so guilty of this since my mother-in-law is an AVID reader of all genres but she's been reading her whole life and has a wealth of knowledge. it is intimidating
Especially number 8 is so powerful: don't start over, just finish it. The feeling of finishing the first draft should be such a powerful one, and one that is motivating to continue on.
It’s euphoric! And it certainly is a big achievement, something to be proud of. I think the priority should be getting to that moment and not letting yourself get distracted on the way there.
@@TheWaxQuill Yes, very true. Even as a child when I was just writing I finished the first story before I started the next,, even when at the end I forgot what the beginning was about again. 😂 Story structure was something I had yet to learn back in 1999. 😂
I heard the writing tips that if you write and get stuck wether it’s description or how to write a certain scene, you just write (ELEPHANT) and continue on with the scene after that and later on when you edit you search for the word elephant so you can come back to it, I think it’s brilliant.
And... Get one story finished before starting another. Amazing how new stories flash their silky rich layers when you're trying to sew up an old garment. Appreciate the insights, especially writong the story you dream about, the one that won't let go. That old garment.
Just in the past couple days decided screw it, I want to write a complete story, even if it's a bad story, and this was honestly wonderfully motivating and grounding. Stop letting yourself get distracted and just write it, me, you darn procrastinator!
I'm technically working on my second book even though my first one hasn't been published yet (first one is a children's book) but for this book, I will be starting on my fifth draft 😂 I first wrote it in 3rd person, edited it in 3rd person one or two times, and decided to try 1st person. I like it a lot more
Glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t have a clear picture in my head of the characters. I also intentionally leave them semi vague so the reader can fill in their own blanks.
I had to start leaving blanks/underlines in place of some character names and then once I complete that chapter so I am done for the day, I let myself think about it while I do other stuff and the next time I write, I put the names in where the blanks were. Before starting, I knew the names of the main characters, but whenever they encounter others that the names don't actually matter, I wait until later to figure out their names. Before I used to get stuck on names and waste huge amounts of time, and by the time I came up with one, I wasn't in the mood to write anymore.
Somewhere (wish I could remember) I read advice that went something like: "Get your main character up a tree and throw stones at them" . Also, Anne Lamott's acknowdgement of "shitty first drafts" is very reassuring.
I am soo guilty of writing a section, going back and editing it, going back and editing again ... and again .. eventually, it's perfect. Then I move on to the next section. After an entire month I look at what I have and well I'm only on page two. Granted I have a basic note document of each chapter - what is supposed to happen but my rough draft just never gets completed because of this trap I fall into. Today I will try to avoid doing this and just write out my rough draft entirely first. Great Advice for us perfectionist !!!
You can do it! It sometimes helps to type it out using white as your text color so you literally can't see what you've written until you're ready to. Actually, light, light yellow is better so you don't get lost on the page or think it's blank on accident. . . Not that that's ever happened to me. . . 😬
4:20 for visualizing characters: I go to an rpg mini creator (Hero Forge) and take about an hour or less to make my character because I can get a feel for how they would react better when I have a visual reference.
A lot of the non publishing related problems here plagued me the first time I tried to write a novel. I ended up scrapping that project in frustration but a few years down the line, here I am at my second attempt at writing a full length novel. I was mentally ticking boxes the whole video like, "wow, that's exactly what I did back then". This really reaffirmed some things for me ❤
I am actually writing my second novel. I actually know what my story future is and my opening actually is similar to my synopsis but little extended and main charecter is 13 year kid who is taking nap in school while teacher is teaching something kinda reminds me when I was teenager 😂. The teacher notices him and rest is on my book which I will soon be publishing and its going to be a long story it will take me years to end since the world is massive with lot of charecters and antagonists.
Thanks for posting this. It gave me a gentle reminder of my way off past mistakes that juiced me up for my next round of edits. Editing is like power of elimination...the mistakes you find you edit them and then the less mistakes you find or a critique partners find, the closer you are to total polish to send to agents, etc. I do love my editing. Some processes put me to sleep though. LOL
I've never heard it described like that, but it makes a lot of sense. Would you like to talk about your editing process in an episode with me? You sound very methodical about it and I'd love to know more.
These are the most valuable words of someone who's been through all of those things, really take some notes. I did so many mistakes that she described in the video. It's important to look at your own work like a giant, not like an ant.
Ma’am I don’t know who you are, but-and I apologize if this sounds weird-you have the perfect mix of supportive and stern in your tone here to get through my thick skull lol Also the “don’t write the story your mother in law would be proud of you for” line is amazing
Okay, so I just found this video, and it's rare that I'm this dialed in. I love the way you talk and present, and you're so animated with your face/head but not over the top. Lots of good information. Most of it I already had in my pocket, but still, great to watch. ^_^
It's good to know you like them. It costs nearly twice as much time in editing to add them, so I've been skipping them lately, but maybe I should start putting them in again if they're actually helpful to you. I know I always like subtitles.
All great advice! I like to use brackets in my writing when I don't know something like [MALE DWARF NAME]. Easy to search and find brackets later. Thanks!
Great stuff, especially for beginning writers. I like your no-BS approach and real-talk. I also appreciate the exasperated glare after each one of these. Priceless. Also, @15:30, this is exactly how I do it. So obviously I agree.
I appreciate this. I am a very friendly person most of the time, but sometimes, in order to fix a problem, you have to recognize it for what it is. You know? :)
This concept that you write the story in one go and then go over it again is so alien to me 😂 I go over what I've already written again and again, editing. I write a chapter, I go back and edit, and edit, and edit, and then I write a new chapter, and then I go over all chapters I already have which have been edited like ten times already, and then I would write another chapter - totally chaotic. So when I finish, there's not much editing left to do. But it's the only way that works for me. And yes, I always finish my stories. Sadly. I mostly don't want them to end because I want to spend more time with my characters. I'm weird, I know.
@@VibingMeike Thank you :) I always find it fascinating to talk to other writers and see how differently their brain works and how different the creative process can be. There isn't the one way that works for everyone.
