Happy with my sales? And other 🔥 questions | Winter Q&A pt 1
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- Опубліковано 30 чер 2024
- I'm doing a viewer Q&A to cap off the year! This is part 1 of 2 b/c I got so many questions. You can still submit! Use the form here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FA...
Trad Pub Channel Recs: • 30+ Trad Pub Channels ...
00:00 Introduction
00:48 Love/hate my own books?
01:52 Ever recognized in public?
02:52 How old when you wrote your 1st book?
03:14 Need a social media following to publish?
04:05 Do your coworkers know you write books?
05:32 Other trad pub channel recs
06:26 Do you read fantasy or romance?
07:18 Do you fear your published writing is bad?
08:24 Worst part of authortube?
09:40 Would you co-author?
10:10 All young protag books YA?
10:45 Typecasting yourself as an author?
12:05 Are paid courses worth it?
13:46 Are your books doing as well as you expected?
14:51 Mark Twain & the finality of ideas
15:45 How do you take your coffee?
16:48 Which of your protagonists would you be friends with?
18:18 How many book ideas do you have?
19:01 Will you go back to sci-fi?
20:15 Any former projects you'd rework?
21:00 College for writing
22:20 When did you start writing?
23:08 Is fanfic a waste of time?
24:41 How long to "rest" draft before editing?
25:22 Tips to get through middle?
26:55 Tips for non-linear narratives?
28:24 Dead genre/trope you'd bring back?
29:15 Advice for debuts?
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+FILMING SPECS+
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Submit your questions for part 2! Use the form here: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf81epZoRfAuPBy_7RI0SR0e7kfbGTR1YwiqUtjCYGYG_axAQ/viewform?usp=sf_link
I submitted some questions for fun haha - thanks for the content! Feels like I have a writer friend on the inside of the industry when you upload lol
I read a quote that said "being a writer is wanting the whole world to read your book except for everyone you know." and it sounds like you agree too!! 😂 (same!!)
"I take the bus." You 100% remind me of Annie from Speed. Love it. Also, I wrote my first book at 29 too
I did Baby Sitters Club fanfic not knowing it was fanfic. The back of the books encouraged you to write stories, start clubs and babysit.
Oooh yay, thank you for answering my question Alexa - it was very helpful! Hugely appreciate you :D
As a brit, the fact that you like The Vicar of Dibley makes me honestly very happy.
One of my favorite shows growing up! Still own it on DVD and comfort-watch it every so often :D (my other repeat comfort watch is Jonathan Creek!)
I rewatched so many times during lockdown, along with Ab Fab!
@@AlexaDonne Mine too. It's nice knowing people outside of the UK enjoy it because it's a bit of a cultural icon over here that hasn't technically ended. Always coming out with new specials and little podcasts that continue the story. And it's something that seems entirely isolated to the UK, so it's honestly lovely to hear someone from the states talk about it.
@@ahthatsnescafe2985 Ab Fab is hilarious.
Vicar of Dibly is one of my all time favorites! (California born) as a little kid watching it, so many of the jokes went waaaaaay over my head haha
You are killing it with the uploads!💕 I really wonder how you balance writing with UA-cam and any other jobs during the pandemic🤔 it's been crazy at med school🙃
First?! I’m so ready for this!!!
I love dystopian too! I'm definitely alone in my circles when it comes to this, but sometimes, I miss the heyday so much that I'll pick up a 2013 dystopian trilogy that I didn't happen to get to. It's still one of my favorite things to read.
First time here from the Freewrite review.
She has great content. So glad I found this channel.
Great vid! So much to chew on, your vids are always very informative and in depth, for which I am grateful. Beats a Top 10 list any day.
PLEASE READ: About the haters (8:22). The other day I was looking at Alexa's goodreads and saw Pretty Dead Queens has 4.43 stars. I was like ??? it's not even out yet... 6 months ago YES 6 MONTHS AGO someone 1 starred her unreleased book. WE DIDNT EVEN KNOW THE TITLE. Please everyone go 5 star to help because idk about you guys but Alexa is one of the only authortubers who has actually helped me learn about publishing as an industry. Thanks for reading ❤❤
That’s awful to hear this is really happening. But I also think 5 starring a book you haven’t read is not great either. All reviews should be given after a book has been read otherwise it just becomes a farcical popularity contest.
I *think* I am the Morgan that asked that question! I feel like I remember submitting a question but I completely forgot, until now. 😅
I find myself questioning my ability to write. I use to write all of the time in Jr. High and High School, but that was many years ago. I try to sit down and write now, but I legitimately suck… That’s why I am always curious if authors/youtubers have degrees in writing. I’ve watched so many how-to videos, but they don’t seem to help (specifically with writing description / showing not telling, etc). Anyway, even if I wasn’t the Morgan who asked that question, thank you for answering! 💕
As as soon as you said “Morgan also asked: When did you start writing?” Yep that was definitely me. 🤦🏼♀️
Like I said above, I started writing at a young age as well but it’s been years. Now I’m 27 trying to figure out what I want to do with my life. I worry I’m just wasting time. Hence, why I asked that second question. THANK YOU SO MUCH for answering my questions! 💕
Thank You so much for recommending Michelle Schusterman!!! Ahhhhh! Talk about an anvil of stress removal off my stomach.
