My first book had an audience of ONE. A 10-year old boy. A professional writer critiqued the book, and the results were UGLY. But his mother later informed me that my poorly-written book was the first book he had ever read from cover to cover, due to a learning disability. That was 28 years ago, and it still brings me joy.
For sure. There are some set-in-stone objective rules like comma use and sentence structure, but many writing styles have their niche. It's a hard balance to distinguish between the subjective and objective flaws of a piece of art, but that division is a big part of the journey.
i like that you tell the writer what they are doing well instead of just dumping all the bad on them watch this very popular book editor bragging how he tears the writer apart because that's the only way they will get better
Ew. Bragging about being mean? No thank you. I mean, I spend plenty of time offering constructive criticism, but do so kindly, and only after offering genuine compliments.
Excuse me... I can't take you very seriously, when you start out the sentence without a Capital... and "I" is ALWAYS a Capital. So... if you were an experienced writer (25 years here), you'd know NEVER us a lowercase letter starting a sentence... and Always Capitalize your "I". Ohhh... and while I'm at it... Please do not be rude and mean just because you can... This man took his time and money to make this wonderful video. If you do not like it... Move on. A (real) writer, needs and wants their editor to tell the truth. That is what they are paid for, to save the writer/author being embarrassed.
@@JudiChristopherHoney, I think you misread their comment. They said they appreciate the constructive criticism, not that the editor should be mean to their authors
@judichristopher4604 How blind and conceited can you be? He was complaining about another editor and praising the guy who made this video. Either your reading comprehension skills are as small as your ego is grotesquely bloated, or you’re the kind of author who gets a pathetic high every time you catch someone in the RUclips comment section daring to not use proper grammar in your presence. Well guess what, Miss Angela Martin from The Office: The comments section wasn’t made for proper spelling. Some people choose to use it but others don’t AND THATS FINE because it’s just for fun. Maybe just focus on your own flaws, hmm? Thank goodness you’re here to misread our comments and remind us how much better you are at spelling and bragging. THANK YOU.
@@JudiChristopher I guess this is what the video meant with how writers are great at lines, paragraphs and dialogue and not so much the big picture.... Way to lash out so aggresively on a platform with people from all over the world.
don't write expecting to become a millionaire or have a lot of fans, write to make a difference in the world, it doesn't matter if you affect the life of 10 or 1 million people, it matters if you managed to make the life of at least 1 person better using only your words. That is what a successful author is. If after that you get rich an famous, even better if that's what you wanted, but don't make it your main goal or you'll be painfully disappointed, writers who can have those 2 things and are still alive are less than 1%
I have two friends who became authors because they wanted money for doing what they loved to do - not the fuzzy warm concept of making a difference in the world. Both have made millions. Imagine that? They took their passion and turned it into a career.
Mentored a writing class for adult beginners and the ones to watch out for are those who have been working on their masterpiece for years and will take absolutely NO input on it that isn’t glowing. They aren’t there to learn. They’re there to be discovered which is like mentoring a brick wall.
@@squidpoequo7747Not excusing it but I can kinda understand the feelings. If you’ve already dedicated a lot of years to a project, you don’t want to feel as if you’ve potentially wasted a portion of your short time on this planet, especially so if you’ve heard people close to you saying that what you’re doing is a waste of time. You become defensive even of good faith criticism. You don’t want to entertain the idea that they might be right and you’ve been the problem. “If you hadn’t spent all that time on that book, you could have done x by now”.
@@ottz2506generally speaking, as someone who has shipped creative projects, I’d say this you mention is tied to one of the most essential pieces of advice: focus on shipping stuff first. Perfect is the enemy of good, and all that. If you spend 10 years working on something, I doubt it has any more chances of being good that a project you spent 1 year on. And instead it carries a number of downsides, one of which is being quite more defensive to feedback. So, sure, I can also understand from where that defensiveness may come; but it is still a counterproductive and rather annoying reaction.
0:00 💡 Writers often misjudge their book's weaknesses, focusing on elements they excel at while overlooking major issues. 1:31 🤔 Writers tend to underestimate their own strengths, often needing reassurance about their talents. 2:01 🔄 Authors frequently underestimate the extent of revision required, needing psychological readiness for substantial editing. 2:42 📚 Authors often overlook point of view issues, which significantly impact narrative coherence and reader engagement. 3:32 🧠 Most writers handle criticism well, being open to feedback and eager to revise. 4:46 😊 Writers tend to be optimistically hopeful about their book's success, often envisioning grand outcomes. 5:45 💡 Execution is key: A strong concept is valuable, but the effective implementation is what truly defines a book's success. 6:47 🏗 Structural issues are common and challenging for writers to spot, necessitating external feedback for improvement. 7:52 🌟 Many talented writers exist, each with a unique story to tell, so writers should embrace their individuality and not feel intimidated by competition.
I'm glad you took the time to talk about #2. So many "writers" out there that have gotten at least 1 book out love telling you that "the first thing you need to learn is that your writing sucks". And then they go on about how much your editor is gonna mark up your stuff. I mean, on one hand I get it, but it's such a crappy way to deliver the message and so many people seem to love doing it. Gets a little aggravating after a while. That said, I have a deep appreciation for editors who take the time to highlight the things you did well. Learning from your mistakes is of course a great way to go, but not only is it nice to hear the "you did this well", it's also a learning experience. Nice to know when something didn't just "barely squeak by" and instead actually performed really well. I'm new here and not sure why the video randomly cropped up, but I'm glad it did.
You have to watch out for gatekeepers, saboteurs and swindlers. There's always going to be those throwing obstacles in your way, because they feel you're encroaching (gatekeepers and saboteurs who try to dictate what is a good and bad book based on arbitrary "rules"). The swindlers are akin to the Gold Rush. The people who came out rich weren't the miners. It was the people on the side of the road selling the pans and shovels to prospectors.
Hearing that positive feedback is crucial, because it you don't know what's good, you might mess it up by mistake when you go to "fix" the problem areas.
this demotivated me ngl. I feel like I'm unworthy, and others are so much better than me so me trying to do shit is pointless. Hell, so far I didn't manage to write more than one chapter in any thing I've tried. And I have tried so fucking much, doing structure, trying to just write and see where it will go, EVERYTHING. I can't. I'm just a depressed useless nobody that should've fucking died a while ago but didn't, struggling for nothing.
it's so affirming to hear that structure is the hardest thing because in my scientific writing I'm made to feel like such a shitty writer because I "can't do basic structure" when I SWEAR my structure is actually fine. Hearing that the structure needs work, but it's okay, everyones structure needs work, is so nice to hear.
I’ve been a professor of linguistics and English for several years, and I finally decided to start writing my fiction novel. This past semester, I worked during my spare hours in my office and wrote many pages. I found that the production of language, the linking of all of the ideas logically and conceptually together for the various parts, and making the text fun, clear, and interesting page-after-page can be quite a collective challenge… yet, a welcome challenge! Thank you for your videos. I’ll be checking out more of them so I can stay better on track…
Congrats on starting your novel. Glad the work has been productive so far … and yet also challenging! Good luck with the rest, and I hope the videos I’m releasing soon help.
Try something unique, like writing every sentence in the passive voice, or in Proto-Germanic. And please tell this guy to stop pronouncing the T in _often._
You sound like someone I'd like to hire. Of course, I'm writing a multi-book series and don't have the money, but I appreciate this kind of insight. It's still very helpful.
@@Bookfox That makes a lot of sense. I'll bookmark your channel for when I'm done with my first draft and look into your services. I hope you enjoy dark psychological thrillers of the FBI Agent/Serial Killer variety. ;-)
I appreciate your positivity. Too many writers in the communities I'm in are focused on "an editor should only tell you what you do wrong", or "if you enjoy hearing positive feedback you're not really committed to being a writer" sorts of mindsets, and it can be really exhausting and disheartening. You seem very kind, and I find your words very encouraging.
i'm a writer and i know if someone read my work and gave me with criticisms that are not straight up bashing my book/plot/characters i would be so seated to hear what they had to say! feedback is so crucial and there's really not enough of it sometimes.
