I've submitted short stories to writing competitions and not receiving any feedback can be quite discouraging. On a more positive note, I do see the improvements that I've made over the years. Currently I'm trying to write a book wich does feel intimidating but I know I would be proud of simply just finishing it. As always, thank you Alyssa for sharing your perspectives with us.
I really am somebody who just writes for myself. I’m totally fine with it, but I think there’s little option, anyway. I mean, I just finished a 188,000-word YA crossover fantasy novel. I think it’s great, believe me, but I know that based on length alone, it’s 100% certain to be regarded as unmarketable by every literary agent in the world. Further, honestly, if I had enough money to hire a developmental editor for that work, I’d just retire to a private island, instead ; ) I understand the market price and the need for editors to make a living, but it is what it is. I don’t have that kind of cash lying around. Finally, I have never had luck with beta readers. I do extensive, detailed critiques and generally get thin gruel in return. Just takes time and energy away from my writing. I LOVE writing (two novels so far, short stories, poetry), and I will always do it (kinda like breathing), but for me, the only practical, rewarding route is indeed “splendid isolation” : )
Hey Alyssa. This is a really great list. I thought of a few more, that I might have added: 1) Over-focussing on problematic areas. Sometimes, you need to flag it as problematic and return with a fresher head. It is like getting tunnel vision in Chess: taking a step back from the board can make seemingly insurmountable problems less daunting. 2) Stopping your writing while in limbo waiting. Like any other skill, it is better to keep writing. If you wait for your editor to return with edits, it might be weeks or months before you get back in the saddle again. Use this as an opportunity to add content or write on something completely different. 3) This is similar to your #3: Finding validation in the opinion of others: be encouraged by their compliments; realistically assess their criticism, and don't be overly swayed by either. You are the keeper of the vision for your book, not someone else. 4) Assume that your lousy grammar/spelling etc., is an editor's problem. Work to understand why your grammar is poor and takes steps to improve it. The better your manuscript is when you give it to others, the fewer distractions they will have when evaluating your work.
Thank you, Alyssa. I needed this today. I love writing so much that I'm terrified of doing it wrong. I wouldn't know what to do if I quit. But lately, I just let myself write as honestly as I can. As my old Spanish teacher said, "write from your guts, feel it in your stomach". I'm sending hugs to everyone struggling with their writing, you can do it, honey! Don't be so hard on yourself 💕💕
The latest (and biggest) mistake I've discovered within myself is not reading enough books. It sounds silly, but I really needed to learn to READ MORE in my genre and educate myself on what is currently trending. It also helps me build my vocabulary and (hopefully) get closer to the standards of published works. Educating yourself on other authors and their success can also provide you with healthy and realistic expectations for your own work.
This is true for me. As I finished the first draft of my sf manuscript, I started reading random authors in the genre. Some were meh, but some were other level. Reading both seemed to elevate my capacity for editing and greatly improve my work.
@@cogs7777 I just go to a bookstore, read blurbs, and search for stuff that sounds similar to my work. Mostly also to build a list of comp titles. Some books end up being nothing like mine, but I don't mind having read them. It's still useful learning new words and sentence structures.
3 of the 5 are part of the reason why I have not sat down to write as much as I want to. Another one that can be added is if you believe that the novel’s story you want to tell is unmarketable. The reason I bring this up is that there are so many clichés and overused tropes in some genres that it can make some people doubt if an editor or even a publisher would pick it up. Think about dystopian future or the fantasy genre as a collective. There are many things that come up time and again in which some authors who have RUclips channels (I tend to go on the lines of fantasy and historical fiction) say that you should use them sparingly or avoid them at all costs.
One of my favorite parts of having a RUclips channel is seeing how writers and authors connect in my comments! You are never alone in your struggles, so I'm glad the videos (and the community!) are connecting with you!
My biggest one is distancing myself. I have worldbuilding partners and bibliophilic friends who read parts as I write, but I haven't joined any writer communities, and I really should, especially once I get to the editing process.
It's definitely nerve-wracking at first, but you can potentially walk out of a writing community with a strong network of other authors and friends! I highly recommend it :)
I found your channel recently and have been catching up on your videos, as well as rewatching some. I have found every single video relatable and helpful. Thank you for the positivity you bring to an endeavour that can so easily seem overwhelming.
