WRITING VLOG | aiming for 100K in my WIP, passion outweighing talent, & when do you query an agent
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- Let's get to writing, re-outlining, and diving deep on some writerly questions we all struggle with.
0:00 It's like a writing vlog Q&A except YOU are supposed to answer!
1:13 Let the writing commence!
2:47 How much do you read? (And reading goals!)
5:04 How do you get over feeling like your writing isn't good enough....while you're still drafting??
9:43 How do you balance quality & speed?
11:39 When do you consider querying an agent?
13:39 BOOK MAIL! (Plus a querying group success story, thanks Beth!)
16:07 Project ☠️ is going to be 100K words??
18:12 How do you deal with the slow burn of cranking out a book over months and years??
19:53 How do you battle white room syndrome?
22:45 Do you ever worry that your passion outweighs your talent??
23:56 How would your writing change if you knew it would never be published?
☟↓ QUESTIONS FOR YOU BELOOOOOW! ↓☟
D I S C U S S I O N Q U E S T I O N S :
Please answer any/all of the above questions! I would love to know your thoughts and hear about your experiences!
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Answered all the q's! These are so fun :)
1: My Goodreads reading challenge is usually 10 books a year (and I do hit that)! I also frequently read short stories and poems from litmags, which are harder to track! Some of my favourite reading to do is for slushpiles--I currently screen approx. 500+ subs a year! Very fun!
2: This is the worst! When I feel like my writing might be inadequate/not as good as I hoped, I push through drafting and wait at least a day to re-read the work. Usually the issue is not that the writing is bad, but that the inner editor wants to creep out too early.
3: I create longer term goals. Used to do a lot of monthly goals, but now I prefer to make yearly goals--that keeps me at drafting 60-100k words a year and editing several projects. It doesn't feel like a lot in the moment though because of how I set it up.
4: Not at this point yet! I'm sure it'd be similar to when I decide to submit a short story for publication, though (whenever the project feels "concluded"/if I'd be happy with people reading it).
5. This is one of the most difficult parts of writing for me, especially as a full time student (not a lot of time to write, even though I study creative writing, hahahaha). I try to keep the big picture in mind instead of beating myself up over how long a project is taking.
6. White room syndrome I feel is often not something to worry about in draft 1. My trick when editing is to note what setting I'm in and pull on the five senses to describe (if the descriptions can help pace the scene--even better)!
7. I've never thought of this! Sometimes I don't feel passionate enough about writing. At this point in my writing journey, I know that the talent is there, but sometimes I wonder if I'm not as passionate as others are about their projects (or as passionate as I once was about the projects).
8. This is so interesting because external pressure (even if it's self-imposed) often dictates how I write projects that AREN'T going to be published. I have a good mix between projects for publication and projects for myself, and I feel like that's a helpful thing to have. If I were to work solely on projects I wanted to publish, I think I might feel the pressure a lot more. Really the fear here is of judgement--sometimes I pre-judge my work so others won't. Becoming more secure in my opinion of my writing has helped with that a lot. But if I do end up in those moments, I remind myself revisions are there for a reason!
Needed this today. I finished my first draft of my first ever book yesterday. And even if I feel super high right now I am dreading editing. Will it ever be good enough? The book have some rough parts. But I will let it rest for a few weeks before I start editing.
I’m not a writer, I was recommended your video one day and have just stayed for the vibes ever since, it’s been so interesting to see the process that goes into writing a story. I’m also not really a reader either I have a goal to read 3 books this year (I’m dyslexic so reading is a slow process 😅) my fav read has been heaven’s official blessing.
Dyslexia can create many issues, as you well know. I have numerical dyslexia, so it can cause me issues too. But I just wanted to encourage you to keep pushing further, and keep moving onward in your reading. "If we all cheer for each other, there is nothing under the sun that anyone can't do."
@@matthewberry7206 Thank you so much! Yes even though it's very slow for me to read I still enjoy it and I find the more I read the easier it gets. Your message had motivated me a lot
Watching your vlogs always push me to be productive. I swear, whenever I feel a lull, I’d put up your video, write with you, and before I know it, I’m done with the task 😄 It’s fun to work “with” someone who’s driven but also chaotic
I actually did take publishing off my writing table, and it feels fantastic. The pressure I was putting on myself to "finish" the book and try to publish it was crushing my enjoyment of writing. My co-author and I agreed that we'd rather see this story get out to readers than worry about making a profit from it. It's much better suited for a serial format than it was for a book series. I'm finding it much easier to focus on the individual episodes than I could on an entire book. And since the pressure to publish is gone, I'm enjoying the writing process a ton more.
