Sound advice. Something I'll add - a lot of aspiring writers assume they have to start with a book. Don't be afraid to try some short stories first. They can help you learn the basics without the time commitment of a novel. They are also a good way to get in with a publisher. I struggled to finish my first novel, and a friend got me an invite to submit for an anthology. My story was accepted, I got some valuable feedback, and it served as my audition to the publisher who picked up my series. If I insisted on only doing a book, that might not have happened. A Part 2 suggestion - "I've written the damned thing. Now what?"
There are some very successful authors who literally started that way. Orson Scott Card, Edgar Allen Poe, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain to name a few.
@@nalublackwater9729 My first short story has led to three books so far. I know several authors who submitted a short story, and the publisher said "great, can you write a book?"
@@jonbaxter2254 Step 2: Never, under any circumstances, look back at what you've written to make sure it's not unintentionally comical or disturbing in the wrong way.
I feel like I've been lovingly scolded by my drunk, Scottish uncle who took me aside for a few minutes to set me straight and get me back to doing what he knows I really love, I just needed that little bit of extra encouragement and weary wisdom. Thank you, Drinker, it's done the job! Much appreciated!
I use "The Two Minute Rule" for many things in life but it's particularly useful in writing. Commit to sit down and write at least two minutes everyday no matter what. No matter how busy you are you have two minutes to spare. Write a sentence or two then see if you feel like writing more, if you do then go for it! If not, you've done the minimum for today and that's okay.
I’m currently working on editing a third draft and this is pretty much how I’m managing the to-do list of items to fix: a little bit of work every day - doesn’t have to be much, but has to be something every day. Then it becomes a habit you can build upon.
Great advice, I remember a lecturer in Uni telling us that when you start an essay at least write the heading and just ONE sentence for the introduction. That way you've gotten over the mental hurdle of having to start and you can go from there.
I never wanted to write a book, but listening to you I feel like I can put my life on the right track… You should really do a “Drinker motivates” series.
Every writer does that. I certainly do, but my next deadline is June so I can't just sit around all day. Those who don't have a publisher should set their own deadlines and stick to it.
I'm in a short story contest and I have five days, so thanks for this EDIT: Got it in at the 11th hour on 2/25, it's called "No Love For The Zebras." The villain uses the phrase "I'm a piscine Genghis Khan," which made sense at the time. Maybe in late May they'll announce the winners. Last Edit: Didn't win, but some of the feedback: "Overall, the writing is good. There are a lot of interesting details and we would encourage you to expand and develop the story further. It was a pleasure to read. Nice work and keep writing!"
I wrote my first book in under 90 days while working a full time job. He’s right in that you need to sacrifice your leisure time if you want to get it done. There were times were I spent the bulk of a weekend/day off just writing with the occasional meal. It can be downright draining at times, but if you have the story in your head then you need to do everything in power to get it jotted down.
For the “stick the landing” one advice I heard is “know what promises you made to the reader”. As you said not every plot plot or thread needs resolution. But certain key plot points do need resolving. For instance in the first star wars, “who is darth vader” was something that could be saved for the sequel whereas “destroy the death star” had to be resolved in that movie. As a side note “subverting expectations” is not a valid excuse to not answer those story promises
Well said, Drinker. My biggest piece of advice to writers of fiction: write down your mythos (rules of how your world works, magic system, tech level, what can/not be done, and the like). Before I started writing and was a mere humble reader, I was surprised by how many published writers of Sci Fi and fantasy don’t do this and it shows when they break the rules they’ve laid down. Readers notice.
The difference between 'hard' and 'soft' magic systems has a lot more to do with how much the audience is told than with fuzziness in the actual rules. The important point is that if magic is a tool the protagonists have, then the audience should have an idea of what it can do. The more important it is to their capabilities, the more they need to know, because otherwise establishing stakes becomes difficult. "Super easy, barely an inconvenience" is only a good answer to questions the reader never asks. Unless you're establishing a baseline, in which case the reader hasn't yet had time to get invested in the assumed status quo.
Thanks for this - make it a series! Qs: What are your writing tools, mechanics, process? What do you open when you sit down to write? What do you open when you get hit with an idea?
I’ve had a story to tell since high school, one that started as a daydream for me to escape to, for years and years. Then two years ago the story and characters started to set into concrete and grow roots. And then I didn’t believe in myself to write it, I’ve never written anything. As of the beginning of this year, after two years of planning, developing, and world-building, I’m managing my time to write. Glass of wine to not overthink and stop myself, and just go go go. It’s the best feeling ever. Sometimes I need a couple days to let an idea marinate. But then I’m so excited to get back to it once the epiphany hits. Thanks for the tips and motivation Drinker. Here’s to hoping I’m not just a hopeful!
