explaining it to someone and I wasn't actually writing the story that I would want to publish, more like a very detailed book bible, so I tried to just write one page a day. I got 11,000 words out of it and then my motivation was drying up. It felt like it would take forever to get to the scenes I had been replaying in my mind but if I just jumped to those then I would be back to the explaining it to someone rather than writing from the character's POV. Now I'm kinda stuck cuz I don't want to write if I am so unmotivated but I miss the thrill of writing and don't know how to get a good balance.
I'm on my second book and it's definitely better than the first. The first wasn't structured correctly and wasn't as well written. I would like to revise it and improve it. The second book is way better and I have learned a lot since the first book but I still think there's room for improvement. I would like to be a much better writer and become more polished than I am now.
I'm highly creative. I have yet to commit my stories to paper because my ADD is like an annoying sibling holding their finger dangerously close to my face, whispering " I'm not touching you " then one story bleeds into a second. As a result, outlines are of no use to me. Amy suggestions?
I deleted a full novel I wrote kinda regret it that’s why I’m writing the second draft of my first novel by hand cause I get trigger happy with the delete button on the computer
Yes the liitle women reference love it I don’t know anyone who likes writing as much as me so I was wondering would you consider being my very first ever beta reader after I finish third draft I mean Abby
I think nanowrimo should be for writing fan fiction for a month or just short stories in general cause people get stressed out trying to write a full on novel in a month and maybe there could be prompts for each day
If you just keep practising without learning the technique, whether it's writing or music, eventually you'll start practising your own mistakes. And then they're even harder to unlearn.
Mistake number 8 is trying *too* hard to be "original." Write what you want to write and read. Take inspiration from other things and make it your own, and that does create something new. Picasso himself once said, "Good artists borrow, great artists steal."
It's a little bit too late, but I think that one of the mistakes I make as a begginer writer is letting Artificial Intelligences basically make the whole thing.
I know where to take my story I just hope the meat of the second act doesn’t sound meandering cause it’s about relationships forming through surviving after a war that’s all I’m gonna say about it I hope i didn’t say too much already
1:02 No story structure
4:40 Not editing/revising.
9:20 No confidence.
12:05 No constructive critism / taking it poorly.
14:08 Copying.
19:05 Forcing it.
Idea: Try leaving timestamps in the comments or segmenting the video. Much love , stay well ❤
21:58 Giving up
You missed one
You two are doing good :) About Picasso, look at his early work. He learned the ropes first by copying. He could draw and paint almost photographically. It was kind of like writing fan fiction, learning from the masters. He learned the rules and then when he was good enough, he broke them and painted what he's known for.
Cool! I actually didn't know this about him
The biggest mistake I made as a beginner was: during high school glass had fallen on my head and I received a concussion, I was having trouble staying focused and getting angry all the time one day I just said F**k it and gave up and deleted and threw out everything I had. So now that I’m picking it back up again I wish I would have kept everything so I didnt have to start from scratch
@@StudPuppy947 I felt how much that must of hurt just reading that. I have a 400-500 page document that I just don't have the heart to delete because it it is all my ideas and inspiration and even a bit of a time capsule of how my big series idea I am currently planning came to be. Sometimes writing it down helps you to move on to other stuff but losing it, oof it is like losing a part of your brain. I literally call my document Author Brain because it is just so much, I even have little notes for myself in it XD
@@lovelylost4649 it was definitely tough, but I’m trying to focus on the positives. 400-500 pages is impressive keep up the good work
Yeah. I also notice when young writers show me their work (I get a lot of short story material) they often think it is unique and the idea is enough to make the story work. But as a much older and more experienced reader I've seen a lot of those ideas worked out before by other writers and it would greatly improve the young writers skill when they read the older material and add elements and a structure to their first idea that make it really standing out. Starting with copying what you like most and then varying and building your own voice is not a bad way to start at all.
The biggest mistake I made with my first book was that I didn't plan *at all.* I didn't have an end goal in mind, and the characters were cardboard cutouts. I was just like "ooh, that's a cute plot bunny. That's a cute character. Let's go write somethingggg! :D" and it ended in disaster when I realized I didn't know where I was going with the story and the whole thing was just rinse-and-repeat and I needed to plan it, lol. To be fair, I was 9 years old and had 0 experience before that point, but yeah, it needed work. XD
Are those book published?
