Jenna: "Your ego is probably telling you you're gonna be a billionare." My Ego: "Don't listen to her. You're trash." Me: "I must be special. My ego gives me tough love everyday,"
Ive given up on writing cause i just dont have the persistance for it. . . . but I still find myself making characters and plotpoints!!!!!!!! I swear its like my soul is telling me to keep at it
I feel like I really needed to hear #7. I always beat myself up over the fact that I don't write or draw daily like professionals. But guess what? I'm not a professional. My story isn't a job, it's a hobby. I shouldn't have to begrudgingly take part in what I do for fun.
Sea Cucumber Ugh, the guilt!! I love writing, but I’ve noped out a couple of times- yet I always come back to it, for the love... I have to keep trying to remember that- & not let the anxiety & depression get to me...
I've had to learn to be kind to myself. I can't write every day, work every day and mom every day and maintain my sanity. The only thing that is "optional" is writing. It's the only place that I have wiggle room. Some days I have to park it so I can I can give it my all. I only really allow a day off at a time. BUT I do give myself that time. It's important.
same haven´t worked at my work in progress for five days now. Just don´t want to right now. I know I just have to reread what I have so far and i´m back in business. just don´t like the story at now. Happens with me from time to time
I’ve rlly just ABANDONED stories bc I couldn’t think of like a good plot or like any climax I just started writing like a fan fiction with made up characters and then gave up And I barely write anymore and that’s usually the response I give to someone when they ask “what do you do for fun other than sleep” It’s fine tho when I’m in my feels I write but I feel I’ve gotten worse
Teen writer here, and whenever I tell people that I want to be a writer, someone will tell me I'll be working a 9-5 my entire life and that that is shameful. It's nice to hear that that's most likely going to happen and it's not embarrassing. Thanks.
Not only is it not embarrassing, it's traditional. Poe, the first ever professional writer, was an editor and publisher's assistant. Conan Doyle was an opthalmologist. Chaucer was something close to a custom's agent. Stephen King has been a teacher and a library attendant. I told myself I would be a writer AND whatever my day job is (wellness specialist)!
when people put down 9-5 jobs, it always puts a bad taste in my mouth because they always try to make those jobs sound horrible and miserable when there are people who actively enjoy them and the stability it brings.
i recommend starting with short stories or novellas to experiment with style and characterization until you find a premise that feels right for a novel. that lets you develop your voice and hone your character writing without committing to 70-90k words. that's what Joyce did, and he seems to be pretty on the ball with this writing stuff.
You will be, by someone! Even if you are an AMAZING writer, because nothing can please everyone. But, odds are that if you put in 5+ years of dedicated work on your craft and you continue to learn, then you _will_ be a pretty good writer (and always getting better).
There's also the mindset I encountered from a fanfiction writer. I tried to politely tell her that some things in her story didn't make sense and were inaccurate. Some of the inaccuracies could've been harmful to people regarding mental health. She responded that because it's fiction you shouldn't take it seriously and I think she or some other fanfiction writer said if you don't like it you don't have to read it. She took my critique way too seriously, swore at me, and blocked me before I could apologize for hurting her feelings.
Unfortunately some writers on wattpad tend to be this way. Im not sure where you encountered her, but the other sites i read fanfics on (ao3, fanfiction.net, and quotev) dont really have this sort of culture. Tbh i think she'll eventually grow out of this mindset, as long as she has good influences around her. A popular term in fanfic culture has always been "dont like dont read." It gets tossed around for certain themes a story may be covering. Unfortunately, that means people can start using it similarly to the "its just my style" response, so they dont have to do actual research or think about their story besides whatever plot points theyre trying to hit with the characters.
I write fanfic, and it feels like a good practice ground. I've improved a lot as a writer, and I'm finally working on a okay original story! I'm trying to work on two things at once and that... That sucks. I sucked out my creativity on a piece of art I think. But I'm trying to create every single day.
Jackson Jones Definitely! Fanfic really helps when your starting out because the characters are already highly developed! Nog to mention the fact that a lot more people on websites like Wattpad read fanfic so you will get a lot of attention and feedback! Keep it up, you’re awesome!
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, and my readers have even told me they’ve seen a lot of improvement in my work. They like my trademark awkward dialogue, and I’m really proud of it.
Well, somw famous books started as fanfics, and then were tramitted to original (after, 50 shades of gray). If you feel you have a hard time work on two, start with one :)
"You're never too smart to learn new things." The question is, at least for me, where to start. Budgeting, marketing, book trends, etc., there's so much to keep up with I don't know what to start with or where, especially since we're all supposed to be up to seed with these topics all at once to be successful. I get stuck with feeling so overwhelmed I retreat to writing rather than researching. Advice, anyone?
Have fun when you research and try not to put it in the category of "studying" otherwise it'll become boring and/or overwhelming at times. Another way would be to do research about certain things at a time. For example if you have a dinosaur in the first 5 chapters, but a dragon in the middle of the story (suppose its ch 17), then you should research on the dinosaur first and finish writing the 5 chapters. Continue with the story until you reach the dragon and then research on it. One at a time, yeah? And don't nitpick on your first draft too much. You can do it on the later drafts. Though, that's a matter of choice on your part. P.S- I'm not a pro at this, so this is the best advise I can think of. It saves my time and at least I'm proceeding little by little than being overwhelmed and giving up. Anyway, I hope this can give you some insight with your problems. Best of Luck with your story! ☺👍🏻
Go check out things youve always wanted to know. Space? Magnets? Clouds? Oceans? Socrates & Plato? just pick one subject youve always wondered about, research it when it pops in your head, there is no "timeline" you need to adhere to. It's okay There is no need to know everything. You can already craft anything from what you know. Think of "research" as expanding your art possibilities. It doesnt need to be politics, nor does it need to be real at all (heck, fantasy or scifi, you can research fake stuff and still be on point with your story)
@@something4265 Thanks. It's not the story elements I'm having trouble researching. It's the business side of being an author. Trying to learn the rules, keep up with them constantly changing, and managing a platform leaves me wondering when the actual writing part gets done. That's why I've been buried in my manuscript: "I can't have a platform/online presence without a book for people to read." Maybe that's another toxic thought I've gotten stuck in.
Why would anyone try to create LONGER books than usual for its genre? You'd assume they'd rather gravitate towards shorter books because it's faster&cheaper to write, edit, literally everything and may even be more accessible for people with less time and/or patience. I've really learned to appreciate people who are able to say and tell something substantial in 80-200 pages instead of 800. Also, sequels are always an option.
Haha. I’m a little worried for my current WIP. I plotted it out and I realize “oh god. A lot happens lol” but I can’t cut any of it out because it doesn’t make sense without any of it. I actually have to add some because the current plotted part is just the first and second act. I haven’t even touched on the cabinet’s reach and how they’re going to deal with it yet, which I have to add an introduction to in the first and second act. But the thing is: I can’t simplify the conflict because then the themes are absolutely destroyed and one of the character’s arcs doesn’t make sense. So I think I’m gonna hit a ridiculous amount of words but I’m not even trying to and I don’t even know how to cut down because my style is simplistic. I just really hope I’m overestimating the word count lol.
@@gloop7458 How many character perspectives are there? Every additional one bloats the book by 10-30%. I would argue that 2-3 is usually the sweet spot for fantasy/sci-fi, 1-2 for contemporary fiction. If you do 4+ you should really know what you are doing.
Well, I know I am walking into a trap with the project I am planning on writing, but.... This spring I read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and I loved it! And I found myself wanting to write a huge fantasy novel, like War and Peace but in a fantasy setting, with tons of characters and development! And of course I don't think it will be published, but so what? To me I have always kept my thoughts of publishing as far away from me as possible. Like a bad ex-girlfriend who had a nice rack: It would be nice to have her company, but not right now.
