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Perfectionism is definitely the biggest one for me! I realized that I need a deadline or an editor or someone other than myself to tell me I’m done. Otherwise I’ll just keep revising the same project forever until I die!
I want to be an author and im currently working on my second and final draft of my first book. Its been a passion I developed in 2010 when I was still 10 years old. Its very rare that I finch a story. Perfectionism and resistance are my 2 biggest enemies in this. Sometimes I get strict with myself and force myself to write. Im literally the only one in my family who wants to be an author. So I really have no one close to be to related or ask for help or assistance. So im by my self on this, and thats super depressing for me.
Thank you for posting this video. From my experience, what also comes to mind is this: you try to write down the words but can’t do it. I picture the images but I have trouble putting it into words. Also, I struggle trying to use the correct word. And another thing is the grammar. I always try to do it rightly but end up making mistakes. Writing is hard.
15:10 - Weird that in probably most other aspects of my life, failure worries me. I guess I've never really failed, but just never really pushed myself to where I could fail ie career, maintaining friends, relationships, etc. But when it comes to my writing, my art and my ideas, I got a Kanye attitude. I'm great. I know it's great. If you don't think it's great, then there's probably something wrong with you.
Bethany: I collect quotes (often to reinforce my suspicions that I am not alone in my struggles, joys, etc.). This humorous one has helped me numerous times over the years: “Writing is the hardest way of earning a living, with the possible exception of wrestling alligators.” - Olin Miller, aphorist
i write a chapter over and over in my mind then i cant remember if i wrote it down or not so i spend a day looking for it... i have so much to write about that i am over whelmed.. and dont know where to start or stop...
Your b-roll game is so strong. 😍😆 I'm over here taking notes as I get my channel started! I'm recording my first videos and all my intro/outro stuff this week and you sharing your drinks lately is making me so happy. When I told my husband about my channel idea, he was like "no one is going to watch you brew tea on UA-cam." To which I just smiled and confidently shook my head at his silly little self. 😆
Haha, thank you so much! LOL it definitely is a learning curve to figure out what to share in general, but I heard once that if you can continue to switch it up visually or with audio, that can really help keep people's attention :)
This is great advice I almost missed amidst a flurry of other videos trying to get my attention. I target 1000 words daily and I felt that part of series of achievable goals.
This came at the perfect time! I've been struggling with perfectionism and now, plotting enough to keep me interested and gosh...I'm just so happy that I watched this video when I did. I needed this. Thank you so much, Bethany!
I am an aspiring author. I launched my first novel "Rise of Dracula: Reincarnation," on Amazon on December 25, 2020. I finished the first draft of this novel in 14 days as I already had a plot in my mind, but I am stucked up with a science fiction, and have not been able to progress for about a year now because of the lack of ideas. Your video is great on the topic " Why is Writing So Hard."
I saw the Elysian Prophecy in the background. It's cool you support other authors, especially ones who are youtubers, who self publish. Hope to see my book on your shelf soon. My wife and I are eyeing a February release.
It’s so awesome that you published this video today, because I was talking about something similar on Instagram this morning! One of the things that I do when writing gets hard is give myself a little grace and a break. I know it’s important to keep up the habit of writing, but sometimes you just can’t force creativity. It’s better to rest and come back refreshed later instead of risking burn out. Thanks so much for sharing! I really enjoyed it! Happy writing! 💜
Thanks for your openness I recognise your thinking in myself. Am going to stop beating myself up, use deadlines and write for myself, the whole world will never be a fan of my work.
Thank you for this! feel all this and I’m struggling with my first novel because I feel like I will fail 😣 so I appreciate you being vulnerable and open in this video!
I have the EGO, but the process to creating one is so hard. I had to find the system to help me write it, and I end up with creating the system to write my system. I am writing a book that had never been written in this format before, and it's so hard.
Thank you for posting this! I'm working on first novel and was starting to feel like I was missing something when I wasn't cranking out the chapters quickly.
