I rewrite things in my head while I'm reading if it's a book I'm not engrossed in. It makes reading less enjoyable in some ways but it helps me edit my own work.
‘You’re always gonna think you’re garbage.” Alexa, please try not to be subtle with your thoughts. Some of us need to be slapped in the face with the hard truth. ;)
I've definitely started noticing story structure and the like more in the stories I read and watch ever since becoming a writer. It hasn't ruined anything for me, though? Like, if the story is really well done, I may think about the technical stuff later (really good memory here, so I won't forget it) and meanwhile I just turn the inner editor off and let myself enjoy it. It's become apparent that that's not something everyone can do, but I'm sure glad I can. :)
reading like a writer can ruin movies too. i was so pissed off watching "Aquaman". Took a long bathroom break, went to get food, and was pissed off more when i got back and the movie was still going. smh. the actors and cgi folks deserved a better movie. sorry for the rant.
Lmao i had the same exact experience with my whole family, all of us regretted going to the theatres to see it after my friends and everyone online had said how great it was. To make matters worse, when the movie finally came to a close everyone else in the theatre began applauding. It was one of the most isolating experiences I've ever had amongst a group of people.
I definitely recognize beats in television & films, bc they're super locked into formula due to their time limit. In adult fiction, particularly literary fiction, many books don't follow traditional structure and they sometimes suffer from that. However, in genre fiction I sometimes find the beats manipulative or annoying (e.g., when I recognize a char is being introduced to teach the protagonist and then die, or here's the dark night beat where the protag will whine for a few pages that I'm going to skip, etc.). I caution writers about being heavy-handed with story beats. It's often preferable to simply make a decision in the text without showing your protagonist wringing hands and engaging in histrionics about a choice that should be natural based on his/her characterization. I agree about Kindle being cool bc you can notice what % you get bored. I've noticed at 65% or so I'm often bored, so if an author can keep that 'muddled middle' moving, that's a sign of good writing to me
I mapped out the story beats in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse movie because it is one of my absolute favorite animated film, and I wrote down all the times that those beats took place in the film. I was so surprised how short some of the most important parts of the movie were. They made you care about X in the first few minutes of the film, they had so many laughs throughout it, the dark moment is like a punch in the gut and the rise from it is like catharsis. Part of it is the music, the incredible voice acting and animation, but also the writer things like /script/ were really good. Sometimes I like mapping out my favorite books, too, because it helps me see everything laid out in a few pages.
I love analyzing stories, and this channel helps me so much with it. I was reading the beginning of The Way of Kings and was so excited when I noticed the author doing the “save the cat” technique!
Great video. It's so important to read as a writer, in ways such as these. Rereading is invaluable. So many writers think that reading a crazy number of books is what we ought to be doing. In fact, reading critically and attentively is often more advantageous. 😃💝
That's why I don't want to emulate and read like, and write like, and all that stuff like. I don't want stories to become predictable. I don't want my own stories to become predictable. My mind gets easily bored. If something becomes a tight formula, I'm gonna quit. And believe me, I don't wanna quit writing. So I have a dilemma....
i think a good book that addresses this dilemma is "into the woods" by john yorke. it blew my mind especially in how it talks about three-act/five-act structure. if youre worried your writing might be predictable, you might wanna check it out. its one of only two craft books that ever really taught me anything lol
@@Vickynger I'll look for an audiobook version of this. My writing isn't predictable (for now), people keep saying it's intriguing and such, that's the word that keeps popping up in feedback. But, I am maybe too liberal when it comes to craft rules. I have a lot to learn, yet I don't want to learn by copying. I already made that mistake during my singer/musician days and I never found my true voice. I know the consequences, so I don't want to make the same mistake with my writing. Thank you very much for the recommendation, I hope I can find an audiobook. (blindness).
@@DalCecilRuno Hi, this is a late response, but: if you know why something is a rule, you can break that rule skillfully. Knowing why story beats are effective lets you make good decisions about structure😊
One thing I pay attention to is tropes, and especially when tropes are subverted. I try to think about how it was done, why the writer chose to do it that way, what their other options were, and what I like about it.
This is definitely something I've found myself doing the more I learn about the writing process and you're totally right, it does change the reading experience, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but there is always something to be learned!
I love this. TIL I'm already unconsciously doing this as I draft my riff-scripts. I personally try to utilize roasting humor to prevent books ruining my soul altogether. That, and indulging in palette cleanser (fan)fiction lol! But you're definitely right, those tips are great learning experiences. And god bless the "fix it" thoughts, that shit is beyond stimulating.
When I’m reading critically (dare I say “closely”), I look for the rhythm between action and interiority. I think that’s one of those magical things that can’t be taught, and I’m always interested in how other writers strike that balance.
I didn't technically decide to, but I just started reading as a writer somewhere randomly and then I realized that in a book, the pacing was seriously slow and while that usually doesn't bother me, but it did. And so, yes, reading as a writer ruins the reading experience. But it truly shows that you've evolves as a writer ✨️ Also this is such a great video Alexa! Thank you❤️
I’m a committed writer and I want to improve my writing skills. Normally, because I spent decades in North America, I write in a readable way, with good pacing and readers enjoy my books. I treat serious issues using a fluid language, as if I’m speaking to the reader. I write in English, but also in Portuguese. My huge problem is that, in Portugal, I’m treated as a non literary author because I’m not sophisticated enough. Which is true. I have been buying books from notable Portuguese writers so that I can learn. Oh my goodness! I’m an intelligent and highly educated woman, but I can hardly understand their novels. They break all rules, their post-modernist writing is so dense that the story is lost. I guess, I just have to continue to be an unsophisticated writer and live with it because I want to write books that are compelling. I want my readers to loose themselves in the narrative. Please give me your opinion: is it ok to be a “commercial” writer instead of a literary one.
I do this so so often. I can sense movie and tvshow twists so quickly. Now my mom, when I am watching with her has told me I am not allowed to talk anymore because I spoil things too much. Kinda funny being a writer has opened my eyes up to so much when reading or watching anything.
i like to mark sentences that i like in books that im reading (yay ibooks and kindle, thx for letting us do this). sometimes i just mark sentences that i find beautiful or funny and might wanna reference later, but sometimes i also mark sentences that i think are foreshadowing and might be relevant later on. im a bit insecure in my own foreshadowing abilities (what a weird sentence) so paying close attention to what other writers do is sooo helpful.