Q1: I don't track the number of books I read each year, but I downloaded over 200 last year, and finished about 90% of those. I also reread some book series that wouldn't be included in that total.
Q2: I don't really have this problem. Even when the story isnt going in the direction I want, I only write words that I like.
Q3: Focusing on speed is great advice for people who struggle to finish, but once you've learned to finish, the focus really should be on quality. I would rather go slow and draw out the first draft process than end up with a finished product that needs to be completely rewritten.
Q on description: I do this more organically. I don't usually describe rooms, but I might describe the feel of the fluffy carpet or the cold, univiting feeling they get from the modern gray sofa and glass coffee table. I write in first person, so when I need to describe my main character, I have them choose a blue shirt that brings out their eyes, or worry that the humidity will make their curly hair frizzy. People actually think about themselves a lot, so I might have them be jealous that a friend's brown hair looks rich and shiny, while theirs is dull and mousy. I will have them compare the appearance of two friends who look like they could be brothers or two brothers who look nothing alike.
I've found over the years that speed leads to better quality. When I write slow I forget things. When I write fast I can enter the flow state and those words are usually really good. I also limit myself to only being allowed 1 rewrite. I am amazed that you can do 5 drafts and not want to throw your computer at the wall. I have too many projects I want to work on and I've found that if I tell myself that I'll fix something in a rewrite then I have to do a rewrite but if I try to get the words out in only two tries then they come out better. Just today I finished the final book in a pirate adventure trilogy. It's my second draft of the story and I really outlined for this one so it just needs editing. Now to get to work on my cultivation and litrpg stories. Writing fast and changing projects has done wonders for my motivation and creativity. There's one more reason why I've started writing 5k words a day and that is.... it's really hard to second guess yourself when you're going full speed ahead
If no one was going to read my books I wouldn't bother writing them. I want to entertain people. To do that I need an audience. If there's no audience then I can't achieve my goal
The 1st draft vs last draft kinda feeling, I got over really, when I considered that I’m also an artist. And to do a big painting, you need a sketch and to color block and then to add details and shadows and so on and so forth. And I really had to go “of course my writing right now isn’t great, it’s only a sketch of the final piece”
Q1: I have been reading a lot more serialized ebooks and webnovels over the last 3 years, which really messes with my book statistics, so I gave up on counting the first half of this year. But I'm hoping to do a much better job for the rest of the year.
Q2: You put it perfectly when you described it as a warm, comforting blanket when you realized others face the same what the heck moment when going back to an early draft.
Q3: In regards to speed, I have been trying to slow down my first drafts so I don't have to edit as much. I am finding that my fastest writing speed is as beneficial as slowing down a bit. So instead of 1K for 25 minutes, I'm doing better with cleaner scenes and sentences if I aim for 600 to800 words in that amount of time.
Q4: Querying - I'm not at that point yet, so I look forward to binge watching all of the AuthorTube Query vlogs when I get to that point.
Q5 Revision/Edit - I do not enjoy the editing process either, so that's one of the reasons why I'm trying to make it better in the earlier draft(s).
Q6: White Room syndrome: I try to alternate dialogue, action, and a bit of description. This way, I am continually moving forward with all of them.
Q7: Talent can be honed with practice. The passion will keep us going through the practice as we get better. (Haha, I wrote the answer before you finished your answer. Lol, it's nice to see other writers have similar viewpoints on talent/skill levels)
Q8: I don't think it would change that much in the initial stages. My stories are meant to entertain, and I am entertaining myself first.
Hi Kate, the publication question hits way too close to home for me. I cam currently working on a sci fi adventure style stories and I have been working on them for YEARS. The ultimate goal would be to publish but with any of the creative writing and stories that I do write, I do it for the love of writing and mostly because these are stories that I would want to read. So if I get published, I do, if not these are still stories I am going to end up enjoying (once I get past the editing part). Love your videos!
I loved all these questions and your answers Kate. ❤
I love watching your videos! It really inspires me to get to work on my next book, even though I'm not participating in any nanowrimo events this year.