I once thought about creating a book that was over a million words and a few thousand pages just because I thought it'd be funny to show someone and to possibly break a world record. I decided against it, though. 🤣
Yeah, I write long as shit stuff (long as shit-ish, my friend found a fanfic with 2 million words and I was like there is no way in hell that is good, no author who knows what they are doing will end up writing 2 million fucking words. This story was longer than the fucking Mahabarata. My current longest book has roughly 200k and when I edit it, it'll probably go down or at least not gain much.) And I never want to publish it because it is 10% Fanfic, 90% Orig Fic and I love the fanfic aspect of it too much as an creative literary analysis exercise to deny it or cut it. And being an author sounds tedious and even more unstable than any future in academia, which I hope to have. I like to write long stories for me. I like to read old, long classics. But when I look for a way to have fun, I like kids books. I almost exclusively look for fanfiction oneshots. Whenever I realize I can cut out a chunk of my draft, I get giddy because good writing is knowing what you want to leave on the page. Shorter isn't better. Longer isn't better. Knowing what the hell your book is about is better.
On #8, Rick Riordan messed up on making fun of pagans, but that was because he didn't know there were still people who held those beliefs. After learning and apologizing, he started to show incredible open mindedness in his writing. From making a character who I'm pretty sure was atheist the main character of one of his books, to including LGBTQ+ characters who help so many young members become comfortable with who they are and/or who they love, he has grown so much from that mistake. This is one of the main reasons I love him as a writer so much. Mistakes are good things, if you know how yo use them properly
My roommate and I have a scale for bad books. It goes: *So, on a scale of Twilight to Onision, how bad is the book?* Twilight is the least offensive, followed by Handbook for Mortals, then Empress Teressa, and lastly: E.L. James and Onision.
@@odd-eyes9463 Is the far end of the scale supposed to represent problematic things with a completely toxic worldview? Because Empress Teressa is definitely written worse that E.L. James, and I think that even Onision has more comprehensive stories than Empress Teressa.
@@np8139 Twilight because it was poorly written, Handbook for Mortals because it's poorly written, has bad world view, Empress Teressa follows because it's horribly sexist, and the other things you said. E.L. James is next because 50 Shades is Abuse-Ship, sexist, and promotes unhealthy relationships. Onision's trifecta of terror gets first place because in his book: *Reaper's Creek* he wrote child porn.
@@odd-eyes9463 I think that's a pretty good scale of how to judge bad books. Just wondering, are you familiar with KrimsonRogue? He covered all of those books, and they're all entertaining analyses.
J.K. Rowling I believe was the single writer who became a billionaire, so everyone else can probably forget it. But what about becoming a trillionaire? Only joking of course
Ariel Steinsaltz and so it is. What did she say about learning?? I really thought that I had read somewhere that the first one was 150k and just assumed off that number and the size of the book. Oops.
tacobowler Yeah no. The first one was around 85K I believe? 600K is an absurd number of words. Not even any of the A Song of Ice and Fire books are that long.
I`m from Ukraine and in our schools we used to read lots of Russian classics, for ex. Leo Tolstoy and Dostoevsky and so on. It could be just one sentence for one page. :) :) I couldn't understand why they were writing like that, but now I know. In that century writers get payed by words. So, bigger book = more money. And it was not only in Russia. France and Great Britain too. :)
The worst idea I've seen around. I've struggled all my life even AFTER I started publishing with dealing with expectations by others being shoved on me and my time. With the excuse of "well you won't ever make a living at this anyway, so you should do x with me" (of course I won't make a living with you interupting me every half hour while I'm in my working hours, which I have told you a dozen times. No. I am not done yet. I won't be done yet until the time I told you I will be done) But when I ask for advice of how other writers have delt with issues on managing thier time... I get such toxic responses that basicly boil down to "Well you must not be trying that hard and that's why you don't have a book" Ok. First, that is NOT what I asked. (as a note, I have 4 first drafts completed and as I've been working with a linguist I am in various stages of completion at the moment. Years of work and a bit over 2000 dollars of my own money) Second.. rude. Admittedly it seems to be a response I see from male authors more than female (who often have homes to maintain and children who weigh in on thier time) But I always find it incredibly unhelpful and such a toxic attitude that everyone can just abandon jobs, family, children and self care to finish a book.
I'm fine, its just been a paticular pet peeve of a toxic mindset where so many writers are like "if you can't write everyday or meet my level of standards then you aren't trying"
Hey, so here's some advice that helped me. I used to mismanage my time a lot and didn't get much done, so I instated a fixed schedule to adhere to no matter what. I wake up in the morning, give myself a couple hours to take care of things like chores, breakfast, or whatever, then get to work. I set my work schedule to 10am, take a small break around 12:30pm, then end my work day around 3pm, sometimes 4pm if I'm on a roll. I effectively treat it like a job, working from Monday to Friday, taking the weekend off. So because of that, I clock in around 25-30 hours of writing every week at the minimum, which has helped me write a bunch of manuscripts recently and get stuff done. Obviously not everyone will have that much time to work with, but I think setting a strict schedule to adhere to and sticking with it should help. I know it did with me.
Just turned 31 on Saturday, and told myself it was time to go. Now have my first chapter written! It's never too late, took me 13 years after high school to realize I could actually do the things I always thought I couldn't.
7:17 : "you don't have to take my or anyone else's writing advice!" me: Oh that's good advice! *proceeds to save video to my extensive writing advice/tips playlist*
#6, LMAO, some reality there. "Keep your day job." I see my writing and/or plans for writing as a hobby, not a meal ticket. IDK how people who aren't JK Rowling make their bills with writing.
Most people who've written a successful book don't make enough money to be set for life. I actually know someone who wrote a NY Times bestseller, and she was back to living paycheck to paycheck in 6 months.
Thanks for uploading. I've been unable to find a desire to write for the past several days, my wisdom teeth have been causing my mouth a lot of pain and I don't have insurance right now to get them removed. That in turn has caused me a lot of anxiety, and made it hard to breath while sleeping. Watching your stuff always gets me in the mood to work on my debut novel, and relaxes me. Thanks a bunch for making content. :)
Daggum I totally needed this. Particularly #6 and #7. I love my day job, but obviously writing is my passion, but trying to explain to people that I don't mind having my day job and that I recognize it's an important step in helping me stay afloat while I get the writing thing up and running, sometimes others just don't quite get that, so hearing that it's 100% normal (and often necessary) was really nice. I am also, by no means one of those "write every day" people. I'll scribble down ideas almost daily, but I just can't do the writing thing every day. It tends to kill my writing, instead I'm more of an every other day or so kind of person cause that's what works for me. It's so nice to know that finding your own path is 100% necessary and good. Also, #10 was super needed too, like a well timed Gibs smack.
I just want to thank you so much for always making helpful, honest, unfiltered opinioned videos. It's helped me grow as a writer and I know not everyone will like what I'm trying to publish, I'm not publishing to be famous or anything, I just wanna share my stories and hope a small percentage of readers enjoy
I can relate to a lot of this. It took me years of working and raising kids to go back to school to pursue my dream of writing. I knew I'd take any gig at that point whether my fiction was popular or not. After more than 10 years, I landed a job as a full-time writer and editor making a decent yearly wage. I've had luck in some literary magazines accepting poems, short stories, articles, and a serial of mine for publication over these many years. My book series has been in the works off and on for 20 years. It's not out, because "life". Writing is a journey and a way of life.
Agree. That goes for poets and poetry too, not just authors. I've gone a week, heck even a few months without writing a single poem! Sometimes it just takes a while to get a good idea that is worth writing about.