@@TheWaxQuill Thank you :) I couldn't change that if I tried. I still think I'm weird, because the story I'm currently working on is nearing it's end and I'm devastated. All those videos encouraging people on how to actually finish a story and I think: Yeah... that is NOT my problem. I just want to keep going 😂
When it comes to book drafts names use the Japanese naming system for their Manga and light novel. Summuries your synopcis in one sentence . exemples - When it comes to book drafts names use the the Japanese naming system for their Manga and light novel. Summuries your synopcis in one sentence - Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon? - Do You Love Your Mom And Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks? - I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level - Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious - Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases - Trapped In A Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough For Mobs - Suppose A Kid From The Last Dungeon Boonies Moved To A Starter Town - WorldEnd: What Do You Do At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us? - I'm A Behemoth, An S-Ranked Monster, But Mistaken For A Cat, I Live As An Elf Girl's Pet - I'm A High School Boy And A Best-Selling Light Novel Author Strangled By My Female Junior Who's A Voice Actress - The Results From When I Time Leaped To My Second Year Of High School And Confessed To The Teacher I Liked At The Time - Sew For Her! Strip Her? Change Her Clothes!! She Screwed Up Her High School Debut And Became A Shut-In, So I’ve Ended Up Coordinating Her Youth (Fashion) Or Name your draft after your main character
I hadn't noticed that they did that, but now you say it, they totally do! Spoilers aren't always a bad thing, and these titles prove it. Thanks for your comment!
I didnt know anyone else did the *** thing. I started doing it for papers in highschool and its helped me so far in lige. I see so many people just getting hung up on little things because they arent comofrtable just saying "Ill get back to that later, ***"
I'm in the process of querying my 86k ya debut novel, this is the fifth or sixth revision down from around 110k words, 2 main useless chapters scrapped, three incidental characters thrown out and my favorite scene that I wrote thrown into the fire. I hope listening to all my writing groups and editor.
That’s amazing! Congratulations, but also I am so sad for you. It sounds like you’ve had a lot of darlings. But think of it this way, when you’re a famous author you can tell the original story and post that scene on your website and talk about those beloved characters, and they will be loved. Or maybe they’re just not meant for this book, but for another book? Either way, congratulations!
This is extremely good advice, especially number 2- writing the story you want to write. I hadn't finished a story in almost a decade because everytime I started a new story I'd start thinking about what other people would want to read, trying to emulate successful authors writing style, or thinking about what a publisher would want. I ended up giving up after just a few chapters every time, because I would always get bored of what I was writing- or sometimes just end up hating it. Recently I decided to just write for myself and the chapters just FLEW out, and now I've finally finished something I'm happy with!! Some days I had to really force myself to sit down and write terrible, but just like you said, often the next day I would read it back and find it really wasn't as bad as it seemed while writing. It can be very hard to turn off the inner-critic while writing, but not having the pressure of thinking about other people reading what I was writing really helped. Do you have a video on advice for what to do after writing the first draft? I'd love to hear it, especially some more advice on specifics like the front cover (best places to find an artist or other alternatives), copyright page, whether beta readers or editors are worth it, and tips for how to approach the editing process- how critical should you be, do you use a specific spell checker like Grammarly, is it common to add new content or cut a lot, how to write a good blurb, etc etc.
First off, well done on writing for yourself! You've done a lot of work, and it's finally paid off. Now the fun part starts. Both M.E. Hansen and Jalen Tellis touched on their second draft methods, particularly Jalen. Here are the links to his 2 episodes (I don't recall which one it was in). I hope that helps! ua-cam.com/video/N2MSEb9LM3E/v-deo.htmlsi=GkzqwY95k3Kxy7xo ua-cam.com/video/PaOlxKfCPtU/v-deo.htmlsi=vaHsYi6mIfg3OHoO With regards to beta readers, I've never heard any author say beta readers and editors are a waste of time. To the contrary, actually. M.E. Hansen has a great method for sending her book out to beta readers (her episode is here: ua-cam.com/video/0nTYhqFcA2Y/v-deo.htmlsi=CO446R4zWMpjKWfh ) and I personally have gained a lot on my wip by sending it to an editor that I hired on Fiverr. It'll give you a new perspective and, if you're feeling stuck, a direction to go in. As to the rest, I'll write them down to ask the next author I interview. I hope you keep watching and find the answers you're searching for!
@@TheWaxQuill Awww, thank you so much for the heartfelt reply, for the encouraging words, and for the links to your other relevant videos! Those podcast-style videos will be great to have on while I'm unfocused on something else, thank you for taking the time to reply and send me other relevant videos!
Thanks for the advice. I just published parts of my first draft on Wattpad. It didn't sold out, even to my friends who's supposed to critique it. You had brought light to my problems.
#1. Don't worry about the title." Yepper. I've gone through FOUR titles for my current WIP, and it's excellent. But it took a few years for ti to come together.
Hi, your advice, combined with others, got me off my backside to write my short stories, so thanks for that. Oh, I'm going to do a writer's podcast of my own, reading out my short stories. Is it a good idea to show my face reading them, in your mind?
I was really hesitant to show my face too. I decided to just go for it because I want to be as real as possible, like a friend, for my audience. It's easier to be a friend with someone when you see their facial expressions and quirks, in my opinion. The downside is there's less mystery, and I do love a good mystery.
Hmmm, thanks for the advice. I’ve only been asking others for advice on this because I couldn’t make my mind up, and I listened to an influencer who said showing your face was better, but I was worrying about my own online safety and how people would react or even listen to someone reading a short story to a screen in an empty room. I might just go with my original plan and record the audio and put up images so people don’t look at what the podcast is saying and then go back.
I have a cover artist who DEMANDS that the book cover art not look like the character in the book, because "Telling the reader what your character looks like oppresses them and their imagination." Bah.
Wtf they need an ass kicking lmao, there is nothing that pisses me off more than cover characters that dont match the content, like the artist couldn't be bothered to read the book, and the publishers dont care.
my problem is actually writing. when I was young I used to write all the time and I was SO private about it. The idea of my family seeing what I wrote was so mortifying but one day my mom sat me down to tell me she found something I wrote and she wanted me to know how amazing it was but it was so crushing that I remember sobbing and running into my room and ripping it up and I literally haven’t been able to write since. I was probably around 8 or 9 then and now I’m 27. Every time I sit in front of a blank screen I just can’t do it. I’m constantly making stories in my head and I want nothing more than to write them but I get so much paralysis and I don’t know how to overcome it. I’m in therapy and I know despite her good intentions my mom broke my trust and privacy and I’ve carried it with me in regards to writing but I hate it. I just want to write. I’m so jealous of people who can actually do it. I just want to be able to write.