A great video! I’m still only learning about writing but I don’t feel like it is a competition. If there are thousands of talented writers out there, I see that as a brilliant gift to humanity.
WHOA. Between *200 and 2000 copies* ?? I had no freaking idea. If you'd asked me, I would have guessed the average novel sold like 10,000 to 20,000 copies lol. I am stunned!
5:09 Couldnt agree more. My favourite manga Ive read this year so far is My Broken Mariko. The main character goes on a journey to spread the ashes of her best friend who died of suicide. The story is very simple but the way it was executed made me loved the book. Some panels were drawn like it was a comedy, with the characters being off-model and then the next panel would be a heart breaking scene. My favourite scene from that book was when the MC had a poignant conversation about suicide on a beach but the panel was focused on a sign that said "Suicide isnt illegal but littering is!"
This is such a great and encouraging video. Thank you for sharing it. As a writer who believes my story telling far outclasses my ability to write good prose, I needed to hear these things. Have a great week!
What a very encouraging post. Terrific advice and - I can see - so warmly and patiently given. Your writers are very lucky to have you helping them in their orientation and execution of their work. Thanks for taking the time to share.
I'm just going to say it. I am the author of a comic book that has been published and distributed in Japan. In December 2020, a total of three copies were sold on the first day. In fact, three issues were released in the series. The emotional reward of achieving X does not offset the monetary or laborious expenses involved in creating a book. I accepted the failure as my own and refrained from distorting it in any manner.
@@Bookfox In this particular scenario, the Japanese publisher actively promoted the comic and achieved remarkable success in introducing other titles to the country. The comics' lack of success can be attributed to a variety of factors.
People take writing a lot like magic, they romanticize it too much, writing is not different from painting and music, most of it is practice, having a wide horizon of references, experimenting, and so on. As a teacher, I am often surprised by how often you see people actually writing (or trying to) long texts, but know of and do a total of 0 basic writing exercises. I also feel that the illustration community is MUCH more open about the process of learning and creating than the writing community is (which people like you are doing a great job trying to improve).
I think it really depends on the writing community you're in. I'm connected to many different writing communities, and definitely in the best have seen people asking for feedback and giving helpful feedback, talking about the process of writing, etc. However I do sometimes see newer writers post things like "Hey I finished my first book! How do I get it published?" without thinking about editing, and people have to tell them that just because they finished a draft doesn't mean it's ready to publish. Generally, the people who are newer to writing are those who have not been plugged into a writing community for very long or have not read books on writing, haven't been to writing workshops, etc. etc. Which, there are a lot of people out there who fall into that category, but they're usually not really connected to writing communities yet which accounts for much of their being in the dark so to speak.
Thank you. I've been viewing many RUclips educational videos on writing - lol - I wish I started here in my first book. This is the first time your channel popped up. I appreciate your style, knowledge and respect. I am looking forward to viewing more. I am a few hundred pages into my historical narrative novel about my grandfather who had a successful life before WW I, but was blown off his path. I have family anthology and many letters for material. My “success” will be to bring this incredible story to life - book sales are secondary
Wow, this sounds like really profound advice. To No. 1. I tended to obsess with structure and dramaturgic aspects and did not manage to finish my long planned novel. When I did not know how to go on, I often tended to change plot lines etc.. Although this helped me to understand the characters better, I think, for a long time I thought too much about plot. Now I am going back to more focus on other aspects because advice No. 1 seems to be true to me. I should focus on aspects I tend to NOT think about. So thanks for that impulse! :)
How was this so simultaneously challenging AND encouraging at the same time. Thank you for your work and explanations. I had a lot of takeaways and I look forward to applying what I've learned here.
I’m currently on the process of writing my first novel and clicked to this video seeking advice and not only did I get that but also found the coolest editor ever?? This was such an unintentionally good motivator for people to hire you 😭
I am addicted to writing short stories, moments in time. Moments count, because they add up to a life. I savor them for the same reason I snack between meals. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is just more gratifying than waiting for a table. A control issue, perhaps. The trouble is, short stories don't really get published, and are read mostly by people you hand them to. That's ok. Hand 'em out. Tuck them into the magazines at the doctor's office. Write a story specifically for someone who is struggling. Nothing more gratifying than someone who is not a writer coming up to you in person and saying, "Hey, have you written anything lately?" It can be terrifying, like when someone asks you to write a eulogy. If someone asks you that, you have arrived as a writer.
This. I hate the modern publishing world for this. Best writer wrote short stories in old times. All my favorite writers, especially science fiction! How in world we came to popularity of tt but all books have to be NOVELS? Even collection you can publish only if you are already famous or no one cares😢 I published on Amazon a short story collection and story Narrator is about your idea about special written story. Check out if you have subscription. You can become second reader in a year🫠
@johnswoodgadgets9819 When I'm lonely I dream of you by Tallie If you'll put it in Google search, I guess you'll find🫶 Sorry for the late answer. My comment was deleted, and I just found out your question😅
execution vs. idea/concept is gold. i find in the reading that usually, the concept kind of BLURS anyway. it's not as clear and prominent as a movie usually unless the book is unusually movie-like. it's in the moment to moment flow and maybe how it performs in the single scene that really gives me a sense of whether the book is good or not.
I’ve edited and revised my book so many times, I’m on the seventh - ninth version, and I had to give up. I’ve given it to an alpha reader, just to see if I’m on to something or not. This video was great in keeping my spirit up!
Great video! Love the optimism and positivity here mixed with the advice. As an unpublished writer, I've been looking for some kind of validation that my writing is ready. I've decided to take the plunge next year and sometimes that seems daunting. A little positivity, even indirectly goes a long way
Sorry about my lack of capitalization i was running on little sleep after being injured but i was warned some of the book world was very petty good to see not everyone is like that
Excellent video! Gaining objectivity towards your creation is probably one of the most difficult skills to learn. I was really lucky, I had two awesome teachers in high school. One was our creative writing teacher, but the one who I think did more towards helping me develop the ability to view my creations objectively was my art teacher. She would have us turn the painting upside down, walk across the room and study it analytically. It made us disengage from what the image was and allowed us to see if the structure underneath was working, or if something needed to be moved, added, or adjusted. This also gave me lots of practice at disengaging my emotions and my sense of self from the thing that I was creating. I find this skill incredibly useful for gauging my writing strengths, weaknesses, and even structure. However, you can't turn your manuscript upside down doesn't have the same affect of bestowing instant objectivity...it takes other interventions: 1) Letting your manuscript rest so your brain forgets what it thinks should be there so you can actually see what's on the page. 2) Keep your first pass through as not an editing pass, but an assessment pass: reading it like a reader. Write down what happens in each chapter, along with any issues you think may need to be changed. (Some things you think are problems will often be resolved in the subsequent chapters.) If there's any place where you feel like setting the manuscript down, and getting through it is a slog, there's likely an issue either with pacing or stakes. It may be a scene that isn't needed, that could be glossed over, or that needs to be made more dynamic. Having that written record, decreases the cognitive load and sense of overwhelm that hits when we think of the whole manuscript that needs to be fixed. I also use it for if I need to fact check canon with later books in the series, I look at the notes to see which portion of the manuscript I need to re-read. 3) Learning about different aspects of writing craft. We are often oblivious to writing problems until we discover that facet of writing craft. We can't see them until after we know about them. The process of how you have to unlock this knowledge can depend on your personality and strengths. Some of us can read a book on craft and be able to turn around and apply it to our own writing. Others need the feedback on their own writing to learn. A third method is alternating between reading awesome writing with amateur writing. 4) Re-framing your attitude and relationship with "failure." Much of our mandatory education systems encourages pass or fail, right or wrong, black and white thinking. And getting feedback that you got that answer wrong on a quiz is a neurological trigger for learning, if you seek out the correct answer after, and keep reinforcing that knowledge by using it in the subsequent weeks to follow. We don't, however, get opportunities to develop and practice creative problem solving skills. The cycle of trying something, see if it matches our expectations, assess, then try something else, until you do get the desired result. Instead, we try something...and if it doesn't match our expectations right out of the gate, we've "failed" and our self worth plummets. A big part of moving away from this conditioning is paying attention to our inner monologue (our self talk) and being strict with ourselves that we're not taking those craft issues we find and using them as an excuse to beat ourselves up. It's really unfair of us to do so because, when we're at our creative zenith, and words are flowing from our fingertips, different parts of our brains are active from when we're editing. Activity in the prefrontal cortex will actually go dormant, which is where a lot of our analytical, judgy processes take place. (Also will power, so keep your phone and unhealthy snacks our of your line of sight, while you're writing. That loss of inhibition is a major contributor to the creative freedom we enjoy in that state.) ____ Even with all of those interventions, some of us will be able to pick out story structure, and others will be oblivious to it. They'll help with all the other aspects of craft, but story structure is weird. It's an abstract construct in the form of a shape, that some brains need to process consciously (plotters) while others engage with as a subconscious process (pantsers).
