a good way is also to have an "online reading voice" read the story, just paste a respective part of the text into free online reading voices apps, it will show the places where the sentence gets confusing or if the invented words or names used in the story are not too difficult to be pronounced...
I was going to suggest this as well. It's also great for catching the kind of spelling errors/typos that your eye can continue to just skip over even with the font change trick. (Things like Lightning vs lighting.)
I love doing this because I like to listen to music or videos in the background because I need background noise and sometimes I get distracted when I'm reading over a part of my fic I wrote earlier. I have ADHD so my attention span is like a toddler's.
Super helpful tips!! I mostly write one-shots, so admittedly I skimp out on a lot of the editing process 😅 I put a lot of time into my line edits though! The "find and replace" function is an absolute life saver (the word "just" will forever haunt every fic I write, I can't escape it 😂)
You’re not “skimping” on the editing process. Your oneshots just need less editing. It’s like the difference between baking a single bun vs a croquembusch (that is definitely not spelled correctly but I’m on mobile. It’s like a tower of custard filled buns that’s infamously hard to make)
Thank-you! You'll be pleased to know that since I've been striving to post weekly, my view counts have doubled since last month! Keep watching and sharing, though. Helps me out a bunch~!
I keep in mind the “easy” words that I can cntrl F for first. One of those are the “-ly” words or adverbs that can get used too frequently, or “felt” that could use stronger verbs and emotional depth. If I were to ask ANYTHING of a beta reader, it’s to look at my tenses. I hate reading I messed up on that 😭 For my editing process-I’m chaotic with it. I can’t figure out where the plot will go until I write it down. I need to see something before I can build that structure up. As I write, I don’t worry about continuity until I get to a place where I’m stuck. I go back and rewrite the piece so it will have continuity. I continue with a polished beginning point. I write my ideas as I go and explore it as I go. It’s like I’m painting with words 😁 I’ve heard editing goes last when writing, but I can’t work that way. The grammar and later stages of editing comes last, though. I really like the editing process laid out like this. It gives a more structured idea of how done my editing is, which is helpful for my “need to see progress, or I’ll cry” brain. I’ll definitely return to this video often 👍🏻
7:57 A method I like to use to keep the confusion from the same pronouns and different characters low is, if the character from the pov I'm writing doesn't know the other character that goes by the same pronouns that well, I just use they/them until they actually get to know them. This makes it a whole lot easier to distinguish which "he" I'm talking about when my fic has five main characters, and four of them go by "he/him," and it also shows who is close with who without having to straight-up say, "Character A doesn't really know Character B all too well," or something along those lines. It also adds some pronoun diversity since I'm really bad about only using the she or he in she/they or he/they pronouns without realizing it.
Yess!! This is super helpful - both as a writer, but also as a fic beta reader! (Also I’m glad you pointed out the difference between how betas are defined traditionally vs in fic spaces!) Also the “idk the vibes r off” and the “HE WOULD NOT FUCKING SAY THAT” meme made me laugh😂😂 literally such editing moods
Ahhhh I'm glad you found the video both helpful AND enjoyable! I did see a Tumblr post that edited the "He would not fucking say that" screenshot to "would He fucking say that[?]" in relation to editing/writing fanfic and that stuck with me!