You nailed every reason why writing is hard for me. 🤦🏾♀️. I definitely have a hard time with perfection to the point where I can’t even finish a sentence was also worried about the grammar. It really slows you down. I’m also Over-thinker. Failure creeps up on me the moment I start typing too
Could excitement be a reason? Like what you might be writing, maybe what the characters are going through, etc is too exciting so you want to take a break and not feel so overwhelmed?
Yeah it really depends on the thing, but there are definitely places where authors could have more income streams with the same product too with a little more work, like turning an ebook into a paperback and into an audiobook and so on too.
Such a good video! Definitely can relate to all the points 😅 I think another thing that makes writing hard for me is feeling like the book your writing is beyond your current writing ability. I feel like I’m constantly trying to hone and perfect my writing ability and understand the craft, but it feels like the book I want to write is too “complex” for the current me. Does that make any sense? Haha
Thank you so much! And I can definitely see that being another road block to writing. Don't let it stop you though, the only way you'll get to the level you want to be is through practice, so that could be a catch 22 unless you push through! :)
On topic 2: fear of failure. What got me writing initially was deciding that I wanted to put stories out into the world that leave an imprint of who I am for my family. We won't be here forever. But by leaving books behind, I'm leaving a message to my childrens children of who I was in the event that they are not able to meet me. When you look at it that way even if no one else like your book and it doesn't sell at all, the couple thousand dollars you spend getting it out there is still worth it.
In my case, there's a variation of perfectionism that applies. I'm currently outlining a screenplay. I actually finished a scipt last year, but later realized it wasn't strong enough. The solution was to re-outline the entire script from scratch (using the same basic concept). And notice this: *I had planned the story in advance,* and yet I couldn't foresee I'd be unsatisfied in the end. Today, whenever I work on my outline, I always start by reading what is already there. I am *really concerned* that my characters don't show enough passion from early on in the story. *Passion* is the keyword to making this story succesful, and I have to work really hard on portraying that passion on the page. As I read through my progress before outlining new scenes, I even read the characters' dialogue out loud (I'm also writing parts of the manuscript into the outline). I want to live the moments with the characters as authentically as I can, so I can better judge the story. In this process, I often find myself editing what I've already written instead of moving on. I often feel concerned that I'll fail again. And I'm worried that I'll never feel ready to reach out to a screenwriting manager / agent.
That's totally normal! If you can, start collecting encouraging quotes and all the good things your betas or early reviewers say about your book in a "good things" folder that you can look at when you're feeling insecure and be reminded that you're on the right track!
@@BethanyAtazadeh Yes, definitely. I just read through some of my saved beta feedback again recently for that reason. It is so important to save compliments, because for some reason, they are harder to remember.
Your videos are really great. I like that you are completely yourself. I'm working on that issue myself on my videos, trying to find a balance between great information and being me without a person being there.
You should watch my older videos when I first started out hehe, nobody is an overnight success I promise! I'm still always learning and growing, but we all have to start at the beginning, you've got this!
This video has hit all the nails on the head. 💕 I'm going to dig around, but do you have any videos on beating/dealing with burnout? ❤ I'm working full-time and haven't written *anything* (fiction, non-fiction, or poetry etc) since mid November... ☹
Thank you! And I can definitely relate to that, I went a few months in 2020 without writing / creating at all and it's tough to be in a place like that. I don't know if this will be quite what you're looking for, but I did this video called "how to write when you don't feel like it" where I tried to explore that and the different roots that might cause it - I'll link it here if you wanna check it out! ua-cam.com/video/EhH3PCdhJRE/v-deo.html
I'm trying to write my first book on investing and entrepreneurship yeah every time I start I come up with the best beginning I could ever think of but then as I start writing it or voice texting it my mind wanders off next thing you know I'm on UA-cam watching videos like I am right now LOL literally finished one segment I started working on the very first chapter and found myself to this video
Writing isn't hard, it's as easy as breathing. However, writing a novel is tricky. The pacing, the plot, the reveals, the character building, the timing of when to tell what.
I thrive in the face of failure when it comes to writing. I failed college english twice before passing it the third time. My fiction writing has been destroyed and super criticized by beta readers and has made me so much better.