@@Bookfox Sure, for line editing and catching typos where we're looking at things at the levels of sentence and words; but is it still effective for developmental edits or continuity errors? (She was an awesome teacher!)
I like the editing here. The transition animations are cool, the popup text emphasizes the right things, I appreciate that the cuts actually change the zoom slightly, and the choice of stock video is, as far as I can tell, perfectly apt. However, some of the transitions from showing your face to displaying the next bullet point are a bit messed up. Take the transition to number 9 at 7:07, for instance. There is a white line sweeping from right to left. Usually with an effect like that, the point is to have the old picture ahead of the sweep and the new picture behind it. But initially we see two copies of you, and as the line continues sweeping, both sides instantly cut to blue background.
After 2.5 years, 3.5 drafts, 2 beta readers (One of whom fell in love with the story and used her creative writing degree and skills as an English teacher to edit my book), I have really enjoyed your video. Especially about the execution of the concept being 95% of the book.
Hmm. Good stuff. Thanks a lot for being so nice. Writing is inherently a scary proposition. One of my dearest friends and I had a conversation once about telepathy in which I expressed my belief, a passing thought not a conviction, that if we could just see what each person was thinking during interactions the world would be a better place to live. He strongly disagreed and suggested that such a scenario for him would be a nightmarish violation. I didn't share my first thought, because I didn't want to discourage him, but I couldn't help but ruminate later about the fact that , as we are both perspective writers, that having someone read our work was essentially the same thing. Perhaps it is curated and one sided but it is still letting someone else inside your head to some degree. Even if we make an effort to avoid those places inside we don't wish others to see our values, hopes, dreams and principles and whatever part of our imagination and effort we pour into our work will be there. To say nothing of those things our readers infer from our work, correct or not about who we are! So to hear an editor say how largely positive they find their interactions with novice writers to be is both validating and comforting.
Thanks for presenting your advice with gentle respect and honesty. Everyone knows that us writers are all precious little snowflakes with fragile egos so positivity without sugar coating it, is appreciated.
also, about that last topic, don't worry about other writers, yes, you're competing with them for people's attention, but you're competing with no one to write your book, because youe book is unique, no one else has the specific set of knowledge, personality, life experiences, memories, language and skills to write your story, literally only you can, if you stop to worry about competing with other people that's a story that no one will ever know or read and the world will be a worst place because of that. Chase your dreams, it doesn't matter if it's hard, if it looks impossible, if people don't believe in you or think you can't do it, prove them wrong, because they are wrong. Maybe YOU can't write that book, but future you, with more experience and practice and knowledge can do it, and it's your obligation to get yourself to the point you become that person.
Great video and congratulations on doing all that editing! I totally fall into the "traps" you describe like having difficulty distancing myself and seeing my novels with a bird eye view, and in one of my series I have difficulty with jumping between POV as I came up with this "unique" way of jumping between 3rd person limited for the main story and 1st person for specific passages. It's whenever the main character sees the future that I shift to 1st person, my intention was to make these scenes feel different from the rest and really engaging. And while I think I accomplished that I still have a really hard time shifting back and forth when writing (I'm writing no. 4 in the series, so I have to stick with it for the last books, but in my other series I decided not to do this kind of thing and keep it simple.)
It‘s interesting about the topic structure, because after my break for some months due to university, I realised that I gave information at one point that would fit somewhere else way better. My reasoning was to inform the reader soon about the world building. But after reading it again, I realised that the pacing was way to slow and at some other point I needed some dialog anyway. I was really glade to notice it and really happy about it. All in all I took many unnecessary lines away and the text feels a lot better to read. And the pacing felt faster of course. I’m btw from Germany and don’t really expect to become a fleshed out author or anything, but I still have a story to tell and I’m hoping that I will succeed with it. I’m only a handful chapters in and I’m taking a LOT of time for writing the text. But I’m hoping to get this thing done anytime 😅 I’m easily working on it for over a year or maybe even two, I’m not sure
Great, positive and inspiring video you have there sir! I've just started out on my second book and I'm hoping to at least make it better than my first!
I often say "Everyone can write. Not everyone can write well." I used to take part in fanfiction contests on a now-defunct posting board. Some of the stories were incredible. Some...were words cobbled together into sentences that...sort of told a story, but the reader had to fill in a lot of blanks. I'm working on a series that defies genre labeling, so I highly doubt I'd ever find a publisher for it. And I certainly can't afford self-publishing, so it'll just be shared via email with a couple really good friends. And that's fine - I write for me, to tell the story of these characters who drop by.
Hello. Great video! Actually, my biggest concern is how difficult it is to enter the international market as a non-native English speaker; I'm Brazilian. My interests are in fantasy, horror, and sci-fi-genres that are very difficult to work with in Brazil. Because of this, I'm seeking to publish in English and would like to know how editors view foreign aspiring writers.
Authors need to embrace the fact that their success should never be measured by number of copies sold. Otherwise they are setting themselves up for significant disappointment. It's great that you coach them on this.
Addressing your point on criticism, it could be that because they're coming to you for help, they are already prepared for bad news. It's not really a shock to them if they get negative feedback, and so there is nothing to get upset about.
Thank you for this! This was a really insightful video considering I'm currently working on Draft 2 of my first novel. This really gave me a confidence boost.
The comment about reading to dying granparent reminded me of a comment that I had on a fanfiction I wrote and shred online I don't remember exact details, but I think it related to commenter's depression or maybe they had lost mother recently, maybe even referring some suicidal thoughts, since a character in the story admitted to having had some in the past.
"Underestimate revision" -- 100% this. I was outright shocked the first few times when I thought the book was 90% done and got told it was more like 10% done.
your attitude and accentuation of the positives is inspiring, thank you for putting out these tips, as well as the reassurances so many of us need, especially after having been turned into human cream sauce by the ptb's of publishing..
2:29 if I'm writing a novel w multiple MCs, a blend of omniscient and limited 3rd is more-or-less accepted, right? (I know mind-hopping is generally frowned upon -- I really try to stick to 1 POV per chapter)
I'd actually recommend you do limited 3rd for each of them or omniscient across the board. Otherwise you're varying the psychic distance, and that can feel confusing. If you do choose to do this, then you need a book that serves as a model -- maybe someone else can suggest one, but one doesn't come to mind for me.
@@Bookfoxsorry, allow me to elaborate. I'm referring to when my main characters are all in the same scene. Is the occasional mind-hopping okay (since the characters carry the same weight), or will it feel convoluted? GoT comes to mind when I think of multiple POV stories, but I can’t really remember how Martin handled scenes where the MCs were all in the same room.