I can't say how much that one has convinced me to attempt writing again. I always felt like I should write every other day. The day I try again, I'll definitely take my time this go round
@@92RKID I try to do so from advice from my college professor. To try and write 750 words a day (equivalent to 3 pages with 1in margins and 12pt Times New Roman font) about anything. Ranting, a story, etc. It helped me think of a short story idea for another class I had. In the words of Jodi Picoult "You can't edit a blank page."
i do. even a hundred words is progress, especially if you're stuck in a scene. waiting for inspiration wont get a person anywhere. write if you can, when you can. that's why notes apps on phones are important imo
I really like your videos! Out of the many writers/editors on YT giving tips, yours tend to be the ones I agree with the most (though not 100% of the time naturally). An important thing to remember as a writer is that while feedback is important, there are going to be people that just don't like your style, your plot, your characters, or maybe they just flat out don't like you as a person. You shouldn't let their criticism get to you. There will likely be far more people who like your work than don't. But at the same time, if the majority of your feedback/reviews are negative or have a lot of constructive criticism that hurts your feelings, you'd do well to kick your feelings in the butt and accept that criticism. The majority rules. If most people are saying your story is too long/short, too boring, too cliché, or offensive, it probably is! If the majority of people are saying your story is great, and only one or two poo poo on it, then it's probably fine to ignore the hate. Above all, write what YOU want to write, be humble about accepting constructive criticism, be prepared for bumps in the road, don't ever expect perfection from yourself or your readers, and lastly, HAVE FUN. 😊
I was well aware of 9 when I tried to ask people for advice and guidance from people who've been in the industry. I was too young, people didn't even want to give me the time of day. It hurt like hell every time. But don't give up. I refuse to give up. Just keep writing. Keep improving yourself and your works.
I'm certainly aware of 5, I don't for even a minute imagine my style is perfect...or even close to it. #6 I learnt long before I started writing properly because, when I explained the insane story idea I...thankfully...trimmed down a bit since a friend I've not spoken to for a while told me that I'll need a job rater than rely on writing to give me a bucketload of money. #9 I have way too much experience of...luckily I'm writing primarily for the joy of it lol. #10 Perfect is about as boring as normal so I don't mind :-P
Jenna’s videos are on point, I forget how good they are. I think it’s very true about not being the exception. Editors can’t sell a book that’s thousands of pages and doesn’t fit into a recognizable genre. Storygrid talks a lot about story structure and what editors are looking for. Most of their content is free too.
Jenna thank you for being the writing sister I never had. These things halted my writing journey for a while but I love what I write and with this in mind, it gives me a lot more courage.
This is an amazing list, Jenna. Thank you for the great work you do! On a side note, I am someone who has struggled with mental health issues his whole life and have only now--approaching 50--started to understand the many facets of a well-lived life. As an aspiring writer, this video is not only a great guide for the craft, but honestly, also a great guide for life.
The phenomenon you describe in #8 is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. Those with the least knowledge are, ironically, the most confident they know everything.
Jenna, you stay telling it how it is, now matter how hard it may be to hear it. And you know what? I love it! It's great motivation to keep pushing forward!
So...I am new...ish to writing. I have been working on my first book for the past two years. I went from failing English is high school and college to wanting to be a writer at 31. My learning curve has been huge but I've been working hard to get my grammar correct. Now, when Jenna said she's been interactive with the amateur community, dear gods could I relate. Trying to interact with other amateur writers has been.... interesting to say the least. My rules to writing: learn the rules and basics. Do not bite off more than you can chew. Check your ego. Follow your instincts but be open to constructive criticism.
Oh, Lawd, #9! Something I've been learning on my own journey is that rejection gets easier to accept after a while. But I also anticipated lots of rejection and adjusted my attitude in advance. How did I learn to do that ahead of time? I watch Jenna's videos. Seriously, this is some of the best free education any aspiring writer can hope for.
I'm not a writer by any strectch of the imingination. I do find these videos very interesting and fun to watch. Especially the worst and best trope ones in various genres.
Really needed to hear #10 right now. I've put my current manuscript to the side because I'm so worried about it being crap even though it's just a first draft. I need to keep telling myself that bad writing can be fixed and no first draft is fantastic.
How do I write a manuscript ? Is there a text style I have to follow (example :MLA or APA for college essays) ? How many words and pages should be in my first manuscript ?
I'm 14 and I've put a lot of time into a realistic fiction book I'm working on. It has about 90 pages of the first draft actually written, and I'm planning a bunch of scenes still. Sometimes I feel bad because I don't write every single day. This video helped me chill out when it comes to that kind of anxiety. I love your videos, and I hope you have a good rest of your day :)
Great tips! It's refreshing to know I'm not alone with some of the common assumptions (overnight success) and fears (rejection, impostor syndrome). Thank you
I wish I could hear what you were saying in this video but my ego turned all your tough-love advice into Beatles songs in my head and now I can't stop humming Yellow Submarine.
The whole "everyone still has something to learn" piece of advice is really good. I like to think I'm at least decent when it comes to my writing but I also know there are a lot of things I can improve on.
Thank you Jenna!!! Your show is just what I needed. There's nothing like a beautiful woman to kick you in the balls and set you straight! I just finished a fantasy art be and now I going to get busy on promoting it!
I can deeply relate to #6. I spent three years working in corporate business, and most of the time, I'd lose the energy to write. My thoughts were often occupied with projects, clients, and presentations. I had to travel from one side of the country to another every single month. But I wanted a stress-free future where I'd be able to focus on writing and only writing. A few months ago, I quit my job, got accepted in my dream university for a master's degree program in creative writing, and started writing again. I almost cried that afternoon. Felt like meeting an old friend I haven't seen in ages. I know the journey doesn't end here and I know there will be bigger challenges ahead of me, but I can certainly say the sacrifices I've made are all worth it. Some people think writing is easy. God, they have no idea how difficult it is to pursue writing as a career. It's more than just "letting the words flow."
Aw man! 11 minutes of common sense! Great video! I'm glad someone told me to "Learn as much as possible" and to "do the work". I never would've thought of those things. Who would've thought a writer...should write. Genius, thank God I saw this now. Just one point of feedback; I don't think just the first quarter of the video should be dedicated to self advertisement and sponsors. I'd think the first half to three quarters of the video should be dedicated to that. I think you'll get a lot more support that way, especially in the beginning of the video before the subject matter is even covered and the viewer can judge if they even liked your content or not. Besides that though, keep it up!
It's been a while since I watched one of your videos, Jenna, and I forgot just how valuable your advice and honesty is. As an aspiring writer who's regularly publishing short stories independently, I found this extremely useful!
Love videos like this because it gives perspective. I'm super self critical and I know that my writing isn't the best, but sometimes I need to a pep talk.
While watching your video, I remembered something that I believed for a long time when I was a teenager. I thought that the more complex the plot of my story was, the more the readers would love it. Now when I think about it, I know that I was wrong. Live is already tough enough on its own, so there's no need to create something so complex when someone just wants to chill a bit with your book. So now I try to do less complex stories, even if it's not easy for me to keep my control over my imagination that can go wild sometimes. I was such a dummy xD
I'm not even actually a writer, or more specifically a wordsmith -- I'm an artist, but I love all your videos because all your advice can be applied to the art I do as an artist too. Thanks for the great content and tips for making it into our respective creative industries!
Honestly, quite a bit of this advice translates into real life as well. Nothing is owed; you want something, you have to work for it; you don't know everything... Yada yada yada. XD
Thank you for making this video. I know it is older though thank you for saying it takes years to be a writer. My journey of a year of manuscript and now editing the first story will take a while. I have to work a job and focus on money with dreams. Thank you for all the advice you put on UA-cam for the financial struggling writers.
As far as style goes, my general style is little things like saying someone used a specific ancient language when casting magic while putting the word(s) spoken in italics. After that, I can just put them in italics, and readers will know. I also shamelessly borrowed one from K.A. Applegate where she used the "" brackets to depict thought-speak. In this case, I just use it to depict thinking. This is all editing tricks because they help you cut out repetitive he/she/they said/thought/exclaimed. After a while, you get tired of specifying such, and you need a shortcut.
i WANT TO HUG YOU... cus I been struggling a little in my novel and been beating myself up cus I'm not getting to write all the time and I work 8-5 job and I get so tired, as my job is very manual and physical, thank you!
Thanks, Jenna, for the wonderful video once again! It definitely helps boost my confidence! (Can you do a video about Grammar add-ons such as Grammarly, etc. Or maybe something about Wattpad/Quotev?)