I’m grateful that you’re sharing this, though reading it makes me sad. You wouldn’t be watching this video if you didn’t have stories inside you trying to come out. Have you ever considered learning how to write shorthand? I’m thinking about it. So few people know how to do it nowadays that it would basically be writing in a different language that no one could understand. No one would be able to read your writing. I’m gonna try to get into it soon, so stay tuned and maybe this could be a solution to your problem. Regardless, I hope you’re able to take a step forward soon and tell your stories. They’re so powerful and can change people for the better in so many ways.
The sedona method teaches several methods on how to release emotional blocks. As does - be set free fast book. And a book get the life you want by Richard bandler also teaches mental methods for taking back control of your mind. There are also good self-hypnosis tracks out there by paul mckenna and others. You may also benefit h'pononopono mediation. And of course, positive affirmations also work when formed correctly. You might benefit from repeating affirmations of being confident, strong, safe, secure, protected, liked, loved, wanted, accepted, valued no matter what. And of trust in people and the world/universe/god whatever helps you. The most important thing about affirmations is feeling it as powerfully as you can, and repeating it daily for an extended period of time, like 3 months, for it to become a permanent part of you
How important is theme to the story you're writing? A creative writing professor said we had to have that first before we actually started writing. His class wasn't as fun as I hoped
This might be contraversial, but if you feel like you're ready to start the story and some advice, like his, is holding you back, then it's bad advice. Surely well-intentioned, but still bad. You can certainly figure out the theme in your second draft. It is very important, but it can wait until you have your characters and plot scribbled onto paper first.
Dude was worrying about the publisher? I’m surprised he wasn’t vetting banks to hold the money earned by this non-existent book. These people will never actually be successful authors. They’re just romantic about being a writer.
My issue is I'll get an idea for my book, I'll write as much as I can for it, leave notes about what I want to have happen later, pretty much everything I can to keep my momentum and memory of the idea. And then I come back and have no idea what I was on about. Might as well have written to myself in an alien language. I have all of these notes but no idea what they were pointing towards. It's honestly probably a symptom of depression, what with memory issues being common, but sometimes it feels like I'd have to write the entire book in a day to be able to deal with this. I'm not expecting help but if you know anyone who deals with depression who has gotten a book finished, tips on how to deal with this would be fantastic because I'm so tired of dealing with this.
My friend, I know how you feel. I wrote my books when I was depressed, because I had nothing else to do and no other way to feel productive or useful. It is perfectly possible to write a book in a day, though not by hand and not by typing. You'll have to dictate it, so you'll need lots of water. You'll probably need to be dictating for around 6-10 hours, though I'll bet it's in the lower range for the first draft (for perspective, an audiobook for a short-ish novel is around that long). After that you'll be able to listen to it and make edits as needed because you'll have a record of the original idea and flow to refer to. You know what? I'm going to make an episode about this. I think this is incredibly important and can change lives, like yours. Let me do some experiments and keep an eye out for my episode, ok?
In my opinion you shouldn't write purely to be published...unless you're self-publishing then you probably won't be published anyway. Write because it is something you need to do, not because you want fame or fortune, because you will most likely be sorely disappointed.
I think writing should be fun. It's not fun if you're doing it for someone else because you'll never dig down deep enough to touch their soul. Thank you for the comment and for watching my video!
I do not yet know the answer to this, but when I finally get an agent on for an episode I'll be sure to ask them. It sure seems like they give a lot of extra hoops to jump through though, doesn't it?
There's a few different ways. If you have a few things imagined for your story but don't know much about the characters or the plot, I suggest you make a mood board. Find photos that make you think of your story. Things like a cabin in the woods, a padlock, a wineglass, a shattered window, a lemon tree, a rainy day, a worn shoe, anything that makes you think of your story. Print that out and paste it to a notebook. Then write the first scene of your story as badly as is needed, and write the last scene. Expect the last scene to change, but at least with it penned out you have a direction to go in. Then you go back and write the scene following the first one and go chronologically from there. Give that a try, see if it works. If it does, great! Keep writing. If not, great! Try to write out the important information for each step or scene of your story onto cards (including the characters involved, the conflict they're facing, and whether the scene is a negotiation, a seduction, or a fight, and the location) and you pick a card each day and write the scene it depicts. Or you can do what I do and dictate your story into your phone as you walk each day. There are lots of apps that will listen to your voice and transcribe for you. I find this to be easier because I don't tire as quickly and I can imagine the scenes more vividly. The only wrong way to write a book is by not writing it! Good luck. You got this ;)
I already knew all of this without being published yet. I have learned it all thru my own mistakes. There is another thing you did not mention. Finish what you started. Don't abandon the story just because the shiny new idea came. Two notebook pages of writing about this new idea is enough. Then write down the rest of the story you haven't abandoned with the idea. To me that was the most important lesson. I started writing when I was just 12. Short stories would be written till the end, but I spent over 90% of my time trying to write a novel. I would never finish because of the new ideas coming to me all the time. At the age of 29 I finally had enough of it. I forced myself to finish the book. Then I wrote another one. Both were too bad for publishing. Then I started writing my third. I stopped writing it a few months ago so I would write my master's thesis. This thing is going too slow. So much energy is going into it and then very little is written, while also being written badly. On the other hand, the book I stopped writing because of it went so easy. It is a lot better than the first two. I want to continue writing it. It is in my mind a lot, but I need to finish the school first. Isn't it enough that I returned there at the age of 31? I am 33, so much behind those who went ahead with school as soon as they got the bachelors degrees... It is OK. I am just tired of the fact that the writing must be done in the style I don't like and there being no freedom of artistic expression. I can do it. I will finish this thing. I will be a pseudointelectual soon. That will help me get a better job. Then I will write what I want and how I want. I can't wait to finally continue with the writing.
You can do it! Slow progress is still progress. You're doing fine, and things are going to get better as your other projects wrap up. Also, I'd love to interview you and talk about this. Would you be up for it?