@@mx-7i-0n5 no, writing's more of a hobby for me, and one I haven't really visited much lately. My bigger passion lies with music, personally :)
I have one book published. It's not a bad story, but I realize my characters are rather shallow, the story is plot driven rather than character driven. I'm starting another story in a different genre, and I'm taking the character creation nice and slow. I hope for this one to be better written.
Seriously best encouragement and tips out there for writers!
I have a quote on my bedrooom wall - not in my livingroom cause I find it stressful and relate it to hard work, based on exercising and working there...anyway - "If you get tired, learn to rest. Not to quit."
When I need to remember something, I literally put it right in front of me. Right where when my gaze is wondering, it falls there. No I'm not a quitter, but the amount of times I have wanted to in EVERY.SINGLE.THING I do, because I always work hard and always feel like I'm not getting anywhere (I do multiple things, can't do just one). But I still literally have the inability to quit. And I realised recently, through watching Abbie's video about the psychology of decision making, that the reason why I have never been able to is that it is more painful to never succeed than to feel like I'm failing again. And again. And again. And again. And again (I can keep going). Because if I feel like I'm failing, I have to work till I no longer feel that way. If it means hell, then it still doesn't mean I will NEVER succeed. So the quote on my wall is to remind myself to rest - because when I see those words "to quit", I am reminded that it's not what I want and that I can't so there's no point in going through the pain of thinking that I have.
I also relate to you Kate, and was so relieved to hear you really don't read fiction because I have so long battled with the idea that you have to be a reader to write. And since you write well, I feel like it affirms to me that I can as well.
pantsing! I wrote 16k words that I ended up deleting because it was both plotless and not really driven by my characters. planning is 150% where it's at.
*yessssssssssss* I relate to this 100% oh my word. Mine was 19k and I plan to keep the general idea, but the actual transcript will never see the light of day in any way, shape, or form, lolol.
You bring up picaso. What needs to be understood about picaso, is that he didn't start his painting career with abstract art. He first got good at the fundamentals of art, and THEN went abstract. The lesson to be learned here, is get good at your craft before you challenge your audience's sensibilities.
This is one of my favorite episodes! I needed this so badly. I’m a prime example of mistake number 6!! I work myself into the ground. I have never had a problem with discipline or checking things off. My problem is almost, in a way, too much discipline. I’m almost overly motivated. And it’s tough because most of the advice out there in the world is for people looking to boost their productivity or get more organized. I don’t know where or how I got this idea in my head that I need to do so much every day otherwise I’m short-changing myself. Thankfully I’ve become aware of my thought patterns, and I’m doing my best to rewire my thinking. You guys couldn’t have said it better when you mentioned that creativity is often influenced by other areas of our lives. Taking care of ourselves isn’t a waste of productivity time, it’s actually the necessary step stool to elevate us even higher. *OK MY TED TALK IS DONE* thank you for another great episode ❤️
Kate's "Well...whatever!" speaks to my soul! 💜 18:02
Oh, thank you, thank you. I needed to hear this burst of encouragement. You ladies offered great. You are awesome.
Yes! You cannot give to others (or to your work) that which you do not have.
I definitely feel the first one in my soul 😂 My story was definitely "just a bunch of cool things happening" and characters just reacting. Finding Abbie's videos definitely helped me with character development and story structure. And now I feel more confident that my story is more solid than it was at the start.
You two always have the best tips, honestly. The actual motivation is permanent because of the thoughts you two drilled in my head.
Same here! They taught me everything I know about writing!
I'm probably one of the few people who prefers editing to writing. I think maybe it's because I struggle with writing without critiquing myself. While I'm writing I'm almost editing as I go which I know is a bit counter-productive but I can't stop the critical thoughts. I hate the feeling of producing something that hasn't been fully thought out so it's really satisfying to just improve something that already exists instead of coming up with something new.
Same! I can't write a first draft without editing what I just wrote atleast 1 time, I know it's counterproductive for a first draft, but can't change it!
I edit as I write also, and then I edit more after I'm done writing. There's no such thing as a first draft for me
Another great video, thank you so much! You are always very informative and encouraging. From the way you listen to each other its clear you have a great bond, makes me miss my own sisters!
Girls im really enjoying this podcasts, you are not only my writing teacher, but my english teacher too
Much needed, thank you both!