I’ve read 50 books so far this year! My minimum reading goal is 60, my stretch goal is 75 books, and my extra ambitious stretch reading goal is to read 100 books this year. But I include novellas and the beta and sensitivity reads I do for work as well. Favorite books so far this year are: ONE FOR ALL by Lillie Lainoff, SUMMER’S EDGE by Dana Mele, THE BONE SPINDLE by Leslie Vedder, HOTEL MAGNIFIQUE by Emily J. Taylor, and THE HACIENDA by Isabel Canas.
Great video! Looking forward to more updates on PROJECT DEATH!
I am working on the first draft of my PhD dissertation novel, an Adult Urban Fantasy (adapted from a TV pilot I wrote) and I’m also working on a YA Thriller short story for an anthology that will be traditionally published next year. Writing is so much work! Ack!
Currently taking a break from draft 2.5 of my novel, and focusing on reading writing craft books to be able to develop/know my characters and create the intricacies of the world faster (so hopefully I won't do as many drafts now). Favorite books so far are The Psychology Workbook for Writers by Darian Smith and Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I really enjoyed Big Magic. It's one of those books that hit me at just the perfect time. I'll have to give it a reread and check out Darian Smith's as well!! Thanks for the recommendation! :)
That's the best method - not just read craft books - but study them as well - take notes. That's what I do anyway - I have like over a 100 of them - everyone has something different that I found very helpful. - one just had one page I found very helpful, but it's the only one with that method for idealization or concept creating tool etc. to build a story on - basically turning flash fiction into a short story or eventual novel etc...
@@johntubbs6617 Agreed. In shorter books I tend to take active listening notes and jot down things I find insightful in a certain format. In longer books, I plan to reread them and flag them at points with color-coded sticky note tabs. So one tab may represent a worldbuilding tip, another may be character development, etc. However, if a book is about a particular subject, like characters, it will get its own system. So in that book, one tab could still mean character development, while another may be a tip to portray a character's behavior, etc.
Hi Kate, I love watching your videos and seeing how “considerate” your dogs are while you work. While they’re the best companions for a writer, sometimes it’s difficult to balance my morning play/walk with my Belgian malinois, bathing him, feeding him, all those fur parent stuff. Could you possibly make a video about squeezing in your fur parent responsibilities/home errands into your work day and how you keep everything in order while being creative? I’d love to know how you manage 🥰 Keep making videos!
Your pets are so cute and I love how well behaved the dogs are! :)
OMG I just finished reading Daisy Jones, too! As I read it, I kept imagining it as a mockumentary like The Office.
Last year my goal for reading was 100 and I read 155. This year it is 100 and I'm at 32. That includes writing 110K last year and so far 22K this year, plus the day job.
Hi Kate! Ask and you shall receive. Answers below:
1. How much do you read? (And reading goals!) - I don't read as much as I should since my schedule is crazy (40 hour remote work week, co-parenting a rambunctious 4 year old, chores, writing, learning Korean). I tend to favour audiobooks since I like to listen while doing something. My goal is usually five audiobooks a year. Last year, I got really close with three audiobooks so we'll see. Favourite one is Anne of Green Gables. Saw the Netflix series too and I loved it.
2. How do you get over feeling like your writing isn't good enough....while you're still drafting?? - Write it fast and tell myself that I can't edit a blank page. Editing is my favourite part of the writing process so I look forward to it. It usually works for me. Bribery works too.
3. How do you balance quality & speed? - For me, it depends on the project. My current WIP, a Caribbean contemporary, I pantsed the first four chapters and kept 90% of the dialogue in subsequent drafts. The characters were so clear in my head that I knew how they talked, acted, etc. This helps the draft come out pretty clean AND fast. But it doesn't happen often. Normally I have to compromise one over the other.
4. How do you deal with the slow burn of cranking out a book over months and years?? - Speaking from personal experience, I take a break from it. Brandon Sanderson said on his Writing Excuses podcast that if you're working on a writing project for 10+ years, you should shelve it for a while and work on other things as you've become to close to it. Any feedback or criticism you receive, you'll become defensive and not move forward. Valid point for me so I shelved it and worked on three other things. Since I did that, I've actually gotten new ideas on my shelved WIP that would baffle me in the past. By working on new projects, it helps the brain come up with new things and new perspectives.