I have this terrible habit where I write out a mess, edit nothing, then use that to rewrite the entire thing, completely edited, in one sitting. And then I don't touch the fic for months and when I do find it I decide I need to rewrite it again in order to fit in all the new ideas I have. Very smart of me. But I've never found the tediousness of editing particularly appealing. Having to change things I've since grown comfortable with is probably one of the worst feelings in the world. Autism and whatnot. The commenting bit seems pretty crucial to me, though, so I'll have to start doing that. I'm a big fan of overcomplicating things instead of simplifying them. Makes more sense in my brain for some reason. This video is excellent. You give a lot of great advice that I'll have to think about more thoughtfully when I'm not exhausted lol
as someone whose writing is not even a sad beige, it's just colorless, most of my editing is aimed at giving my draft more life. people say that if you picture the room your scene is set in, it's easier to describe. I have a pretty good imagination and can perfectly visualize my settings, putting it into words is where the problems lie. I end up rewriting the same thing in editing over and over again because I know there's always a better way to narrate it, I just haven't figured it out yet djnckjvnkv
Thanks for sharing your process! I'm not a rewriter by default but it's definitely a common part of editing for lots of fic writers and an essential one for every writer looking to be published 💖
Thank you. I'm going to try to change my text between drafts or use colours, because some mistakes are easier to miss than others. For example, after several people read my story, only one person caught an error no one else did & it brought him out of the story. Another good thing you point out is to make sure you're using the proper tense. Sometimes, I fall back to use the past tense when talking about things in the past, but sometimes, I goof up & use past tense where I'm supposed to use the present tense. One of my early readers told me that it's better to write in the present tense for the story so that the reader can experience the story with the characters better. Also, one of my beta readers advised me not to get lost in the editing process. I started to edit my story with their suggestions, & they told me to first get my story completed, then make the changes. Otherwise, I'd be constantly editing & not finishing the story, which makes sense because when I initially write it, I've edited it down so many times already. I don't know if you've noticed, but I can get quite wordy. Also, as you can tell, I've a problem with run-on sentences. There's got to be at least one of those in here.
I'd say I have a very disjointed editing process. I write the plot as it goes a long - writing outlines is my mortal enemy lol - and basically jump all over the place when it comes to the smaller parts of editing. It's not as tedious right now because I use an editing app for grammar and stuff like that, and occasionally rephrase sentences if needed.
@@CoraMaria Of course I'm always looking to see if I can find a method that works better for me and try to integrate it into my usual editing process :) I really like listening to your videos about them.
I could... but I personally don't think Tumblr is a great place to host fanfiction, especially if it's longer than a triple drabble at most. This is because: 1. it's easier for fanfics to get lost under new content, and the search function on the website makes it hard to find again. Fanfiction hosting websites (especially AO3) have lots of features that make saving and finding fics again helpful. 2. It's not all that different from posting a regular text post, with maybe a few small differences like tag lists if you have then. 3. People go onto Tumblr to scroll through a lot of posts in a short amount of time, meaning they're not likely to be in the right headspace for a long post in the form of a fanfiction. There are exceptions, but generally fics are way less likely to do well on Tumblr because it isn't BUILT for fanfiction first and foremost. For a website like AO3, Fanfiction.net, or Wattpad, people enter them with the desire to read something longer than a few funny or informative text posts like you get on Tumblr. Now, Tumblr is still good for short fanfics you write on the fly, or don't take too seriously, and you can always crosspost on Tumblr and other websites if you want to. I think if was to make a tutorial for posting fanfics on Tumblr, it would help if I knew why you want to post fanfiction on Tumblr in particular?
Breathtaking fit, as always!! You look amazing!! 🤩🤩 Thank you lots for the tips, a pleasure to be back! And I understand for the Discord server, I’d hate to stumble onto NSFW anyway haha- but that’s great news! :D I’ll do a more in-dept comment when my deadlines are over
No worries! I have been thinking more and I don't think I'll allow NSFW content in future, simply because if I did, I'd have to be hands-off, and I don't think I should be hands-off about any part of my server. We still discuss topics like that in general terms but we don't go into in-depth discussions like "Here's how you write e-rated smut!"
Your videos are so helpful and entertaining! It's so refreshing to see writing advice specifically tailored to fic writers. Can I ask - you flash a screenshot around 12:50 of your backlog and I was wondering if you had any software/site recommendations for this?