I've started to look at story beats and for some reason it puts me off writing / reading... I think its knowing the fact there is a formula to writing kinda takes the magic away from reading / writing for me... And
it puts me off reading a little too. but you have to know the rules to break them, think of it like that. I only loosely worry about many of the story beats but like, you have to have an inciting incident, otherwise there is no story, you have to have a climax otherwise its super boring. the rest of the things should tie those two together in an interesting well paced way and beats are, IMO, prompts to help you do that. i feel like the rest of the beats aren't 100% necessary and lots of very famous stories break the 'rules'.
As a screenwriter, I totally believe in structure and story beats. I even created an iOS app, The Page Count Calculator, for it! I'd love to know if it works for novelists as well.
Great video! So much to think about. Alexa, would you consider doing a video on a book (good or bad) as an example? This is so big that I think it would be helpful to hear how you analyze specifics.
@@violetlavi2207 An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and someone else did it very well! It switches POVs every chapter from 3rd person to 2nd. I loved it. Made the 2nd person POV fellow sound psycho
Love this! These are things I do on the regular. I try to teach my students to do the same thing. They never believe that authors really do things on purpose. lol
I learned this from your video; Readers are as unique as writers. Each of us has a dialect that we understand. Which ever dialect we converse in, basic rules need to be followed for enjoyment.
Could you maybe make a video about what to do if you get easily bored of your story ideas early on? I can barely write anything because any idea I have, after a few days I lose interest in it or just don't feel like working on it anymore. Should I just force myself to make something out of it, or should I let it go? The problem is that it keeps happening over and over so I can't get a solid story and actually work on it. Would appreciate some advice from others too! Thanks for reading.
Are you pre-planning much ahead of time? Do you have a mid-point turn in mind when you start? Or a third act climax? Is there enough conflict? I find when someone peters out on an idea, that a) there's not enough conflict/enough to support a whole book/push through the middle and/or b) you don't have anything to look forward to/write toward, ie: a good mid-point turn or third act climax. Also: how invested are you in your character growth? Wanting to explore a character arc, or a romance, can be another thing that keeps a book feeling fresh. If you're bored, then you're missing some of these elements--the things that would make you excited to push on.
@@AlexaDonne tbh I am still a beginner so I'm still working on actually building the story with a construct and not just run randomly with an idea. I do have a mid point most of the times but no ideas on where to go from there or how to get there. I try to think of ideas on how to add something interesting or add a character relationship but it doesn't always work or it feels like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit. I don't know if you already have a video on this, I'll look it up, but if you don't I'd love to see also a video about how to outline or make a basic construct of a story from scratch, and what to do when you have ideas but none of them fit what you want to tell. Also thank you so much for answering! I appreciate it a lot and I kinda feel honored haha.
Reading like a writer can really ruin books for you, but there's something worse: reading like a translator. I'm Brazilian, an English teacher and translator (and, of course, a writer). I read books in Portuguese, English, and sometimes translated from English to Portuguese. But I avoid reading translations, because I can see all the mistakes and bad choices the translator has made. That completely ruins immersion for me, and blocks my writer brain from noticing subtle things (because I'm usually too annoyed to think of anything else). And translation usually mutes author's voice, so I end up missing one of the most important aspects of the reading experience. And I just now realized that that might be the reason why Brazilians don't like reading: our literary production is small, and translations are usually bland, if not outright bad.
I'm early, thank you for the tips, they're quite useful-actually, a lot useful. I get a lot of improvements from your videos especially the 'harsh writing advice' series. Thanks, ❤❤❤
I have a Creative Writing degree...so I've been conditioned to read like a writer, but I've yet to have it ruin a reading experience for me. I find it fun, lol. I was a Poetry/Fiction emphasis, so I tend to focus on syntax and character/voice, esp. if grounded in a certain culture, but I also make sure I'm aware of structure and plot. I feel like craft would ruin my reading experience ONLY IF I let myself get too distracted by it. So, I try not to get too distracted.
@@SerafRhayn I'd start off with researching schools with a Creative Writing program cuz it can differ. Many offer it under their English department as an English degree while some might offer it under a Creative Writing department. And not many offer CWRT to undergrads as they do to grad/MFA students. Maybe look at their faculty as well. I got my BA in CRWT from UC Riverside and they offer to both undergrads and grad students. I personally enjoyed my time there as an undergrad and what I learned. Also, consider your writing genre (not to be confused with book genre): Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, or Poetry. You'll probably take classes in ea. of those genres, but eventually, you'll have to pick one as your main emphasis. For Fiction, specifically, many programs lean more towards literary fiction than genre fiction...but not all profs. or schools adhere to that. MFA programs are where you'll find more specialized genres, esp. for MG/YA. So, if you want a structured environment to learn craft and be around a physical writing community, it doesn't hurt to try getting a degree. But a degree won't necessarily increase your chances of getting published or is required. Hope this helps a bit and best of luck to you!
Thank you for your videos! Very helpful and informative. :) I am an amateur writer myself and have never really studied it, so maybe it's time to do some research. My guilty pleasure always was twilight, but it's slowly changing as I can really read it these days and enjoy it as much, I always seem to pick up the mistakes or annoying things i now see and when I was 15 totally did not. :D (English is my second language, therefore, I do mistakes so don't worry, in my native language my grammar in my stories is just fine, haha.) love you from the Czech Republic!! 😊
I can definitely say from experience that reading like a writer has drastically changed how I read/watch stories. I’ve come to dislike a lot of series I initially loved. It took me a while to see it as a mature development though and I’ve gotten used to it
I love manga because the story structures are so messed up! They're a series of (random) arcs rather than a neatly tied up narrative. When I started watching K-dramas it was engrossing because the stories were structured differently; and you get the character development of a novel.
Great video, Alexa! Really loved the analogy to beats :) I read a great book on this topic a while ago, which I can recommend to anyone who wants to deep dive into this topic. It's called Story Engineering, written by Larry Brooks. Stay awesome, Alexa! Love your videos
💗😊💕Since I’m writing the story of my life, so I guess the twists and turns are done by the universe, not me😅 Ps. You are not garbage. Actually, the first word in your video, I subscribed and I rarely ever do that. I just knew you are special.💕😊💗
"I haven't enjoyed a Marvel for a very long time." Preaching to the choir. I stopped watching because they became so predictable, years ago. I kind of want to rewatch them now, see if I look at the same.