So, Aster Jowell, do you write under a pseudonym? Because I looked for your books on Amazon. Nothing there. Surely you wouldn’t present yourself as an authority on being an author if you hadn’t already published several books.
I surely would not, which is why I've never said I'm an author or given advice as an author. I'm merely a writer documenting my journey to become an author, and I talk to a lot of awesome writers and authors, which experiences I share here. I only give advice on things I've experienced, and turns out having written several books (all yet unpublished) has taught me a whole lot, which is why I made this particular video. I can't help you publish your book, but I can help you get the first draft out of your head and onto the page, which is what most people need help with. Thanks for your comment and for looking me up on Amazon! I appreciate it.
My advice would be for you to get published. Go through the processes of either self-publishing and/or traditional publishing. You cannot speak with authority on this topic by simply talking with authors and being a writer with ‘unpublished novels’. Your intentions may be good but you are simply not ready yet to provide prescriptive advice to aspiring authors. You have no clout yet. Do the work first. Offer advice in a few years.
A lot of these just sound like procrastination reasons on behalf of the would-be authors. Their just using them as excuses not to do something. I see it a lot.
Procrastination is easy to do but not always easy to recognize. I think a lot of these excuses are easy to overcome as soon as they are recognized for what they are.
Writing a book is like giving birth. Bloody painful. The gestation period is the first draft and coincidentally, around nine months spent wondering what it wil be like when it finally sees the light of day, but when it is done you forget the pain and want to show it off. It is always a gamble, especialy as it has to be given up to strangers like schoolteachers, who may mould your 'baby' into something completely different. (a.k.a.. Literary Agents.) Finally, you have to give it up altogether, and it goes out into the world and you hope you have done everything you can to help it succeed. One thing is certain.... At some point you have to let others decide if you have done a good job. You can't keep it in the play- pen forever. Anyway, if it turns out to be a 'rotter' You can always have another one.
Did you know you sound like Anne Hathaway when you speak? 🥰 Also loved the video. I published my first book indie, and it didn’t really go anywhere. Had mixed reviews, and I’m currently trying to recover my self-esteem and confidence. Trying to decide whether to write the next two novels in the series, even if they never go anywhere. ❤️🩹 How do you know what’s worth doing and what’s not if the first novel isn’t amazing?
Dang, good for you for getting it published! You're further than I am in the publishing space then, so my only encouragement here is: if it brings you joy then write it. A lot of indie authors I talk to say it's more a problem of marketing than writing, which may well be your case. Would you like to talk about your experience on a podcast episode? I think some very valuable gems would come up. Also, this channel isn't big yet, but hey, you'd get a bit of free marketing from it. Let me know :)
"Don't write you think your mother in law wants you to write" is a wonderful bit of advice.
so guilty of this since my mother-in-law is an AVID reader of all genres but she's been reading her whole life and has a wealth of knowledge. it is intimidating
I love my mother-in-law, but I think trying to please them is an endless goal when it comes to something you are passionate about.
@@kellywilliams1332 I completely understand the intimidation. :) But I think it puts you into a box, and often your story is outside of that box.
Instead, I'm writing what I think will sell 😅
It is, except I keep mine clean because my mum in law reads them 😂
"Make sure you write the story you daydream about" thank you for saying that🙏
It’s so easy to forget, but the price for forgetting it is a lot of time wasted.
Especially number 8 is so powerful: don't start over, just finish it.
The feeling of finishing the first draft should be such a powerful one, and one that is motivating to continue on.
It’s euphoric! And it certainly is a big achievement, something to be proud of. I think the priority should be getting to that moment and not letting yourself get distracted on the way there.
@@TheWaxQuill Yes, very true. Even as a child when I was just writing I finished the first story before I started the next,, even when at the end I forgot what the beginning was about again. 😂
Story structure was something I had yet to learn back in 1999. 😂
TLDR. Write the book. Finish the first draft. Worry about other things later.
Build momentum, and keep it!
Yes!
I heard the writing tips that if you write and get stuck wether it’s description or how to write a certain scene, you just write (ELEPHANT) and continue on with the scene after that and later on when you edit you search for the word elephant so you can come back to it, I think it’s brilliant.
Holy crap. That's brilliant. Brilliant!
I thank you for this video. I feel like I should base my character's most trusted advisor on it lol.
Wow. I think this is the highest praise I have ever received. Thank you!
And... Get one story finished before starting another. Amazing how new stories flash their silky rich layers when you're trying to sew up an old garment.
Appreciate the insights, especially writong the story you dream about, the one that won't let go. That old garment.
Absolutely!
That heirloom garment, like great-grandma's wedding dress, right?
Just in the past couple days decided screw it, I want to write a complete story, even if it's a bad story, and this was honestly wonderfully motivating and grounding. Stop letting yourself get distracted and just write it, me, you darn procrastinator!
Yes, we stand in our own way. Hope your story's going well!
You got this! If it helps, there's some writing help to get you started on my website, www.waxquillpodcast.com
Ah yeah i miss that time when i finish writing my 90k words webnovel 7 years ago. It sucks but it is written. Just starting to write again is so hard
You can do it!
I'm technically working on my second book even though my first one hasn't been published yet (first one is a children's book) but for this book, I will be starting on my fifth draft 😂 I first wrote it in 3rd person, edited it in 3rd person one or two times, and decided to try 1st person. I like it a lot more
This sounds awesome. I'd love to have you on the podcast to talk about it sometime.
Glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t have a clear picture in my head of the characters. I also intentionally leave them semi vague so the reader can fill in their own blanks.
Smart. I think it's rare to NEED to describe someone's appearance completely
I had to start leaving blanks/underlines in place of some character names and then once I complete that chapter so I am done for the day, I let myself think about it while I do other stuff and the next time I write, I put the names in where the blanks were. Before starting, I knew the names of the main characters, but whenever they encounter others that the names don't actually matter, I wait until later to figure out their names. Before I used to get stuck on names and waste huge amounts of time, and by the time I came up with one, I wasn't in the mood to write anymore.