That's actually my outline rather than my backlog. My backlog would be all the chapters I've written but haven't posted yet. For my outline, I use Milanote as seen in that screenshot, but I also use my Milanote outline to track my writing, editing, and posting progress ☺
aaaaaa i missed you and your vids 😭😭😭 really motivating to watch. but im currently in a slump because i have no idea how to write a fic. like literally. been watching other vids about writing yet its not applicable to me. and i obviously don’t have any idea how to write a first draft. people keep on saying that to just write and to silence your inner critic and all. don’t get me wrong, it’s a good tip. but i need to know how people write their first drafts. especially fanfic writers. do yall just write on a whim with all the prose and stuff like the finished product of the story and do very minimal edits or write a really messy first draft like a original book author do and edit it more than twice? i don’t know if this is the place to ask but i really need to know yall’s process because i’ve been contemplating on my projects that i really passionate about and ended up not writing them due to overthinking the process. like, i want to know how yall write stories and i know im not alone for dying in curiosity to know other fic writers process. but im mostly curious on how yall start your writing (not the overall process, just first draft/not beta read writing.) sorry if i ramble/vent in the wrong place and i really appreciate any sort of suggestions/replies! and im sure there are others who has the same struggles as me who would appreciate the answers yall give. have a great day ahead of yall!
If you'd like to hear from several fic writers, then you can join my Discord server if you're 18 or older! You can ask in the-writing-process and get multiple answers from our little community ☺ Here's the invite link: discord.gg/nmrmyyRn
Great vid as always Cora. this is good for me because I really need to plan stuff out, though next time if it's not too much trouble could you add some examples."
Wait- people edit their fanfics more than just hitting the spell check button???? I can even make myself re-read what i write because i hate my writtng so much 😭
a good way is also to have an "online reading voice" read the story, just paste a respective part of the text into free online reading voices apps, it will show the places where the sentence gets confusing or if the invented words or names used in the story are not too difficult to be pronounced...
I was going to suggest this as well. It's also great for catching the kind of spelling errors/typos that your eye can continue to just skip over even with the font change trick. (Things like Lightning vs lighting.)
This is also a great way to ensure your story is screen-reader friendly for vision impaired fic enjoyers!
I love doing this because I like to listen to music or videos in the background because I need background noise and sometimes I get distracted when I'm reading over a part of my fic I wrote earlier. I have ADHD so my attention span is like a toddler's.
Super helpful tips!! I mostly write one-shots, so admittedly I skimp out on a lot of the editing process 😅
I put a lot of time into my line edits though! The "find and replace" function is an absolute life saver (the word "just" will forever haunt every fic I write, I can't escape it 😂)
You’re not “skimping” on the editing process. Your oneshots just need less editing. It’s like the difference between baking a single bun vs a croquembusch (that is definitely not spelled correctly but I’m on mobile. It’s like a tower of custard filled buns that’s infamously hard to make)
@CoraMaria Oooo so true!! I'll bake my single bun with confidence then 😌👍
It is criminal how low your view count is. These videos are so, so helpful in my writing process. Thank you for making them!
Thank-you! You'll be pleased to know that since I've been striving to post weekly, my view counts have doubled since last month! Keep watching and sharing, though. Helps me out a bunch~!
Will do! Good luck.
I keep in mind the “easy” words that I can cntrl F for first. One of those are the “-ly” words or adverbs that can get used too frequently, or “felt” that could use stronger verbs and emotional depth. If I were to ask ANYTHING of a beta reader, it’s to look at my tenses. I hate reading I messed up on that 😭
For my editing process-I’m chaotic with it. I can’t figure out where the plot will go until I write it down. I need to see something before I can build that structure up. As I write, I don’t worry about continuity until I get to a place where I’m stuck. I go back and rewrite the piece so it will have continuity. I continue with a polished beginning point. I write my ideas as I go and explore it as I go. It’s like I’m painting with words 😁 I’ve heard editing goes last when writing, but I can’t work that way. The grammar and later stages of editing comes last, though.
I really like the editing process laid out like this. It gives a more structured idea of how done my editing is, which is helpful for my “need to see progress, or I’ll cry” brain. I’ll definitely return to this video often 👍🏻
7:57 A method I like to use to keep the confusion from the same pronouns and different characters low is, if the character from the pov I'm writing doesn't know the other character that goes by the same pronouns that well, I just use they/them until they actually get to know them. This makes it a whole lot easier to distinguish which "he" I'm talking about when my fic has five main characters, and four of them go by "he/him," and it also shows who is close with who without having to straight-up say, "Character A doesn't really know Character B all too well," or something along those lines. It also adds some pronoun diversity since I'm really bad about only using the she or he in she/they or he/they pronouns without realizing it.