Could you please do a video on how you think we should best listen to audiobooks? And please please please please please make your books available for free on UA-cam I would be happy to pay you but I’ve been disabled by violence. Keep on keeping on woman you are a force of nature💚
Picking out twists ahead of time makes movies so dull. :') I struggle to read to enjoy or relax, there's very few authors that can make me invest emotionally rather than just for the craft or analysis.
If there is a character that I like I sit them down for a conversation. I look at a character I like from my writing and I put the two of them in a scene together and have them just talk. That's it. They have some kind of conversation. This allows me to work out some kinks and lets me focus on things that I like about the other character.
Even when I didn't write anything, I always analyzed and changed what I was reading in my head. Either school ruined me, or my head has always been like this. Either way, it got so stressful that I quit reading for many years. I'm only just returning to it!
I’ve honestly gotten to the point where I’m like “lemme guess, *this* is gonna happen, which’ll lead to *this* problem, that leads to *this* conclusion.” And I almost hate it when I’m right. 😅
Outline Summary (with timestamps): 1. Learn about story beats: 0:56 2. Track your reading experience: 2:21 3. Analyze the author's choices: 4:15 4. Dig in on "bad" books: 6:03 5. Analyze your faves: 8:08
Yeah true. The more u read the better a writer u are. But don't ever read b/c u feel obligation towards that book right. It will ruin everything. I've tried to force myself to read a certain book but couldn't. It isn't healthy. I'm into love stories these days went back to it and fell in love with them all over again. But reading like a writer is a good thing depending on what u are writing.
Stephen King once said - you cannot call a book your favourite unless you have read it atleast twice. And then he said - as a writer you should always read the book first time completely for fun and then again to analyze it. Thanx Alexa for the video. 😀
I want to watch this, but I also have to take care of this thing. I'll just comment for now and watch this later. But thank you for what I am sure is an awesome video!❤
(Spoilers for FFH) I think Spiderman Far From Home really pits the differences between Tony and Peter, a successful billionaire pushing his agenda on a kid with a broken family from Queens. (wow way to be on the nose in this society) They intrinsically see the word differently because they're from different classes and have different moral compasses and its even harder for Peter to accept this difference because of Tony's death. Plus his villains are created by Tony's greed and hubris. Yeah they're bad guys but *why* are they bad? Would they have been as bad if Tony wasn't an ass to them? These questions and Peter against the 1% and even fighting against the legacy of the "good billionaire". In a different life Peter could be Tony or Mysterio, that was the appeal for me. But the stinger at the end really ruined it for me? It was so good until then and I can't point out why it bothered me so much.
UA-cam just made me take a survey before watching this video. It was about if their recommendation of this video was right for me, which it was, it was just weird I couldn't skip it or anything.
I liked Into the SpiderVerse best out of the recent marvel movies. The plot twists weren’t just there for shock value and I really identified with the main character Miles and his struggles to find a mentor he could look up to. Plus, spoiler:::: Doc Oc was awesome!!!! 🐙I was not expecting that.
Break down marvel movies❤️❤️❤️mash up the same points from each one and share how/why Spiderman is your fav❤️❤️❤️ that sounds immensely interesting and something easily recognizable
i don't think i want to read like a writer any more than i do, it's already been ruining a lot of books that should be fluffy, silly fun (I'm looking at you Court of ___ and ___) but i can't not watch your video so, here we go.
Omg I never realized why I didn’t like marvel movies and it’s because I also already know what’s gonna happen... my friends hate watching movies with me for this reason (also spiderman far from home was the only one I’ve enjoyed too)
A larger question: is this a omnivore visiting the slaughter house & becoming a vegan now that they have seen how the sausage is made? It might be possible my love for Marvel is more a statement of my understanding of their adherence to THEIR algorithm, than to years of 24 page serials. The Disney acquisition of Marvel was probably a hedge against Tron: Legacy not coalescing into the production they needed. It would have been nice to see that Universe fleshed out. Just like John Carter facilitated the purchase of Star Wars (announced on my birthday). I'm looking forward to a storytelling algorithm fleshed out to adapt the ERB Barsoom 9.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's getting bored with Marvel movies, but now I can finally explain WHY I'm bored with them. They found a formula that brings in the masses, I'll give them that.
Reading like a writer might ruin books for you, but watching movies and TV like a writer will make your friends hate you (may or may not have ripped a friend's favorite movie to shreds because there were pacing issues)
When I first gained this superpower, it was as if the Heavens opened up and bestowed upon me knowledge beyond time... And now, I CAN'T. TURN. IT. OFF. 😂🤣
Hi, My name is Joaquin Forte and I write House MD fanfiction. I have a that I think can stand alone. It is an AU story; were in House and Wilson find out what happened to Wilson's brother, Danny.
I do this all the time. Grab random fanfic. My friend and I then read it out loud. witch is great for picking up on poor grammar, sentence structure problems,. awkward phrasing. blatantly incorrect statements in the text. poor character moments or not convincing character development.
Alexa can I ask you something? I actually really love writing it is a hobby and a passion. I have to say my favorite things about it are creating new worlds... and sharing those worlds with other people. I think I am a decent writer. Actually, I have grown so much in the year I have been writing. But I have grown really disheartened lately because I don't exactly know how to share or where to share my stories for free so people can read them. Every online site I throw them on they get very little views and only a few comments. I know readers don't comment much naturally. But I feel like mine are lacking in interactions on them the ones I do get are really positive though. But I am also just really lost how to get my book out there to my demographic so people see it. Or how to engage the readers so they share and enjoy the story more even with each other. Do you have any tips to help grow a readership and an engaging platform? Thanks in advance if you read all of that. XD
Hey I know this video is a year old by now but I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me. I actually really find reading to be a boar and almost like a chore to do sometimes even though I love to write and want to make it my career or at least my own passion. I've tried many times to get into to reading as I know how beneficial it is to writing and I've even picked up specific books that I think I would like but I still seem to get board when trying to read them and I cant keep my focus. I was wondering if you could give me any sort of advice to help me get into reading as I like watching shows, movies and absolutely love it when someone else reads to me, I even enjoy listening to audiobooks but when it comes to reading myself I struggle and it takes me like forever to read one page as I'm always going back to the start of the sentence to reread it. thx for any of the help anyone can give I really appreciate it.
