Are You A Good Writer? How to Tell...
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- Опубліковано 14 бер 2019
- How do you know if you're a good writer? I'm discussing how to tell whether you're any good, and in particular talking about the irony of the Dunning Kruger effect.
I can't really tell you if you're any good, but some of my evaluations metrics might help!
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13 year old me: wow i am a pretty good writer!!!!!
Me now, standing in 13 year old me's doorway with a gun: it has to be done
Emma, I freaking love you for this comment. Fabulous!
😂
You might have been good for your age but looking back, 13 year old you was trash
@@TheAngelOfDeath01 me with me
@@ferrin6326 same
“Are you a good writer?”
My Self-Esteem: No
My awareness to improve my self esteem: Yes
Me: [sweats]
hahahahaha
Same
can totally relate
YOU GOT THIS!
And your ego says ... YOU BETTER BE OR ELSE !!!!
“Are you a good writer?”
Mum: Yes
Dad: Yes
Sister: I don’t care
Me: Okay I suck
It was my sister telling me that I'm a good writer that actually affirmed it for me that I am. My sister would NEVER give me a compliment I don't deserve
That, and her Creative Writing degree, are why she's my alpha reader
Tbh I think parents are not good sources for real criticism... like, sure they'll probably be happy to help or to give you feedback, but I feel like my parents just always tell me that what I made (I did a lot of art while in school/uni that they saw) was so good and omg and why don't you do that for a living and I always had and still have to tell them that no, that's not good enough to do anything with it. They just didn't know many other artists and didn't have any idea about what can be considered good or even professional. So yeah... if I ever finish this stupid story I'm trying to write, I'll probably give it to them but never rely on their feedback...
@@sanablue people have paid huuuuge amounts of money for a blanc canvas. Think about this...
You can do it! Keep writing! 💪
Don’t say that.
Dunning-Kruger Effect: Every fanfic writer who says "I suck at writing summaries but trust me, it's good."
Mara Stein
That’s so true XD
@aftootineachworld 1000 words is actually not a lot.
Yeah, my english essay should be 1450-1650 words long and everyone was literally crying because it was too long, and I (a writer) was like, oh! Can I write 2000 words? My English teacher said yes, btw. I am so happy! Plus, I wrote it in one day, and it's due in three weeks. All I have to do is edit it!
afootineachworld
I disagree.
Some of the best fic I found were so complex and interesting that the writer couldn’t write a decent summary because there were so many aspects to cover.
And dozens of published writers don’t have summaries on their books.
Miracle Pope
It’s more about the “trust me, it’s good.” It’s basically saying “omg, I’m the best,” which usually means you’re the worst.
"Are You A Good Writer?"
Up next in my watch later list: "7 Reasons Your Writing Sucks."
Well that was easy.
Just hearing you speak gives me motivation to write
I always watch a few author videos before I write. It always gets me excited and motivated.
Lol yes
Yes yes yes
So true
Been listening to Alexa constantly lately for that reason!!
Ikr
It'd be interesting to explore the distinction between being a good writer and being a good storyteller. They're often conflated but they're not exactly the same thing. I've read authors who are technically proficient and have an incredible ability to write the most amazing descriptions, but they're sorely lacking in storytelling chops. Then there are certain writers who don't write the most gorgeous, scintillating prose. In fact, their prose could be considered a lot more basic, or their grammar flawed, but they have a talent for writing addictive stories that keep you turning the pages.
That would be a very interesting discussion topic, though I'm not sure I'd say anything particularly smart other than what you just said! Because it's so true. There are a few writers I've read where like I know logically their sentences are gorgeous and they are very smart and talented, but their books made me feel NOTHING, or the plot structure was like Swiss cheese--full of holes. It's interesting!
that moment when u write like shit but u have a blast XDDD
ooooh I never thought about it that way. That's interesting. I always feel like I'm such a bad writer because I just can't come up with an interesting story but I just looove writing so much and I have like 300 pages full of descriptions of places, people, characters and short scenes that I really like and that I think are written quite well. And that's for one of my 'stories'. It's an amazing story, it just lacks a proper story. If that makes sense... Now I wonder, is there a way to learn good storytelling and coming up with interesting plot ideas? Because that's obviously the part I struggle with most but I never see any videos or any advice for this anywhere... :/
@@sanablue I am by no means an expert, but I'd suggest looking up videos that talk about character driven plot. When you are uncertain where the story is going, sometimes your characters are the ones that have the answers. What do they care about? What do they want, and what do they do to get it?