I'm an author in Dreame and Yugto. Really, I have plenty of on-going stories and it almost took me a year or 2 to finish it both lol. I always lose my interest in doing so dunno if it's a writer's block or just me being lazy.
Loved this video. Thanks Bethany! You were spot on with these, I am definitely feeling this lately :/ I love that book by Linda Dillow and honestly forgot that I have read it until you brought it up. I'm determined now to pray and keep moving forward with my novel!
I'm so busy I go days sometimes weeks without writing a word....It's not just finding the energy and free time. It's finding the right frame of mind kinda time too
I could definitely see some overlap, but perfectionism to me is worrying about making it absolutely perfect for others and more about judgment, while fear of failure could encompass things like not selling any books or not being able to even finish writing a story or other types of failure too.
I'm struggling so much finishing my current story. I'm almost done with draft 1, but writing the ending has been like pulling teeth. And I think it's because I'm a fast drafter and this is my NaNo story, so I've put off the end for so long that it's hard to get back into the story...
I've definitely experienced that, you're not alone! Everyone is different so it might help to set yourself a deadline and push through it, or it might help to allow yourself to step away for a bit and come back to it when you're ready!
welp. y'know, the thing about trying to please everyone? everyone is not a writer. everyone is not an artist. we are. a LOT of the most popular stuff out there, it's not made by artists. it's made by people who are catering to the "common clay of the new west", as it were. sorry if i'm being cynical, it's just where my head is right now.
Thanks! I would recommend checking out Reedsy.com or the Goodreads editor forums for editors, and companies like Damonza or 99 Designs or my own cover designer, Stone Ridge Books, for book covers. :)
Absolutely, I'm not accountable to anyone but myself, so I use a publishing timeline template which you can get by signing up for my author newsletter and that lets me know all the smaller deadlines that I need to meet if I want to publish my book!
Argh! Perfectionism... so crippling. That why it took me ten years to write my first book... and my second. In 2020 I feel like I finally overcame this with Camp Nano in April and July, and NaNoWriMo, because you can't write 50,000 words in a month if you're worrying about them being perfect.
I've rewritten my novel 10 times, at least and not int he way of It's the same novel, oh no. I've written it so many different ways! Wanna know what my brain looks like? A filthy blender that hasn't been washed in 26 months. my brain is a garbage shoot of great ideas.
Don't forget to 💻 SIGN UP FOR MY AUTHOR NEWSLETTER for FREE exclusives (starting with the first HALF of The Stolen Kingdom + a step-by-step self-publishing guide and template): www.bethanyatazadeh.com/contact
Perfectionism is definitely the biggest one for me! I realized that I need a deadline or an editor or someone other than myself to tell me I’m done. Otherwise I’ll just keep revising the same project forever until I die!
I can relate and deadlines are amazingly powerful for breaking through that haha! :D
I want to be an author and im currently working on my second and final draft of my first book. Its been a passion I developed in 2010 when I was still 10 years old. Its very rare that I finch a story. Perfectionism and resistance are my 2 biggest enemies in this. Sometimes I get strict with myself and force myself to write. Im literally the only one in my family who wants to be an author. So I really have no one close to be to related or ask for help or assistance. So im by my self on this, and thats super depressing for me.
Thank you for posting this video. From my experience, what also comes to mind is this: you try to write down the words but can’t do it. I picture the images but I have trouble putting it into words. Also, I struggle trying to use the correct word. And another thing is the grammar. I always try to do it rightly but end up making mistakes. Writing is hard.
15:10 - Weird that in probably most other aspects of my life, failure worries me. I guess I've never really failed, but just never really pushed myself to where I could fail ie career, maintaining friends, relationships, etc. But when it comes to my writing, my art and my ideas, I got a Kanye attitude. I'm great. I know it's great. If you don't think it's great, then there's probably something wrong with you.
Bethany: I collect quotes (often to reinforce my suspicions that I am not alone in my struggles, joys, etc.). This humorous one has helped me numerous times over the years: “Writing is the hardest way of earning a living, with the possible exception of wrestling alligators.” - Olin Miller, aphorist
i write a chapter over and over in my mind then i cant remember if i wrote it down or not so i spend a day looking for it... i have so much to write about that i am over whelmed.. and dont know where to start or stop...