Do you ever listen to audio books? I'm an audible addict. I'm wondering if I'm hindering myself as a writer by listening to books instead of reading them.
@@RP-uu7oq when does a writer with both novels and screenplays to finish have time to read...lol There is a professor from Chicago that offers specialized advise on thia topic. It's an advanced class for PhD level students. That's the kind of content I'm seeking.
To me, marvel is just spectacle and sarcastic dialogue. It lacks heart. Sometimes they try to force emotion and give an illusion that there's something deeper and more meaningful there, but it's really not. Those who are aspiring to become storytellers may see marvel's "success" as the only or correct way to tell tales, causing our future stories, books, and movies to be created with a way of thinking that marvel's formula is the only or correct way to tell a tale. I think that's tragic, and I get a sense that something will be lost once writers who grow up putting marvel on a pedestal and see only superhero flicks as the way to create a story. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but hasn't non marvel stuff in recent years also been more spectacle than heart? I prefer gripping, heartfelt, poignant tales, even if fiction. Worry aside, all the rubbery effects, all the having to just accept things: constantly falling buildings, powers and one-liners, with little to no practical effects, no memorable or meaningful stories, all spectacle, nothing truly important to say or connect with, leaves me feeling empty during and after most marvel movies. I guess that's why they are popcorn flicks, but where once popcorn flicks could be goofy, throwaway, insignificant in the scheme of things, have now made young and aspiring world builders think it's the only and true way to craft a story. Mostly, I think people just like powers and quips (but even then, the effects are rather rubbery and the dialog is so forced, which takes me out of the movie). This probably reads crotchety but I'm not so old and I'm rather mellow, I grew up with x-men and spiderman and love batman, so I'm no stranger to how heroes and their worlds are, yet I find the marvel style tiresome and irksome. We really are just expected to accept and enjoy everything, with little or no real stakes involved. The dialogue and plots and charters take me out of the story more often than immerse me, especially the grating dialogue - which I understand is comic-based, but when they constantly use out of place humor especially during a dire moment or in an emotional scene, it ruins the moment and ends the desired effect of the beat, because it totally distracts and detracts from the scene, it was unnecessary, and it forces me to see straight through the movie to the writer who thought they were clever and wanted audiences to think they were clever at the expense of just having the characters react appropriately in the moment. Lots of stuff the characters say, are what the writers had them say, not what the characters would have actually said - especially joking during the destruction of a world and countless lives. Humor needs to be toned down or the plot is weightless (despite the fact there are no stakes anyway, because of; time travel, gods, rebirth, inter-dimensions, outer space, super technology, other worlds, aliens, etc). I did give a bunch of those movies a try and really enjoyed super heroes growing up and until recently, but after the 14th or so marvel movie and having to watch them all including the shows to stay in the loop, I could begin to see that there were marketing gimmicks involved, especially when the endings showed previews for the next installments - before the current installment even had a chance to receive praise or critique - they were already working on the next ones - whether the current one appealed to the audience or not - which I don't understand how a customer would let a company treat them like that. Also, I don't know if those movies are as liked as it seems since it was revealed the companies or studios creating the movies also bought tons of their own tickets. Makes me wonder what people truly like, and if they only like certain franchises because they're trendy, not because they're good. The advice is always given, just turn your brain off, but why? And why do so many people want to turn their brains off during a time that should be engaging them, challenging them, making them feel and think? Marvel doesn't give people experiences, they tell the audience to like their brand. Anyway, I think the stories suffer and characters are more like entertainers than people with souls. That sounds dramatic but the actors seem like they're playing alternate versions of themselves, while the characters' wants and needs, desires and fears are lost along the way or shrouded in no stakes spectacle. Hope some young and aspiring writers out there do their own thing and not follow marvel. Sorry this is so long, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it, it of course my opinion but I think there's some insight here. I'm not the brightest yet this has entered my attention (took years! maybe I'm just growing up!), when usually I'm pretty oblivious to these things, meaning there's probably something to it. I would love to become a writer someday, and am getting kinda freaked out about the hostility and trends around these marvel flicks and shows. Someone in this comment section actually said they think marvel will be the golden standard years from now, on the proper way to do story structure, yikes! They may do their own thing "well," but it doesn't mean they're the only or best way, and I hope young and aspiring writers and world-builders don't let marvel bully them into thinking that. Thanks!
I rewrite things in my head while I'm reading if it's a book I'm not engrossed in. It makes reading less enjoyable in some ways but it helps me edit my own work.
I do this too! It really does help🙌🏻
Same!
‘You’re always gonna think you’re garbage.” Alexa, please try not to be subtle with your thoughts. Some of us need to be slapped in the face with the hard truth. ;)
Hehe. This is why I love this lady's videos; she's spot on!
“You’re always gonna think you’re garbage spoiler.”
-Alexa Donne, 2019
I’ve never heard something so relatable as a writer tbh.
I've definitely started noticing story structure and the like more in the stories I read and watch ever since becoming a writer. It hasn't ruined anything for me, though? Like, if the story is really well done, I may think about the technical stuff later (really good memory here, so I won't forget it) and meanwhile I just turn the inner editor off and let myself enjoy it. It's become apparent that that's not something everyone can do, but I'm sure glad I can. :)
readers subconsciously notice beats. they'll be like, there are only ___ amount of pages left, how are they gonna resolve this?
I literally cannot read for fun anymore. I read like a writer 24/7.
It feels like this video has a sub-plot with a fluffy tail @ 0:48 & 2:18. Did I miss any?
reading like a writer can ruin movies too. i was so pissed off watching "Aquaman". Took a long bathroom break, went to get food, and was pissed off more when i got back and the movie was still going. smh. the actors and cgi folks deserved a better movie. sorry for the rant.
Lmao i had the same exact experience with my whole family, all of us regretted going to the theatres to see it after my friends and everyone online had said how great it was. To make matters worse, when the movie finally came to a close everyone else in the theatre began applauding. It was one of the most isolating experiences I've ever had amongst a group of people.