5. How do you battle white room syndrome? - Give my characters an activity. With an activity, there is an automatic location. Then I peruse the Urban / Rural Thesaurus and can get some description in there. It usually does the trick. Listening to UA-cam setting sounds also helps. Like ocean sounds when your characters are at a beach. It works, trust me.
6. Do you ever worry that your passion outweighs your talent?? - Every. Single. Day.
7. How would your writing change if you knew it would never be published? Honestly, it wouldn't. Being authentic is really important to me and as someone who journalled for most of my teenage years, I believe in being honest with yourself, your thoughts, your words. So whether I'm published or not, my writing would pretty much be the same.
Have a great week, Kate :-)
I also only describe things that are relevant (to events or character). I have aphantasia, so it's always a struggle, and the main thing I ask my alpha readers to comment on so I can compensate. If I couldn't publish, it wouldn't change it because I still want my books to be as perfect as possible-just for my sense of accomplishment.
Perfect timing as always, Kate. 😍
Hooray!! :)
Also loving the inclusion of "secret Mario" in your username now too hehe.
@@KateCavanaugh Thank you 😂😍
Some great questions. Think it would take a blog; in your case a Vlog; to answer them all.
A quote, (sorry don't know by whom.) "A novel is a long piece of prose with something wrong with it." Hope that helps.
Personally I write for pleasure. I enjoy the editing, drafts, revisions and re-writes post feedback. Just want to make the story better.
Most things I do, are not as accomplished as I had imagined/hoped but often, better than I feared. Just do what you love.
That last question like lol I have the exact same answer like ‘who is line editing? I don’t know her.’ if publishing was out of the question. Like you mentioned revisions would prob still happen, but nothing as strenuous as I’ve been doing and sentence-by-sentence breakdowns would neveR be reached lol.
And omg when you’ve been used to your draft five, revised writing and have to see first draft writing again (especially after you’ve been reading fully edited books from the shelf too) like I’m glad you mentioned that. It’s truly so jarring.
And good luck to you on the journey to 100k! This draft I’m working on I’m aiming for 85k to 90k (knowing me probably closer to 90k) and hoping to finish the end of September.
I feel like my answer to the "if you would *never* publish/be read" question is fairly similar to yours. I enjoy the editing process, up to a point. When it feels *complete*, and I'm just tweaking word choice and grammar it becomes a chore. My writing is pretty self-indulgent already. I figure that if I want to read it, so will other people. I *might* be a little less focused though. I'm a multi-wip writer, but I do a certain amount of forcing myself to focus on project x until I finish draft y. I'd still do that, but probably not as strictly.
I struggle so much with balancing reading, writing, and life... I tend to write a lot more than I read, but I do want to change that, but I often fall into very long reading slumps
I think if I knew I would never be published I would write faster and less careful and could probably ignore the imposter syndrom better... but then again, I would probably not write things that I would be proud to share wity friends qnd family.
I don't read nearly as much as I should or even want to. I've actually really fallen off of reading for a few years, sadly. I tend to just re-read old favorites (I say old, but it's really just Doctor Sleep, the sequel to The Shining).
And thankfully I don't get too many thoughts of my writing not being good enough while I'm writing. And when I do I normally can quash them by thinking or saying out loud 'this is a draft. It's not meant to be perfect. It's a stepping stone and it just has to exist.'
As far as quality and speed- i really don't try to. I'm not on a deadline, I don't need to rush the words. I can take my time. Maybe that'll change when I get published and need to write another book, but that doesn't exist for me right now.
I have never queried an agent, so I haven't had to deal with this. But I think I would have to get a book to the point to where it's the best I can make it (taking into account feedback). So I guess I'm similar to you in that respect, Kate!
As far as the "slow burn," I don't actually mind it taking time. I've always been of the mind that things take just as long as they're meant to, and I'm still learning how to write (as I imagine I will for years to come if not for the rest of my life). And I genuinely enjoy the process of writing so that doesn't bother me.
When writing description, I like to think of it like this- give just enough detail that you flesh out the scene and have it make sense. And that 'flesh out point' is different for every scene! Like, when your character first steps into a place they've never been before, they'll see a lot more than they do in their own home. Also I'm a chronic underwriter so I tend to add in a lot of the description later.