So annoying that authors don't just tell people this... I mean it makes sense cuz it's easier for them, with less competition... 1. Write the entire book through a narrator's perspective, this should be your longest version by far, maybe even 300k words for an intended 100k word final version, it will be a way to identify the most important descriptions and create a leaner final book in the end. This is the most vital step by far because all you're doing is just explaining, so it doesn't have to be perfect and obvs will change anyways, it's like outlining to the most extreme extent. 2. Write the same book through a secondary character's perspective, consider doing it for multiple secondary characters, but like from the love-interest's perspective, or the main villain's, for examples... this way you can create more complete characters, you can justify more alarming actions they might take from the reader's/MC's perspective because they'll have deeper motives, conflicts of their own, etc. 3. Write the entire book but each scene is from an involved character's perspective other than the MC's, again maybe even multiple perspectives per scene. 4. Write the book again, from the perspective of the MC... Probably the most efficient way is to complete each step to completion prior to moving on, but it's whatever you think works best for you...
Very good info. Thx. I agree on the success part. There is all kinds of success. I've only written one book so far and of course a first book is usually not very good, but I did my best. I released it to crash and burn in January 2024. 7 months later in July someone out there in the world gave me a 5/5 stars on Amazon. Not a friend or family member, a stranger. To me that felt like success. Knowing that there was one person out there who enjoyed my story made me happy. Because of that one person I'm so motivated to keep on writing and book 2 will be out in around 3 months. Maybe then I can double my success and get two 5 star ratings :D
Writers take criticism well because it's often not as bad as we expected it was going to be. Once you've offered up the culmination of months of hard work, that's when you suddenly have time to think and all the doubts set in ... just because I love what I've produced does not mean everyone else would.
Thank you for sharing this! My goal for my debut book that releases this December is to sell 200 books! 🤞 I would be ecstatic if I could get to that number!
This is such a reassuring video to watch. The idea of reaching out to editors is daunting, especially with so many people saying how critical editors will be and how they'll dump your book if the first line isn't grabbing them or they'll tear it apart and make out like you've made garbage, it builds this idea that editors are these miserable, borderline sadistic critics who do it just to tear people down. But this video is a reminder that editors are just people wanting to help, and can only do so much. I'm not at the point of reaching out to an editor just yet, but its assuring to know its not quite as grim as it seems.
I don't have anyone to talk to with my writing journey because I'm bothered they might think I'm a pushover, nor do I know a professional that can help me with my questions. Thank you.
A lot of this rings true. I was really worried about my ending but my beta reader seemed to really like it. Her only critique was it should actually be longer. It was the middle she complained about. And the middle happens to be the part I’ve revised the least. Which gets to your point about revision as well as your point about structure.
The way i messure my success is pretty much like, i want a bunch of ppl, young and old, to feel the need to reimagine my work, to be part of the world i created, if a person comes to me and says "i made an OC based on your story" that`s it, i made it
true, honest and very encouraging words. Thanks for that! Especially while going through a phase of self-doubt. 😂 Too bad that english isnt my first language. I would love to give you my book to look at when its finished. My first draft is currently "resting" for a few months so I can look at it with fresh eyes and go through my first revision. I hope Ill find a nice guy like you when I give it to someone else to look out for flaws that slip my eyes. 😂
I write for myself mostly and when I reread I'm like wow, I'm good 👍. But it's that number 8 thing that's most poignant. I need to know what works and what doesn't.
In the spirit of constructive feedback: Maybe it's me (probably just me), but all of the clicking and pinging noises in this video were very distracting. I was trying to focus on what you were saying but couldn't. Next time maybe only have the transition sounds but leave away the typewriter clicking?
I also have adhd. I didn’t have any problems with the noises, didn’t even notice. It’s a pretty common trend these days, especially for a short, concise video
In my view, the ultimate success is longevity. If people are reading your book in 150 years, you've succeeded, regardless of if you hardly sell any copies in your lifetime. Melville was a true success, even though he died feeling like a failure. It's a kind of success that you can never observe directly.
I would measure success for my books in whether or not people are writing fanfiction of them. Unorthodox for sure, and also I’d like to read them. Not that I have any published books, but if I did…
I met a young man on an online dating site. We had been talking about our mutual interest in writing, so he brought his first draft of a novel on our first date and asked me for my opinion on the opening. Well, I'm honest, so I told him that it seemed an interesting idea, but there was far too much dialogue. He was using dialogue as exposition, and I said that it would be better to get that information across in a different way. I wouldn't go any further - I'm not an editor and, even if I was, it was way too much work, plus we were on a date! He didn't take well to my response. I understood his reaction - the book was his baby - so I did go on a second date with him, but not a third.
Two questions. Do you ever read a book and think it's already 90% there? And do you ever have an issue with something, the writer explains why they did it, and you change your mind?
I am writing my first novel and when it comes to criticism the only time I get annoyed is when readers sugar coat things and aren't honset. Just tell me your full opinion, please.
My first book had an audience of ONE. A 10-year old boy. A professional writer critiqued the book, and the results were UGLY. But his mother later informed me that my poorly-written book was the first book he had ever read from cover to cover, due to a learning disability. That was 28 years ago, and it still brings me joy.
THAT'S SO SWEET😭😭😭
That's lovely tho ❤❤
awesome work @cjpreach :)
Look at the memory it created for you and his mother. Awesome.
For sure. There are some set-in-stone objective rules like comma use and sentence structure, but many writing styles have their niche.
It's a hard balance to distinguish between the subjective and objective flaws of a piece of art, but that division is a big part of the journey.
i like that you tell the writer what they are doing well instead of just dumping all the bad on them watch this very popular book editor bragging how he tears the writer apart because that's the only way they will get better
Ew. Bragging about being mean? No thank you. I mean, I spend plenty of time offering constructive criticism, but do so kindly, and only after offering genuine compliments.
Excuse me... I can't take you very seriously, when you start out the sentence without a Capital... and "I" is ALWAYS a Capital.
So... if you were an experienced writer (25 years here), you'd know NEVER us a lowercase letter starting a sentence... and Always Capitalize your "I".
Ohhh... and while I'm at it... Please do not be rude and mean just because you can... This man took his time and money to make this wonderful video. If you do not like it... Move on.
A (real) writer, needs and wants their editor to tell the truth. That is what they are paid for, to save the writer/author being embarrassed.
@@JudiChristopherHoney, I think you misread their comment. They said they appreciate the constructive criticism, not that the editor should be mean to their authors
@judichristopher4604 How blind and conceited can you be? He was complaining about another editor and praising the guy who made this video. Either your reading comprehension skills are as small as your ego is grotesquely bloated, or you’re the kind of author who gets a pathetic high every time you catch someone in the RUclips comment section daring to not use proper grammar in your presence. Well guess what, Miss Angela Martin from The Office: The comments section wasn’t made for proper spelling. Some people choose to use it but others don’t AND THATS FINE because it’s just for fun. Maybe just focus on your own flaws, hmm? Thank goodness you’re here to misread our comments and remind us how much better you are at spelling and bragging. THANK YOU.
@@JudiChristopher I guess this is what the video meant with how writers are great at lines, paragraphs and dialogue and not so much the big picture....
Way to lash out so aggresively on a platform with people from all over the world.
Something tells me that you have been a teacher at some stage in your life. If not, then I feel you would make an excellent one. Well done, mate.
Ha! You read me like a book. 10 years teaching at universities like USC and Chapman here in California, before I pivoted to doing Bookfox full time.
don't write expecting to become a millionaire or have a lot of fans, write to make a difference in the world, it doesn't matter if you affect the life of 10 or 1 million people, it matters if you managed to make the life of at least 1 person better using only your words. That is what a successful author is. If after that you get rich an famous, even better if that's what you wanted, but don't make it your main goal or you'll be painfully disappointed, writers who can have those 2 things and are still alive are less than 1%
I have two friends who became authors because they wanted money for doing what they loved to do - not the fuzzy warm concept of making a difference in the world. Both have made millions. Imagine that? They took their passion and turned it into a career.