I definitely recognize beats in television & films, bc they're super locked into formula due to their time limit. In adult fiction, particularly literary fiction, many books don't follow traditional structure and they sometimes suffer from that. However, in genre fiction I sometimes find the beats manipulative or annoying (e.g., when I recognize a char is being introduced to teach the protagonist and then die, or here's the dark night beat where the protag will whine for a few pages that I'm going to skip, etc.). I caution writers about being heavy-handed with story beats. It's often preferable to simply make a decision in the text without showing your protagonist wringing hands and engaging in histrionics about a choice that should be natural based on his/her characterization. I agree about Kindle being cool bc you can notice what % you get bored. I've noticed at 65% or so I'm often bored, so if an author can keep that 'muddled middle' moving, that's a sign of good writing to me
I mapped out the story beats in the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse movie because it is one of my absolute favorite animated film, and I wrote down all the times that those beats took place in the film.
I was so surprised how short some of the most important parts of the movie were.
They made you care about X in the first few minutes of the film, they had so many laughs throughout it, the dark moment is like a punch in the gut and the rise from it is like catharsis.
Part of it is the music, the incredible voice acting and animation, but also the writer things like /script/ were really good.
Sometimes I like mapping out my favorite books, too, because it helps me see everything laid out in a few pages.
I love analyzing stories, and this channel helps me so much with it. I was reading the beginning of The Way of Kings and was so excited when I noticed the author doing the “save the cat” technique!
Great video. It's so important to read as a writer, in ways such as these. Rereading is invaluable. So many writers think that reading a crazy number of books is what we ought to be doing. In fact, reading critically and attentively is often more advantageous. 😃💝
Couldn't agree more
Great to see how fast your channel's grown. You deserve it!
That's why I don't want to emulate and read like, and write like, and all that stuff like. I don't want stories to become predictable. I don't want my own stories to become predictable.
My mind gets easily bored. If something becomes a tight formula, I'm gonna quit. And believe me, I don't wanna quit writing. So I have a dilemma....
i think a good book that addresses this dilemma is "into the woods" by john yorke. it blew my mind especially in how it talks about three-act/five-act structure. if youre worried your writing might be predictable, you might wanna check it out.
its one of only two craft books that ever really taught me anything lol
@@Vickynger I'll look for an audiobook version of this. My writing isn't predictable (for now), people keep saying it's intriguing and such, that's the word that keeps popping up in feedback. But, I am maybe too liberal when it comes to craft rules. I have a lot to learn, yet I don't want to learn by copying. I already made that mistake during my singer/musician days and I never found my true voice. I know the consequences, so I don't want to make the same mistake with my writing.
Thank you very much for the recommendation, I hope I can find an audiobook. (blindness).
@@DalCecilRuno Hi, this is a late response, but: if you know why something is a rule, you can break that rule skillfully. Knowing why story beats are effective lets you make good decisions about structure😊
I've been in a writer's block for a while but thinking about how to "fix" books is really helping, at least with having ideas and all.
One thing I pay attention to is tropes, and especially when tropes are subverted. I try to think about how it was done, why the writer chose to do it that way, what their other options were, and what I like about it.
This is definitely something I've found myself doing the more I learn about the writing process and you're totally right, it does change the reading experience, sometimes for the better and sometimes for the worse, but there is always something to be learned!
I love this. TIL I'm already unconsciously doing this as I draft my riff-scripts. I personally try to utilize roasting humor to prevent books ruining my soul altogether. That, and indulging in palette cleanser (fan)fiction lol! But you're definitely right, those tips are great learning experiences. And god bless the "fix it" thoughts, that shit is beyond stimulating.
When I’m reading critically (dare I say “closely”), I look for the rhythm between action and interiority. I think that’s one of those magical things that can’t be taught, and I’m always interested in how other writers strike that balance.
Cute outfit tho. She didn’t think we’d notice. We did.
She makin’ soft moves...
Read as a writer, write like your reading, post pointless gibberish in the comment section. - hopes it rhymed.
Your dp is Solo Levelling... So I love you.
I didn't technically decide to, but I just started reading as a writer somewhere randomly and then I realized that in a book, the pacing was seriously slow and while that usually doesn't bother me, but it did. And so, yes, reading as a writer ruins the reading experience. But it truly shows that you've evolves as a writer ✨️
Also this is such a great video Alexa! Thank you❤️
I was actually looking into this last night and couldn't find any good resources. Thanks!
Tbh I think this will make reading more enjoyable.
I’m a committed writer and I want to improve my writing skills. Normally, because I spent decades in North America, I write in a readable way, with good pacing and readers enjoy my books. I treat serious issues using a fluid language, as if I’m speaking to the reader. I write in English, but also in Portuguese. My huge problem is that, in Portugal, I’m treated as a non literary author because I’m not sophisticated enough. Which is true. I have been buying books from notable Portuguese writers so that I can learn. Oh my goodness! I’m an intelligent and highly educated woman, but I can hardly understand their novels. They break all rules, their post-modernist writing is so dense that the story is lost. I guess, I just have to continue to be an unsophisticated writer and live with it because I want to write books that are compelling. I want my readers to loose themselves in the narrative. Please give me your opinion: is it ok to be a “commercial” writer instead of a literary one.
The video I didn't know I needed until after I watched it. 💗
I do this so so often. I can sense movie and tvshow twists so quickly. Now my mom, when I am watching with her has told me I am not allowed to talk anymore because I spoil things too much. Kinda funny being a writer has opened my eyes up to so much when reading or watching anything.
i like to mark sentences that i like in books that im reading (yay ibooks and kindle, thx for letting us do this).
sometimes i just mark sentences that i find beautiful or funny and might wanna reference later, but sometimes i also mark sentences that i think are foreshadowing and might be relevant later on. im a bit insecure in my own foreshadowing abilities (what a weird sentence) so paying close attention to what other writers do is sooo helpful.
I've started to look at story beats and for some reason it puts me off writing / reading... I think its knowing the fact there is a formula to writing kinda takes the magic away from reading / writing for me... And
it puts me off reading a little too. but you have to know the rules to break them, think of it like that. I only loosely worry about many of the story beats but like, you have to have an inciting incident, otherwise there is no story, you have to have a climax otherwise its super boring. the rest of the things should tie those two together in an interesting well paced way and beats are, IMO, prompts to help you do that. i feel like the rest of the beats aren't 100% necessary and lots of very famous stories break the 'rules'.