I wrote a few fan fics (MLP) like fifteen years ago, it started out a just a power fantasy. I heard the story be read back to me and I learned how to make it better, make it sound better and make more logical sense. I have heard many stories since then, some real, some fake and others too real to even make up because life. It matters not if the story is true or not, it's the realm of believability that makes it real and feel so, the emotion in it, how it is VA's and read aloud. I just can't see anyone voicing my characters but me, though I would like to have it properly voice acted and made into an audio reading and maybe a D&D world. I always had something to tell but I never knew what that thing was, until now. It was a slow burn but when it hit me and I knew what I wanted to tell, I was all over myself all thanks to one individual RUclipsr, his friend and Fallout New Vegas. It was after The Frontier was released and someone did a Legion Playthrough and had their own ideas about stuff and things within the Legion. I became obsessed with the concept and I knew what I wanted to do. Make a character and give them a Legion-esque background and name them something appropriate for their race and gender. (In a D&D-like world so a Dragon Warrior Priestess, Swords, melee and magic were her specialties, Ember Brimstone) I liked the idea of breaking down an individual so completely that was the only true way to gain strength, not as one is currently but made different first and then molded into the perfect solider. Basically creating an OP anime protag that the twist is that the MC is the BBEG fending off some chaos God always unseen by everyone around them but the individual, Ember herself and her pet human girl named Calix. Thing is that Ember is bad but not necessarily a bad person sometimes, though The Mad King is much more a threat that people know or are aware of at all. I needed some kind of motivation to get back to my now what I call Science Fantasy, been writing it for over two years going on three sometime this year now but it was because of AI Dungeon that I made the story into my own thing (Human error and stuff setbacks and so much info loss) I have been rewriting it and making it infinity better. So much more emotion and inflection used, only a lucky few have actually heard me read it to them and only a lucky few will ever have it read to them it is more of a self entertainment that I made for myself and is more of just for me. Also huge content warning so that usually is what turns people off which is fucking stupid because of Super Ultra Mega Weenie Hut Jr's that YT has turned into. Content warnings make me happy because it means some people still can think freely and have their own ideas about things. 80's/90's anime is a lost Art. Mad Bull 34, Dragons Heaven, Dragon Half, Ranma 1/2, Demon City Shinjuku, Cyber City 808 Oedo, Gray Digital Target, Area 88, Devilman, you know the ones. I do love me some Isekai'd because defeated Truck-kun, and some of the Harem D&D new animes, but Danmachi is sick and I do like it when the fans improve the characters and make them say what really matters in dialogue like having a Goddess rock you every night but then being totally head over heels for Sword Princess.
The Mad King thing is a reference to someone outside of that story hints why their name is never mentioned a whole lot if it is it invokes the power of The Mad Kind and gains more strength. The Mad King is currently trapped in a cursed claymore sword held by Ember herself. There is a drinking contest, and the opponent is someone by the name of The Processional Drinker, guess who that is. City Designation #4256 is short for Halo. Calix herself is a reference to another character in a different story called Kalix The Lonely Werewolf Girl. You can see where my mind when for my story. Magic-technology is the reason for Plasma swords that scream once ignited (Warhammer Force Sword) and not a lot of new things are produced if they are they are weak and inferior as in Psionics to actual Magic. Extra-dimensional bird beings from some different space/time monitoring the goings on in the multiverse and documents everything. (SCP reference to The Wandsmen) A dragon from the old world into the new shining cities of tomorrow, well that's just more Night City and Cyber Punk sticking its head out. Gotta have tech with my magic. If I told you I'm wiccan would you believe me, but look at this premo chrome, choom. Watch Ember turn the competition into molten slag with Fireball. Also, ten lbs limit is only what you can do with that Mage Hand imagine what a neck would do if held by that force, it only takes ten psi to give a man a boner. Force choke in D&D with Mage Hand, get some of those Adult Swim cartoon violence going as descriptions for the MC doing whatever to some baddies, Super Jail is a fun place to start. Robotomy was VA'd and written by some of those AS peoples but it was for Cartoon Network.
I appreciate the restraint Drinker used in not cutting screenshots behind his major criticisms. Definitely a way to make sure this has broader appeal, even if I could picture exact representations from modern Hollywood for each of the times he said "don't do this."
"Never use a long word where a short one will do. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." - I always liked that as a general guideline from George Orwell.
That's good advice. I like that! Something my 5th grade teacher told me that I've never forgotten is to not use adverbs. "He ran quickly down the hall." Vs. "He sprinted down the hall." It forces you to expand your vocabulary.
This does somewhat depend on the genre. If you're writing general fiction this is great advice. If you're writing, say, fantasy? Most fantasy fans want to get lost in that world and appreciate richer prose (just don't go overbard).
But in school I always had to use extra words to get to that 500 word count requirement. It was much easier to use less words when they were hand written pages as opposed to word processors that do the word count for the marker.