Your b-roll game is so strong. 😍😆 I'm over here taking notes as I get my channel started! I'm recording my first videos and all my intro/outro stuff this week and you sharing your drinks lately is making me so happy.
When I told my husband about my channel idea, he was like "no one is going to watch you brew tea on UA-cam." To which I just smiled and confidently shook my head at his silly little self. 😆
Haha, thank you so much! LOL it definitely is a learning curve to figure out what to share in general, but I heard once that if you can continue to switch it up visually or with audio, that can really help keep people's attention :)
This is great advice I almost missed amidst a flurry of other videos trying to get my attention. I target 1000 words daily and I felt that part of series of achievable goals.
This came at the perfect time! I've been struggling with perfectionism and now, plotting enough to keep me interested and gosh...I'm just so happy that I watched this video when I did. I needed this. Thank you so much, Bethany!
So glad it was helpful! :D
In the bible, Matthew 6:25-34 talks about how to find freedom from anxiety.
I am an aspiring author. I launched my first novel "Rise of Dracula: Reincarnation," on Amazon on December 25, 2020. I finished the first draft of this novel in 14 days as I already had a plot in my mind, but I am stucked up with a science fiction, and have not been able to progress for about a year now because of the lack of ideas. Your video is great on the topic " Why is Writing So Hard."
I saw the Elysian Prophecy in the background. It's cool you support other authors, especially ones who are youtubers, who self publish. Hope to see my book on your shelf soon. My wife and I are eyeing a February release.
Thanks! And congratulations!
The timing of this video was super perfect! I've been struggling and finding writing so damn hard right now so thank you 💜
So glad it was helpful! :D
It’s so awesome that you published this video today, because I was talking about something similar on Instagram this morning! One of the things that I do when writing gets hard is give myself a little grace and a break. I know it’s important to keep up the habit of writing, but sometimes you just can’t force creativity. It’s better to rest and come back refreshed later instead of risking burn out. Thanks so much for sharing! I really enjoyed it! Happy writing! 💜
That's so cool! I agree! So glad it was helpful! :D
Thanks for your openness I recognise your thinking in myself. Am going to stop beating myself up, use deadlines and write for myself, the whole world will never be a fan of my work.
You were spot on with every single one!!
Thanks Vanissa!
It can also be boring.
Thank you for this! feel all this and I’m struggling with my first novel because I feel like I will fail 😣 so I appreciate you being vulnerable and open in this video!
So glad it was helpful! :D
I have the EGO, but the process to creating one is so hard. I had to find the system to help me write it, and I end up with creating the system to write my system. I am writing a book that had never been written in this format before, and it's so hard.
Thank you for posting this! I'm working on first novel and was starting to feel like I was missing something when I wasn't cranking out the chapters quickly.
So glad it was helpful! :D
You nailed every reason why writing is hard for me. 🤦🏾♀️. I definitely have a hard time with perfection to the point where I can’t even finish a sentence was also worried about the grammar. It really slows you down. I’m also Over-thinker. Failure creeps up on me the moment I start typing too
Writing and revision are so tiring. I have to stop after three or four hours and take a long break. Don't rush it. It won't do your writing any good.
Could excitement be a reason? Like what you might be writing, maybe what the characters are going through, etc is too exciting so you want to take a break and not feel so overwhelmed?
I love all of these! I think so many things are like that--not just one and done, but something you have to work on continually!
Yeah it really depends on the thing, but there are definitely places where authors could have more income streams with the same product too with a little more work, like turning an ebook into a paperback and into an audiobook and so on too.