As a screenwriter, I totally believe in structure and story beats. I even created an iOS app, The Page Count Calculator, for it! I'd love to know if it works for novelists as well.
Great video! So much to think about.
Alexa, would you consider doing a video on a book (good or bad) as an example? This is so big that I think it would be helpful to hear how you analyze specifics.
I'd like an "undo" button on the "read as a writer" thing because I want to enjoy movies again lol.
I really like 2nd person POV in thrillers. It makes me creeped out, like someone is watching me...
lost in a booKCase it can work if done effectively, but I’ve never seen it done super well in writing. Any book refs where it worked for you?
@@violetlavi2207 An Anonymous Girl by Greer Hendricks and someone else did it very well! It switches POVs every chapter from 3rd person to 2nd. I loved it. Made the 2nd person POV fellow sound psycho
Love this! These are things I do on the regular. I try to teach my students to do the same thing. They never believe that authors really do things on purpose. lol
"Art is the illusion of spontaneity." - someone
I learned this from your video;
Readers are as unique as writers.
Each of us has a dialect that we
understand. Which ever dialect
we converse in, basic rules need
to be followed for enjoyment.
Could you maybe make a video about what to do if you get easily bored of your story ideas early on?
I can barely write anything because any idea I have, after a few days I lose interest in it or just don't feel like working on it anymore. Should I just force myself to make something out of it, or should I let it go? The problem is that it keeps happening over and over so I can't get a solid story and actually work on it.
Would appreciate some advice from others too! Thanks for reading.
Are you pre-planning much ahead of time? Do you have a mid-point turn in mind when you start? Or a third act climax? Is there enough conflict? I find when someone peters out on an idea, that a) there's not enough conflict/enough to support a whole book/push through the middle and/or b) you don't have anything to look forward to/write toward, ie: a good mid-point turn or third act climax. Also: how invested are you in your character growth? Wanting to explore a character arc, or a romance, can be another thing that keeps a book feeling fresh. If you're bored, then you're missing some of these elements--the things that would make you excited to push on.
@@AlexaDonne tbh I am still a beginner so I'm still working on actually building the story with a construct and not just run randomly with an idea. I do have a mid point most of the times but no ideas on where to go from there or how to get there. I try to think of ideas on how to add something interesting or add a character relationship but it doesn't always work or it feels like a puzzle piece that doesn't fit. I don't know if you already have a video on this, I'll look it up, but if you don't I'd love to see also a video about how to outline or make a basic construct of a story from scratch, and what to do when you have ideas but none of them fit what you want to tell.
Also thank you so much for answering! I appreciate it a lot and I kinda feel honored haha.
Reading like a writer can really ruin books for you, but there's something worse: reading like a translator.
I'm Brazilian, an English teacher and translator (and, of course, a writer). I read books in Portuguese, English, and sometimes translated from English to Portuguese. But I avoid reading translations, because I can see all the mistakes and bad choices the translator has made. That completely ruins immersion for me, and blocks my writer brain from noticing subtle things (because I'm usually too annoyed to think of anything else). And translation usually mutes author's voice, so I end up missing one of the most important aspects of the reading experience.
And I just now realized that that might be the reason why Brazilians don't like reading: our literary production is small, and translations are usually bland, if not outright bad.
I'm early, thank you for the tips, they're quite useful-actually, a lot useful. I get a lot of improvements from your videos especially the 'harsh writing advice' series.
Thanks,
❤❤❤
You are not garbage! Loved this video. I always appreciate your time and your tips!
I really appreciate you taking the time to make this video and giving us those resources
You make watching videos for school during 2020 fun
I have a writing journal where I write down lines that I particularly love or think are clever, and sometime my reactions to parts of stories.
I have a Creative Writing degree...so I've been conditioned to read like a writer, but I've yet to have it ruin a reading experience for me. I find it fun, lol. I was a Poetry/Fiction emphasis, so I tend to focus on syntax and character/voice, esp. if grounded in a certain culture, but I also make sure I'm aware of structure and plot. I feel like craft would ruin my reading experience ONLY IF I let myself get too distracted by it. So, I try not to get too distracted.
If you don’t mind me asking, what advice would you give someone considering a degree in Creative Writing?
@@SerafRhayn I'd start off with researching schools with a Creative Writing program cuz it can differ. Many offer it under their English department as an English degree while some might offer it under a Creative Writing department. And not many offer CWRT to undergrads as they do to grad/MFA students. Maybe look at their faculty as well. I got my BA in CRWT from UC Riverside and they offer to both undergrads and grad students. I personally enjoyed my time there as an undergrad and what I learned.
Also, consider your writing genre (not to be confused with book genre): Fiction, Creative Nonfiction, or Poetry. You'll probably take classes in ea. of those genres, but eventually, you'll have to pick one as your main emphasis. For Fiction, specifically, many programs lean more towards literary fiction than genre fiction...but not all profs. or schools adhere to that. MFA programs are where you'll find more specialized genres, esp. for MG/YA. So, if you want a structured environment to learn craft and be around a physical writing community, it doesn't hurt to try getting a degree. But a degree won't necessarily increase your chances of getting published or is required. Hope this helps a bit and best of luck to you!
Thank you for your videos! Very helpful and informative. :) I am an amateur writer myself and have never really studied it, so maybe it's time to do some research. My guilty pleasure always was twilight, but it's slowly changing as I can really read it these days and enjoy it as much, I always seem to pick up the mistakes or annoying things i now see and when I was 15 totally did not. :D (English is my second language, therefore, I do mistakes so don't worry, in my native language my grammar in my stories is just fine, haha.) love you from the Czech Republic!! 😊
I can definitely say from experience that reading like a writer has drastically changed how I read/watch stories. I’ve come to dislike a lot of series I initially loved. It took me a while to see it as a mature development though and I’ve gotten used to it
I love manga because the story structures are so messed up! They're a series of (random) arcs rather than a neatly tied up narrative.
When I started watching K-dramas it was engrossing because the stories were structured differently; and you get the character development of a novel.
This was a great video. Really helpful ideas! Thanks for sharing these tips!