I once saw a graph that was more or less depicting that the better your eye gets at detecting mistakes, the worse your art seems. And then your talent seems to 'go up,' but then it seems to 'go down' again. That's because your ability to catch mistakes is catching up with your "talent" and that's what makes you think you're not good. And it was literally life changing. I saw it over and over in myself and I was now able to both explain what it is to myself and head myself off at the pass by saying "it's good that you're finding mistakes you weren't seeing before. Mistakes are opportunities to learn."
And I don't think my writing would change at all if I never published. I don't think I hold back anything when I write and I don't write anything I wouldn't show people in my life. But I did once see some advice to write a story just once that you never show anyone in your life. A story just for yourself. And maybe I will do that one.
i read around seventy books last year but I only started reading in April so i am trying to read 100 Books this year j have read 59 books so far
I want to read Daisy Jones... great vlog.x
AHHHH! Literally just finished that one, so let me know what you think when you end up reading it!! And thank you. :)
I like jumping into these author spaces where people intend to get published just to compare the differences. I write to help me figure myself out, creating characters and finding out how I feel about a certain attribute and allows me to confront any preconceived notions of how I think people will react to these characteristics. EG I wrote extensively about Agender lesbians before I had the guts to actually come out, each time using a name and personality that was ever so slightly like myself.
Let’s go!
¡VAMOS! :)
Talent doesn't exist only hard work and dedication
I try to read 60 books a year. I am 31 books in as of now; so right on track
I agree with you! If my writing was never gonna be published I'd do edits enough for it to be up to my standards but line edits would probably not be a thing.
The goal for the would-be write, is to learn the craft, put in the work, the rest will take care of itself, don't worry about being published, worry about do we have all the writing devices and craft down to pull off a compelling story.- when we get to that point - you will be published - too many poorly written manuscripts in wood piles at all the publishing houses to prove that point....make the writing perfect....Make it write ..or was that right.
Most recent favourite read: Call Me By Your Name
Q1: I try to read at least 50 books a year, but I do read mostly short books, books in verse and recently a lot of graphic novels. Even though I write poetry I have a hard time focusing even to read someone else's.
Q2: I like to write down whatever my doubt is and move on. Sometimes I even write a response to it. Ex: "I feel like this isn't original." and then "this will be original because it's from my unique perspective" which tends to help a lot.
Q3: I don't feel that there is a relationship between quality and speed, and it's probably more of a mindset thing. I guess you just have to know which part of writing you're prioritizing at a given stage in the process and go with that. I would never line edit in a first draft, but I might go back and fix a major plot issue if it's stopping me from going forward.
Q4: I assume I would feel ready to query once it felt like I was making my book different and not better.
Q5:Historical I've given up 🙃hopefully I'll get better by tracking progress more and staying in the community for encouragement.
Q6: I don't, no descriptions anywhere. I feel like I don't notice physical descriptions at all in real life so this is hard for me.
Q7: I just try to remember that passion is what causes people to get better because passion is the reason for practicing. I like to think they feed into each other.
Q8: I think I wouldn't be as concerned with editing or making things sound good, but honesty is probably my most important writing value and if I can't be honest with myself there wouldn't be any point to it.
Passion vs. talent...I would say that in my early years, my passion outweighed my skill. The talent was there (humble, aren't I?) because I feel that a person can or cannot tell a good story but both types need to acquire the skills for writing it down.
Your multi-project approach is fine, and moving from book to book in the revision stage is also fine. You are working on your skill sets.
I want to add, of course, that your skills and talent are at a much higher level than you believe they are. You still haven't told us your romance name so we can buy those titles, so let me encourage you (again...how many "agains" make a "nag?" lol ) to share your published titles with your UA-cam followers. I spent ten years building a following (probably between 8 and 10 K, but not on UA-cam) and I definitely want to share my titles with those folks. You do a lot more work on your YT than I ever do on my newsletter and other "lists" so you can feel very relaxed about letting your followers know what you've published.
Here's a fun exercise: look up the top 10 or 20 romances and read the sample pages. You will be amazed how many of them do not measure up to your fiction. And that includes trad pubs. :)
Wish you all the best, and an early happy birthday. Hugs and love!