I'm glad I'm not the only one. It certainly saves time and energy to just say ****. :D
Somewhere (wish I could remember) I read advice that went something like: "Get your main character up a tree and throw stones at them" . Also, Anne Lamott's acknowdgement of "shitty first drafts" is very reassuring.
I've never heard that advice before, but I like it!
I am soo guilty of writing a section, going back and editing it, going back and editing again ... and again .. eventually, it's perfect.
Then I move on to the next section. After an entire month I look at what I have and well I'm only on page two.
Granted I have a basic note document of each chapter - what is supposed to happen but my rough draft just never gets completed because of this trap I fall into.
Today I will try to avoid doing this and just write out my rough draft entirely first.
Great Advice for us perfectionist !!!
You can do it! It sometimes helps to type it out using white as your text color so you literally can't see what you've written until you're ready to. Actually, light, light yellow is better so you don't get lost on the page or think it's blank on accident. . . Not that that's ever happened to me. . . 😬
4:20 for visualizing characters: I go to an rpg mini creator (Hero Forge) and take about an hour or less to make my character because I can get a feel for how they would react better when I have a visual reference.
That sounds like a wonderful method!
A lot of the non publishing related problems here plagued me the first time I tried to write a novel. I ended up scrapping that project in frustration but a few years down the line, here I am at my second attempt at writing a full length novel. I was mentally ticking boxes the whole video like, "wow, that's exactly what I did back then". This really reaffirmed some things for me ❤
I'm glad you're trying again. You got this!
I am actually writing my second novel. I actually know what my story future is and my opening actually is similar to my synopsis but little extended and main charecter is 13 year kid who is taking nap in school while teacher is teaching something kinda reminds me when I was teenager 😂. The teacher notices him and rest is on my book which I will soon be publishing and its going to be a long story it will take me years to end since the world is massive with lot of charecters and antagonists.
Hey, keep it up! It's going to be awesome when you're finished with it.
Thanks for posting this. It gave me a gentle reminder of my way off past mistakes that juiced me up for my next round of edits. Editing is like power of elimination...the mistakes you find you edit them and then the less mistakes you find or a critique partners find, the closer you are to total polish to send to agents, etc. I do love my editing. Some processes put me to sleep though. LOL
I've never heard it described like that, but it makes a lot of sense. Would you like to talk about your editing process in an episode with me? You sound very methodical about it and I'd love to know more.
These are the most valuable words of someone who's been through all of those things, really take some notes. I did so many mistakes that she described in the video. It's important to look at your own work like a giant, not like an ant.
One step at a time, even if it's a baby step :)
i don't know why the point at 13:45 made me emotional? love this video and your vibe! thanks for the tips
Thanks, I appreciate that
I am pretty excited about my seeds. Looks at the ground feeling exposed. Kicks the gravel.
Just keep going!
Ma’am I don’t know who you are, but-and I apologize if this sounds weird-you have the perfect mix of supportive and stern in your tone here to get through my thick skull lol
Also the “don’t write the story your mother in law would be proud of you for” line is amazing
Aw, thanks! That means a lot. :)
Okay, so I just found this video, and it's rare that I'm this dialed in. I love the way you talk and present, and you're so animated with your face/head but not over the top. Lots of good information. Most of it I already had in my pocket, but still, great to watch. ^_^
I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for watching and leaving a comment
Good stuff. I can't write without a title though. It keeps the theme solid. But that's just me.
Hey, if it works for you then do it!
@@TheWaxQuill exactly
Thank you for subtitles.
It's good to know you like them. It costs nearly twice as much time in editing to add them, so I've been skipping them lately, but maybe I should start putting them in again if they're actually helpful to you. I know I always like subtitles.
I never published any books, but somehow youtube successfully got me into these videos like yours
Hey, thanks for watching and leaving a comment!
All great advice! I like to use brackets in my writing when I don't know something like [MALE DWARF NAME]. Easy to search and find brackets later. Thanks!
I hadn’t considered using brackets, but it probably would keep things a bit more organized. As for me, I have stars all over my drafts. 😆
There is a few sites on Google random fantasy elf/dwarf names, they seem to be tricky ones. Also the the towns names.
Great stuff, especially for beginning writers. I like your no-BS approach and real-talk. I also appreciate the exasperated glare after each one of these. Priceless. Also, @15:30, this is exactly how I do it. So obviously I agree.
I appreciate this. I am a very friendly person most of the time, but sometimes, in order to fix a problem, you have to recognize it for what it is. You know? :)
This concept that you write the story in one go and then go over it again is so alien to me 😂 I go over what I've already written again and again, editing. I write a chapter, I go back and edit, and edit, and edit, and then I write a new chapter, and then I go over all chapters I already have which have been edited like ten times already, and then I would write another chapter - totally chaotic. So when I finish, there's not much editing left to do. But it's the only way that works for me. And yes, I always finish my stories. Sadly. I mostly don't want them to end because I want to spend more time with my characters. I'm weird, I know.
Not weird at all! I 'function' the exact same way and I don't doubt many others have a similar writing process
That does sound chaotic, but I’m thrilled that it works for you! And, hey, don’t fix something that isn’t broken, right?
@@VibingMeike Thank you :) I always find it fascinating to talk to other writers and see how differently their brain works and how different the creative process can be. There isn't the one way that works for everyone.
@@TheWaxQuill Thank you :) I couldn't change that if I tried. I still think I'm weird, because the story I'm currently working on is nearing it's end and I'm devastated. All those videos encouraging people on how to actually finish a story and I think: Yeah... that is NOT my problem. I just want to keep going 😂
@@miceandmen I'd say keep going! Who is going to stop you?
When it comes to book drafts names use the Japanese naming system for their Manga and light novel. Summuries your synopcis in one sentence . exemples
- When it comes to book drafts names use the the Japanese naming system for their Manga and light novel. Summuries your synopcis in one sentence
- Is It Wrong to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?
- Do You Love Your Mom And Her Two-Hit Multi-Target Attacks?
- I've Been Killing Slimes For 300 Years And Maxed Out My Level
- Cautious Hero: The Hero Is Overpowered But Overly Cautious
- Death Note Another Note: The Los Angeles BB Murder Cases
- Trapped In A Dating Sim: The World of Otome Games Is Tough For Mobs
- Suppose A Kid From The Last Dungeon Boonies Moved To A Starter Town
- WorldEnd: What Do You Do At The End Of The World? Are You Busy? Will You Save Us?