I wrote a mystery novel and I'm quite happy with the result. I never meant to publish it, but I let other people read it, and the feedback was mostly positive and thoughtful (not just 'I liked it'). But now I can't start a second novel. I've run out of ideas. I keep feeling I'm copying myself. This applies to the plot, the settings and the characters. I can't come up with something that rings authentic and original. How do you "get over" your first novel and get ready for the second one? Thank you very much for your channel. I'm learning a lot here.
If I might make a suggestion, as you don't plan to publish your first book, why not view it as practice for the novel. Use the parts that work, expand in a different direction as experiment. You got nothing to lose and, maybe, something to gain. This is not the same thing as formula writing, it's building on experience.
@@fredwood1490 Thanks. The story in my novel is quite closed. I have nothing else to say about it, or about most of my characters. Their story arc is completed. My idea is to take my protagonists to a new novel with new characters, not as a saga, but more like a series: you know, like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who were reused for several stories. Actually, my novel _is_ a crime novel, so my investigators could engage in a new case. Anyway it's been nearly two months since I posted this question, and I am already working on new ideas for my new story. Thanks for your answer.
@@Eduarodi Good to hear that you've started a new project. I just thought I would share this suggestion anyway; one way to get ideas might be to take an existing book/movie you dislike and try rewriting it better. That might give you fresh ideas that you can develop or adapt into your own original work. Also 'Writing Excuses' has lots of resources if you haven't heard of it already. One suggestion they had for generating ideas was to write a list of 20 outcomes/situations, which exhausts all the stupid and obvious things to the point your brain comes up with more radical or unusual ideas that spark your imagination.
@@Eduarodi It's a podcast/website. Brandon Sanderson and a few of his writer friends started it. If you've seen his free writing lectures on youtube you'll get the gist. It has something like 14 different seasons, so you can search the archive for different topics. They also have guest speakers.
Thanks for ALL of your hard work. Can you talk about The difference between a writer and someone who considers themselves a messenger? I'm writing about the subconscious defensive systems that keep people like me from engaging in anti-racism work. If it were up to me, I wouldn't take on such a huge project. But God, or the universe is making me do it.
This is the hard truth about writing journey. Alyssa has right in every thing. I start writing since 15. Then i was invorment girl who wrote poems and stories. I didnt know that i can be someday a writer. I had writers and poets in my family that they read my stories and they said me to keep writing. I took workshops for editing skills, writing techniques and many things for being better and better. I gain a poetry competion and online writing competion. When I wrote my first book was fan Fiction and after that my first published book was my audicence that PUSH me to go to publishing it. It was online story. I mean. Neither me i wanted to Publish it because I didnt know it that it will has success. Its crazy the writer journey. I was cruel with my self when I started to writing because I never wanted to disapoint my readers and now i mean. Wnen i start querying for agent was 2020 and like i said in other Alyssa' video Its was kinda funny that agency reject me but they want to see material again fron me. I didnt believe that my first book was good but agencies want to see material from that also important. Now i Take again courses and love the progress. And like said Alyssa and also many others agents LOVE THE PROGRESS. Alyssa you are amazing.
@@AlyssaMatesic The truth is when I saw your video you will give me hope because i am not English writer but greek. I my first queries i was disapointment and i believe that i will not find agent. But you will help me. And i am lucky that i find also English book club and writing workshop and i am learning..
Very insightful, Alyssa. I've experienced most of these "mistakes." I think it's part of the developmental process. We need to look at all "negative" feedback as our "next opportunity for growth." REJOICE when you receive accurate, insightful critique from a person who is knowledgeable about writing and editing (I never seek input from anyone who lacks knowledge of writing fiction). Make corrections, and watch your writing improve in style and impact! The worst critique we can receive as writers is the old, "It's really good," without the slightest bit of detailed analysis. This is worthless, and a waste of your valuable time.
Alyssa thank you for the encouragement as I use software to edit my work because I don't have resources for editor or beta readers in my area however I'm going for with my ya middle grade standalone books about coming of age losing weight lgbtq and anti-heroine Acts that makes us all heroes in the end. It would be great to find out what you think about these things incoming videos. I'll ride you enjoy any all advice with your experience.
So encouraging, Alyssa, thank you for this. For me, the process often has me indulging in either coffee or alcohol, lol (I joke about writing like Hemingway, only not the actual writing). No, I wouldn't recommend it, but it does call me maybe more than I should answer.