Yay! I was one of the first 1000 to click on the link. I'm going to take your classes on marketing ASAP! So excited! Thanks for the 2-month free subscription!
Cheers & and thank-you for yet more grand advice. I only stumbled on your this week (a rare good YT "recommend"!), but have watched several of those promptings to your posts - this oddly the most recent. Three quick points (one is the T-shirt): "style and readability can *and should* overlap", you said, and I salute you. It may feel awkward (you're a writer not an actor, Jim!) - but I think writing, especially dialogue, is helped if you try saying it yourself. You can of course use an "ain't" or profanity in dialogue might you otherwise avoid - but if you can't easily speak/read (to yourself, aloud) that conversation... it still needs work. It helps to "hear" your own words. Secondly (and piffle), Google tells me Stephen King's novel The Stand has some 500,000 words - short your 600,000, and also (as you say) he was already Stephen King(!) . I kinda miss the OLD days of ~300pp novels - still, if rarely, delivered by some. Finally, yes, the T-shirt... I like it, but IS it really true? Over many years, with many people, I have discussed the "movie vs book" question - and while I think your shirt is "usually" correct, there ARE exceptions. For example (recent bad press aside), I have found many call a "tie", between the book & movie of "Gone With the Wind" - and while sometimes "Hollywood" may ruin a favourite book... once in a while, they actually make it better! (Examples on request, if anyone takes up the challenge...) Cheers Jennna, and thanks again.
I was ready to hate this video because of the title, the way the word "toxic" is used these days tends to be, ironically, quite toxic. I'm glad this video turned out to be about something completely different from what I was expecting XD
This is one of your top 10 for sure! I shake my head over and over when reading writer responses in FB groups. I’m gonna keep a copy of the link to this video handy!
That last one about needing to be perfect is going to be very helpful for me. I can stop trying to be something that no writer has successfully been - perfect. Should help me get out of my own way with any luck.
I'm writing Romance, and I wrote about 160,000 words in two months. I'm not even kidding. I'm not torturing myself since every time I stop writing, my head hurts and I just started thinking of new scenes. I did stopped for about four days, and I completely forgot what I wrote last chapter 😂 it's a bummer. I did experienced writer's block but, I sometimes force myself to at least write the outline of that particular chapter and edit it later when I'm in myself. I don't even know how I managed to type that many. But I'm still sane so okay. Thanks for this video, Jenna. New viewer here!
I am...rather happy with how much I've grown out of these mindsets. Still a few things that I need to work on, but makes me feel better about where I am. #7 and #10 still VERY much apply, though, and I was so very glad to hear them. The style deal, as well, though I know I've broken more bad habits than not... But I am going through a lot of changes, so punishing myself for missing the mark and not living up to standards....is a pretty cruel thing to do to myself. lol Thank you, Jenna, you've been a wonderful guide for a few years now. And while I feel like my writing journey has barely begun at all (due to...a lot less writing than I want...) I am proud of all the learning and growing I HAVE done. The best of wishes to you and everyone here.
even tho I draw and not write much (but trying to learn). I still feel like all of these apply especially number 4. also thanks for the videos u make. they really do help me with the writing for my characters
I love that she says "Imma hand you your asses" and "tough love" but I find this very encouraging and not harsh in the slightest (and confusing bcz I'm the equivalent of Kamanari) Thank you I'm a dumb fuck tho sooooooo I have no idea what you're saying half the time! But I like it!
6:26 in what universe is being a cashier or waiter a 9-5 job? Cashiers and waiters usually don't have set schedules. Source: Wash cashier for 2 years, also was a cook for 2 years
@@ericnewburger6837 I wasn't being ironic. A 9-5 is usually a fairly well paid office job. Cashiers and waiters don't get paid as much. It's not good to brag about never working either, but you shouldn't act like both job types are the same. 9-5 = you probably work in an office and are salaried. Customer service/retail = you are a cashier, waiter, or someone who works in an equivalent position (such as cook, grocery stocker, etc). You get paid hourly.
I know the joke is "Jenna always makes videos on exactly the topic I needed at the moment", but let's be real, we all needed this one.
So true! She is always spot on too!
Facts
@@VorpalSpider69 Definitely! Btw, have you seen my writing tips at all?
P.E. Gilbert Author no, but I’ll check them out!
@@VorpalSpider69 That would be awesome. And thank you for subscribing as well! Let me know what you think of my tips :)
*reads the title*
**Sighs and clicks the video**
“Time to get scolded by Jenna again :
"Dang it, mom. I hate that you're exactly right." XD
If you're going to get scolded by someone, Jenna would be a good person to be scolded by ;)
But Jenna! My first draft is perfect!
@[Inactive Officially] Haha! :)
Jenna: "Your ego is probably telling you you're gonna be a billionare."
My Ego: "Don't listen to her. You're trash."
Me: "I must be special. My ego gives me tough love everyday,"
you are the exeption of the rule
Andrea Alvarado
Jenna: You suck
Me and my ego: Yes
Than that isn’t an ego
You and your ego have a abusive relationship.
I feel that so much ☹️
Writers . . . always plotting something . . .
Haha! You are most certainly right ;)
Ive given up on writing cause i just dont have the persistance for it. . . . but I still find myself making characters and plotpoints!!!!!!!! I swear its like my soul is telling me to keep at it
@@colleenwillard7502 Because even if you give up writing, the stories don't give up on you.
That we are (Evil laughter) Always plotting
I want a t-shirt for that.
I feel like I really needed to hear #7. I always beat myself up over the fact that I don't write or draw daily like professionals. But guess what? I'm not a professional. My story isn't a job, it's a hobby. I shouldn't have to begrudgingly take part in what I do for fun.
Sea Cucumber
Ugh, the guilt!!
I love writing, but I’ve noped out a couple of times- yet I always come back to it, for the love... I have to keep trying to remember that- & not let the anxiety & depression get to me...
I've had to learn to be kind to myself. I can't write every day, work every day and mom every day and maintain my sanity. The only thing that is "optional" is writing. It's the only place that I have wiggle room. Some days I have to park it so I can I can give it my all. I only really allow a day off at a time. BUT I do give myself that time. It's important.
same haven´t worked at my work in progress for five days now. Just don´t want to right now. I know I just have to reread what I have so far and i´m back in business. just don´t like the story at now. Happens with me from time to time
Don't be too tough on yourself, not every professional writes daily. Many do, but not all brains work like that.
I’ve rlly just ABANDONED stories bc I couldn’t think of like a good plot or like any climax I just started writing like a fan fiction with made up characters and then gave up
And I barely write anymore and that’s usually the response I give to someone when they ask “what do you do for fun other than sleep”
It’s fine tho when I’m in my feels I write but I feel I’ve gotten worse
Teen writer here, and whenever I tell people that I want to be a writer, someone will tell me I'll be working a 9-5 my entire life and that that is shameful.
It's nice to hear that that's most likely going to happen and it's not embarrassing. Thanks.
Anyone who calls a 9-5 job shameful has their head very far up their own ass
Mandy H yeah, there's nothing "shameful" about making a living
Thanks, I really appreciate the support :)
Not only is it not embarrassing, it's traditional. Poe, the first ever professional writer, was an editor and publisher's assistant. Conan Doyle was an opthalmologist. Chaucer was something close to a custom's agent. Stephen King has been a teacher and a library attendant. I told myself I would be a writer AND whatever my day job is (wellness specialist)!
when people put down 9-5 jobs, it always puts a bad taste in my mouth because they always try to make those jobs sound horrible and miserable when there are people who actively enjoy them and the stability it brings.
I just have a crippling fear that I'll put 5+ years into perfecting my characters, plot, and world only to be told it's boring and I'm a bad writer 😅
I'll see your 5 and raise you ten.
