Just recently found your channel and been going through your vids and wanted to say this is some of the best writing related content I've found on youtube. Definitely in my top 3. Especially like the howtos with text examples. Thanks :)
This channel was a pleasant discovery! Intellectual, warm, and inspiration for my inner wannabe writer. Regarding that ache to convey something to a reader, that seems to be a good candidate for the first rule of writing - have something to say. I can write scenes all day, but if there isn't a driving message they are just scenes, not a story. Now, if I can just come up with something to say...
Hey Keiren, Rewriting is such a distraction for me and my writing friend that I meet with once a week. Everytime we get together we both ask "How'd writing go?" The easiest excuse is, "well I did some edits..." 😅 We made a rule that no edits are allowed until we finish 5 chapters. And then we do one long edit, and move forward, unable to edit again until the next 5 chapters are completed.
Having a rule sounds like a good idea in this case! Do you find doing a long edit at that point works well? I imagine it would give a bit of a break from the constant pace of moving forward, and maybe a chance to catch things that might need to be changed before they become irreversible?
@@KierenWestwoodWriting I usually only go back to do edits if I make a critical change like something that has to do with a character's traits or adding a new person into the story or changing an entire plot point. Otherwise, it works well for me to write a few chapters before going back and changing anything. The only slight changes I make is if I catch a grammatical error or quickly rephrase a sentence if I'm doing a rereading before I start writing again. I like to read the last chapter before going into writing the next chapter just to kind of get my mind into the zone and into the world of my stories.
Absolutely, I do a quick reminder read before I get started too. I’ve often pressured myself to follow the ‘write the whole thing first’ approach and it sometimes works and no doubt gets me through stories, but it tends to mean a lot of work in editing, I’m wondering if allowing myself to edit as I go in the way you do might work better for me too. I’ll try I think ☺️
Try this app called Natural Reader Text to Speech. You save yourself from the embarrassment and get to hear the dialogues and find if they seem natural or not.
But here's a good reason for not editing before you have completed a first draft: the weakness you want to "correct" may not be the actual weakness. When you finish your story you may find that what you initially thought was excellent really needs to be excised completely and what you thought was crap turns out to be the lynch pin of the whole idea. When we tweak and correct before we have completed the tale we are very likely to be missing the forest for the trees. First drafts are mining for the stones. It's only in subsequent drafts we find the shape of the sculpture in the stone that we need to free and expose.
That's a really good point. I've defintely had my proirities change between a first and second draft before. My ideas of what the story should be have changed entirely on occasion. That sculpture analogy is a great one, too.
What's your opinion on the art of paragraphing? For example, do you find that paragraphs of 3's and 4's are easier to read than paragraphs of 5's and 6's? I used to write in paragraphs of ten, 8, or maybe even 12, but felt they were too perhaps too much text or too large of a block of text. Now, in my writing, I keep my paragraphs short. I still do write paragraphs of 5 or even 6, sometimes, even 7 or 8, but they are rare. Particularly in conversation my paragraphs tend to be longish (maybe 6 or 7) but a lot of writing can be down to how you feel. Should that be there or should this be like that. In the end, if you feel that longish paragraph should not be split because it might make it look a bit unnecessarily complicated or might detriment the reading experience, then, though that paragraph of 6, 7, or even 8 should perhaps be left as is.
I used to edit as I typed the story out, but I found that I was going around in circles and not getting anywhere. So now I write a draft then I do a number of rounds of editing.
I like Steinbeck's advice, I do edit as I go, but it works for me so thats something. I agree with the speaking dialogue allowed, tried it once or twice and found it helps smooth things out
Oh do you! I'd love to be able to do that, I imagine your first drafts are a lot more satisfying and a lot less tedious to edit in some ways 😊 I don't have the discipline I don't think, I'd get stuck perfecting and never move forward!
@@KierenWestwoodWriting I quite often only whisper bc I write when kids are asleep and even though I'm in a different room, I'm conscious of waking them up. I'm okay, thanks. You?
Dickens always read his dialogue aloud.... his live readings seemed like magic to those in the audience.
I bet that was something really special to see. I wonder how many people got to be there for one of those readings. Interesting!
Just recently found your channel and been going through your vids and wanted to say this is some of the best writing related content I've found on youtube. Definitely in my top 3. Especially like the howtos with text examples. Thanks :)
Thank you so much for watching, I’m glad you found my channel! Much appreciated ☺️
Kieren's videos are excellent!
This channel was a pleasant discovery! Intellectual, warm, and inspiration for my inner wannabe writer.
Regarding that ache to convey something to a reader, that seems to be a good candidate for the first rule of writing - have something to say. I can write scenes all day, but if there isn't a driving message they are just scenes, not a story.