- I'm A Behemoth, An S-Ranked Monster, But Mistaken For A Cat, I Live As An Elf Girl's Pet
- I'm A High School Boy And A Best-Selling Light Novel Author Strangled By My Female Junior Who's A Voice Actress
- The Results From When I Time Leaped To My Second Year Of High School And Confessed To The Teacher I Liked At The Time
- Sew For Her! Strip Her? Change Her Clothes!! She Screwed Up Her High School Debut And Became A Shut-In, So I’ve Ended Up Coordinating Her Youth (Fashion)
Or Name your draft after your main character
I hadn't noticed that they did that, but now you say it, they totally do! Spoilers aren't always a bad thing, and these titles prove it. Thanks for your comment!
Going to go write my book. I found the second half of this episode intensely comforting.
15:43 This is exactly what I've been doing and let me tell you, writing is going... slow... Thanks for the advice!
It does work for some people, but I’ve noticed the vast majority are just holding themselves back by doing it. It’s all about momentum.😉
I should have seen this sooner. Would've saved me a lot of time and worries.
Better late than never, right? You got this.
I didnt know anyone else did the *** thing. I started doing it for papers in highschool and its helped me so far in lige. I see so many people just getting hung up on little things because they arent comofrtable just saying "Ill get back to that later, ***"
When I put stars in my first draft, I feel like a star 😉
I am half way through writing my first fictional novel and i have NOT made any of the mistakes you mentioned. Im relieved. Lol
That's awesome!
@@TheWaxQuill thank you. im 90% done.
I'm in the process of querying my 86k ya debut novel, this is the fifth or sixth revision down from around 110k words, 2 main useless chapters scrapped, three incidental characters thrown out and my favorite scene that I wrote thrown into the fire. I hope listening to all my writing groups and editor.
That’s amazing! Congratulations, but also I am so sad for you. It sounds like you’ve had a lot of darlings. But think of it this way, when you’re a famous author you can tell the original story and post that scene on your website and talk about those beloved characters, and they will be loved. Or maybe they’re just not meant for this book, but for another book? Either way, congratulations!
This is extremely good advice, especially number 2- writing the story you want to write. I hadn't finished a story in almost a decade because everytime I started a new story I'd start thinking about what other people would want to read, trying to emulate successful authors writing style, or thinking about what a publisher would want. I ended up giving up after just a few chapters every time, because I would always get bored of what I was writing- or sometimes just end up hating it.
Recently I decided to just write for myself and the chapters just FLEW out, and now I've finally finished something I'm happy with!! Some days I had to really force myself to sit down and write terrible, but just like you said, often the next day I would read it back and find it really wasn't as bad as it seemed while writing. It can be very hard to turn off the inner-critic while writing, but not having the pressure of thinking about other people reading what I was writing really helped.
Do you have a video on advice for what to do after writing the first draft? I'd love to hear it, especially some more advice on specifics like the front cover (best places to find an artist or other alternatives), copyright page, whether beta readers or editors are worth it, and tips for how to approach the editing process- how critical should you be, do you use a specific spell checker like Grammarly, is it common to add new content or cut a lot, how to write a good blurb, etc etc.
First off, well done on writing for yourself! You've done a lot of work, and it's finally paid off. Now the fun part starts. Both M.E. Hansen and Jalen Tellis touched on their second draft methods, particularly Jalen. Here are the links to his 2 episodes (I don't recall which one it was in). I hope that helps! ua-cam.com/video/N2MSEb9LM3E/v-deo.htmlsi=GkzqwY95k3Kxy7xo
ua-cam.com/video/PaOlxKfCPtU/v-deo.htmlsi=vaHsYi6mIfg3OHoO
With regards to beta readers, I've never heard any author say beta readers and editors are a waste of time. To the contrary, actually. M.E. Hansen has a great method for sending her book out to beta readers (her episode is here: ua-cam.com/video/0nTYhqFcA2Y/v-deo.htmlsi=CO446R4zWMpjKWfh ) and I personally have gained a lot on my wip by sending it to an editor that I hired on Fiverr. It'll give you a new perspective and, if you're feeling stuck, a direction to go in.
As to the rest, I'll write them down to ask the next author I interview. I hope you keep watching and find the answers you're searching for!
@@TheWaxQuill Awww, thank you so much for the heartfelt reply, for the encouraging words, and for the links to your other relevant videos! Those podcast-style videos will be great to have on while I'm unfocused on something else, thank you for taking the time to reply and send me other relevant videos!
Thank you. I finally found the way how I can actually finish my book after 5 years of deleting and restarting again, trying to make it perfect 😭😭😭
You can do it! Spew it out, and keep spewing until there’s no spew left!
Thanks for the advice. I just published parts of my first draft on Wattpad. It didn't sold out, even to my friends who's supposed to critique it. You had brought light to my problems.
I'm so glad it was helpful. Keep writing!
love this! definitely hit home with some of these.
I'm glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate it :)
Thank you! I am doing most of these, unfortunately. But you have schooled me. I'M GONNA WRITE THE DAMNED BOOK!
YOU GOT THIS! That book ain’t gonna know what wrote it!
What concise advice! Thank you! I would love for you to interview Judith Hale Everett.
Ooh! I will reach out to her and see what she says. Thanks!
I love how you just told me everything I needed to hear. Thank you so much!
I'm glad it was helpful :D Sometimes a kick in the pants in the right direction is all we're missing, right? XD
#1. Don't worry about the title." Yepper. I've gone through FOUR titles for my current WIP, and it's excellent. But it took a few years for ti to come together.
Yeah, I don't think it's the kind of hting you can rush.
Excellent video. Thank you!
I feel like I knew all these things, but it's nice to hear them aloud and remind myself.
Those little niggling reminders. 😉
Very useful, thanks! Listening to such a fun person like you was an additional pleasure))
Hi, your advice, combined with others, got me off my backside to write my short stories, so thanks for that. Oh, I'm going to do a writer's podcast of my own, reading out my short stories. Is it a good idea to show my face reading them, in your mind?