If you have a well developed world (and it sounds like you do), consider the interactions between your characters and that world. How do attitudes or large scale events cause your character to react? (Although be cautious not to make your character solely react to everything-- proactive characters are more engaging.)
On the flip side, is there something about that world your character doesn't like and are motivated to change? Or maybe something they are trying to protect? Are there characters that oppose your character's goals? Look for the conflict of people's motives.
Hope that helps. = )
I like to group myself in the second category.
When I was fourteen and finished my first "novel," I thought I was the awesomest writer ever in the history of writing. Looking back on that story? Not so much. :p
Well, I get that, cause I did the same thing. Do I think it's horrible? I guess I should reread to give a proper answer, but I think it may be good, even if for certain age (And let's be real, There aren''t stories which meant for every damn age)
@Arabella It's wonderful to hear that you love writing and are motivated to write, but the phrase "it's crap" kind of stung for me. (Even though it's about your own work and I'd rather hear someone say their writing was bad than absolutely perfect... sorry if I nitpick something that feels insignificant to you.) Yes, your writing probably isn't the most amazing thing, and chances are you'll look back in the future at it and call it crap again. HOWEVER, just because your future work is better doesn't mean your old or current stuff isn't good. Sure, everyone's work needs improvement, but you deserve to see both the weak AND the strong parts of your current writing! Have faith that you can fix whatever flaws you see and that you will only improve with time.
Tl;dr please don't call your work crap until you have a better piece of work to compare it to. Recognize your shortcomings without putting yourself down so that you can improve.
Maybe I'm making a mountain out of a molehill, but in my experience, one little word can have a big impact on your confidence. Hope this helps! Keep writing!
@@babooshkaaaaah no worries, you didn't offend me! I was probably just taking it more seriously that I should have, and I'm sure you have confidence in your abilities. It just reminded me of a time when I put myself down a lot, and I wanted to make sure you knew that your talent matters-- even if it's not everything you hope to be right now.
I finished my first "novel" when I was 14 as well, and I thought it was pretty good back then. I recently read through some of the chapters and was a like "Wow. Wow. Wow. My grammar is so horrible." The ideas were raw and good, but the execution... not so much. Lol
werelemur1138 my first character ever was a super hero named metal man he had metal skin he made blades from his hands could store and conduct electricity and his origin story was that he fell into a mad scientist vat of molten mystery metal i feel the same as you i was six so dont blame me tho i hadn’t learned to read that well yet don’t blame me i just hated reading so much
Honestly writing has ruined reading for me lol. Turns out whenever I read something I tend to subconsciously start writing like it. Or I start analyzing the writing so much that I try to see a way to improve every single sentence. And it's soooooooo distracting. Seriously, writing has ruined my reading and there's very few things I can read anymore lol
Glad I'm not alone with this ^ lol. I am the exact same way.
@@baileyvenable9870 seriously, it's so annoying lol. Some of my previously favorite books seem so bad now I just don't read them now because I'm afraid I'll realize how bad they are lol. But I've found some really good ones now too. Its more cons than pros but it's worth it.
the advice i heard for this, on a fantasy-authors panel, is audiobooks. Since you can't see the writing you're much less likely to auto-edit. I haven't tried it but it seems like good advice.
Yeah, audio books are a great alternative and they can really stick with you depending on how well they're read. Like I listened to the first chapter of The Shadow of the fox by Julie Kagawa and holy crap is it absolute perfection. But there is the occasional audio book where the narrator doesn't know what he's doing. But yes, audio books are fucking great.
Nah but seriously. I cannot read a book while writing one, my book starts to sound like the one I’m reading
Ah, Self Doubt. Gotta love it. Here's my answer to this perrenial worry, a little affirmation that I mutter from time to time: I'd rather be a shitty writer than not a writer at all. ❤ Nice video! Keep 'em coming!
VERY, well stated. (Wished I could have used italics for "very" but alas, UA-cam is always dismally slow on the expression curve... Writing-wise that is. Hehehe, yes pun intended.)