I was in a history dissertator group of about 9 people. When it was your turn, you would get 9 sets of criticism of the chapter you had submitted. This was depressing and even a bit overwhelming. I asked myself, "Okay, who in the group is actually telling me HOW to fix something? Who is offering the most constructive criticism?" I dropped out of the group, and asked this guy to be my sole reader. If he hadn't agreed to it, I would have gone down to the next person on my list.
easy said than done since Imposter syndrome is a bitch and the agency and industry doesn't help imrpvove anyone's feelings about it. People are scared, since it will get ripped apart and constant rejections will make people doubt thier thing .
Is publishing non-fiction different? Would a first chapter and an outline suffice for a literary agent (while I continue writing and editing, since I have most of my book written)? Is it impossible to get published a literary work that promises to be the "Don't Look Up" of the literary realm?
I know I held back on writing due to my English not being good enough and having dyslexia. Until I decided to give them both the finger and did it anyway. The only thing I will no longer do is self publishing. Financially I costs too much and I hardly made my money back after four books. I keep on writing until I get an agent. At least this way I wont lose money.
"Be gentle and realistic with yourself" - Alyssa Matesic
Absolutely wonderful advice Alyssa. As always. Thank you.
I've submitted short stories to writing competitions and not receiving any feedback can be quite discouraging. On a more positive note, I do see the improvements that I've made over the years. Currently I'm trying to write a book wich does feel intimidating but I know I would be proud of simply just finishing it.
As always, thank you Alyssa for sharing your perspectives with us.
I'm glad that you've noticed improvement in your own writing! Keep up the good work :)
I really am somebody who just writes for myself. I’m totally fine with it, but I think there’s little option, anyway. I mean, I just finished a 188,000-word YA crossover fantasy novel. I think it’s great, believe me, but I know that based on length alone, it’s 100% certain to be regarded as unmarketable by every literary agent in the world. Further, honestly, if I had enough money to hire a developmental editor for that work, I’d just retire to a private island, instead ; ) I understand the market price and the need for editors to make a living, but it is what it is. I don’t have that kind of cash lying around.
Finally, I have never had luck with beta readers. I do extensive, detailed critiques and generally get thin gruel in return. Just takes time and energy away from my writing.
I LOVE writing (two novels so far, short stories, poetry), and I will always do it (kinda like breathing), but for me, the only practical, rewarding route is indeed “splendid isolation” : )
I'm a musician as well, so pile on THAT sensitivity as well! lol
I'm an artist, so yeah, lol
Haha, yes!
Hey Alyssa. This is a really great list. I thought of a few more, that I might have added:
1) Over-focussing on problematic areas. Sometimes, you need to flag it as problematic and return with a fresher head. It is like getting tunnel vision in Chess: taking a step back from the board can make seemingly insurmountable problems less daunting.
2) Stopping your writing while in limbo waiting. Like any other skill, it is better to keep writing. If you wait for your editor to return with edits, it might be weeks or months before you get back in the saddle again. Use this as an opportunity to add content or write on something completely different.
3) This is similar to your #3: Finding validation in the opinion of others: be encouraged by their compliments; realistically assess their criticism, and don't be overly swayed by either. You are the keeper of the vision for your book, not someone else.
4) Assume that your lousy grammar/spelling etc., is an editor's problem. Work to understand why your grammar is poor and takes steps to improve it. The better your manuscript is when you give it to others, the fewer distractions they will have when evaluating your work.
Excellent additions--thank you for the thoughtful explanations!
Number 1 is really good Doug. Thanks
Thank you, Alyssa. I needed this today. I love writing so much that I'm terrified of doing it wrong. I wouldn't know what to do if I quit. But lately, I just let myself write as honestly as I can. As my old Spanish teacher said, "write from your guts, feel it in your stomach".
I'm sending hugs to everyone struggling with their writing, you can do it, honey! Don't be so hard on yourself 💕💕
That's a beautiful way of phrasing it--thank you for sharing!
There a websites for trading critiques. Critique circle and scribophile are two I've visited. This has helped immensely for myself.
Thank you for sharing these resources!
I 100% agree with all your points. Very well said!
Thanks, Nour! :)
Thank you for this. Listening to this is like therapy as i tend to struggle to find balance in these areas.