Amazing video as always! I love listening to your podcasts as I write!
This is great 👍 thanks about writing every day. I find its necessary to back off sometimes and let thoughts marinate.
Thanks for another uplifting video. I struggled with writing before researching. I wrote a book in a place where I don't live. I wrote, "They travelled North for six days..." "She rode South for two days..." After checking a map, I had to rewrite hundreds of words. Lol. It was a mess!
Thanks needed to hear this today ❤️
24:23 thru 24:53 😂😂😂 had me rolling!
You two are 💙 awesome 💙 also love your content!
Great tips. On the last point, I think people are different. There certainly are some people who should not be writing every day and work best only when they're inspired. Other people need structure and their inspiration comes from their discipline, so writing everyday might work for them. Stepehen King says he writes his books in 3 months. Michael Crichton would lock himself in a room until he finished drafting...the point is to KNOW youself and do what works for you.
Nailed me on #6
Thank you so much!
Listening to these while doing math homework is so relaxing! You guys are awesome!
Thanks. I wrote off the seat of my pants on my first, but that helped me to realize the importance of outlining which helped the writing on the prequel to the first effort.
Can’t edit a blank page. Even if it’s not good. You can still make it better.
5:49 😂 Kate and cooking. 🙏 Unbreakable bond
I've been following Abbie for a year but just followed Kate's Instagram link and wow! More amazing stuff!!!
17:33 you're wrong here, Picasso actually had a great training in classical art. His earlier works show a very good understanding of art principles. He knew the rules before he went to break them and I think that is a better approach.
I would like to know more about your typical writing times. For me, I find it easier to explain my world I am writing like I am explaining it to someone and I wasn't actually writing the story that I would want to publish, more like a very detailed book bible, so I tried to just write one page a day. I got 11,000 words out of it and then my motivation was drying up. It felt like it would take forever to get to the scenes I had been replaying in my mind but if I just jumped to those then I would be back to the explaining it to someone rather than writing from the character's POV. Now I'm kinda stuck cuz I don't want to write if I am so unmotivated but I miss the thrill of writing and don't know how to get a good balance.
I'm on my second book and it's definitely better than the first. The first wasn't structured correctly and wasn't as well written. I would like to revise it and improve it. The second book is way better and I have learned a lot since the first book but I still think there's room for improvement. I would like to be a much better writer and become more polished than I am now.
I think it would be amazing to see you two watch Avatar the Last Airbender & the She-Ra reboot. Both excellent character driven stories
I'm highly creative. I have yet to commit my stories to paper because my ADD is like an annoying sibling holding their finger dangerously close to my face, whispering " I'm not touching you " then one story bleeds into a second. As a result, outlines are of no use to me.
Amy suggestions?
I deleted a full novel I wrote kinda regret it that’s why I’m writing the second draft of my first novel by hand cause I get trigger happy with the delete button on the computer
Yes the liitle women reference love it I don’t know anyone who likes writing as much as me so I was wondering would you consider being my very first ever beta reader after I finish third draft I mean Abby
I kinda know what i want to edit about my novel it’s mainly the pacing and having more of an outline for the third draft
I think nanowrimo should be for writing fan fiction for a month or just short stories in general cause people get stressed out trying to write a full on novel in a month and maybe there could be prompts for each day
I need a writing partner. A good conversational type to intrigue my mind
"Good artists borrow. Great artists steal." - Pablo Picasso
You guys are the sweetest girls on youtube
💜
If you just keep practising without learning the technique, whether it's writing or music, eventually you'll start practising your own mistakes. And then they're even harder to unlearn.
Mistake number 8 is trying *too* hard to be "original." Write what you want to write and read. Take inspiration from other things and make it your own, and that does create something new.
Picasso himself once said, "Good artists borrow, great artists steal."
So wise😯
It's a little bit too late, but I think that one of the mistakes I make as a begginer writer is letting Artificial Intelligences basically make the whole thing.
I know where to take my story I just hope the meat of the second act doesn’t sound meandering cause it’s about relationships forming through surviving after a war that’s all I’m gonna say about it I hope i didn’t say too much already
i. keep a diary
The most bad thing to criticism is when nobody cares to say anything at all?
JOURNEY is the most overused and annoying word ever!!
Editing seems bottomless.
Ok thanks Charlotte Brontë.
I didn't you and Abbie are sisters! @K.A Emmons