P.S. I do adore your "rambling" it shows you are being spontaneous and honest, all the while scanning your gorgeous brain for the ideal words to use. Love it. Please don't leave we beginners in your rocketing career 🙏. We need you💆.
I love this!~ Thanks for the spontaneous motivation. ❤
Woah. This hit me good. I'll be using this from now on.
@@cheesecakelasagna Happy to help :)
I joined a writers critique group and, although some said I info dumped, most said they could feel the emotion. My story is genuine and original. For my first time writing, I'm really proud of my work now. Critique helps tremendously.
@Dušan Vajagić on the meetup app in real life.
I love this
Where do you find a writer's critique group?
@darthrincus the app meetup has listings of different types of meetup groups in your area.
"You should be reading a ton."
Well, I know this person on the internet. He messaged me, and I asked him what he liked to read. He was like, "i DoN't ReAd, I wRiTe."
( *His writing actually sucked* )
I mean, I don't know... I personally hate reading. So I understand the sentiment some people have in preferring to write. What if you went through years and years of schooling and college and graduate school and you finally graduated, stopped schooling, and decided that you want to write your own stories instead of reading other's? Does their schooling up to that point of getting a Masters qualify them enough to satisfy this requirement in assuming they need to read a lot? Or must they continually read? I'm just suspicious on this idea that people need to read to write. It's like telling someone who wants to be chef that they must be a hunter first. Sure, there might be some sense of acknowledgement of where things come from, but do you really need to know where things come from when you already have them? I don't have an answer, just something I've been thinking about.
@@platoniczombie I would say it's more like telling someone who wants to be a chef that they must eat first. You don't need to know where something is comiong from, but you should know what the receiving end is like.
@@platoniczombie It sounds like you've banked a lot of reading already? And there are definitely authors who prefer not to read anything while working on a novel.
But if you never want to read *anything* again, well: that might mess with workshopping...
@@platoniczombie I know this is an old comment, but if you're reading a bunch of research for your story, maybe that counts? No one said if it had to be fiction or non-fiction... Also, I guess it's okay if you hate reading other people's writing but if you hate reading your own writing, then I think that means you're doing it wrong because that should be something you enjoy at the very least. If you're not, that means you aren't writing for yourself either.
@@platoniczombie The idea you have to read in an age where you have 100s if not 1000s of different mediums of communication to be a proficient writer is as delusional as thinking you have to know how to use a printing press to use a keyboard.
"Am I good at writing", "Is my writing good" aren't productive questions to ask. Rephrase them.
"Am I committed to the work - Am I working to develop it - Am I open to critique - Is my writing engaging readers - Does it provoke interest / feelings / critical thinking / bring insights / communicate whatever you want it to - Do I know what I want to say - Do I feel I have built my own writing voice - Did my writing evolve since I started" are more descriptive examples of questions you could ask yourself and others instead.
Chances are you'll never fully feel "good" and not like a work-in-progress anymore, and that's perfectly fine. You don't have to build your ego around the assumed greatness of your writing - in fact, you shouldn't.
Thank you
those are good questions to ask :)
Thank you. (sound advice 2 years later haha)
There is utility in knowing if you're good or not:
1) gauge whether you're ready to go professional and get it out there
2) builds your confidence so that you'll be less likely to be taken advantage of because you undervalue yourself and your work
3) a sense of accomplishment
4) most important of all, if you feel like you're an awful writer it can demotivate you and even lead you to quit, when I realized I became good I started being more productive because I wasn't avoiding my work because I was so afraid of facing what subconsciously I figured was awful and a waste of time
It's absolutely worth viewing it through the lens of if you're good or not, but that's only one metric of many you should be looking at
* stops writing to watch *
I should be writing right now lol
I know I'm not a great writer, but I am determined to improve.
I should be writing, but I just moved and got a new cat yesterday lol
The comment right before me makes me think this could be a great writing comment.
Not exactly sure how my previous comment came across. I meant no disrespect autocorrect changed what I said and I didn’t notice. What I meant to say is that that plot twist could make a great writing prompt for someone. I may even take up the challenge one day but today writing one story is enough without adding a second one. I hope I didn’t insult you at all. I just need to learn to check what autocorrect does to my comments before posting
Is the cat your profile pic if so nice cat im a not a cat or dog person i am a person for specific animals, animals i likei like
"Know what you don't know so you can learn" is probably one of the best things I was told in college.