Same🥺
Thats why its important to have other people, and yourself to review things along the way instead of only at the very end. Don’t give up!!
i recommend starting with short stories or novellas to experiment with style and characterization until you find a premise that feels right for a novel. that lets you develop your voice and hone your character writing without committing to 70-90k words. that's what Joyce did, and he seems to be pretty on the ball with this writing stuff.
You will be, by someone! Even if you are an AMAZING writer, because nothing can please everyone. But, odds are that if you put in 5+ years of dedicated work on your craft and you continue to learn, then you _will_ be a pretty good writer (and always getting better).
"You are not entitled to an audience"
Someone needs to tell Marvel and DC Comics this.
There's also the mindset I encountered from a fanfiction writer. I tried to politely tell her that some things in her story didn't make sense and were inaccurate. Some of the inaccuracies could've been harmful to people regarding mental health. She responded that because it's fiction you shouldn't take it seriously and I think she or some other fanfiction writer said if you don't like it you don't have to read it. She took my critique way too seriously, swore at me, and blocked me before I could apologize for hurting her feelings.
Honestly from my experience most fanfic writers romanticize mental health issues unfortunately
@@scottscherr171 "He punched the wall and not me, he's so nice and generous"
And then she published 50 shades...
Unfortunately some writers on wattpad tend to be this way. Im not sure where you encountered her, but the other sites i read fanfics on (ao3, fanfiction.net, and quotev) dont really have this sort of culture. Tbh i think she'll eventually grow out of this mindset, as long as she has good influences around her. A popular term in fanfic culture has always been "dont like dont read." It gets tossed around for certain themes a story may be covering. Unfortunately, that means people can start using it similarly to the "its just my style" response, so they dont have to do actual research or think about their story besides whatever plot points theyre trying to hit with the characters.
Sounds like JelloApocalypse was right (not everyone does it but some do) for "Welcome to Fanfiction.net"
I write fanfic, and it feels like a good practice ground. I've improved a lot as a writer, and I'm finally working on a okay original story! I'm trying to work on two things at once and that... That sucks. I sucked out my creativity on a piece of art I think. But I'm trying to create every single day.
That's how I started and I transitioned to my own stories and my own characters I am working on two orginal stories simultaneously both on Inkitt
I do the same, I'm practicing and exercising my writing through fanfic too. I'm glad you're working on an original story :)
Jackson Jones
Definitely! Fanfic really helps when your starting out because the characters are already highly developed! Nog to mention the fact that a lot more people on websites like Wattpad read fanfic so you will get a lot of attention and feedback! Keep it up, you’re awesome!
That’s exactly what I’ve been doing, and my readers have even told me they’ve seen a lot of improvement in my work. They like my trademark awkward dialogue, and I’m really proud of it.
Well, somw famous books started as fanfics, and then were tramitted to original (after, 50 shades of gray).
If you feel you have a hard time work on two, start with one :)
"You're never too smart to learn new things."
The question is, at least for me, where to start. Budgeting, marketing, book trends, etc., there's so much to keep up with I don't know what to start with or where, especially since we're all supposed to be up to seed with these topics all at once to be successful. I get stuck with feeling so overwhelmed I retreat to writing rather than researching. Advice, anyone?
Have fun when you research and try not to put it in the category of "studying" otherwise it'll become boring and/or overwhelming at times.
Another way would be to do research about certain things at a time. For example if you have a dinosaur in the first 5 chapters, but a dragon in the middle of the story (suppose its ch 17), then you should research on the dinosaur first and finish writing the 5 chapters. Continue with the story until you reach the dragon and then research on it. One at a time, yeah?
And don't nitpick on your first draft too much. You can do it on the later drafts. Though, that's a matter of choice on your part.
P.S- I'm not a pro at this, so this is the best advise I can think of. It saves my time and at least I'm proceeding little by little than being overwhelmed and giving up. Anyway, I hope this can give you some insight with your problems. Best of Luck with your story! ☺👍🏻
Stop caring so much lol
@@aria8256 Thanks for the tips! :)
Go check out things youve always wanted to know.
Space? Magnets? Clouds? Oceans? Socrates & Plato? just pick one subject youve always wondered about, research it when it pops in your head, there is no "timeline" you need to adhere to. It's okay
There is no need to know everything. You can already craft anything from what you know. Think of "research" as expanding your art possibilities. It doesnt need to be politics, nor does it need to be real at all (heck, fantasy or scifi, you can research fake stuff and still be on point with your story)
@@something4265 Thanks. It's not the story elements I'm having trouble researching. It's the business side of being an author. Trying to learn the rules, keep up with them constantly changing, and managing a platform leaves me wondering when the actual writing part gets done. That's why I've been buried in my manuscript: "I can't have a platform/online presence without a book for people to read." Maybe that's another toxic thought I've gotten stuck in.
Why would anyone try to create LONGER books than usual for its genre? You'd assume they'd rather gravitate towards shorter books because it's faster&cheaper to write, edit, literally everything and may even be more accessible for people with less time and/or patience.
I've really learned to appreciate people who are able to say and tell something substantial in 80-200 pages instead of 800. Also, sequels are always an option.
Haha. I’m a little worried for my current WIP. I plotted it out and I realize “oh god. A lot happens lol” but I can’t cut any of it out because it doesn’t make sense without any of it. I actually have to add some because the current plotted part is just the first and second act. I haven’t even touched on the cabinet’s reach and how they’re going to deal with it yet, which I have to add an introduction to in the first and second act. But the thing is: I can’t simplify the conflict because then the themes are absolutely destroyed and one of the character’s arcs doesn’t make sense.
So I think I’m gonna hit a ridiculous amount of words but I’m not even trying to and I don’t even know how to cut down because my style is simplistic. I just really hope I’m overestimating the word count lol.
@@gloop7458
How many character perspectives are there? Every additional one bloats the book by 10-30%. I would argue that 2-3 is usually the sweet spot for fantasy/sci-fi, 1-2 for contemporary fiction. If you do 4+ you should really know what you are doing.
Well, I know I am walking into a trap with the project I am planning on writing, but.... This spring I read War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy and I loved it!
And I found myself wanting to write a huge fantasy novel, like War and Peace but in a fantasy setting, with tons of characters and development! And of course I don't think it will be published, but so what? To me I have always kept my thoughts of publishing as far away from me as possible. Like a bad ex-girlfriend who had a nice rack: It would be nice to have her company, but not right now.
I once thought about creating a book that was over a million words and a few thousand pages just because I thought it'd be funny to show someone and to possibly break a world record. I decided against it, though. 🤣
Yeah, I write long as shit stuff (long as shit-ish, my friend found a fanfic with 2 million words and I was like there is no way in hell that is good, no author who knows what they are doing will end up writing 2 million fucking words. This story was longer than the fucking Mahabarata. My current longest book has roughly 200k and when I edit it, it'll probably go down or at least not gain much.) And I never want to publish it because it is 10% Fanfic, 90% Orig Fic and I love the fanfic aspect of it too much as an creative literary analysis exercise to deny it or cut it. And being an author sounds tedious and even more unstable than any future in academia, which I hope to have. I like to write long stories for me. I like to read old, long classics. But when I look for a way to have fun, I like kids books. I almost exclusively look for fanfiction oneshots. Whenever I realize I can cut out a chunk of my draft, I get giddy because good writing is knowing what you want to leave on the page. Shorter isn't better. Longer isn't better. Knowing what the hell your book is about is better.
Admit it: we all clicked on to see if we fall in any of the attitudes talked about in the video.
I fall heavily into #10 like a sack of over critical rocks. 🤣
Admitt it, you posted your comment to get likes
thats literally what we do with every video lmao
@incredit Don’t we all?
Yup
On #8, Rick Riordan messed up on making fun of pagans, but that was because he didn't know there were still people who held those beliefs. After learning and apologizing, he started to show incredible open mindedness in his writing. From making a character who I'm pretty sure was atheist the main character of one of his books, to including LGBTQ+ characters who help so many young members become comfortable with who they are and/or who they love, he has grown so much from that mistake. This is one of the main reasons I love him as a writer so much. Mistakes are good things, if you know how yo use them properly
Me who isn't even a writer: *interesting*
Ah, a fellow Boi. Hi
Lol
"There's nothing overnight about overnight success." Well...Not legitimate success, anyway.