Such a good video! Definitely can relate to all the points 😅 I think another thing that makes writing hard for me is feeling like the book your writing is beyond your current writing ability. I feel like I’m constantly trying to hone and perfect my writing ability and understand the craft, but it feels like the book I want to write is too “complex” for the current me. Does that make any sense? Haha
Thank you so much! And I can definitely see that being another road block to writing. Don't let it stop you though, the only way you'll get to the level you want to be is through practice, so that could be a catch 22 unless you push through! :)
On topic 2: fear of failure. What got me writing initially was deciding that I wanted to put stories out into the world that leave an imprint of who I am for my family. We won't be here forever. But by leaving books behind, I'm leaving a message to my childrens children of who I was in the event that they are not able to meet me. When you look at it that way even if no one else like your book and it doesn't sell at all, the couple thousand dollars you spend getting it out there is still worth it.
That's a great focus to have instead of focusing on failure!
In my case, there's a variation of perfectionism that applies.
I'm currently outlining a screenplay. I actually finished a scipt last year, but later realized it wasn't strong enough.
The solution was to re-outline the entire script from scratch (using the same basic concept). And notice this: *I had planned the story in advance,* and yet I couldn't foresee I'd be unsatisfied in the end.
Today, whenever I work on my outline, I always start by reading what is already there. I am *really concerned* that my characters don't show enough passion from early on in the story. *Passion* is the keyword to making this story succesful, and I have to work really hard on portraying that passion on the page.
As I read through my progress before outlining new scenes, I even read the characters' dialogue out loud (I'm also writing parts of the manuscript into the outline). I want to live the moments with the characters as authentically as I can, so I can better judge the story. In this process, I often find myself editing what I've already written instead of moving on.
I often feel concerned that I'll fail again. And I'm worried that I'll never feel ready to reach out to a screenwriting manager / agent.
You've got this! Push through that perfectionism and keep going!
I always find proofreading and marketing waaaaay more difficult. I love the writing part fr.
I love writing the most too! Editing is the part that I find hardest!
Yes, all these things. As I get closer to publishing my debut the more I'm having to beat back all my insecurities, lol.
That's totally normal! If you can, start collecting encouraging quotes and all the good things your betas or early reviewers say about your book in a "good things" folder that you can look at when you're feeling insecure and be reminded that you're on the right track!
@@BethanyAtazadeh Yes, definitely. I just read through some of my saved beta feedback again recently for that reason. It is so important to save compliments, because for some reason, they are harder to remember.
Your videos are really great. I like that you are completely yourself. I'm working on that issue myself on my videos, trying to find a balance between great information and being me without a person being there.
You should watch my older videos when I first started out hehe, nobody is an overnight success I promise! I'm still always learning and growing, but we all have to start at the beginning, you've got this!
This video has hit all the nails on the head. 💕
I'm going to dig around, but do you have any videos on beating/dealing with burnout? ❤
I'm working full-time and haven't written *anything* (fiction, non-fiction, or poetry etc) since mid November... ☹
Thank you! And I can definitely relate to that, I went a few months in 2020 without writing / creating at all and it's tough to be in a place like that.
I don't know if this will be quite what you're looking for, but I did this video called "how to write when you don't feel like it" where I tried to explore that and the different roots that might cause it - I'll link it here if you wanna check it out! ua-cam.com/video/EhH3PCdhJRE/v-deo.html
Thank you so much Bethany...!!! I am writing a novel and your video helps me so much!!! Best of luck for Enchanted Crown
Yay! So happy to hear that, thanks Chandraye! :D
You are awesome!!! Can't be anymore happy after getting a heart from you!!! I can't wait for The Enchanted Crown...!!!! I know that you will do it!!!
Super excited for your new book! I can't believe you;re almost done with the series and am exciting to see what you start next!!!
Yay! Thank you so much!
I'm trying to write my first book on investing and entrepreneurship yeah every time I start I come up with the best beginning I could ever think of but then as I start writing it or voice texting it my mind wanders off next thing you know I'm on UA-cam watching videos like I am right now LOL literally finished one segment I started working on the very first chapter and found myself to this video
Writing isn't hard, it's as easy as breathing. However, writing a novel is tricky. The pacing, the plot, the reveals, the character building, the timing of when to tell what.
I thrive in the face of failure when it comes to writing. I failed college english twice before passing it the third time. My fiction writing has been destroyed and super criticized by beta readers and has made me so much better.