Anytime I think "maybe it's not good" about my writing, I always add..."yet."
I remember a bit in Stephen King's memoir where he talked about the ah-hah moment when you're reading successful published writing and realize your writing is better than theirs and what a good feeling that is.
I have no interest in being brilliant, just entertaining and insightful. That whole Great American Novel concept never propelled me.
Honestly I still totally suck, but you can’t improve if you don’t write so I’m actively trying to ignore until I finally finish a book :)
Glad i'm not the only one
As a kid, I thought my wolf love stories were brilliant, then I started thinking I should never write a word because my writing is the worst, and now I've worked my face off for years honing my craft and writing, reading, revising, getting feedback, giving feedback, studying and writing even more.
I still feel like I'm the worst, but I know I have to be a decent writer just based on the amount of hours I've spent growing as a writer. Sometimes I even have moments of actual brilliance, and oh wow that's amazing. I don't think the fear and doubt ever goes away though. I'll keep writing anyway.
You're lucky to have feedbacks. Try to get a feedback when your language is spoken by less than 10 million people. Good luck with that.
@@sharonefee1426 Oh yeah I that's why I started writing in English 😄 When I was younger I wrote in my native languages, Finnish (5 million speakers) & Swedish (10 million speakers), so I know the struggle!! And feedback is still incredibly hard!
@@storyworldofem The thing is: My English isn't horrible or anything, but I don't have a nice enough language to write in English. Anyway, maybe when I'll finish I'll translate it, as I don't think I can do anything with it in my mother tounge, but it's flowing more when writing in my mother tounge.
I tried to open a blog that people will search for beta readers and critique partners. but for now... no one saw it. So I post writing stuff just to leave it empty.
Don't torture yourself on being good or not. Just always care about the craft itself. Read as much as you can and write as much as you can, and then learn while you edit. Over time you will get better and enjoy doing your craft.
When I look back at my older writing it's a real window into my mental state at the time each piece was written. And also attack of the adverbs!!
You answered the most ambiguous question perfectly-if you’re questioning your writing, chances are you’re gonna be better if you’re not already “good”. And YES! Read! It’s the best teaching tool I’ve found. After reading an earlier version of my novel, a beta reader and friend loaned me some of his favorite novels. I’ve read all my life but critically reading work that is frustratingly good has challenged me to be even more critical of my own. When self doubt tries to chock my creativity, I reread some of my work to in fact find there is a “good” writer in there working to be better.
which novels did they recommend?
I have mixed opinions about my writing - my degree taught me a lot about crafting good sentences, but the course was focused on short stories as opposed to novels. I've had to work hard to figure out how to structure longer pieces. And... yeah. It's something I'm still working on and figuring out. All I can do is keep learning and moving forwards :)
Same. I know where I can improve because I also had many English classes in college. I’m still figuring out how to make characters not feel like caricatures and make novels not boring.
I wasn't taught to write anything... I mean, no kind of literature... or.... works for degree... lucky me. Many authors use outlines. Maybe you should use one too. (Not that I got really how to use it well, but that's me)
i relate to your thoughts very much.. i wrote well in my university courses but while currently working on a large project i am finding plot placement and settling on a perspective (and so much more) to be so overwhelming that i feel like abandoning it altogether at least twice each day. record and concert reviews were so damn easy in comparison lol.. ah those innocent days.
"Give yourself distance from your own work, and then go back and read it."
One of my favorite things to do while writing is to build characters and their backstories. After awhile of character creation, I started to realize my writing level had progressed past a lot of my older OCs. I went back, adjusted them to my new style, and afterwards, I really started to like them a lot more than I did before.
I have been doing this too. Going back and checking old characters, and even fixing them not only shows progress, but helps improvement by working with real shit.
It's really good idea
As someone who constantly suffers intensely from Imposer Syndrome, this makes me feel so much better. Thank you! 🥰🖤
A while back I dug up an old fanfic that I wrote when I was 15. I cringed SO HARD!
Me: I'm a relatively good writer
Also me: I mean I'm terrible at x, y and z but I'm learning
Also me: I said relatively.