Cough *Handbook for Mortals* coughcough
The concept of 'overnight success' is a poet's method of describing something meaning it has an innate quality of hyperbole!
My roommate and I have a scale for bad books. It goes: *So, on a scale of Twilight to Onision, how bad is the book?* Twilight is the least offensive, followed by Handbook for Mortals, then Empress Teressa, and lastly: E.L. James and Onision.
@@odd-eyes9463 Is the far end of the scale supposed to represent problematic things with a completely toxic worldview? Because Empress Teressa is definitely written worse that E.L. James, and I think that even Onision has more comprehensive stories than Empress Teressa.
@@np8139 Twilight because it was poorly written, Handbook for Mortals because it's poorly written, has bad world view, Empress Teressa follows because it's horribly sexist, and the other things you said. E.L. James is next because 50 Shades is Abuse-Ship, sexist, and promotes unhealthy relationships. Onision's trifecta of terror gets first place because in his book: *Reaper's Creek* he wrote child porn.
@@odd-eyes9463 I think that's a pretty good scale of how to judge bad books. Just wondering, are you familiar with KrimsonRogue? He covered all of those books, and they're all entertaining analyses.
I love how the writing community also has a "its my style" excuse and rebuttal lol
J.K. Rowling I believe was the single writer who became a billionaire, so everyone else can probably forget it. But what about becoming a trillionaire? Only joking of course
Also that was from 7 books that reprinted a bunch of times, plus merchandising.
She also wrote the only (2-4) 600K+ novels to hit it big that I could think of.
tacobowler Lol the longest Harry Potter book is 257K words.
Ariel Steinsaltz and so it is. What did she say about learning?? I really thought that I had read somewhere that the first one was 150k and just assumed off that number and the size of the book. Oops.
tacobowler Yeah no. The first one was around 85K I believe? 600K is an absurd number of words. Not even any of the A Song of Ice and Fire books are that long.
Jenna: You don't have to write every single day.
Me: How many other lies have I been told by the council!?
This is outrageous, it’s unfair!
Oh young, silly, past Sam who would've been called out by many of these. Especially #4. >.> Good thing I know better now.
I had an English teacher in college who was #2
@@ZenitaDee I know a few peeps now who are #2. 😂
Whoa you’re magic being from the past
@@gracekim1998 Indeed, time travelers patrons are.
@The Relevancy Patrons get early access to vids.
Jesus Christ, I was literally crying about feel like my work was nothing yesterday, how did you know!?
It's a comfort, in a strange way, to know it isn't only myself who struggles with the struggles.
I randomly opened an Earnest Hemingway novel only to find myself reading a sentence with 22 commas and 162 words. #wtf lol
This was me reading The Scarlett Letter. 🤣
I know that Hemingway is lauded as a literary giant, but I don't like his writing style at all.
That was me reading William Faulkner.
@@chloeedmund4350 YES! LOL
I`m from Ukraine and in our schools we used to read lots of Russian classics, for ex. Leo Tolstoy and Dostoevsky and so on. It could be just one sentence for one page. :) :) I couldn't understand why they were writing like that, but now I know. In that century writers get payed by words. So, bigger book = more money. And it was not only in Russia. France and Great Britain too. :)
Me watching the video: *scared of having a toxic mindset*
Video: *ends*
Me: Oh thank god
Same, except it was "phew, none of the ones I am hurt my feelings, so hey, personal growth!"
Wait, or I'm just down with my own toxicity?
Dammit.
The worst idea I've seen around. I've struggled all my life even AFTER I started publishing with dealing with expectations by others being shoved on me and my time. With the excuse of "well you won't ever make a living at this anyway, so you should do x with me" (of course I won't make a living with you interupting me every half hour while I'm in my working hours, which I have told you a dozen times. No. I am not done yet. I won't be done yet until the time I told you I will be done)
But when I ask for advice of how other writers have delt with issues on managing thier time...
I get such toxic responses that basicly boil down to "Well you must not be trying that hard and that's why you don't have a book"
Ok. First, that is NOT what I asked. (as a note, I have 4 first drafts completed and as I've been working with a linguist I am in various stages of completion at the moment. Years of work and a bit over 2000 dollars of my own money)
Second.. rude.
Admittedly it seems to be a response I see from male authors more than female (who often have homes to maintain and children who weigh in on thier time) But I always find it incredibly unhelpful and such a toxic attitude that everyone can just abandon jobs, family, children and self care to finish a book.
You okay man?
I'm fine, its just been a paticular pet peeve of a toxic mindset where so many writers are like "if you can't write everyday or meet my level of standards then you aren't trying"
i’m not reading all that, i’m happy for you or sorry that happened
@@nebulakula5410 why did you comment then?
Hey, so here's some advice that helped me. I used to mismanage my time a lot and didn't get much done, so I instated a fixed schedule to adhere to no matter what. I wake up in the morning, give myself a couple hours to take care of things like chores, breakfast, or whatever, then get to work. I set my work schedule to 10am, take a small break around 12:30pm, then end my work day around 3pm, sometimes 4pm if I'm on a roll. I effectively treat it like a job, working from Monday to Friday, taking the weekend off. So because of that, I clock in around 25-30 hours of writing every week at the minimum, which has helped me write a bunch of manuscripts recently and get stuff done. Obviously not everyone will have that much time to work with, but I think setting a strict schedule to adhere to and sticking with it should help. I know it did with me.
Just turned 31 on Saturday, and told myself it was time to go. Now have my first chapter written! It's never too late, took me 13 years after high school to realize I could actually do the things I always thought I couldn't.
I see the "it's just my style" excuse isn't exclusive to fine arts. Who knew? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
7:17 : "you don't have to take my or anyone else's writing advice!"
me: Oh that's good advice! *proceeds to save video to my extensive writing advice/tips playlist*
#6, LMAO, some reality there. "Keep your day job." I see my writing and/or plans for writing as a hobby, not a meal ticket. IDK how people who aren't JK Rowling make their bills with writing.
There's also the Sarah J. Maases 😩
Because Hollywood paid her big when they made the movies
@@johaku99 Don't forget the merchandise!
@@matthewroberts198 true
Most people who've written a successful book don't make enough money to be set for life. I actually know someone who wrote a NY Times bestseller, and she was back to living paycheck to paycheck in 6 months.
I love this video, this is so true! the part about the get a job friend got me 😭 I love your honesty and humor!
I had a rough day
Im glad it ended by seeing you
You give me hope
As a new aspiring writer I just wanted to say how invaluable your videos are to me. Thank you.
Thanks for uploading. I've been unable to find a desire to write for the past several days, my wisdom teeth have been causing my mouth a lot of pain and I don't have insurance right now to get them removed. That in turn has caused me a lot of anxiety, and made it hard to breath while sleeping. Watching your stuff always gets me in the mood to work on my debut novel, and relaxes me. Thanks a bunch for making content. :)
Daggum I totally needed this. Particularly #6 and #7. I love my day job, but obviously writing is my passion, but trying to explain to people that I don't mind having my day job and that I recognize it's an important step in helping me stay afloat while I get the writing thing up and running, sometimes others just don't quite get that, so hearing that it's 100% normal (and often necessary) was really nice. I am also, by no means one of those "write every day" people. I'll scribble down ideas almost daily, but I just can't do the writing thing every day. It tends to kill my writing, instead I'm more of an every other day or so kind of person cause that's what works for me. It's so nice to know that finding your own path is 100% necessary and good.
Also, #10 was super needed too, like a well timed Gibs smack.
Jenna: tells us she has a cold, black heart
Jenna in the intro: is cooing and talking to Butters
I just want to thank you so much for always making helpful, honest, unfiltered opinioned videos. It's helped me grow as a writer and I know not everyone will like what I'm trying to publish, I'm not publishing to be famous or anything, I just wanna share my stories and hope a small percentage of readers enjoy
"Welcome to The Club, we're weird and terrible."