Thats a good idea or method to read the top selling Novels in your chosen genre - pick a few then reverse engineer them line by line - Beat by Beat, Scene by Scene, Hero Goal Sequence by Hero Goal Sequence Chapter by Chapter, etc etc know that book better than its author. Find all the tropes and obligatory scenes etc. We can all learn from the pro's or the lucky. Make sure they are well written though. So much to learn so much the remember and keep track of...all the best
Actually, the reason she hasn't released her pen names is because of the Amazon algorithm. Amazon organically shows your books to people it thinks will like your book based on what else they have read.
If a bunch of her UA-cam fans buy the book, and some of us don't actively read in her genre, it'll mess up her place in the algorithm.
Q1: I try to read a lot, sometimes it's successful. Sometimes not. The two books I most recently finished were The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona David which was beautifully atmospheric and had good characters, but the writing style drove me up the wall and Portrait of a Thief by Grace D. Li which was great and satisfying and at some point in the next month and a half there will be a review of it on my blog.
Q2: I tend to only feel like this when I'm somewhere in the midst of edits. When I'm drafting new projects I'm so excited by the new characters and/or world that none of the thoughts that tell me I'm not good enough seem to crop up.
Q3: I try not to worry about quality in my first drafts. I know there are going to be a ton of chances to edit it over and over. As for the speed side, I tend to use a random date 2-3 months in the future as a deadline for the draft, but it's completely flexible and I can move it forward or backward depending on what else I have going on.
Q4: I'm already considering querying an agent for my contemporary young adult. I'm still editing and I'm going to try and get one more solid round of editing in before I send it off. I finished draft 5 in May, so I'm planning for it to be after draft 6, but things are still a little fuzzy.
Q5: I guess I deal with it by accepting the fact it's a months (if not years) long process to finish a book, edit it (multiple times), get it published, etc. For me the drafting stage is so much fun and it never really seems like work and sometimes it goes quickly, the other bits I know from experience now are going to take a while and that's okay.
Q6: Again, like my answer to question number two, this only starts bleeding in when I start the editing process. I try to ignore it because I'm not sure how this is going to be of any help, but sometimes it does appear and it can get to the slightly overwhelming point. In that case I take a break, watch a UA-cam episode, TV show episode, history documentary, etc It puts my mind on a different track and I have the opportunity to continue what I'm doing.
Q7: I've spent so much of my life writing things that I don't think it'll ever be published. I have at least three novels that I don't think will ever see the light of day. I'm okay with that because I know that they're in various stages of messiness, but my actual process didn't change for those novels. In fact, one of them had my most detailed outline I've ever written. I'd keep writing in multiple genres, I'd keep exploring and nothing would stop me from finding new authors and holding conversations.
Q1 How much do you read? I actually don't know anymore. A few years back I would take part in the Goodreads reading challenges and read anywhere from 52-75 books per year. At the time I found it helpful because I was in a years-long reading slump and tracking/pushing myself to read more really worked for me. But then something changed and I started to try and 'game' the system by reading shorter books/more graphic novels etc. to try and make my goal. I also found I wasn't reading as deeply. These days I just read as many books as I want. I'm in a consistent habit of reading every night and I don't worry so much about the quantity anymore. I do try to vary my reading and I am making more of a concerted effort to read newer books but overall, the number of books I get through each year doesn't bother me anymore!
Q2 How do you get over feeling like your writing isn't good enough as you're still writing? Ugh, I wish I had a magic bullet for this. The only advice I have is to remember that "done is better than good" - you can always make something better on the 2nd draft, but you can't make something better if it doesn't exist! The other thing I try to do is view the first draft as the place to get the story out, the second draft is for bridging the gaps, the third draft is for character arcs etc. the actual prose doesn't come until like draft 5 or 6 for me.
Q3 How do you balance quality and speed? I don't (see above). The only way for me to write anything quickly is to get it down on the page without worrying about the prose. I'll be scouring the comments to see if anyone has any better advice for this!
Q4 When do you consider querying an agent? This is a good question. I have kind of done things a bit backwards. My debut MG fantasy book is being trad published later this year but it's with a small publisher that don't require authors to have agents. However, I would really love to find an agent for future projects. So for me... I guess I'm going to wait until the book comes out so I have something to point to to show a demonstrated history of working with publishers/good sales (hopefully!).
Q5 How do you deal with the slow burn of cranking out a book over months and years?? I deal with it badly. I'd LOVE to be a faster writer, but sadly as someone with a pretty demanding full time job, I have come to accept that I only have pockets of time in which to write. Maybe one day things will change but for now, I just need to let it goooo.