Got hit with my reality check during my FanFiction stage (I don't think I was ever delusional, but I did think I was much better than I actually was)! This was a great video, especially at a time where publication of my novel is coming up (self-pub) and I am definitely wallowing a little in self doubt just a smidge, even after some really good feedback. This was a great reminder to take a step back and objectively evaluate where I am at :D Thank you!
Keylin Rivers When is your book coming out, and what do you write? Might be something you could plug here in the comments!
I honestly feel like my writing in elementary/middle school was better than I am now with the more experience I have. I guess that’s because my confidence in myself and my work isn’t very high right now :)
Something I've noticed is a lot of my characters have impostor syndrome - it probably is just me writing about myself again...
When I was writing my first book, I was very confident and at the same time I knew the reality. Kind of walked a fine line. Through self evaluation, I was able to finish my book only to erase the majority and make it better. Sometimes being brutally honest about your work helps you get better. I was proud of it and am now in the middle of my sequel. Getting better every day.
“... you think you barf out rainbows...” 😂😂😂 This is the best line ever. Can I borrow it and have one of my characters say that?
I'm proud of myself for doing what I love 💕💕 because I spent years pursuing my parents' dreams
I remember thinking my writing sucks even when I was like 13 and I actually still think this, but I enjoy reading my work and I can easily pinpoint how I need to improve. Unfortunately, the follow through with improving in those ways is more difficult than it sounds, There are also very few people that would be able to read my writing at its current stage and not see a bunch of issues so I'm not really at the stage where I'd be benefit from having feedback from other people and especially not from other writers.
My confidence in my own work isn't the greatest. but I know I am able to write. It may not be professional-level writing, but I am confident in my ability to improve and that's probably enough for now. I think my strongest point as a writer is the characters I write about and even that needs some improvement.
While I know that my writing sucks, I have found that reading a lot can really help with improving the quality of your work. I need to be reading more fiction, but the level I'm currently at otherwise is from reading stuff outside of fiction.
I'm definitely better at writing fiction than I used to be, at least. I think that the more you can pause and reflect on your writing and its quality, the more likely you are to realistically evaluate it. When someone acts like their writing is perfect, they most likely don't revise enough or at all and this means they just leave the mistakes in it. It's good to be confident and enjoy what you've written, but this shouldn't be at the cost of being able to recognize what counts as professional-level work.
Tbh, I haven't actually read a book in two years. This is around the same time my boyfriend introduced me to the wonderful world of anime...
Personally I am very confident in my writing, multiple people confirmed that they love my works throughout years but I am just the worst when it comes to writing regularly or in long periods of times. And the older I get, my writing changes drastically - when I was in my teens, I was really into vivid descriptions, now I'm a little more laconic.
You have to go a long way basically to create your own unique style and gain confidence.
"you know I'm going to Ravenclaw this one" probably my favourite sentence in the history of forever 😂
i think my confidence in my writing is at about the 65% mark on the chart (so definitely finally on the upswing again, yay!) but my confidence in actually finishing a piece is about where that quills dvd is
It is so helpful to learn that imposter's syndrome is actually a GOOD thing! This past weekend I have loved and hated what I am writing, and trying to not get attached to either feeling is so hard! Thanks, Alexa!
I'm trying to start writing again for the first time in many years. I used to think I was a decent enough writer and I even got a few awards for it in school, but I had a toxic person in my life who completely tore me down. He told me I was awful and my work wasn't even worth reading. That was a huge blow to my confidence in my own abilities. Now, I feel like I'm relearning everything. Maybe I'll be good enough to publish one day.
I once was critiqued by a friend on my first chapter, I couldn't figure out why my first chapter was so boring. and they told me it was because you can't really connect with the character in that chapter. There isn't any drive pushing it foreword, and that's help me a lot!
"Are you a good writer"
My english teacher as in foreign languages: Yes
My english literature teacher : Your writing is so impressive for a French 15 year old, your writing feels just like a novel
My bilingual sister: yes!
My followers on wattpad: We love your work so much!
My insecure self, knowing well that I've been learning english for 7 years and that I can only practice English at school, so I'm doing good for a 15 yo non native speaker : lol no wtf
What’s your Wattpad username?