Best video you have made yet!👏👏👏. God bless you, and thank you so much for this video!
Yay thank you so much! So glad it was helpful! :D
@@BethanyAtazadeh Not a problem! Thanks again for this video❤! God bless you.:)
Thanks for the pep talk. I love your videos and I love your dog.
Thank you so much!
I'm an author in Dreame and Yugto. Really, I have plenty of on-going stories and it almost took me a year or 2 to finish it both lol. I always lose my interest in doing so dunno if it's a writer's block or just me being lazy.
Loved your advices 😍
I like your collection of cups.
Thank you!
Loved this video. Thanks Bethany! You were spot on with these, I am definitely feeling this lately :/ I love that book by Linda Dillow and honestly forgot that I have read it until you brought it up. I'm determined now to pray and keep moving forward with my novel!
Yay thank you! So glad it was helpful! :D
I'm so busy I go days sometimes weeks without writing a word....It's not just finding the energy and free time. It's finding the right frame of mind kinda time too
Absolutely, that can be a huge factor!
Bethany can you come for a live
Sorry, I'm not sure what you're asking?
@@BethanyAtazadeh Can you do a live on youtube
Thanks so much!
I REALLY needed this. Your timing was impeccable. Thank you!!! Such a valuable video. (And I may have paused to make hot chocolate.)
Haha yay! So glad it was helpful! :D
Bethany, where are you getting your templates? I love the font for your chapter headers.
Thanks for sharing your valuable thoughts💕
thnks for the video. i just grab a cup of coffee :) it's 0:23 here and still trying to get past a hard chapter. let's reward ourselves!!
So glad it was helpful! :D
Soooo, isn't fear of failure just a consequence of perfectionism?? Aren't they basically the same thing?
I could definitely see some overlap, but perfectionism to me is worrying about making it absolutely perfect for others and more about judgment, while fear of failure could encompass things like not selling any books or not being able to even finish writing a story or other types of failure too.
I'm struggling so much finishing my current story. I'm almost done with draft 1, but writing the ending has been like pulling teeth. And I think it's because I'm a fast drafter and this is my NaNo story, so I've put off the end for so long that it's hard to get back into the story...
I've definitely experienced that, you're not alone! Everyone is different so it might help to set yourself a deadline and push through it, or it might help to allow yourself to step away for a bit and come back to it when you're ready!
I'm editing right now. 😳
welp. y'know, the thing about trying to please everyone?
everyone is not a writer. everyone is not an artist. we are. a LOT of the most popular stuff out there, it's not made by artists. it's made by people who are catering to the "common clay of the new west", as it were.
sorry if i'm being cynical, it's just where my head is right now.
Love all your videos, can you recommend an editing company and cover design company? your books look great!
Thanks! I would recommend checking out Reedsy.com or the Goodreads editor forums for editors, and companies like Damonza or 99 Designs or my own cover designer, Stone Ridge Books, for book covers. :)
Hi Beth. How do I implement deadlines as a person who has no editor to be accountable to? Can you recommend an accountability mechanism
Absolutely, I'm not accountable to anyone but myself, so I use a publishing timeline template which you can get by signing up for my author newsletter and that lets me know all the smaller deadlines that I need to meet if I want to publish my book!
When you said 'I need something to get me through editing', I immediately thought of Penny
Haha Penny is the best!
I’m a perfectionist but writing has taught me to let loose and have fun, joke around about terrible lines
That's awesome!
Argh! Perfectionism... so crippling. That why it took me ten years to write my first book... and my second.
In 2020 I feel like I finally overcame this with Camp Nano in April and July, and NaNoWriMo, because you can't write 50,000 words in a month if you're worrying about them being perfect.
That's so cool that NaNo gave you a breakthrough! And I agree haha!
I can't forgive making hot chocolate with water
You can burn major calories just sitting there using your brain.
I've rewritten my novel 10 times, at least and not int he way of It's the same novel, oh no. I've written it so many different ways! Wanna know what my brain looks like? A filthy blender that hasn't been washed in 26 months. my brain is a garbage shoot of great ideas.