Yess!! This is super helpful - both as a writer, but also as a fic beta reader! (Also I’m glad you pointed out the difference between how betas are defined traditionally vs in fic spaces!)
Also the “idk the vibes r off” and the “HE WOULD NOT FUCKING SAY THAT” meme made me laugh😂😂 literally such editing moods
Ahhhh I'm glad you found the video both helpful AND enjoyable! I did see a Tumblr post that edited the "He would not fucking say that" screenshot to "would He fucking say that[?]" in relation to editing/writing fanfic and that stuck with me!
@@CoraMaria Ahaha! I’ve seen that post too😂 the golden question to ask yourself when writing dialogue 😂
I have this terrible habit where I write out a mess, edit nothing, then use that to rewrite the entire thing, completely edited, in one sitting. And then I don't touch the fic for months and when I do find it I decide I need to rewrite it again in order to fit in all the new ideas I have. Very smart of me. But I've never found the tediousness of editing particularly appealing. Having to change things I've since grown comfortable with is probably one of the worst feelings in the world. Autism and whatnot. The commenting bit seems pretty crucial to me, though, so I'll have to start doing that. I'm a big fan of overcomplicating things instead of simplifying them. Makes more sense in my brain for some reason. This video is excellent. You give a lot of great advice that I'll have to think about more thoughtfully when I'm not exhausted lol
Gahhhh, thank you! I really needed this! I’m currently working on my first fan fiction and the editing phase is overwhelming.
Is it ever! So glad this video helps and good luck with your story!
as someone whose writing is not even a sad beige, it's just colorless, most of my editing is aimed at giving my draft more life. people say that if you picture the room your scene is set in, it's easier to describe. I have a pretty good imagination and can perfectly visualize my settings, putting it into words is where the problems lie. I end up rewriting the same thing in editing over and over again because I know there's always a better way to narrate it, I just haven't figured it out yet djnckjvnkv
Maybe give this video a go? ua-cam.com/video/kHnJdWNUfus/v-deo.html
@@CoraMaria thank you sm, i definitely will ;D
Thank you for the video!
Thanks for sharing your process! I'm not a rewriter by default but it's definitely a common part of editing for lots of fic writers and an essential one for every writer looking to be published 💖
Thank you. I'm going to try to change my text between drafts or use colours, because some mistakes are easier to miss than others. For example, after several people read my story, only one person caught an error no one else did & it brought him out of the story. Another good thing you point out is to make sure you're using the proper tense. Sometimes, I fall back to use the past tense when talking about things in the past, but sometimes, I goof up & use past tense where I'm supposed to use the present tense. One of my early readers told me that it's better to write in the present tense for the story so that the reader can experience the story with the characters better. Also, one of my beta readers advised me not to get lost in the editing process. I started to edit my story with their suggestions, & they told me to first get my story completed, then make the changes. Otherwise, I'd be constantly editing & not finishing the story, which makes sense because when I initially write it, I've edited it down so many times already. I don't know if you've noticed, but I can get quite wordy. Also, as you can tell, I've a problem with run-on sentences. There's got to be at least one of those in here.
I don't even markup because i don't need to, i either remember my mistakes or find them again
Y'all have first drafts. 👀👀👀👀
I'd say I have a very disjointed editing process. I write the plot as it goes a long - writing outlines is my mortal enemy lol - and basically jump all over the place when it comes to the smaller parts of editing. It's not as tedious right now because I use an editing app for grammar and stuff like that, and occasionally rephrase sentences if needed.
As long as it works for you 😊
@@CoraMaria Of course I'm always looking to see if I can find a method that works better for me and try to integrate it into my usual editing process :) I really like listening to your videos about them.
@@KaiThunder67Yep that's also a good approach! Always good to try out new strategies to see if they work better for you 💖
your channel is sooo underrated ❤ you make quick and concise, yet super helpful videos that have made me a significantly better author on ao3!