I was really hesitant to show my face too. I decided to just go for it because I want to be as real as possible, like a friend, for my audience. It's easier to be a friend with someone when you see their facial expressions and quirks, in my opinion. The downside is there's less mystery, and I do love a good mystery.
Hmmm, thanks for the advice. I’ve only been asking others for advice on this because I couldn’t make my mind up, and I listened to an influencer who said showing your face was better, but I was worrying about my own online safety and how people would react or even listen to someone reading a short story to a screen in an empty room. I might just go with my original plan and record the audio and put up images so people don’t look at what the podcast is saying and then go back.
I have a cover artist who DEMANDS that the book cover art not look like the character in the book, because "Telling the reader what your character looks like oppresses them and their imagination."
Bah.
Wtf they need an ass kicking lmao, there is nothing that pisses me off more than cover characters that dont match the content, like the artist couldn't be bothered to read the book, and the publishers dont care.
Kinda true though. Everyone imagines things differently and interpreting in your own way is one of the best parts of reading.
my problem is actually writing. when I was young I used to write all the time and I was SO private about it. The idea of my family seeing what I wrote was so mortifying but one day my mom sat me down to tell me she found something I wrote and she wanted me to know how amazing it was but it was so crushing that I remember sobbing and running into my room and ripping it up and I literally haven’t been able to write since. I was probably around 8 or 9 then and now I’m 27. Every time I sit in front of a blank screen I just can’t do it. I’m constantly making stories in my head and I want nothing more than to write them but I get so much paralysis and I don’t know how to overcome it. I’m in therapy and I know despite her good intentions my mom broke my trust and privacy and I’ve carried it with me in regards to writing but I hate it. I just want to write. I’m so jealous of people who can actually do it. I just want to be able to write.
I’m grateful that you’re sharing this, though reading it makes me sad. You wouldn’t be watching this video if you didn’t have stories inside you trying to come out. Have you ever considered learning how to write shorthand? I’m thinking about it. So few people know how to do it nowadays that it would basically be writing in a different language that no one could understand. No one would be able to read your writing. I’m gonna try to get into it soon, so stay tuned and maybe this could be a solution to your problem. Regardless, I hope you’re able to take a step forward soon and tell your stories. They’re so powerful and can change people for the better in so many ways.
The sedona method teaches several methods on how to release emotional blocks.
As does - be set free fast book.
And a book get the life you want by Richard bandler also teaches mental methods for taking back control of your mind.
There are also good self-hypnosis tracks out there by paul mckenna and others.
You may also benefit h'pononopono mediation.
And of course, positive affirmations also work when formed correctly.
You might benefit from repeating affirmations of being confident, strong, safe, secure, protected, liked, loved, wanted, accepted, valued no matter what. And of trust in people and the world/universe/god whatever helps you. The most important thing about affirmations is feeling it as powerfully as you can, and repeating it daily for an extended period of time, like 3 months, for it to become a permanent part of you
Great tips. Thanks.
Glad it was helpful!
This made me laugh a lot as it all sounds so familiar. .Great stuff. :)
I’m glad you enjoyed it. It’s certainly not popular, but the truth rarely is.
I needed this. thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Aweaome. Thank you!
My pleasure! Thanks for watching and for the comment :)
How important is theme to the story you're writing? A creative writing professor said we had to have that first before we actually started writing. His class wasn't as fun as I hoped
This might be contraversial, but if you feel like you're ready to start the story and some advice, like his, is holding you back, then it's bad advice. Surely well-intentioned, but still bad. You can certainly figure out the theme in your second draft. It is very important, but it can wait until you have your characters and plot scribbled onto paper first.
Dude was worrying about the publisher?
I’m surprised he wasn’t vetting banks to hold the money earned by this non-existent book.
These people will never actually be successful authors. They’re just romantic about being a writer.
He was probably agonizing over which late night comedy show to get interviewed on first as a runaway bestselling author. Colbert, Meyers, or Kimmel?
Certainly possible. I wonder how many books he could have written while daydreaming of success.
@@alannothnagle Could be. He certainly wasn't spending his time writing his bestseller. :)
Fanfreakingtastic video!
Aw, thanks!
Thank you :) so helpful!
Thanks for watching! And for leaving a comment. I appreciate it 😊
Great into jingle😎 🔥
I like it :D
Heck yeah!
You said it!
My issue is I'll get an idea for my book, I'll write as much as I can for it, leave notes about what I want to have happen later, pretty much everything I can to keep my momentum and memory of the idea. And then I come back and have no idea what I was on about. Might as well have written to myself in an alien language. I have all of these notes but no idea what they were pointing towards. It's honestly probably a symptom of depression, what with memory issues being common, but sometimes it feels like I'd have to write the entire book in a day to be able to deal with this.
I'm not expecting help but if you know anyone who deals with depression who has gotten a book finished, tips on how to deal with this would be fantastic because I'm so tired of dealing with this.
My friend, I know how you feel. I wrote my books when I was depressed, because I had nothing else to do and no other way to feel productive or useful. It is perfectly possible to write a book in a day, though not by hand and not by typing. You'll have to dictate it, so you'll need lots of water. You'll probably need to be dictating for around 6-10 hours, though I'll bet it's in the lower range for the first draft (for perspective, an audiobook for a short-ish novel is around that long). After that you'll be able to listen to it and make edits as needed because you'll have a record of the original idea and flow to refer to.
You know what? I'm going to make an episode about this. I think this is incredibly important and can change lives, like yours. Let me do some experiments and keep an eye out for my episode, ok?
In my opinion you shouldn't write purely to be published...unless you're self-publishing then you probably won't be published anyway.
Write because it is something you need to do, not because you want fame or fortune, because you will most likely be sorely disappointed.
I think writing should be fun. It's not fun if you're doing it for someone else because you'll never dig down deep enough to touch their soul. Thank you for the comment and for watching my video!
@@TheWaxQuill You're welcome and I agree with you wholeheartedly. I'm overcome with joy.
How do I properly address an agent that requests subs go thru their associate?
I do not yet know the answer to this, but when I finally get an agent on for an episode I'll be sure to ask them. It sure seems like they give a lot of extra hoops to jump through though, doesn't it?