Write because you have story you have to tell. nothing else! Edit: I wrote it while driving haha
Write about what you want to say to the world and write stories you always wanted to hear but nobody tells them.
@@zsaida9424 ooo, what authors are they?
Or just write because you enjoy it. A book does not have to make a difference.
writers who hire editors probably take feedback well. i ran a writers group for 4 years and i'd say it's 50/50 at that level
Mentored a writing class for adult beginners and the ones to watch out for are those who have been working on their masterpiece for years and will take absolutely NO input on it that isn’t glowing. They aren’t there to learn. They’re there to be discovered which is like mentoring a brick wall.
@@squidpoequo7747Not excusing it but I can kinda understand the feelings.
If you’ve already dedicated a lot of years to a project, you don’t want to feel as if you’ve potentially wasted a portion of your short time on this planet, especially so if you’ve heard people close to you saying that what you’re doing is a waste of time. You become defensive even of good faith criticism. You don’t want to entertain the idea that they might be right and you’ve been the problem.
“If you hadn’t spent all that time on that book, you could have done x by now”.
@@ottz2506generally speaking, as someone who has shipped creative projects, I’d say this you mention is tied to one of the most essential pieces of advice: focus on shipping stuff first. Perfect is the enemy of good, and all that.
If you spend 10 years working on something, I doubt it has any more chances of being good that a project you spent 1 year on. And instead it carries a number of downsides, one of which is being quite more defensive to feedback.
So, sure, I can also understand from where that defensiveness may come; but it is still a counterproductive and rather annoying reaction.
My critique group takes criticism well. But they voluntarily joined a critique group, so ...
I could wright a book in 3 months. A great one at that
0:00 💡 Writers often misjudge their book's weaknesses, focusing on elements they excel at while overlooking major issues.
1:31 🤔 Writers tend to underestimate their own strengths, often needing reassurance about their talents.
2:01 🔄 Authors frequently underestimate the extent of revision required, needing psychological readiness for substantial editing.
2:42 📚 Authors often overlook point of view issues, which significantly impact narrative coherence and reader engagement.
3:32 🧠 Most writers handle criticism well, being open to feedback and eager to revise.
4:46 😊 Writers tend to be optimistically hopeful about their book's success, often envisioning grand outcomes.
5:45 💡 Execution is key: A strong concept is valuable, but the effective implementation is what truly defines a book's success.
6:47 🏗 Structural issues are common and challenging for writers to spot, necessitating external feedback for improvement.
7:52 🌟 Many talented writers exist, each with a unique story to tell, so writers should embrace their individuality and not feel intimidated by competition.
These time stamps aren’t…quite right. 🤨
7:52 💀💀 the video is 7:44 max...
Thank you for the notes! It helped me keep track of what was happening.
This is so universal and general, like saying that sun is shining and making me happy.
@@100push-upsguy6I mean, it kinda has to be
I'm glad you took the time to talk about #2. So many "writers" out there that have gotten at least 1 book out love telling you that "the first thing you need to learn is that your writing sucks". And then they go on about how much your editor is gonna mark up your stuff. I mean, on one hand I get it, but it's such a crappy way to deliver the message and so many people seem to love doing it. Gets a little aggravating after a while.
That said, I have a deep appreciation for editors who take the time to highlight the things you did well. Learning from your mistakes is of course a great way to go, but not only is it nice to hear the "you did this well", it's also a learning experience. Nice to know when something didn't just "barely squeak by" and instead actually performed really well.
I'm new here and not sure why the video randomly cropped up, but I'm glad it did.
You have to watch out for gatekeepers, saboteurs and swindlers. There's always going to be those throwing obstacles in your way, because they feel you're encroaching (gatekeepers and saboteurs who try to dictate what is a good and bad book based on arbitrary "rules"). The swindlers are akin to the Gold Rush. The people who came out rich weren't the miners. It was the people on the side of the road selling the pans and shovels to prospectors.
Hearing that positive feedback is crucial, because it you don't know what's good, you might mess it up by mistake when you go to "fix" the problem areas.
@@dueling_spectra7270 Exactly. It's good to know what NOT to do, but if you don't know what's actually good, you're still shooting in the dark.
This does indeed motivate me to continue writing...
And hiring him… interesting…
this demotivated me ngl. I feel like I'm unworthy, and others are so much better than me so me trying to do shit is pointless. Hell, so far I didn't manage to write more than one chapter in any thing I've tried. And I have tried so fucking much, doing structure, trying to just write and see where it will go, EVERYTHING. I can't. I'm just a depressed useless nobody that should've fucking died a while ago but didn't, struggling for nothing.
@@KitnaMW What is your favorite novel? Name two authors that influence you the most and I'll tell you who you should read instead.
it's so affirming to hear that structure is the hardest thing because in my scientific writing I'm made to feel like such a shitty writer because I "can't do basic structure" when I SWEAR my structure is actually fine.
Hearing that the structure needs work, but it's okay, everyones structure needs work, is so nice to hear.
Same. I have always worried about structuring stories, for years.
Yep. You're normal. :)
I’ve been a professor of linguistics and English for several years, and I finally decided to start writing my fiction novel. This past semester, I worked during my spare hours in my office and wrote many pages. I found that the production of language, the linking of all of the ideas logically and conceptually together for the various parts, and making the text fun, clear, and interesting page-after-page can be quite a collective challenge… yet, a welcome challenge! Thank you for your videos. I’ll be checking out more of them so I can stay better on track…
Congrats on starting your novel. Glad the work has been productive so far … and yet also challenging! Good luck with the rest, and I hope the videos I’m releasing soon help.
Try something unique, like writing every sentence in the passive voice, or in Proto-Germanic. And please tell this guy to stop pronouncing the T in _often._
You sound like someone I'd like to hire. Of course, I'm writing a multi-book series and don't have the money, but I appreciate this kind of insight. It's still very helpful.
Well, I often edit the first book in a series for someone and the principles I teach them allow them to revise the sequels.
@@Bookfox That makes a lot of sense. I'll bookmark your channel for when I'm done with my first draft and look into your services. I hope you enjoy dark psychological thrillers of the FBI Agent/Serial Killer variety. ;-)
I appreciate your positivity. Too many writers in the communities I'm in are focused on "an editor should only tell you what you do wrong", or "if you enjoy hearing positive feedback you're not really committed to being a writer" sorts of mindsets, and it can be really exhausting and disheartening. You seem very kind, and I find your words very encouraging.
Thanks! I needed to hear some of this, because... man, we can get stuck in our own head sometimes (and that can be a dark and scary place)!
So true ... glad I could serve as a bit of encouragement.
Nice insight. I suspect that we've all been here a time or two.
i'm a writer and i know if someone read my work and gave me with criticisms that are not straight up bashing my book/plot/characters i would be so seated to hear what they had to say! feedback is so crucial and there's really not enough of it sometimes.
This comment needs editing.
@@neilo2323???
I just started authoring my first book. I appreciate your time making this video. Very good advice!
Glad it was helpful!
A great video! I’m still only learning about writing but I don’t feel like it is a competition. If there are thousands of talented writers out there, I see that as a brilliant gift to humanity.
WHOA. Between *200 and 2000 copies* ?? I had no freaking idea. If you'd asked me, I would have guessed the average novel sold like 10,000 to 20,000 copies lol. I am stunned!
There are so many novels published every year (especially in the US), yet we tend to hear of only a fraction of them.
5:09 Couldnt agree more. My favourite manga Ive read this year so far is My Broken Mariko. The main character goes on a journey to spread the ashes of her best friend who died of suicide. The story is very simple but the way it was executed made me loved the book. Some panels were drawn like it was a comedy, with the characters being off-model and then the next panel would be a heart breaking scene. My favourite scene from that book was when the MC had a poignant conversation about suicide on a beach but the panel was focused on a sign that said "Suicide isnt illegal but littering is!"