I have never felt more included.
Okay. The running gag in the community is that Jenna nails her timing.... But gosh dang it I needed to hear number 10.
I can relate to a lot of this. It took me years of working and raising kids to go back to school to pursue my dream of writing. I knew I'd take any gig at that point whether my fiction was popular or not. After more than 10 years, I landed a job as a full-time writer and editor making a decent yearly wage. I've had luck in some literary magazines accepting poems, short stories, articles, and a serial of mine for publication over these many years. My book series has been in the works off and on for 20 years. It's not out, because "life". Writing is a journey and a way of life.
anyone who says i need to write daily can fight me!!
Agree. That goes for poets and poetry too, not just authors. I've gone a week, heck even a few months without writing a single poem! Sometimes it just takes a while to get a good idea that is worth writing about.
I can't say how much that one has convinced me to attempt writing again. I always felt like I should write every other day. The day I try again, I'll definitely take my time this go round
@@92RKID I try to do so from advice from my college professor. To try and write 750 words a day (equivalent to 3 pages with 1in margins and 12pt Times New Roman font) about anything. Ranting, a story, etc.
It helped me think of a short story idea for another class I had.
In the words of Jodi Picoult "You can't edit a blank page."
I honestly just write whenever I get the motivation for it or have time.
i do. even a hundred words is progress, especially if you're stuck in a scene. waiting for inspiration wont get a person anywhere. write if you can, when you can. that's why notes apps on phones are important imo
I really like your videos! Out of the many writers/editors on YT giving tips, yours tend to be the ones I agree with the most (though not 100% of the time naturally).
An important thing to remember as a writer is that while feedback is important, there are going to be people that just don't like your style, your plot, your characters, or maybe they just flat out don't like you as a person. You shouldn't let their criticism get to you. There will likely be far more people who like your work than don't. But at the same time, if the majority of your feedback/reviews are negative or have a lot of constructive criticism that hurts your feelings, you'd do well to kick your feelings in the butt and accept that criticism. The majority rules. If most people are saying your story is too long/short, too boring, too cliché, or offensive, it probably is! If the majority of people are saying your story is great, and only one or two poo poo on it, then it's probably fine to ignore the hate.
Above all, write what YOU want to write, be humble about accepting constructive criticism, be prepared for bumps in the road, don't ever expect perfection from yourself or your readers, and lastly, HAVE FUN. 😊
I was well aware of 9 when I tried to ask people for advice and guidance from people who've been in the industry. I was too young, people didn't even want to give me the time of day. It hurt like hell every time. But don't give up. I refuse to give up. Just keep writing. Keep improving yourself and your works.
I'm certainly aware of 5, I don't for even a minute imagine my style is perfect...or even close to it.
#6 I learnt long before I started writing properly because, when I explained the insane story idea I...thankfully...trimmed down a bit since a friend I've not spoken to for a while told me that I'll need a job rater than rely on writing to give me a bucketload of money.
#9 I have way too much experience of...luckily I'm writing primarily for the joy of it lol.
#10 Perfect is about as boring as normal so I don't mind :-P
Man, I’ve been in a bit of a slump with my book, but that last point has really helped me out. Cheers Jenna :)
Jenna’s videos are on point, I forget how good they are. I think it’s very true about not being the exception. Editors can’t sell a book that’s thousands of pages and doesn’t fit into a recognizable genre.
Storygrid talks a lot about story structure and what editors are looking for. Most of their content is free too.
I just joined Skillshare for your marketing classes. Thank you!
Jenna thank you for being the writing sister I never had. These things halted my writing journey for a while but I love what I write and with this in mind, it gives me a lot more courage.
I greatly appreciate the video: honest, educational, funny, and brutal. Thank you.
This is an amazing list, Jenna. Thank you for the great work you do! On a side note, I am someone who has struggled with mental health issues his whole life and have only now--approaching 50--started to understand the many facets of a well-lived life. As an aspiring writer, this video is not only a great guide for the craft, but honestly, also a great guide for life.
The phenomenon you describe in #8 is called the Dunning-Kruger effect. Those with the least knowledge are, ironically, the most confident they know everything.
Jenna, you stay telling it how it is, now matter how hard it may be to hear it. And you know what? I love it! It's great motivation to keep pushing forward!
So...I am new...ish to writing. I have been working on my first book for the past two years. I went from failing English is high school and college to wanting to be a writer at 31. My learning curve has been huge but I've been working hard to get my grammar correct.
Now, when Jenna said she's been interactive with the amateur community, dear gods could I relate. Trying to interact with other amateur writers has been.... interesting to say the least.
My rules to writing: learn the rules and basics. Do not bite off more than you can chew. Check your ego. Follow your instincts but be open to constructive criticism.
Oh, Lawd, #9! Something I've been learning on my own journey is that rejection gets easier to accept after a while. But I also anticipated lots of rejection and adjusted my attitude in advance. How did I learn to do that ahead of time? I watch Jenna's videos. Seriously, this is some of the best free education any aspiring writer can hope for.
I love your "say it how it is" style, much love, you're an amazing writer. :) 🖤
I'm not a writer by any strectch of the imingination. I do find these videos very interesting and fun to watch. Especially the worst and best trope ones in various genres.
Really needed to hear #10 right now. I've put my current manuscript to the side because I'm so worried about it being crap even though it's just a first draft. I need to keep telling myself that bad writing can be fixed and no first draft is fantastic.
Emma S.
I feel you!!!
How do I write a manuscript ? Is there a text style I have to follow (example :MLA or APA for college essays) ? How many words and pages should be in my first manuscript ?
I'm 14 and I've put a lot of time into a realistic fiction book I'm working on. It has about 90 pages of the first draft actually written, and I'm planning a bunch of scenes still. Sometimes I feel bad because I don't write every single day. This video helped me chill out when it comes to that kind of anxiety. I love your videos, and I hope you have a good rest of your day :)
dealing with heavy mental illness, you help me flourish, keep up the good work
Would follow Jenna which she barely had 10k followers. Really glad to see her where at right now! She's awesome and deserves it!
Thanks. All ur vids are great. I love the way deliver them with humour. So helpful!😁
Great tips! It's refreshing to know I'm not alone with some of the common assumptions (overnight success) and fears (rejection, impostor syndrome). Thank you
Number 8 is absolutely true!! It's all about learning and making mistakes! But that's not a bad thing.
I wish I could hear what you were saying in this video but my ego turned all your tough-love advice into Beatles songs in my head and now I can't stop humming Yellow Submarine.
My brother and every comic book pro at Marvel and DC need to watch this video!
The whole "everyone still has something to learn" piece of advice is really good. I like to think I'm at least decent when it comes to my writing but I also know there are a lot of things I can improve on.
Thank you Jenna!!! Your show is just what I needed. There's nothing like a beautiful woman to kick you in the balls and set you straight! I just finished a fantasy art be and now I going to get busy on promoting it!
I feel like, a lot of these can also apply to life as a whole. Thanks for dishing out life and writing advice Jenna!
I can deeply relate to #6. I spent three years working in corporate business, and most of the time, I'd lose the energy to write. My thoughts were often occupied with projects, clients, and presentations. I had to travel from one side of the country to another every single month. But I wanted a stress-free future where I'd be able to focus on writing and only writing.
A few months ago, I quit my job, got accepted in my dream university for a master's degree program in creative writing, and started writing again. I almost cried that afternoon. Felt like meeting an old friend I haven't seen in ages.
I know the journey doesn't end here and I know there will be bigger challenges ahead of me, but I can certainly say the sacrifices I've made are all worth it. Some people think writing is easy. God, they have no idea how difficult it is to pursue writing as a career. It's more than just "letting the words flow."
Aw man! 11 minutes of common sense! Great video! I'm glad someone told me to "Learn as much as possible" and to "do the work". I never would've thought of those things. Who would've thought a writer...should write. Genius, thank God I saw this now.