So I was in 7th grade... English teacher told us to write a poem. I half-assed a poem that my teacher Mr Rice absolutely loved. He asked me to stay after class & the class thought I was in trouble. Mr Rice pulled me aside & said 3 magic words: "You got it. You're a good writer."
Ever since then, I've been hooked on writing stories.
Now, I crave feedback on my stories & want to get even better
This was incredibly helpful and uplifting! Thank you for posting 😁
Thank you a lot for this video. I was feeling so down about my craft and now I feel motivated again!
I love this! Thank you! It’s definitely hard to know whether or not you are good.
Thank you! I am encouraged. Happy writing
I really enjoyed this video! Thank you for making it! Have a great day!
you are so honest and motivational! i love it
I come back to this video ever few months. I spend most of my free time reading, writing, studying craft, and dissecting stories. I'm surprised by how far I've come but I still have a long way to go.
I think reading fanfiction as well has helped a lot with my writing because now I understand what NOT to do in my writing. Sometimes I'll read a fanfic and not know exactly what's wrong with it but trying to figure out what's off ends up being a lesson I stick to in my writing.
I like how honest you are. It makes one reflect, thanks.
Thank you so much Alexa. This gave me clarity on writing and that there's room for growth.
This is good stuff Alexa. Self-reflection is always important in order to get better as a writer.
You have such a pleasant voice to listen to which means a lot in videos that rely so much on talking. So keep making them 😊
This advice is wonderfully specific! Thanks!
Distancing myself from my written work and then going back to it maybe a few weeks later has really helped me boost my waning confidence. I often find myself lean into a negative headspace on my written works at times and my confidence in being a writer starts to chip away. I begin to feel that whatever I've written feels so basic and unimaginative, just bland and not worth reading. But when I step away for a bit and then reread it after the break, I get really surprised. Like it isn't as bad as I thought it was. So yeah, that helps a lot.
This is an invaluable channel, a gold mine!
My opinion writing is a skill. You have to learn it like anything else.
I subscribe to your channel because I appreciate how you critique and tell true advice even if it may be blunt but it really it true and helps
I really enjoy your vids. Thanks so much for putting them out. I think you have a great style in your approach to explaining subjects. They are very helpful :)
Thank you for this💞✨! I've been lurking since end of January when I stumbled upon your channel. You have given me the best tips and guidance as a writer and these are all questions I had after self publishing my first two books and getting the "good/oh yay ur writing/I can't wait to read" but no feedback or vague feedback on 2nd short or for the 1st long novel 'it was sexy/nice or not interesting." But no details as to if it was not interesting because of age of reader and subject (reviewers were young singles who liked Urban lit reading about my widows). I stepped away from edits to leisure read and stop stressing. I wasn't even sure what to really look at, and am back to it this year to revisit edits and revisions based on your guidlines of voice, world building, and such... I'm in the average confidence knowing I need improvement phase since publishing in 2016😹
I love the first thing you talk about. My teacher brought it up once after three of us talked about how we weren't sure about our flash fiction stories and then everyone turned out to love them.
Thank you for this video! I see a lot of myself in this.
My feedback is always mixed, and pretty specific, from critique partners, the balance changing depending on the reader. I'm often unsure of my writing, wavering from "I'm the best!" to "I suck and I'll never get better."
I've not put myself out there enough for pitch contests and queries, to judge myself based on that, but waiting to hear back from AMM right now. :)
Thanks. I've been doubting myself lately. Your perspective helps me to be a bit gentler on myself and offers good tools for feedback and stepping back a bit from my fears.
I just want to thank you for posting this video, Alexa. I find myself constantly returning to it whenever I have huge doubts about my writing. I'm about four thousand words into my YA gothic novel, and I am struggling with thinking again and again that it's not good enough. Whenever I watch this, it gives me a slight reminder that I'm a least somewhat decent, and gives me the confidence to swing back into writing. Love your videos!
Thanks for all the tips! I love all your videos, they are so helpful. Now I need to find a critique partner, to help see if my writing is any good.
Oh I SO needed this video this week, your channel has been super informative for me - you have a video for everything I've been thinking/feeling!
As someone who has just started writing my first book. I agree completely.
I think I've reached that point where I'm able to look back and see how Ive improved. Still have self doubt but I'm getting there!