Ahhh thank-youuuu~! 💖
This is so helpful!! I'm about to edit my first fic and you're account is pure gold
Love your videos and your outfits! 🤍Could you do a tutorial for posting fanfics on Tumblr, please? 🙏🏻
I could... but I personally don't think Tumblr is a great place to host fanfiction, especially if it's longer than a triple drabble at most. This is because:
1. it's easier for fanfics to get lost under new content, and the search function on the website makes it hard to find again. Fanfiction hosting websites (especially AO3) have lots of features that make saving and finding fics again helpful.
2. It's not all that different from posting a regular text post, with maybe a few small differences like tag lists if you have then.
3. People go onto Tumblr to scroll through a lot of posts in a short amount of time, meaning they're not likely to be in the right headspace for a long post in the form of a fanfiction. There are exceptions, but generally fics are way less likely to do well on Tumblr because it isn't BUILT for fanfiction first and foremost. For a website like AO3, Fanfiction.net, or Wattpad, people enter them with the desire to read something longer than a few funny or informative text posts like you get on Tumblr.
Now, Tumblr is still good for short fanfics you write on the fly, or don't take too seriously, and you can always crosspost on Tumblr and other websites if you want to. I think if was to make a tutorial for posting fanfics on Tumblr, it would help if I knew why you want to post fanfiction on Tumblr in particular?
Breathtaking fit, as always!! You look amazing!! 🤩🤩 Thank you lots for the tips, a pleasure to be back! And I understand for the Discord server, I’d hate to stumble onto NSFW anyway haha- but that’s great news! :D
I’ll do a more in-dept comment when my deadlines are over
No worries! I have been thinking more and I don't think I'll allow NSFW content in future, simply because if I did, I'd have to be hands-off, and I don't think I should be hands-off about any part of my server. We still discuss topics like that in general terms but we don't go into in-depth discussions like "Here's how you write e-rated smut!"
Your videos are so helpful and entertaining! It's so refreshing to see writing advice specifically tailored to fic writers. Can I ask - you flash a screenshot around 12:50 of your backlog and I was wondering if you had any software/site recommendations for this?
That's actually my outline rather than my backlog. My backlog would be all the chapters I've written but haven't posted yet. For my outline, I use Milanote as seen in that screenshot, but I also use my Milanote outline to track my writing, editing, and posting progress ☺
I'm enchanted by you))
You're so cute and intelligent.Wonderful
aaaaaa i missed you and your vids 😭😭😭 really motivating to watch. but im currently in a slump because i have no idea how to write a fic. like literally. been watching other vids about writing yet its not applicable to me. and i obviously don’t have any idea how to write a first draft. people keep on saying that to just write and to silence your inner critic and all. don’t get me wrong, it’s a good tip. but i need to know how people write their first drafts. especially fanfic writers. do yall just write on a whim with all the prose and stuff like the finished product of the story and do very minimal edits or write a really messy first draft like a original book author do and edit it more than twice? i don’t know if this is the place to ask but i really need to know yall’s process because i’ve been contemplating on my projects that i really passionate about and ended up not writing them due to overthinking the process. like, i want to know how yall write stories and i know im not alone for dying in curiosity to know other fic writers process. but im mostly curious on how yall start your writing (not the overall process, just first draft/not beta read writing.) sorry if i ramble/vent in the wrong place and i really appreciate any sort of suggestions/replies! and im sure there are others who has the same struggles as me who would appreciate the answers yall give. have a great day ahead of yall!
If you'd like to hear from several fic writers, then you can join my Discord server if you're 18 or older! You can ask in the-writing-process and get multiple answers from our little community ☺
Here's the invite link: discord.gg/nmrmyyRn
Great vid as always Cora. this is good for me because I really need to plan stuff out, though next time if it's not too much trouble could you add some examples."
Thanks for the feedback! I'll keep it in mind 😊
Wait- people edit their fanfics more than just hitting the spell check button???? I can even make myself re-read what i write because i hate my writtng so much 😭