Your channel is such a balm to the writing soul. Everything you have to say speaks to my fears and concerns, so thanks for all your work!
Nice to hear your perspectives and to hear your thoughts on these questions.
😂 I completely agree that fanfiction is NOT a waste of time!! I spent about a year and half on a Harry Potter fanfic, and I learned so so much about how to actually write!! 😂 I definitely would not have been able to write an (admittedly messy) draft of an original novel at only thirteen without it!!
Edit: 😂 a lot of my friends at that age read both my fanfic and my original novel, and I agree that it’s so helpful to have people giving feedback as well!!
Hey Alexa. This isn't really a question, but it’s one of those publishing quirks/trends so I thought it would interest you?
It’s about titles and translations! So the author Mhairi McFarlane seems to have a thing for naming her books after song titles, which of course is a problem if you are a translator. Because you want to keep that reference, but if you translate it it’s probably lost. For instance, ”Don’t you forget about me.” People in sweden listen to this song, we know this song - in english. But if the books title is in english people are going to think it’s an english language book (almost all bookstores here have an ”english language” shelf so it’s not uncommon to the english titles). But if you translate it literally, ”Glöm mig inte”, no one is going to make the connection.
So what the swedish translators have done on at least two different books, is give them titles from swedish pop songs about roughly the same thing. So ”Don’t you forget about me”, becomes ”Det kommer aldrig vara över för mig”. (It’s never going to be over for me). The titles have sort of the same feeling (not being able to let go of an ex) but because it’s now a different song with a swedish title, both books makes you think of music! I haven’t seen this before and I don’t think its the norm. Looking at Don’t you forget about me in other languages, I think sweden is the only one that did this. (the norwegian for instance is ”du må aldrig glemme mig”, which is a more literal translation).
I don’t know if you found this interesting, I hope you did. I just discovered it and you were the first person I thought of! Congrats on the new book & title!
This is such a smart translation choice!
I was 45 when I started my first 'serious' book LOL
That's so funny! I also wrote my own Baby-Sitters Club stories when I was little. 😁
28:57 - real life dystopia
Buffy is my favorite show still to this day, love this for you
I love your glasses frames!
Loved this video!
Buffy Fanfic!❤🙌
“Finished first one at 29.”
Me now at 35 trying to start back up from a years long hiatus after the death of my partner. 😮😫
Good luck x
YOU GOT THIS!!!!!! I’m 30 something and I’m about to get back in the swing of things too…cheers to the thirty plus club 🥂
I'm 41 and about ready to query my first book. You can do this. 💗
63 years young here!
hey cool! nobody ever answers the questions i ask (understandably) haha
but now I know what Alexa thinks about co-authoring so yay!
Bro my name is Alicia and I hadn’t even heard of u 8 months ago so I had a real fright
Ok, I had to pause at "you would query adult agents". I know exactly what you are trying to say, but in my mind there is now a small army of children agents out there, wearing tiny business suits. 😆
As far as sci-fi thrillers go, you should read The Echo Wife by Sarah Gailey (adult). It’s more slow, I guess psychological thriller? I’m not super familiar with the sub genres but it’s definitely slower and unfolds over time. It’s definitely not normally the type of book I reach for but I loved it and it might give you some inspiration for your sci-fi thriller when you go to write it
Thanks for the shout out!!😀😀😀
Thanks for answering my question! Also you pronounced my name right! (Tara)
You’re sooo pretty! Your videos are amazing! (I hope this is not creepy but you kinda look like my teacher-)
Fanfiction is not just beneficial to the author, either. It's a beautiful way to give back to the community. You can also find a plethora of queer content in fanfiction that traditional publishing just hasn't caught up to yet. Fanfiction is a way for fans to present the stories and characters they love in ways that bypass the more conservative viewpoints of the CEOs bankrolling these franchises.
I think it's also important to note that a lot of truly brilliant writers write fanfiction and have no interest in being traditionally published authors. And that's OKAY. These people are NOT "wasting their time." They are enjoying their hobby and giving back to their fan community.
At about 12:30. The question about taking a writing course. I would suggest just write a story. Start small and then add to it or start a new larger story as practice. Then have people read it. Also, books tend to have a similar layout to movies and to a greater degree, the way new show series that have 50 or so episodes with a actual end point. One good trick for practice would be to take a movie (maybe a trilogy movie) or a series (one that has a specific beginning and end) and use that for the bases of a story. Just replace the characters and change some of the main events. That would be great practice.
I liked the questions this time
Hey, my questions made it. Cthulhu Needs Coffee! Sorry, I need coffee.
Google sheet wouldn't load for me sorry...Q: Indie titles don't have as many reviews/resources publicly of course, and I feel that impacts the ability for those books to get BookTube attention. Do you feel at all that there is validity to the idea that a lot of BookTube review content that borrows heavily from others' reviews/work, and because there's not much ideas/fashionable opinions to "copy," indie titles are avoided more by BookTube reviewers?
HI
Evgenia is my favorite character so far.
Can you do a video on how to write adult fiction that may be a little spicy and handle the criticism by family, friends, and others?
I know. It's so repulsive how people literally go out of the way to bash someone offering such valuable advice for free.
I think most of it's pure jealousy. I also have a hunch that those types of people who would go out of their way to leave a bad comment or downvote over trivial things that have nothing to do with content, just to be visious. These people probably live in Red States.