Thankyou so much for doing this video. I have terrible imposter syndrome and constantly tear apart my own work. Meanwhile the few people I trust to actually read what I write always say it really isn't bad. In a strange way it's nice to hear that I'm not the only one dealing with these struggles. Thanks so much again!
This was and sometimes still is a problem I am battling with myself. One thing I learned is that I have to remind myself that my writing seems predictable and boring because I am the one writing it and I've read it over and it's gone through my head a million times, and a person who's never read it doesn't have this problem.
But I also know when I write a paragraph if its no good, and I start over. Reading a lot helps with this.
Though your story should be predictable to you... Do you never get excited from your own wirting? I mean not every single damn sentences (I totally don't get excited while reading all the descriptions). But you know, some things should make you feel certain emtions despite you knowing what is going on.
I appreciate your perspective and encouragement.
My favorite english teacher always gave real feedback so I always felt really really good when she liked elements of my story or the story as a whole
I’m not exactly a traditional novelist, i’m more interested in making graphic novels, but i really appreciate your matter-of-fact delivery of the truth about self evaluation. A lot of the things you explain in this vid are really important revelations to have in other fields as well. Thanks for being a great mentor and cool person all around!
Especially for young writers, it's often hard to tell, and as you grow you see how your perspective shifts. Really great advice for using comparison constructively!
I found this video very interesting. Thank you for making it!
I really feel the same way... But hearing it from you is making me more motivated
such a helpful, thoughtful, wise response to a difficult question :)
Self loathing and doubt are a key part of my creative process! I swear my anxiety is oddly helpful...makes me determined to bring my standard up! I am a big fan of editing, it lets me get the quality where I want it to be. We did a whole video about editing for that very reason! Thanks for the amazing video x JJ xx
I totally needed this thanks for this video
I’m at my lowest point in nanowrimo when it comes to my work, but thanks for the pep talk. I now feel like I have motivation to continue. Love, love your videos!
You've got this!
Love the Dunning-Kruger effect. It applies to basically everything in life I think... The more we know, the more we know we don't know. Thanks for the video!
Loved this; helped so much!
I love that part about going back and reading older stuff, like even from the day before...I have learned to use new cuss words for some of it.
Your videos have been a Godsend to me. There is another UA-camr that I also like to watch who is a published writer too, and I have been making notes and trying to absorb as much as I can from both of you to become a better writer. I've had my ups and downs when it comes to writing. Sometimes I think I wrote something good until I go back and reread it, maybe even run it through Grammarly, and find out that it needs work; sometimes more than I thought it would. But I am learning, or I hope I am. I think the real learning experience will come when I finally finish something and start my queries. I'm not expecting miracles from agents. I actually expect rejection and honest feedback, but being a college student with professors that, without qualms, have told me when the work I've turned in needed fixed, I'm used to going in and redoing something that I thought was acceptable. I'm at that low part in my journey of becoming a professional writer, I believe, but hopefully I will be able to accomplish my dream of becoming a published author one day. Anyway, thank you for these videos. They really are helpful for me, as I am sure they are for other amateur authors.
As a long-retired Canadian writer whose publishing credits go back to 1968. I'm happy to call myself a competent writer who meets deadlines and always enjoys the act of writing. The fact that people have paid me good money to write is confirmation that I'm adequate. I'm totally unknown and I can live with that. Writing is a craft. It is not some magic carpet to fame and fortune.
At my old job as a cook I used to have this fiery motivation to always to get better. I knew I wasn't the best, but I was determined to get better every day. After I lost that initial confidence that comes with being a beginner writer, I was really discouraged and wanted to give up. Your videos have really lit a fire under my ass to just write every single day, and suck until I don't suck.
Love this woman’s advice❤️
it's honestly one of my favorite things in the world when someone (respectfully, constructively) tears my work apart lol. It means they really took the time to analyze it and suggest what can make it better. And it makes me a better writer for hearing it. Still hurts sometimes though haha.