Thank you
My pleasure! Thanks for watching and for the comment. :)
Of course, I need a title. I need to name the folder where I store the files. :-D
Since you've asked, could you interview KM. Weiland, please?
Sweet! I'll reach out to KM. Thanks!
@@TheWaxQuill Yes, I'd love that! Be prepared for deep and meaningful replies to whatever questions you have for her.
@@Leto85 Sounds good!
Ok, but how do I start?
There's a few different ways. If you have a few things imagined for your story but don't know much about the characters or the plot, I suggest you make a mood board. Find photos that make you think of your story. Things like a cabin in the woods, a padlock, a wineglass, a shattered window, a lemon tree, a rainy day, a worn shoe, anything that makes you think of your story. Print that out and paste it to a notebook. Then write the first scene of your story as badly as is needed, and write the last scene. Expect the last scene to change, but at least with it penned out you have a direction to go in. Then you go back and write the scene following the first one and go chronologically from there.
Give that a try, see if it works. If it does, great! Keep writing. If not, great! Try to write out the important information for each step or scene of your story onto cards (including the characters involved, the conflict they're facing, and whether the scene is a negotiation, a seduction, or a fight, and the location) and you pick a card each day and write the scene it depicts.
Or you can do what I do and dictate your story into your phone as you walk each day. There are lots of apps that will listen to your voice and transcribe for you. I find this to be easier because I don't tire as quickly and I can imagine the scenes more vividly.
The only wrong way to write a book is by not writing it! Good luck. You got this ;)
The names is very true. I just Mr. X or Mrs _____
In other words: finish the first draft first, worry about everything else later
Heck yeah!
I already knew all of this without being published yet. I have learned it all thru my own mistakes. There is another thing you did not mention. Finish what you started. Don't abandon the story just because the shiny new idea came. Two notebook pages of writing about this new idea is enough. Then write down the rest of the story you haven't abandoned with the idea. To me that was the most important lesson.
I started writing when I was just 12. Short stories would be written till the end, but I spent over 90% of my time trying to write a novel. I would never finish because of the new ideas coming to me all the time. At the age of 29 I finally had enough of it. I forced myself to finish the book. Then I wrote another one. Both were too bad for publishing.
Then I started writing my third. I stopped writing it a few months ago so I would write my master's thesis. This thing is going too slow. So much energy is going into it and then very little is written, while also being written badly. On the other hand, the book I stopped writing because of it went so easy. It is a lot better than the first two. I want to continue writing it. It is in my mind a lot, but I need to finish the school first.
Isn't it enough that I returned there at the age of 31? I am 33, so much behind those who went ahead with school as soon as they got the bachelors degrees... It is OK. I am just tired of the fact that the writing must be done in the style I don't like and there being no freedom of artistic expression.
I can do it. I will finish this thing. I will be a pseudointelectual soon. That will help me get a better job. Then I will write what I want and how I want. I can't wait to finally continue with the writing.
You can do it! Slow progress is still progress. You're doing fine, and things are going to get better as your other projects wrap up.
Also, I'd love to interview you and talk about this. Would you be up for it?
@@TheWaxQuill Thanks. I sometimes feel discouraged, but I don't give up. Good luck to you too.
So, Aster Jowell, do you write under a pseudonym? Because I looked for your books on Amazon. Nothing there. Surely you wouldn’t present yourself as an authority on being an author if you hadn’t already published several books.
I surely would not, which is why I've never said I'm an author or given advice as an author. I'm merely a writer documenting my journey to become an author, and I talk to a lot of awesome writers and authors, which experiences I share here. I only give advice on things I've experienced, and turns out having written several books (all yet unpublished) has taught me a whole lot, which is why I made this particular video. I can't help you publish your book, but I can help you get the first draft out of your head and onto the page, which is what most people need help with.
Thanks for your comment and for looking me up on Amazon! I appreciate it.
My advice would be for you to get published. Go through the processes of either self-publishing and/or traditional publishing. You cannot speak with authority on this topic by simply talking with authors and being a writer with ‘unpublished novels’. Your intentions may be good but you are simply not ready yet to provide prescriptive advice to aspiring authors. You have no clout yet. Do the work first. Offer advice in a few years.
@@BehindtheReel1964 I'll keep that in mind, thank you. :)
You are amusing. 🎉😂
A lot of these just sound like procrastination reasons on behalf of the would-be authors. Their just using them as excuses not to do something. I see it a lot.
Procrastination is easy to do but not always easy to recognize. I think a lot of these excuses are easy to overcome as soon as they are recognized for what they are.
Writing a book is like giving birth. Bloody painful. The gestation period is the first draft and coincidentally, around nine months spent wondering what it wil be like when it finally sees the light of day, but when it is done you forget the pain and want to show it off.
It is always a gamble, especialy as it has to be given up to strangers like schoolteachers, who may mould your 'baby' into something completely different. (a.k.a.. Literary Agents.) Finally, you have to give it up altogether, and it goes out into the world and you hope you have done everything you can to help it succeed. One thing is certain.... At some point you have to let others decide if you have done a good job. You can't keep it in the play- pen forever.
Anyway, if it turns out to be a 'rotter' You can always have another one.
Haha! You killed me with the "rotter" bit XD
writers need to stay away from these youtube writing advice people who don't know b.s. about writing.
Aww, thanks! This is my first hater comment. I feel like a real UA-camr now!
Did you know you sound like Anne Hathaway when you speak? 🥰 Also loved the video. I published my first book indie, and it didn’t really go anywhere. Had mixed reviews, and I’m currently trying to recover my self-esteem and confidence. Trying to decide whether to write the next two novels in the series, even if they never go anywhere. ❤️🩹 How do you know what’s worth doing and what’s not if the first novel isn’t amazing?
Dang, good for you for getting it published! You're further than I am in the publishing space then, so my only encouragement here is: if it brings you joy then write it. A lot of indie authors I talk to say it's more a problem of marketing than writing, which may well be your case.
Would you like to talk about your experience on a podcast episode? I think some very valuable gems would come up. Also, this channel isn't big yet, but hey, you'd get a bit of free marketing from it. Let me know :)
@@TheWaxQuill
Ooh, that sounds like it could be fun! Let me think on it! 🙏🏼