Just one point of feedback; I don't think just the first quarter of the video should be dedicated to self advertisement and sponsors. I'd think the first half to three quarters of the video should be dedicated to that. I think you'll get a lot more support that way, especially in the beginning of the video before the subject matter is even covered and the viewer can judge if they even liked your content or not. Besides that though, keep it up!
It's been a while since I watched one of your videos, Jenna, and I forgot just how valuable your advice and honesty is. As an aspiring writer who's regularly publishing short stories independently, I found this extremely useful!
"Welcome to the club! We're weird... and terrible." Now these are my kind of people
I have the same shirt! :D only it's white instead of grey. Thank you for the advice, I really appreciate it. :)
Love videos like this because it gives perspective. I'm super self critical and I know that my writing isn't the best, but sometimes I need to a pep talk.
Same! For those of us who are super self-critical it's like a pep talk instead of having our asses handed to us. 😂
Thank you for showing me these red flags. They really helped :)
While watching your video, I remembered something that I believed for a long time when I was a teenager. I thought that the more complex the plot of my story was, the more the readers would love it. Now when I think about it, I know that I was wrong. Live is already tough enough on its own, so there's no need to create something so complex when someone just wants to chill a bit with your book. So now I try to do less complex stories, even if it's not easy for me to keep my control over my imagination that can go wild sometimes. I was such a dummy xD
I'm not even actually a writer, or more specifically a wordsmith -- I'm an artist, but I love all your videos because all your advice can be applied to the art I do as an artist too. Thanks for the great content and tips for making it into our respective creative industries!
Honestly, quite a bit of this advice translates into real life as well. Nothing is owed; you want something, you have to work for it; you don't know everything... Yada yada yada. XD
Thank you for making this video. I know it is older though thank you for saying it takes years to be a writer. My journey of a year of manuscript and now editing the first story will take a while. I have to work a job and focus on money with dreams. Thank you for all the advice you put on UA-cam for the financial struggling writers.
As far as style goes, my general style is little things like saying someone used a specific ancient language when casting magic while putting the word(s) spoken in italics. After that, I can just put them in italics, and readers will know. I also shamelessly borrowed one from K.A. Applegate where she used the "" brackets to depict thought-speak. In this case, I just use it to depict thinking. This is all editing tricks because they help you cut out repetitive he/she/they said/thought/exclaimed. After a while, you get tired of specifying such, and you need a shortcut.
i WANT TO HUG YOU... cus I been struggling a little in my novel and been beating myself up cus I'm not getting to write all the time and I work 8-5 job and I get so tired, as my job is very manual and physical, thank you!
Thanks, Jenna, for the wonderful video once again! It definitely helps boost my confidence!
(Can you do a video about Grammar add-ons such as Grammarly, etc. Or maybe something about Wattpad/Quotev?)
Actually, I clicked this because I like listening to her while I play my computer games and tell myself I should work on my novel some more.
I wish there was someone Exactly like you but who focuses on webcomics ,,, Your advice is so wonderful!!
I really needed to hear some of these! Thank you, Jenna!
Yay! I was one of the first 1000 to click on the link. I'm going to take your classes on marketing ASAP! So excited! Thanks for the 2-month free subscription!
Cheers & and thank-you for yet more grand advice.
I only stumbled on your this week (a rare good YT "recommend"!), but have watched several of those promptings to your posts - this oddly the most recent.
Three quick points (one is the T-shirt): "style and readability can *and should* overlap", you said, and I salute you. It may feel awkward (you're a writer not an actor, Jim!) - but I think writing, especially dialogue, is helped if you try saying it yourself. You can of course use an "ain't" or profanity in dialogue might you otherwise avoid - but if you can't easily speak/read (to yourself, aloud) that conversation... it still needs work. It helps to "hear" your own words.
Secondly (and piffle), Google tells me Stephen King's novel The Stand has some 500,000 words - short your 600,000, and also (as you say) he was already Stephen King(!) . I kinda miss the OLD days of ~300pp novels - still, if rarely, delivered by some.
Finally, yes, the T-shirt... I like it, but IS it really true?
Over many years, with many people, I have discussed the "movie vs book" question - and while I think your shirt is "usually" correct, there ARE exceptions. For example (recent bad press aside), I have found many call a "tie", between the book & movie of "Gone With the Wind" - and while sometimes "Hollywood" may ruin a favourite book... once in a while, they actually make it better! (Examples on request, if anyone takes up the challenge...)
Cheers Jennna, and thanks again.
I was ready to hate this video because of the title, the way the word "toxic" is used these days tends to be, ironically, quite toxic. I'm glad this video turned out to be about something completely different from what I was expecting XD
I really trust Jenna. She’s hasn’t let us down yet.
@@felix_a_fiend why wont you give felix a raw egg huh?
What were you expecting? I've only really heard "toxic" being used in correct contexts.
Jisung's Phone because I would never do that
@@felix_a_fiend Good point
This is one of your top 10 for sure! I shake my head over and over when reading writer responses in FB groups. I’m gonna keep a copy of the link to this video handy!
Thanks, Jenna, Hardass girl as usual in a good way keep it up.
Even before getting to the list part of the video, thank you for making advice videos like this. It’s really helpful 🙂
2:35 I want to write a fantasy novel that’s 90 words long. I love your channel btw 😄
A one-page novel? That would be an accomplishment.
That last one about needing to be perfect is going to be very helpful for me. I can stop trying to be something that no writer has successfully been - perfect. Should help me get out of my own way with any luck.
I'm writing Romance, and I wrote about 160,000 words in two months. I'm not even kidding. I'm not torturing myself since every time I stop writing, my head hurts and I just started thinking of new scenes. I did stopped for about four days, and I completely forgot what I wrote last chapter 😂 it's a bummer. I did experienced writer's block but, I sometimes force myself to at least write the outline of that particular chapter and edit it later when I'm in myself.
I don't even know how I managed to type that many. But I'm still sane so okay. Thanks for this video, Jenna. New viewer here!
It was a reality check video with Jenna being savage as ever. 🔥🔥
I am...rather happy with how much I've grown out of these mindsets. Still a few things that I need to work on, but makes me feel better about where I am. #7 and #10 still VERY much apply, though, and I was so very glad to hear them. The style deal, as well, though I know I've broken more bad habits than not... But I am going through a lot of changes, so punishing myself for missing the mark and not living up to standards....is a pretty cruel thing to do to myself. lol
Thank you, Jenna, you've been a wonderful guide for a few years now. And while I feel like my writing journey has barely begun at all (due to...a lot less writing than I want...) I am proud of all the learning and growing I HAVE done. The best of wishes to you and everyone here.
even tho I draw and not write much (but trying to learn). I still feel like all of these apply especially number 4. also thanks for the videos u make. they really do help me with the writing for my characters
This channel has really helped me a ton as a struggling wannabe writer. You are a treasure.
"hello everybody" makes my day
I love that she says "Imma hand you your asses" and "tough love" but I find this very encouraging and not harsh in the slightest (and confusing bcz I'm the equivalent of Kamanari) Thank you I'm a dumb fuck tho sooooooo I have no idea what you're saying half the time! But I like it!
Should've called it a "wake up call" because I am sobered up now .. thank you
6:26 in what universe is being a cashier or waiter a 9-5 job? Cashiers and waiters usually don't have set schedules.
Source: Wash cashier for 2 years, also was a cook for 2 years
I believe the 9-5 monicker is a metaphor rather than literal. But perhaps you knew that and were just being ironic?
@@ericnewburger6837 I wasn't being ironic. A 9-5 is usually a fairly well paid office job. Cashiers and waiters don't get paid as much. It's not good to brag about never working either, but you shouldn't act like both job types are the same.
9-5 = you probably work in an office and are salaried.
Customer service/retail = you are a cashier, waiter, or someone who works in an equivalent position (such as cook, grocery stocker, etc). You get paid hourly.