You're an Angel, Alyssa. This was beautifully said and a much needed truth. I'm guilty of a few of these :)
The latest (and biggest) mistake I've discovered within myself is not reading enough books. It sounds silly, but I really needed to learn to READ MORE in my genre and educate myself on what is currently trending. It also helps me build my vocabulary and (hopefully) get closer to the standards of published works. Educating yourself on other authors and their success can also provide you with healthy and realistic expectations for your own work.
is there a process to find the books in your genre that you use?
This is true for me. As I finished the first draft of my sf manuscript, I started reading random authors in the genre. Some were meh, but some were other level. Reading both seemed to elevate my capacity for editing and greatly improve my work.
@@cogs7777 I just go to a bookstore, read blurbs, and search for stuff that sounds similar to my work. Mostly also to build a list of comp titles. Some books end up being nothing like mine, but I don't mind having read them. It's still useful learning new words and sentence structures.
Yes, this is a vital thing for contemporary authors to do! Thank you for sharing your process!
3 of the 5 are part of the reason why I have not sat down to write as much as I want to. Another one that can be added is if you believe that the novel’s story you want to tell is unmarketable. The reason I bring this up is that there are so many clichés and overused tropes in some genres that it can make some people doubt if an editor or even a publisher would pick it up. Think about dystopian future or the fantasy genre as a collective. There are many things that come up time and again in which some authors who have RUclips channels (I tend to go on the lines of fantasy and historical fiction) say that you should use them sparingly or avoid them at all costs.
That is definitely another pitfall--thank you for bringing it up!
You're a very talented marketer and teacher.
Wow! Great advice, again. I’m surprised how much self-doubt I have had. And apparently from reading the comments, I’m not alone. Excellent topic.
One of my favorite parts of having a RUclips channel is seeing how writers and authors connect in my comments! You are never alone in your struggles, so I'm glad the videos (and the community!) are connecting with you!
My biggest one is distancing myself. I have worldbuilding partners and bibliophilic friends who read parts as I write, but I haven't joined any writer communities, and I really should, especially once I get to the editing process.
It's definitely nerve-wracking at first, but you can potentially walk out of a writing community with a strong network of other authors and friends! I highly recommend it :)
Check, check, double check. Yep I'd at one time, done all of these terrible writing habits. Thanks for the video! This really helped.
Glad it was helpful!
I found your channel recently and have been catching up on your videos, as well as rewatching some. I have found every single video relatable and helpful. Thank you for the positivity you bring to an endeavour that can so easily seem overwhelming.
Thank you for this kind comment! I'm glad that the videos are resonating with you, and wish you the best of luck with your current projects!
I really do like this channel, but it has so many, Many, MANY ads 😢
This is great
I wrote a mystery novel and I'm quite happy with the result. I never meant to publish it, but I let other people read it, and the feedback was mostly positive and thoughtful (not just 'I liked it').
But now I can't start a second novel. I've run out of ideas. I keep feeling I'm copying myself. This applies to the plot, the settings and the characters. I can't come up with something that rings authentic and original.
How do you "get over" your first novel and get ready for the second one? Thank you very much for your channel. I'm learning a lot here.
If I might make a suggestion, as you don't plan to publish your first book, why not view it as practice for the novel. Use the parts that work, expand in a different direction as experiment. You got nothing to lose and, maybe, something to gain. This is not the same thing as formula writing, it's building on experience.
@@fredwood1490 Thanks. The story in my novel is quite closed. I have nothing else to say about it, or about most of my characters. Their story arc is completed.
My idea is to take my protagonists to a new novel with new characters, not as a saga, but more like a series: you know, like Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson, who were reused for several stories. Actually, my novel _is_ a crime novel, so my investigators could engage in a new case.
Anyway it's been nearly two months since I posted this question, and I am already working on new ideas for my new story. Thanks for your answer.
@@Eduarodi Good to hear that you've started a new project. I just thought I would share this suggestion anyway; one way to get ideas might be to take an existing book/movie you dislike and try rewriting it better. That might give you fresh ideas that you can develop or adapt into your own original work. Also 'Writing Excuses' has lots of resources if you haven't heard of it already. One suggestion they had for generating ideas was to write a list of 20 outcomes/situations, which exhausts all the stupid and obvious things to the point your brain comes up with more radical or unusual ideas that spark your imagination.
@@Ruylopez778 Thank you. What is Writing Excuses?