Q6 How do you battle white room syndrome? I...had never heard this term before! You learn something new every day. I don't know where the line is personally because I agree that you need to include SOME sense of place for a reader but I also think that it's nice to not include TOO much description - you have to allow your readers to use their imagination somewhat. I like Kate's suggestion of describing some of the things you notice first or maybe just the most important things and allow users to fill in the blanks for themselves.
Q7 Do you ever worry that your passion outweighs your talent? Yes! Good lord, yes. I worry all the time that I'm not actually that talented, but I try to remind myself that I'm a better writer at 34 than I was at 24 and I was better at 24 than 14 etc. Hopefully at 44 I'll be even better again!
Q8 How would your writing change if you knew it would never be published? I don't think it would change much since I never thought anything would get published! It might be a bit more sloppy though without all the editorial input I've had :D
Phew. I think I got them all :D
I've seen a lot of people advising to write for yourself, and while I get that the intent is to get people to enjoy the process of writing without getting hang up about other people's expectations or about sales, how many readers you have, the amount of engagement you get from your readers... I have a hard time agreeing with it because it implies not expecting anyone to read your writing. And when I ask myself how I would write if I knew I was not going to be read, beside maybe a couple of friends and family, well, I wouldn't stick with long term projects. I would probably just write snippets of stories here and there and maybe I'd be happy with that, but wouldn't it be a shame?
Knowing there are people enjoying my writing and wanting to see more is the reason why I've been able to stick with my current project for two years. Keeping up with an activity that require that much focus is very hard for me (currently in the process of getting an adhd diagnosis lol), so to me it's nothing short of a miracle. Maybe it's more important for ADHDers, but the promise of a reward is essential to accomplish a difficult task for most people, I think. And wen it comes to writing, I feel like having people reading and enjoying it is the best reward.
A book I cant shut up about is Exodus 20:3 by Freydís Moon! Their writing is exquisite, definitely one of my new faves. About the story, its short, brilliant & 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 About a trans guy and an angel !!! Yes. Nothing like the heavens validating your existance. Ok 😅 ~monster~ romance might not be for everyone, BUT, i would highly recommend if the premise sounds interesting. Diego takes a job helping to fix up a church in the middle of nowhere, and the only other person there is Ariel, who might be more than meets the eye👀
Ok but if I *knew* I'd never be published, I'd write the same things. But when I'm finished with a novel, I'd print out and hand bind -- maybe 30 copies? 10 or so would be for myself, my partner, friends and family. The other 20 I'd leave around town in those Little Free Libraries, maybe donate some to Goodwill, maybe leave some in cafes or libraries or on a campus with a note saying "Take me! I'm free."
Then I'd just sit back and imagine people's confusion as they pick up the book, read it, maybe love it maybe hate it, go online to learn more and find _absolutley no results_ about what the book is or who wrote it.
And then like -- ok but imagine it ends up on a family's bookshelf? A mother reads it, her son reads it. He takes her copy then his daughter reads it. On and on, this family now has a book that they love and no one else really even knows about. It's just passed on through the family. And none of these people ever met me or had any connection to me. I don't even care if that never happens. I'd just imagine that someone, somewhere, had this experience.
Honestly I'm dying for an excuse to pull these ~*~shenanigans~*~ lol. The only reason I don't is because I'd genuinely want to put my best work out there, and if I've written my best work, I'd rather get it published than give in to the chaos demon.
How much do I read? A Lot! My goal is always 52 books-- a book a week.
I need to learn to make time for my writing. I have published a short story with other writers, but somehow I cannot find the time to write
First off, CONGRATULATIONS on publishing a short story!!
Secondly, have you tried "setting aside" ten minutes at the beginning/end of your day? Or any place you have a habit? Like after you brush your teeth or after you've eaten dinner. Get out your notebook/phone/computer and set a timer for just 10 minutes and write during that time. Then you can either close stuff out, accomplished in your ten minutes for the day, or keep going if you want. Just making that little habit might help!!
@@KateCavanaugh the problem is I cannot stick to a routine and my habits are not really there to begin with
99 percent of all submitted =manuscripts never get published anyway - and many writers fail to get a second book printed as well Only well-crafted Fiction makes it to the bookstore shelf. It's that hard to make it - Study hard all the fiction writing devices and understand how to use them all- that's the mission for myself at least. If it was easy everybody would be a published writer. I say I'm only about halfway to being a decent writer so far. - I started back in 2014, I think. Time flies doesn't it. To me it's the quality of the writing not page count that counts.