This is such a great and encouraging video. Thank you for sharing it. As a writer who believes my story telling far outclasses my ability to write good prose, I needed to hear these things. Have a great week!
You're very welcome! Write on!
Thank you for your postivity. The hardest thing about writing is marketing.
Thank you! And yes, marketing is always super difficult.
I love how you douse every single point with so much positivity and encouragement to the authors. This is a great and fantastic 'boost-me-up' video!
What a very encouraging post. Terrific advice and - I can see - so warmly and patiently given. Your writers are very lucky to have you helping them in their orientation and execution of their work. Thanks for taking the time to share.
I'm just going to say it. I am the author of a comic book that has been published and distributed in Japan. In December 2020, a total of three copies were sold on the first day. In fact, three issues were released in the series. The emotional reward of achieving X does not offset the monetary or laborious expenses involved in creating a book. I accepted the failure as my own and refrained from distorting it in any manner.
Well, it really comes down to marketing then. That's a whole skill set which a lot of authors aren't great at.
@@Bookfox In this particular scenario, the Japanese publisher actively promoted the comic and achieved remarkable success in introducing other titles to the country. The comics' lack of success can be attributed to a variety of factors.
I wouldn’t call it a failure. You got a book published-that’s a success.
@@ahobbit1273 The series has not made a 10th of the cost to make. I picked the idea, the art, and everything else. It failed. I own this.
Is there any place where I could read your comic book?
People take writing a lot like magic, they romanticize it too much, writing is not different from painting and music, most of it is practice, having a wide horizon of references, experimenting, and so on. As a teacher, I am often surprised by how often you see people actually writing (or trying to) long texts, but know of and do a total of 0 basic writing exercises. I also feel that the illustration community is MUCH more open about the process of learning and creating than the writing community is (which people like you are doing a great job trying to improve).
Yes, good point. I'm going to do a video on writing exercises soon!
Yes, you are spot on.
I think it really depends on the writing community you're in. I'm connected to many different writing communities, and definitely in the best have seen people asking for feedback and giving helpful feedback, talking about the process of writing, etc. However I do sometimes see newer writers post things like "Hey I finished my first book! How do I get it published?" without thinking about editing, and people have to tell them that just because they finished a draft doesn't mean it's ready to publish. Generally, the people who are newer to writing are those who have not been plugged into a writing community for very long or have not read books on writing, haven't been to writing workshops, etc. etc.
Which, there are a lot of people out there who fall into that category, but they're usually not really connected to writing communities yet which accounts for much of their being in the dark so to speak.
@@Bookfox Subscribed, looking forward to the writing exercises ^^
Thank you. I've been viewing many RUclips educational videos on writing - lol - I wish I started here in my first book. This is the first time your channel popped up. I appreciate your style, knowledge and respect. I am looking forward to viewing more.
I am a few hundred pages into my historical narrative novel about my grandfather who had a successful life before WW I, but was blown off his path. I have family anthology and many letters for material.
My “success” will be to bring this incredible story to life - book sales are secondary
Wow, this sounds like really profound advice. To No. 1. I tended to obsess with structure and dramaturgic aspects and did not manage to finish my long planned novel. When I did not know how to go on, I often tended to change plot lines etc.. Although this helped me to understand the characters better, I think, for a long time I thought too much about plot. Now I am going back to more focus on other aspects because advice No. 1 seems to be true to me. I should focus on aspects I tend to NOT think about. So thanks for that impulse! :)
How was this so simultaneously challenging AND encouraging at the same time. Thank you for your work and explanations. I had a lot of takeaways and I look forward to applying what I've learned here.
Glad it was helpful!
@@Bookfox NOW, to finish the novel
I’m currently on the process of writing my first novel and clicked to this video seeking advice and not only did I get that but also found the coolest editor ever?? This was such an unintentionally good motivator for people to hire you 😭
I chuckled out loud when I read 'unintentionally.' It was pretty blatant.
I am addicted to writing short stories, moments in time. Moments count, because they add up to a life. I savor them for the same reason I snack between meals. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is just more gratifying than waiting for a table. A control issue, perhaps. The trouble is, short stories don't really get published, and are read mostly by people you hand them to. That's ok. Hand 'em out. Tuck them into the magazines at the doctor's office. Write a story specifically for someone who is struggling. Nothing more gratifying than someone who is not a writer coming up to you in person and saying, "Hey, have you written anything lately?" It can be terrifying, like when someone asks you to write a eulogy. If someone asks you that, you have arrived as a writer.
This. I hate the modern publishing world for this. Best writer wrote short stories in old times. All my favorite writers, especially science fiction! How in world we came to popularity of tt but all books have to be NOVELS? Even collection you can publish only if you are already famous or no one cares😢
I published on Amazon a short story collection and story Narrator is about your idea about special written story. Check out if you have subscription. You can become second reader in a year🫠
@@BeMyArt I will check it out!
@@BeMyArt what is the title? I can't find it
Publish them yourself as a Collection! Short form content has better luck in the indie space than traditional publishing form any reasons.
@johnswoodgadgets9819 When I'm lonely I dream of you by Tallie
If you'll put it in Google search, I guess you'll find🫶 Sorry for the late answer. My comment was deleted, and I just found out your question😅
execution vs. idea/concept is gold. i find in the reading that usually, the concept kind of BLURS anyway. it's not as clear and prominent as a movie usually unless the book is unusually movie-like. it's in the moment to moment flow and maybe how it performs in the single scene that really gives me a sense of whether the book is good or not.
Im in deep shock! Never saw the kind of advice youre giving in your videos around. Please, MORE!!!!!!!
I’ve edited and revised my book so many times, I’m on the seventh - ninth version, and I had to give up. I’ve given it to an alpha reader, just to see if I’m on to something or not. This video was great in keeping my spirit up!
I really like your style. You are engaging, positive, and informative. Thank you so much for your content.
I was looking for such a channel for a long time. I finally arrived 🎉
Wow! As someone who started to write a book three weeks ago I must say Thank You! This really helped me A Lot!!!!
God i needed the revision talk. Ive had to scrap SO MANY WORDS
"The Revision Talk" ha ha. Like it's the bird and bees talk.
But yes, It's oh so normal to scrap so many words. I feel your pain.
Great video! Love the optimism and positivity here mixed with the advice. As an unpublished writer, I've been looking for some kind of validation that my writing is ready. I've decided to take the plunge next year and sometimes that seems daunting. A little positivity, even indirectly goes a long way
Sorry about my lack of capitalization i was running on little sleep after being injured but i was warned some of the book world was very petty good to see not everyone is like that
0:37 - "very very well", let's try rephrasing this 😉
This was very helpful and inspiring. Thanks for sharing your perspective as an editor!
Excellent video!
Gaining objectivity towards your creation is probably one of the most difficult skills to learn.
I was really lucky, I had two awesome teachers in high school. One was our creative writing teacher, but the one who I think did more towards helping me develop the ability to view my creations objectively was my art teacher. She would have us turn the painting upside down, walk across the room and study it analytically. It made us disengage from what the image was and allowed us to see if the structure underneath was working, or if something needed to be moved, added, or adjusted.
This also gave me lots of practice at disengaging my emotions and my sense of self from the thing that I was creating. I find this skill incredibly useful for gauging my writing strengths, weaknesses, and even structure.
However, you can't turn your manuscript upside down doesn't have the same affect of bestowing instant objectivity...it takes other interventions:
1) Letting your manuscript rest so your brain forgets what it thinks should be there so you can actually see what's on the page.
2) Keep your first pass through as not an editing pass, but an assessment pass: reading it like a reader. Write down what happens in each chapter, along with any issues you think may need to be changed. (Some things you think are problems will often be resolved in the subsequent chapters.) If there's any place where you feel like setting the manuscript down, and getting through it is a slog, there's likely an issue either with pacing or stakes. It may be a scene that isn't needed, that could be glossed over, or that needs to be made more dynamic.