@@Eduarodi It's a podcast/website. Brandon Sanderson and a few of his writer friends started it. If you've seen his free writing lectures on youtube you'll get the gist.
It has something like 14 different seasons, so you can search the archive for different topics. They also have guest speakers.
All the yeses!
Thanks, Emma!
Thanks for ALL of your hard work. Can you talk about The difference between a writer and someone who considers themselves a messenger? I'm writing about the subconscious defensive systems that keep people like me from engaging in anti-racism work. If it were up to me, I wouldn't take on such a huge project. But God, or the universe is making me do it.
This is the hard truth about writing journey. Alyssa has right in every thing. I start writing since 15. Then i was invorment girl who wrote poems and stories. I didnt know that i can be someday a writer. I had writers and poets in my family that they read my stories and they said me to keep writing. I took workshops for editing skills, writing techniques and many things for being better and better. I gain a poetry competion and online writing competion. When I wrote my first book was fan Fiction and after that my first published book was my audicence that PUSH me to go to publishing it. It was online story. I mean. Neither me i wanted to Publish it because I didnt know it that it will has success. Its crazy the writer journey. I was cruel with my self when I started to writing because I never wanted to disapoint my readers and now i mean. Wnen i start querying for agent was 2020 and like i said in other Alyssa' video Its was kinda funny that agency reject me but they want to see material again fron me. I didnt believe that my first book was good but agencies want to see material from that also important. Now i Take again courses and love the progress. And like said Alyssa and also many others agents LOVE THE PROGRESS. Alyssa you are amazing.
Thank you for this kind comment and for sharing your own writing journey with us! I wish you the best of luck with your current projects :)
@@AlyssaMatesic The truth is when I saw your video you will give me hope because i am not English writer but greek. I my first queries i was disapointment and i believe that i will not find agent. But you will help me. And i am lucky that i find also English book club and writing workshop and i am learning..
Very insightful, Alyssa. I've experienced most of these "mistakes." I think it's part of the developmental process. We need to look at all "negative" feedback as our "next opportunity for growth." REJOICE when you receive accurate, insightful critique from a person who is knowledgeable about writing and editing (I never seek input from anyone who lacks knowledge of writing fiction). Make corrections, and watch your writing improve in style and impact! The worst critique we can receive as writers is the old, "It's really good," without the slightest bit of detailed analysis. This is worthless, and a waste of your valuable time.
Excellent commentary--thank you for sharing!
Alyssa thank you for the encouragement as I use software to edit my work because I don't have resources for editor or beta readers in my area however I'm going for with my ya middle grade standalone books about coming of age losing weight lgbtq and anti-heroine Acts that makes us all heroes in the end. It would be great to find out what you think about these things incoming videos. I'll ride you enjoy any all advice with your experience.
Thanks
So encouraging, Alyssa, thank you for this. For me, the process often has me indulging in either coffee or alcohol, lol (I joke about writing like Hemingway, only not the actual writing). No, I wouldn't recommend it, but it does call me maybe more than I should answer.
Just stumbled onto your channel. Really great 💯 Subscribe✅
Thanks for the kind comment!
I was in a history dissertator group of about 9 people. When it was your turn, you would get 9 sets of criticism of the chapter you had submitted. This was depressing and even a bit overwhelming. I asked myself, "Okay, who in the group is actually telling me HOW to fix something? Who is offering the most constructive criticism?" I dropped out of the group, and asked this guy to be my sole reader. If he hadn't agreed to it, I would have gone down to the next person on my list.
10:10 that's not me! It's not currently raining outside.
easy said than done since Imposter syndrome is a bitch and the agency and industry doesn't help imrpvove anyone's feelings about it. People are scared, since it will get ripped apart and constant rejections will make people doubt thier thing .
Is publishing non-fiction different? Would a first chapter and an outline suffice for a literary agent (while I continue writing and editing, since I have most of my book written)? Is it impossible to get published a literary work that promises to be the "Don't Look Up" of the literary realm?
I know I held back on writing due to my English not being good enough and having dyslexia. Until I decided to give them both the finger and did it anyway.
The only thing I will no longer do is self publishing. Financially I costs too much and I hardly made my money back after four books. I keep on writing until I get an agent. At least this way I wont lose money.
There's only five? I thought there were fifty 😉
Haha, for the purposes of making a watchable video, just five!
(heart)
Ugh.
Thanks