I'd like to give a plug for writers' groups (once social distancing is over). I've learned so much from the critiques--both of my own writing and the writing of the other members. Also, having a ten-page deadline to meet every 2 weeks kept me writing. These groups are so supportive and, if you have a problem in your story, the members can help you with suggestions. Just hearing other people read your work aloud is helpful. Finally, there is nothing better than hearing, or seeing, people's emotional reaction to your work. I will never forget the first time my work made one of the members cry or when my mentor got so choked up, he couldn't finish reading. I have to say, my heart pounded and my palms sweated during the first few meetings I went to, but I eventually learned to trust that everyone wanted the same thing--for all of us to be the best writers we could be.
Great video and subject, Alexa!!!
Could it be worth pointing out that there should remain a separation between "quality of writer" and "quality of product"???
For what it's worth, I think just about anyone who puts their mind to it can achieve a great piece of work. It's a matter of edits, revisions, and all the little things that steadily refine a "cheesy piece of under-shot garbage" into a "new modern classic for the ages".
A beginner CAN (okay, not the likeliest "will"... only "can" as in possible) achieve it. The beginner will probably have a few years worth of research, chatting with teachers and professionals, feedback from snippits passed along circles of friends (online and off), and revisionary steps into the thousands... or even millions. It's a case of ambitious as hell, but do-able.
The average writer with a bit of seasoning, time in workshops and night classes, background with professional writing or editing, and some fan-fic' under their figurative belt, could also accomplish it. By this theory, however, it's a matter of research and returns to revisionary steps, probably in the hundreds or so, maybe a thousand or two. I mean, we're still starting from that assumable "cheesy piece of under-shot garbage"... and moving through the steps and re-writes to "modern classic for the ages". It's still quite a journey.
The consummate professional, glib, quick-witted, and with a fairly sizeable career of achievements, awards, and even a few shameless failures in public circulation ongoing, however, has had the bumps and hard falls. This one will probably do the research and garner a few measures of feedback, but experience and insight will serve well, zeroing right in on where those misfitted phrases and "wonky" reading are simply not functioning well. The edits will come fast and furious, and with the veteran's seasoned ability to detach remarkably from the work itself, targets most effectively right into where it's not working and breezes over the typo's right along with "piss poor word choices" entirely. The steps will clearly be a LOT less, while the work will change so drastically from one edit to the next revision the rest of the "untrained world" will probably not even recognize them as different evolutions of the same piece. It's quite possible, then, that the truly remarkable talent, having refined itself into a hardened and razor sharp skill of wit and wisdom will only need maybe a hundred or so revisionary steps and the classic will have been born...
...if only the world worked so simply in the first place. Eh?
The point is, that perhaps, while there are more refined and more skilled writers, even potentially those with more and less talent than the next. It's a matter of product, not person, that the readers will inherently judge. If you work for it, regardless of your personal skill level just now, you CAN most certainly get your creation refined and revised into something remarkable. It's just a matter of taking that journey. Remember, even the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step...
...so STEP! Whatcha' think??? ;o)
That Dunning-Kreuger Effect thing is fascinating! I think that's very true, in my experience.
Literally saw that curve during my editing...You are an expert...nice life accomplishment. My book is coming to life at 140 pages.
Great Vid! Thank You! I’m almost finished with my first draft of my first novel. I already know parts that suck, knew they sucked when writing it, but just kept going! I believe as long as a true story exists and the basic arc of the story is intact, all the weaknesses can be wrung out with critiquing and editing the crap out of it. I’ve wrote other shorter stories that I thought were Great just to reread it later to see it wasn’t. In short, if it’s readable and the story makes sense you’re probably doing okay! :)
Just wondering: why do you wait for the end of your first draft to fix everything? I myself find all kind of little changes I need to make and change them right away. Maybe there's a different between major chnages and minor changes, but don't you afraid it will effect what you wrote?
Good question! I do reread some things like early chapters and make some minor changes but I want to get most of the first draft done so I don’t burn myself out or end up not liking the project and stop. Currently, I’m about 15k words from my goal, so I can see light at the end of the tunnel. I have started revising some of the beginning. Thanks for your question. :)
The moment when your confidence and skill level meets = The humbling effect.
thank you for reminding us time and again that doubting can be healthy too, otherwise I lose all my confidence all at once, when I start evaluating my work
Thank you, really useful!!
We all need a sustained string of the fumble to find our Bliss to borrow from Sarah McLachlan.
Or as Confucius has shared:
"I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand."
Great stuff Alexa.