Now, if I can just come up with something to say...
Thank you! Appireciate you stopping by and I'm sure you've got plenty to say, it's just an endless battle to figure that out I find!
Sound advice!
I will use that tip when I write speech. But I understand the reading out aloud is embarrassing.
Hey Keiren,
Rewriting is such a distraction for me and my writing friend that I meet with once a week. Everytime we get together we both ask "How'd writing go?" The easiest excuse is, "well I did some edits..." 😅
We made a rule that no edits are allowed until we finish 5 chapters. And then we do one long edit, and move forward, unable to edit again until the next 5 chapters are completed.
Having a rule sounds like a good idea in this case! Do you find doing a long edit at that point works well? I imagine it would give a bit of a break from the constant pace of moving forward, and maybe a chance to catch things that might need to be changed before they become irreversible?
@@KierenWestwoodWriting I usually only go back to do edits if I make a critical change like something that has to do with a character's traits or adding a new person into the story or changing an entire plot point. Otherwise, it works well for me to write a few chapters before going back and changing anything. The only slight changes I make is if I catch a grammatical error or quickly rephrase a sentence if I'm doing a rereading before I start writing again. I like to read the last chapter before going into writing the next chapter just to kind of get my mind into the zone and into the world of my stories.
Absolutely, I do a quick reminder read before I get started too.
I’ve often pressured myself to follow the ‘write the whole thing first’ approach and it sometimes works and no doubt gets me through stories, but it tends to mean a lot of work in editing, I’m wondering if allowing myself to edit as I go in the way you do might work better for me too. I’ll try I think ☺️
steinbeck knew what he was talkin bout 😊
He did for sure :)
Try this app called Natural Reader Text to Speech. You save yourself from the embarrassment and get to hear the dialogues and find if they seem natural or not.
Great idea, thank you ☺️
But here's a good reason for not editing before you have completed a first draft: the weakness you want to "correct" may not be the actual weakness. When you finish your story you may find that what you initially thought was excellent really needs to be excised completely and what you thought was crap turns out to be the lynch pin of the whole idea. When we tweak and correct before we have completed the tale we are very likely to be missing the forest for the trees. First drafts are mining for the stones. It's only in subsequent drafts we find the shape of the sculpture in the stone that we need to free and expose.
That's a really good point. I've defintely had my proirities change between a first and second draft before. My ideas of what the story should be have changed entirely on occasion. That sculpture analogy is a great one, too.
What's your opinion on the art of paragraphing? For example, do you find that paragraphs of 3's and 4's are easier to read than paragraphs of 5's and 6's?
I used to write in paragraphs of ten, 8, or maybe even 12, but felt they were too perhaps too much text or too large of a block of text.
Now, in my writing, I keep my paragraphs short. I still do write paragraphs of 5 or even 6, sometimes, even 7 or 8, but they are rare.
Particularly in conversation my paragraphs tend to be longish (maybe 6 or 7) but a lot of writing can be down to how you feel. Should that be there or should this be like that. In the end, if you feel that longish paragraph should not be split because it might make it look a bit unnecessarily complicated or might detriment the reading experience, then, though that paragraph of 6, 7, or even 8 should perhaps be left as is.
I don't really have a philosophy per se, but generally I tend to favour shorter paragraphs myself, both in reading and writing.
5:55: That isn't just writing- that's sound advice for doing anything difficult.
Absolutely. I found Steinbeck's advice quite grounded and practical for the most part.
I used to edit as I typed the story out, but I found that I was going around in circles and not getting anywhere. So now I write a draft then I do a number of rounds of editing.
I like Steinbeck's advice, I do edit as I go, but it works for me so thats something. I agree with the speaking dialogue allowed, tried it once or twice and found it helps smooth things out
Oh do you! I'd love to be able to do that, I imagine your first drafts are a lot more satisfying and a lot less tedious to edit in some ways 😊 I don't have the discipline I don't think, I'd get stuck perfecting and never move forward!
Great video as always, Kieren :)
Thank you so much 😊
I suppose using a type writer you see your progress stacking up as you finish a page. But I don't think I could write like that.
I write using a loose plan.
Try whispering first if you feel weird reading your story/dialogue out loud.
If that works the same, I'm definitely doing that! Whispering I can manage. Hope all's good with you 🙂
@@KierenWestwoodWriting I quite often only whisper bc I write when kids are asleep and even though I'm in a different room, I'm conscious of waking them up.
I'm okay, thanks. You?
I’ll definitely have a go at that I think ☺️ I’m not too bad either at the minute, can’t complain!