Great video, Alexa! Really loved the analogy to beats :) I read a great book on this topic a while ago, which I can recommend to anyone who wants to deep dive into this topic. It's called Story Engineering, written by Larry Brooks. Stay awesome, Alexa! Love your videos
💗😊💕Since I’m writing the story of my life, so I guess the twists and turns are done by the universe, not me😅
Ps. You are not garbage. Actually, the first word in your video, I subscribed and I rarely ever do that. I just knew you are special.💕😊💗
"I haven't enjoyed a Marvel for a very long time."
Preaching to the choir. I stopped watching because they became so predictable, years ago. I kind of want to rewatch them now, see if I look at the same.
Could you please do a video on how you think we should best listen to audiobooks? And please please please please please make your books available for free on UA-cam I would be happy to pay you but I’ve been disabled by violence. Keep on keeping on woman you are a force of nature💚
Hi Alexa, could you please make a video on self-inserts and own voices? the differences and similarities or something. thank you
Thanks! I was waiting for this for so long.
Picking out twists ahead of time makes movies so dull. :') I struggle to read to enjoy or relax, there's very few authors that can make me invest emotionally rather than just for the craft or analysis.
If there is a character that I like I sit them down for a conversation. I look at a character I like from my writing and I put the two of them in a scene together and have them just talk. That's it. They have some kind of conversation. This allows me to work out some kinks and lets me focus on things that I like about the other character.
I really needed this video! thank you!
Even when I didn't write anything, I always analyzed and changed what I was reading in my head. Either school ruined me, or my head has always been like this. Either way, it got so stressful that I quit reading for many years. I'm only just returning to it!
Love this vid. Thank you, Alexa! 🙏
Hey Alexa 😊 love your content. What do you mean by “beats”?
I’ve honestly gotten to the point where I’m like “lemme guess, *this* is gonna happen, which’ll lead to *this* problem, that leads to *this* conclusion.” And I almost hate it when I’m right. 😅
LOVE your videos. Do you think one day you can do one on foreign and film/tv rights? Thank you!!!
I loved the way you explain things😍
Outline Summary (with timestamps):
1. Learn about story beats: 0:56
2. Track your reading experience: 2:21
3. Analyze the author's choices: 4:15
4. Dig in on "bad" books: 6:03
5. Analyze your faves: 8:08
Amazing advice! And great to hear tips on reading like a writer!
Yeah true. The more u read the better a writer u are. But don't ever read b/c u feel obligation towards that book right. It will ruin everything. I've tried to force myself to read a certain book but couldn't. It isn't healthy. I'm into love stories these days went back to it and fell in love with them all over again. But reading like a writer is a good thing depending on what u are writing.
Awesome tips. I'm going to try to do this more actively now. :)
I have Save the Cat: Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody. 😃
Stephen King once said - you cannot call a book your favourite unless you have read it atleast twice. And then he said - as a writer you should always read the book first time completely for fun and then again to analyze it.
Thanx Alexa for the video. 😀
You are a wealth of knowledge! Love your videos :)
I want to watch this, but I also have to take care of this thing. I'll just comment for now and watch this later. But thank you for what I am sure is an awesome video!❤
I love your videos! You are so inspiring!
I love this! So informative!
(Spoilers for FFH) I think Spiderman Far From Home really pits the differences between Tony and Peter, a successful billionaire pushing his agenda on a kid with a broken family from Queens. (wow way to be on the nose in this society) They intrinsically see the word differently because they're from different classes and have different moral compasses and its even harder for Peter to accept this difference because of Tony's death. Plus his villains are created by Tony's greed and hubris. Yeah they're bad guys but *why* are they bad? Would they have been as bad if Tony wasn't an ass to them? These questions and Peter against the 1% and even fighting against the legacy of the "good billionaire". In a different life Peter could be Tony or Mysterio, that was the appeal for me.
But the stinger at the end really ruined it for me? It was so good until then and I can't point out why it bothered me so much.
UA-cam just made me take a survey before watching this video. It was about if their recommendation of this video was right for me, which it was, it was just weird I couldn't skip it or anything.
I liked Into the SpiderVerse best out of the recent marvel movies. The plot twists weren’t just there for shock value and I really identified with the main character Miles and his struggles to find a mentor he could look up to. Plus, spoiler:::: Doc Oc was awesome!!!! 🐙I was not expecting that.
Thank you for your vids in general
good thing to know that i do these tips automatically..
Break down marvel movies❤️❤️❤️mash up the same points from each one and share how/why Spiderman is your fav❤️❤️❤️ that sounds immensely interesting and something easily recognizable
Hi! Love your videos ❤ Have you done video about different genre clises and how to avoid bad mistakes with them?
I think it's okay to read like a reader. If you're a writer, you already a natural tendency to recognize writer tricks and tracks.
i don't think i want to read like a writer any more than i do, it's already been ruining a lot of books that should be fluffy, silly fun (I'm looking at you Court of ___ and ___) but i can't not watch your video so, here we go.
Thank you!!😄
Thanks
Omg I never realized why I didn’t like marvel movies and it’s because I also already know what’s gonna happen... my friends hate watching movies with me for this reason (also spiderman far from home was the only one I’ve enjoyed too)
A larger question: is this a omnivore visiting the slaughter house & becoming a vegan now that they have seen how the sausage is made? It might be possible my love for Marvel is more a statement of my understanding of their adherence to THEIR algorithm, than to years of 24 page serials. The Disney acquisition of Marvel was probably a hedge against Tron: Legacy not coalescing into the production they needed. It would have been nice to see that Universe fleshed out. Just like John Carter facilitated the purchase of Star Wars (announced on my birthday). I'm looking forward to a storytelling algorithm fleshed out to adapt the ERB Barsoom 9.
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's getting bored with Marvel movies, but now I can finally explain WHY I'm bored with them. They found a formula that brings in the masses, I'll give them that.
I do this all the time and I can't turn that switch off ahaha
Reading like a writer might ruin books for you, but watching movies and TV like a writer will make your friends hate you (may or may not have ripped a friend's favorite movie to shreds because there were pacing issues)
It would be helpful if you can "read" a book for us, even just a few chapters.
When I first gained this superpower, it was as if the Heavens opened up and bestowed upon me knowledge beyond time... And now, I CAN'T. TURN. IT. OFF. 😂🤣
Hi, My name is Joaquin Forte and I write House MD fanfiction. I have a that I think can stand alone. It is an AU story; were in House and Wilson find out what happened to Wilson's brother, Danny.