I set my reading goal as 30 books since that’s two a month with a few three book months in there for a bit of push. Also, what’s your StoryGraph? 👀
I’ve read over 52 books so far. Mostly audiobooks.
DAAAANG SONYA! That's awesome! Which have been your favorite so far??
I know you by Annabel kantaria
Reading is an odd one for me, I feel like what I read the most are free books (wattpad/a03 etc) but because they aren't published I don't class them as 'real' books. 'real' books I read maybe 12 a year, free books, easily one a week.
if I wasn't going to publish id just outline and mood board, maybe write my favourite chapters but I definitely wouldn't write it all! I'd also write more obscure stuff cause I wouldn't be cautious about money
I did start writing non fiction that isn't going anywhere - topics about disability and lgbtq+ rights that were just for me. well written and researched like any article I'd write normally but I don't feel like I need to share them right now
I've read 26 books. ; )
Way to freaking go!! I'm at 22 now so hopefully I'll catch up to you soon bahaha. Do you have any favorites so far??
Ok but who is Sadie 😍?
I don't know why but you dropped from my feed and I stopped getting notifications. Trying to catch up now
So weird!!! Happy to see your name back in my comments, Eliza! :)
My WIP is on 600K 😩
HOW!? Is it a series?? Regardless of where you end up cutting it down to (or if you do), my mind is blown by that many words!
@@KateCavanaugh Basically a series, as it follows 7 characters together and their encounters for around 3 years in their lives. I'm on the last 3 chapters, after 1 year writing.
Can I answer these in a video of my own?
PLEASE SONYA, YES! :) I'll be on the lookout!
Thank you
@@KateCavanaugh it's up
Q1: I read a lot. I'm currently working on books 104,105, and 106 for the year out of 150. It's a lot of manga/graphic novels and audiobooks, but it all counts! My favorite recent read would probably be Lakelore by Anna-Marie McLemore. I've already read it twice this year and it only came out in March.
Q2: I have no intentions of getting published, so if it's bad, it doesn't really matter? Also, I never finish anything so all of my stuff is always in the "bad" stage lol
Q3: I don't! The story comes when it comes. I have no real hard and fast deadline outside of Camp and regular NaNo.
Q4: I have no goals to get published so I guess never is the best time for me?
Q5: I've actually never stuck with a project long enough for the slow burn. Most of my NaNo projects are never looked at again the moment December 1st rolls around. The project I'm currently working on is actually my longest running project that I've worked on and I started it late November as a way to keep from completely burning out and giving up. So far, I haven't gotten bored with it like I usually do with my projects, so I think I might actually come close if not completely finish this project!
Q6: I actually have no mind's eye so picturing things and coming up with details without visual aides is next to impossible for me. I usually cruise around Zillow for houses in a general kind of area I want to set my story in, take the layout of the house and build it in the Sims 4 and create Sims of my characters to give myself a 3D visual of how functional a room might be or to give some spatial specs. It's not perfect, but it gives me a good enough idea to put words on a page that hopefully make sense to people who aren't me!
Q7: Yeah....what you said! lol
Q8: As I've said earlier, I already don't want to be published, so I don't think I'd do anything different than I'm already doing. I really only let my best friend and my partner really read my stuff anyway, so if they like what I'm writing, then I'm content. Now, if I was writing to get published, I probably would take my writing a little more seriously than the fun hobby I see it as right now and do those edits and put those deadlines outside of NaNo months on myself.
What is passion without talent? Mediocrity is mediocrity no matter how one twists it.
Yay! New update! Taking a small break from writing my vampire story to go back and edit 31 freaking chapters. Someone help me. 😩😩😩😩
YOU CAN DO IT, TOLU! Sending you good luck on the edit, your vampire story will be excited to welcome you back when you're done/ready!
@@KateCavanaugh OMG YOU REPLIED. *cue ugly crying* I installed Grammarly yesterday and that's been helping SO MUCH. Do you have any advice when it comes to editing? I'm not a person who writes the whole thing and then posts it little by little (my story is on AO3), rather I just go chapter by chapter and put what I want, but I end up finding timeline and name and date mistakes.