Having that written record, decreases the cognitive load and sense of overwhelm that hits when we think of the whole manuscript that needs to be fixed. I also use it for if I need to fact check canon with later books in the series, I look at the notes to see which portion of the manuscript I need to re-read.
3) Learning about different aspects of writing craft. We are often oblivious to writing problems until we discover that facet of writing craft. We can't see them until after we know about them. The process of how you have to unlock this knowledge can depend on your personality and strengths. Some of us can read a book on craft and be able to turn around and apply it to our own writing. Others need the feedback on their own writing to learn. A third method is alternating between reading awesome writing with amateur writing.
4) Re-framing your attitude and relationship with "failure." Much of our mandatory education systems encourages pass or fail, right or wrong, black and white thinking. And getting feedback that you got that answer wrong on a quiz is a neurological trigger for learning, if you seek out the correct answer after, and keep reinforcing that knowledge by using it in the subsequent weeks to follow.
We don't, however, get opportunities to develop and practice creative problem solving skills. The cycle of trying something, see if it matches our expectations, assess, then try something else, until you do get the desired result.
Instead, we try something...and if it doesn't match our expectations right out of the gate, we've "failed" and our self worth plummets. A big part of moving away from this conditioning is paying attention to our inner monologue (our self talk) and being strict with ourselves that we're not taking those craft issues we find and using them as an excuse to beat ourselves up.
It's really unfair of us to do so because, when we're at our creative zenith, and words are flowing from our fingertips, different parts of our brains are active from when we're editing. Activity in the prefrontal cortex will actually go dormant, which is where a lot of our analytical, judgy processes take place. (Also will power, so keep your phone and unhealthy snacks our of your line of sight, while you're writing. That loss of inhibition is a major contributor to the creative freedom we enjoy in that state.)
____
Even with all of those interventions, some of us will be able to pick out story structure, and others will be oblivious to it. They'll help with all the other aspects of craft, but story structure is weird. It's an abstract construct in the form of a shape, that some brains need to process consciously (plotters) while others engage with as a subconscious process (pantsers).
I think changing the font is the writing equivalent of turning the painting upsidedown (great lesson by your teacher, by the way).
@@Bookfox Sure, for line editing and catching typos where we're looking at things at the levels of sentence and words; but is it still effective for developmental edits or continuity errors?
(She was an awesome teacher!)
It's so refreshing to hear some original advice. This video was really helpful, thank you!
Thank you. I’m a new writer and I needed this insight
I like the editing here. The transition animations are cool, the popup text emphasizes the right things, I appreciate that the cuts actually change the zoom slightly, and the choice of stock video is, as far as I can tell, perfectly apt. However, some of the transitions from showing your face to displaying the next bullet point are a bit messed up. Take the transition to number 9 at 7:07, for instance. There is a white line sweeping from right to left. Usually with an effect like that, the point is to have the old picture ahead of the sweep and the new picture behind it. But initially we see two copies of you, and as the line continues sweeping, both sides instantly cut to blue background.
After 2.5 years, 3.5 drafts, 2 beta readers (One of whom fell in love with the story and used her creative writing degree and skills as an English teacher to edit my book), I have really enjoyed your video. Especially about the execution of the concept being 95% of the book.
This video has sound advice and a wholesome way to deliver it, what a great video man
Thank you so much for this video!
You are so welcome!
I just finished my memoir, I love the "POV" content in this video. I definitely had problems with this and my "tense" as well.
Hmm. Good stuff.
Thanks a lot for being so nice. Writing is inherently a scary proposition. One of my dearest friends and I had a conversation once about telepathy in which I expressed my belief, a passing thought not a conviction, that if we could just see what each person was thinking during interactions the world would be a better place to live.
He strongly disagreed and suggested that such a scenario for him would be a nightmarish violation.
I didn't share my first thought, because I didn't want to discourage him, but I couldn't help but ruminate later about the fact that , as we are both perspective writers, that having someone read our work was essentially the same thing.
Perhaps it is curated and one sided but it is still letting someone else inside your head to some degree. Even if we make an effort to avoid those places inside we don't wish others to see our values, hopes, dreams and principles and whatever part of our imagination and effort we pour into our work will be there. To say nothing of those things our readers infer from our work, correct or not about who we are!
So to hear an editor say how largely positive they find their interactions with novice writers to be is both validating and comforting.
I really appreciate this video. All of this was such good information.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for presenting your advice with gentle respect and honesty. Everyone knows that us writers are all precious little snowflakes with fragile egos so positivity without sugar coating it, is appreciated.
also, about that last topic, don't worry about other writers, yes, you're competing with them for people's attention, but you're competing with no one to write your book, because youe book is unique, no one else has the specific set of knowledge, personality, life experiences, memories, language and skills to write your story, literally only you can, if you stop to worry about competing with other people that's a story that no one will ever know or read and the world will be a worst place because of that. Chase your dreams, it doesn't matter if it's hard, if it looks impossible, if people don't believe in you or think you can't do it, prove them wrong, because they are wrong. Maybe YOU can't write that book, but future you, with more experience and practice and knowledge can do it, and it's your obligation to get yourself to the point you become that person.
Great video and congratulations on doing all that editing! I totally fall into the "traps" you describe like having difficulty distancing myself and seeing my novels with a bird eye view, and in one of my series I have difficulty with jumping between POV as I came up with this "unique" way of jumping between 3rd person limited for the main story and 1st person for specific passages. It's whenever the main character sees the future that I shift to 1st person, my intention was to make these scenes feel different from the rest and really engaging. And while I think I accomplished that I still have a really hard time shifting back and forth when writing (I'm writing no. 4 in the series, so I have to stick with it for the last books, but in my other series I decided not to do this kind of thing and keep it simple.)
It‘s interesting about the topic structure, because after my break for some months due to university, I realised that I gave information at one point that would fit somewhere else way better. My reasoning was to inform the reader soon about the world building. But after reading it again, I realised that the pacing was way to slow and at some other point I needed some dialog anyway. I was really glade to notice it and really happy about it. All in all I took many unnecessary lines away and the text feels a lot better to read. And the pacing felt faster of course.
I’m btw from Germany and don’t really expect to become a fleshed out author or anything, but I still have a story to tell and I’m hoping that I will succeed with it. I’m only a handful chapters in and I’m taking a LOT of time for writing the text. But I’m hoping to get this thing done anytime 😅
I’m easily working on it for over a year or maybe even two, I’m not sure
Great, positive and inspiring video you have there sir! I've just started out on my second book and I'm hoping to at least make it better than my first!
I often say "Everyone can write. Not everyone can write well." I used to take part in fanfiction contests on a now-defunct posting board. Some of the stories were incredible. Some...were words cobbled together into sentences that...sort of told a story, but the reader had to fill in a lot of blanks.
I'm working on a series that defies genre labeling, so I highly doubt I'd ever find a publisher for it. And I certainly can't afford self-publishing, so it'll just be shared via email with a couple really good friends. And that's fine - I write for me, to tell the story of these characters who drop by.
Hello. Great video! Actually, my biggest concern is how difficult it is to enter the international market as a non-native English speaker; I'm Brazilian. My interests are in fantasy, horror, and sci-fi-genres that are very difficult to work with in Brazil. Because of this, I'm seeking to publish in English and would like to know how editors view foreign aspiring writers.
Authors need to embrace the fact that their success should never be measured by number of copies sold. Otherwise they are setting themselves up for significant disappointment. It's great that you coach them on this.
Enjoyed the video helps a lot I hope I find success in my series would love to have someone like you to even know if it has potential
Enjoyable and helpful. Thank you!
this is so helpful and reassuring! Thank you!!
This video was just awesome and what I needed right now. Thank you!!!