I do this all the time.
Grab random fanfic. My friend and I then read it out loud. witch is great for picking up on poor grammar, sentence structure problems,. awkward phrasing. blatantly incorrect statements in the text. poor character moments or not convincing character development.
Alexa can I ask you something? I actually really love writing it is a hobby and a passion. I have to say my favorite things about it are creating new worlds... and sharing those worlds with other people. I think I am a decent writer. Actually, I have grown so much in the year I have been writing. But I have grown really disheartened lately because I don't exactly know how to share or where to share my stories for free so people can read them. Every online site I throw them on they get very little views and only a few comments. I know readers don't comment much naturally. But I feel like mine are lacking in interactions on them the ones I do get are really positive though. But I am also just really lost how to get my book out there to my demographic so people see it. Or how to engage the readers so they share and enjoy the story more even with each other. Do you have any tips to help grow a readership and an engaging platform? Thanks in advance if you read all of that. XD
Hey I know this video is a year old by now but I was just wondering if anyone had any tips for me.
I actually really find reading to be a boar and almost like a chore to do sometimes even though I love to write and want to make it my career or at least my own passion.
I've tried many times to get into to reading as I know how beneficial it is to writing and I've even picked up specific books that I think I would like but I still seem to get board when trying to read them and I cant keep my focus.
I was wondering if you could give me any sort of advice to help me get into reading as I like watching shows, movies and absolutely love it when someone else reads to me, I even enjoy listening to audiobooks but when it comes to reading myself I struggle and it takes me like forever to read one page as I'm always going back to the start of the sentence to reread it.
thx for any of the help anyone can give I really appreciate it.
Do you ever listen to audio books? I'm an audible addict. I'm wondering if I'm hindering myself as a writer by listening to books instead of reading them.
since so many have seen marvel movies, have you thought of breaking down one of the movies?
How about a video on how to write like a reader, meaning how to write reader first content.
@@RP-uu7oq when does a writer with both novels and screenplays to finish have time to read...lol There is a professor from Chicago that offers specialized advise on thia topic. It's an advanced class for PhD level students. That's the kind of content I'm seeking.
@@RP-uu7oq I do the audio books so I can multi task.
All of these points seem to come from the well of fanfic writers.
To me, marvel is just spectacle and sarcastic dialogue. It lacks heart. Sometimes they try to force emotion and give an illusion that there's something deeper and more meaningful there, but it's really not. Those who are aspiring to become storytellers may see marvel's "success" as the only or correct way to tell tales, causing our future stories, books, and movies to be created with a way of thinking that marvel's formula is the only or correct way to tell a tale. I think that's tragic, and I get a sense that something will be lost once writers who grow up putting marvel on a pedestal and see only superhero flicks as the way to create a story. Maybe I'm overthinking it, but hasn't non marvel stuff in recent years also been more spectacle than heart? I prefer gripping, heartfelt, poignant tales, even if fiction.
Worry aside, all the rubbery effects, all the having to just accept things: constantly falling buildings, powers and one-liners, with little to no practical effects, no memorable or meaningful stories, all spectacle, nothing truly important to say or connect with, leaves me feeling empty during and after most marvel movies. I guess that's why they are popcorn flicks, but where once popcorn flicks could be goofy, throwaway, insignificant in the scheme of things, have now made young and aspiring world builders think it's the only and true way to craft a story. Mostly, I think people just like powers and quips (but even then, the effects are rather rubbery and the dialog is so forced, which takes me out of the movie). This probably reads crotchety but I'm not so old and I'm rather mellow, I grew up with x-men and spiderman and love batman, so I'm no stranger to how heroes and their worlds are, yet I find the marvel style tiresome and irksome. We really are just expected to accept and enjoy everything, with little or no real stakes involved. The dialogue and plots and charters take me out of the story more often than immerse me, especially the grating dialogue - which I understand is comic-based, but when they constantly use out of place humor especially during a dire moment or in an emotional scene, it ruins the moment and ends the desired effect of the beat, because it totally distracts and detracts from the scene, it was unnecessary, and it forces me to see straight through the movie to the writer who thought they were clever and wanted audiences to think they were clever at the expense of just having the characters react appropriately in the moment. Lots of stuff the characters say, are what the writers had them say, not what the characters would have actually said - especially joking during the destruction of a world and countless lives. Humor needs to be toned down or the plot is weightless (despite the fact there are no stakes anyway, because of; time travel, gods, rebirth, inter-dimensions, outer space, super technology, other worlds, aliens, etc).
I did give a bunch of those movies a try and really enjoyed super heroes growing up and until recently, but after the 14th or so marvel movie and having to watch them all including the shows to stay in the loop, I could begin to see that there were marketing gimmicks involved, especially when the endings showed previews for the next installments - before the current installment even had a chance to receive praise or critique - they were already working on the next ones - whether the current one appealed to the audience or not - which I don't understand how a customer would let a company treat them like that. Also, I don't know if those movies are as liked as it seems since it was revealed the companies or studios creating the movies also bought tons of their own tickets. Makes me wonder what people truly like, and if they only like certain franchises because they're trendy, not because they're good. The advice is always given, just turn your brain off, but why? And why do so many people want to turn their brains off during a time that should be engaging them, challenging them, making them feel and think? Marvel doesn't give people experiences, they tell the audience to like their brand. Anyway, I think the stories suffer and characters are more like entertainers than people with souls. That sounds dramatic but the actors seem like they're playing alternate versions of themselves, while the characters' wants and needs, desires and fears are lost along the way or shrouded in no stakes spectacle. Hope some young and aspiring writers out there do their own thing and not follow marvel. Sorry this is so long, I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it, it of course my opinion but I think there's some insight here. I'm not the brightest yet this has entered my attention (took years! maybe I'm just growing up!), when usually I'm pretty oblivious to these things, meaning there's probably something to it. I would love to become a writer someday, and am getting kinda freaked out about the hostility and trends around these marvel flicks and shows. Someone in this comment section actually said they think marvel will be the golden standard years from now, on the proper way to do story structure, yikes! They may do their own thing "well," but it doesn't mean they're the only or best way, and I hope young and aspiring writers and world-builders don't let marvel bully them into thinking that. Thanks!
But.... I hate reading like a writer. I just want to read like a reader and actually enjoy the story again😭😭