You're welcome!!!
Addressing your point on criticism, it could be that because they're coming to you for help, they are already prepared for bad news. It's not really a shock to them if they get negative feedback, and so there is nothing to get upset about.
This was uplifting thank you
Thank you so much for this video. Especially your last point pushed my confidence even more.
Thank you for this! This was a really insightful video considering I'm currently working on Draft 2 of my first novel. This really gave me a confidence boost.
This video is such a breath of fresh air. Thank you
Solid tips. I wish, I could afford your service for my manuscript set in Jamaica. Very helpful video.
The comment about reading to dying granparent reminded me of a comment that I had on a fanfiction I wrote and shred online I don't remember exact details, but I think it related to commenter's depression or maybe they had lost mother recently, maybe even referring some suicidal thoughts, since a character in the story admitted to having had some in the past.
"Underestimate revision" -- 100% this. I was outright shocked the first few times when I thought the book was 90% done and got told it was more like 10% done.
your attitude and accentuation of the positives is inspiring, thank you for putting out these tips, as well as the reassurances so many of us need, especially after having been turned into human cream sauce by the ptb's of publishing..
I love how positive and really encouraging you are about this! It's inspiring to see!
2:29 if I'm writing a novel w multiple MCs, a blend of omniscient and limited 3rd is more-or-less accepted, right? (I know mind-hopping is generally frowned upon -- I really try to stick to 1 POV per chapter)
I'd actually recommend you do limited 3rd for each of them or omniscient across the board. Otherwise you're varying the psychic distance, and that can feel confusing.
If you do choose to do this, then you need a book that serves as a model -- maybe someone else can suggest one, but one doesn't come to mind for me.
@@Bookfoxsorry, allow me to elaborate. I'm referring to when my main characters are all in the same scene. Is the occasional mind-hopping okay (since the characters carry the same weight), or will it feel convoluted?
GoT comes to mind when I think of multiple POV stories, but I can’t really remember how Martin handled scenes where the MCs were all in the same room.
Thanks algorithm for sending me this vid/channel
Welcome!
So annoying that authors don't just tell people this... I mean it makes sense cuz it's easier for them, with less competition...
1. Write the entire book through a narrator's perspective, this should be your longest version by far, maybe even 300k words for an intended 100k word final version, it will be a way to identify the most important descriptions and create a leaner final book in the end. This is the most vital step by far because all you're doing is just explaining, so it doesn't have to be perfect and obvs will change anyways, it's like outlining to the most extreme extent.
2. Write the same book through a secondary character's perspective, consider doing it for multiple secondary characters, but like from the love-interest's perspective, or the main villain's, for examples... this way you can create more complete characters, you can justify more alarming actions they might take from the reader's/MC's perspective because they'll have deeper motives, conflicts of their own, etc.
3. Write the entire book but each scene is from an involved character's perspective other than the MC's, again maybe even multiple perspectives per scene.
4. Write the book again, from the perspective of the MC...
Probably the most efficient way is to complete each step to completion prior to moving on, but it's whatever you think works best for you...
Fantastic tips right here!
Glad you think so!
Very good info. Thx. I agree on the success part. There is all kinds of success. I've only written one book so far and of course a first book is usually not very good, but I did my best. I released it to crash and burn in January 2024. 7 months later in July someone out there in the world gave me a 5/5 stars on Amazon. Not a friend or family member, a stranger. To me that felt like success. Knowing that there was one person out there who enjoyed my story made me happy. Because of that one person I'm so motivated to keep on writing and book 2 will be out in around 3 months. Maybe then I can double my success and get two 5 star ratings :D
Writers take criticism well because it's often not as bad as we expected it was going to be. Once you've offered up the culmination of months of hard work, that's when you suddenly have time to think and all the doubts set in ... just because I love what I've produced does not mean everyone else would.
Such an educational video. Thank you.
1:30 only 1/2 or 2/3? man I was prepared for you to tell us we’d have to rewrite every scene word by word
Thank you for sharing this! My goal for my debut book that releases this December is to sell 200 books! 🤞 I would be ecstatic if I could get to that number!
are you on track to publish in December?
Very happy I found this channel Subscribed! Thank you
This is such a reassuring video to watch. The idea of reaching out to editors is daunting, especially with so many people saying how critical editors will be and how they'll dump your book if the first line isn't grabbing them or they'll tear it apart and make out like you've made garbage, it builds this idea that editors are these miserable, borderline sadistic critics who do it just to tear people down. But this video is a reminder that editors are just people wanting to help, and can only do so much.
I'm not at the point of reaching out to an editor just yet, but its assuring to know its not quite as grim as it seems.
I don't have anyone to talk to with my writing journey because I'm bothered they might think I'm a pushover, nor do I know a professional that can help me with my questions. Thank you.
A lot of this rings true. I was really worried about my ending but my beta reader seemed to really like it. Her only critique was it should actually be longer. It was the middle she complained about. And the middle happens to be the part I’ve revised the least. Which gets to your point about revision as well as your point about structure.
The way i messure my success is pretty much like, i want a bunch of ppl, young and old, to feel the need to reimagine my work, to be part of the world i created, if a person comes to me and says "i made an OC based on your story" that`s it, i made it
I love editing my book. I thought I'll hate it after ending first one but I start and it was enjoyable 😅 People surprised whenever I'm saying this 😂
true, honest and very encouraging words. Thanks for that!
Especially while going through a phase of self-doubt. 😂
Too bad that english isnt my first language. I would love to give you my book to look at when its finished.
My first draft is currently "resting" for a few months so I can look at it with fresh eyes and go through my first revision. I hope Ill find a nice guy like you when I give it to someone else to look out for flaws that slip my eyes. 😂
can you make a video to give more advice on the execution and structure tip???
I write for myself mostly and when I reread I'm like wow, I'm good 👍.
But it's that number 8 thing that's most poignant.
I need to know what works and what doesn't.
In the spirit of constructive feedback: Maybe it's me (probably just me), but all of the clicking and pinging noises in this video were very distracting. I was trying to focus on what you were saying but couldn't. Next time maybe only have the transition sounds but leave away the typewriter clicking?
I found it almost unwatchable because of this. Like the video was distracting me from itself. I may have ADHD though.
@@sarahpowell671 I may have ADHD too (like seriously), but still it's good to hear I was not the only one who found it distracting.
I also have adhd. I didn’t have any problems with the noises, didn’t even notice. It’s a pretty common trend these days, especially for a short, concise video
Awesome. I'm halfway-ish through my first book. Any tip on where to go for a first revision would be really helpful.
Love this and love your energy thanks 💚
In my view, the ultimate success is longevity. If people are reading your book in 150 years, you've succeeded, regardless of if you hardly sell any copies in your lifetime. Melville was a true success, even though he died feeling like a failure. It's a kind of success that you can never observe directly.
I'm sort of curious about how many of those books got published and whether any of them became best sellers?
I would measure success for my books in whether or not people are writing fanfiction of them. Unorthodox for sure, and also I’d like to read them. Not that I have any published books, but if I did…
Great info but subscribed because of your amazing attitude, definitely good stuff coming from you
I met a young man on an online dating site. We had been talking about our mutual interest in writing, so he brought his first draft of a novel on our first date and asked me for my opinion on the opening.
Well, I'm honest, so I told him that it seemed an interesting idea, but there was far too much dialogue. He was using dialogue as exposition, and I said that it would be better to get that information across in a different way. I wouldn't go any further - I'm not an editor and, even if I was, it was way too much work, plus we were on a date!
He didn't take well to my response.
I understood his reaction - the book was his baby - so I did go on a second date with him, but not a third.
Two questions. Do you ever read a book and think it's already 90% there? And do you ever have an issue with something, the writer explains why they did it, and you change your mind?
I am writing my first novel and when it comes to criticism the only time I get annoyed is when readers sugar coat things and aren't honset. Just tell me your full opinion, please.