YOU motivate me, Drinker, you charismatic avatar of drunken wordplay! Your books and your videos have pushed me to finally get off my arse and write the story mulling through my head... and you know what? I did it. I reached the end of my story, and currently going through the editing process. Thank you, Drinker. I hope one day, you read my book and like the character I named after you. God bless you, Drinker!
I listened to this on a peaceful drive through the country into town. I had no distractions. Very well done. Informative, truthful, and brutally motivating. Great video man
Drinker is 100% right about finishing what you started. When I first started writing, I’d get 3-4 chapters in and give up, and my desktop was a graveyard of abandoned story ideas. Once I pushed through and finished that first novel, the next ones came more naturally.
I can attest to this as well. I used to be good about finishing what I wrote, but a failed attempt at a trilogy left me with a lot of self-doubt and little motivation. I would start a story only to set it aside, until I finally became fed up with it, gave myself a scolding, and finally finished one of the unfinished stories. After I did that, my motivation made a recovery and all the self-doubt took a back seat.
Even f the words are: "All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy" 🤣🤣🤣
As Steven Pressfield said in his book "The War of Art": "I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp.”
My man, this vid might just be exactly what I needed right now. All the steps you outlined are ones I'm following ... EXCEPT the first! My time management has been atrocious! For more than ten years now I've been taking notes for a novel... Worldbuilding, worldbuilding, worldbuilding... Research, research research... Without the faintest shred of time management! I've mostly just been scribbling down what I can focus on, whenever I can focus on it. In the past two years I've actually started writing a first draft and come up with a self-publishing plan, so at the very least I can say I'm getting somewhere, but it'd be nice to actually GET THERE before I get too old to think! Admittedly, I don't regret being so glacial. The genre of my story is something that I'm not even sure has been attempted before: a hybrid of high fantasy and hard science fiction. I firmly believe they're not incompatible, they just require a LOT of work. Imagine if Tolkein had written his own laws of physics for Lord of the Rings and adhered to them throughout the text of the story. It would've been utterly pointless for most readers, because most readers just don't care if mass and energy are being properly conserved when Gandalf strikes the Balrog with his sword. As a certified weirdo, I DO! And I hope to have that shine through in my book.
Thanks for the kick in the ass. I really respect your perspective on storytelling and the no nonsense advice. If my story has success I’ll make sure to give you kudos.
I'd add that the best way to write nothing is to think that you've got to write perfection on the first draft. Just bang the whole thing down, from beginning to end, any which way. It'll be shite, but that doesn't matter because no-one else is going to see that draft. Then you get to go back over it and improve it. It's much easier and more enjoyable to fine-tune something that already exists in some form. And the thing with a well-developed character is that you should be able to think of any situation - from the mundane (he can't find his car-keys) to the extreme (the three-minute warning just sounded) - and have a clear idea how that particular character is going to react to it. When you know them that well, they're a character with a personality of their own.
Here's another good bit of advice, coming from the late great Ray Bradbury: if you're new to fiction writing, don't jump right into writing a novel. Start with short stories instead! To get the practice you'll need to properly develop a longer-form story, try making a bunch of little ones first. Bradbury suggested going about this by dedicating yourself to writing one short story per week for a whole year. Start at the beginning of the week, spend as much time as you can on it, and then stop working on it at the end of the week *regardless of how unfinished it is.* Repeat this process for one year, and you'll be surprised at how the variety and quality of your output has changed since you started. It's a helluva lot of work and you're not going to be please with every individual piece you write. But even so, to paraphrase Bradbury, it's impossible for a person to write 52 bad short stories in a row. You gotta start somewhere!
Thank you, Drinker! Very motivating to hear your own personal experience doing this stuff. I'll add a piece of invaluable advice I've used writing tabletop campaigns: Write your opening and then write (a rough idea of) the ending. Now, you always know what direction the story should be moving. Moreover, this same piece advice holds true for individual chapters, quests, character arcs, etc.
Some advice for new writers who lean towards being "architects" rather than "discovery" writers: after you get enough of an outline to know how the story starts, force yourself to write that 1st chapter before you finish fleshing out the world building and all the character outlines! It will help focus your outlining and planning and, if you're like me, you'll realize that you don't have to write The Silmarillion for your story before you write the first chapter. I also recommend continuing to write while you finish outlining. Incorporating some "discovery writing" into your work can give you ideas that help you piece things together organically. I wrote a background character on a whim who was introduced and killed on the same page, but I realized she was prefect to help tie in an idea I'd planned out for the plot months ago and now it makes the whole thing feel much more realistic and natural.
I have written two novellas and am working on a third but have been dragging my feet to complete it, thank you for a kick in the pants. Your prompts even gave me some ideas for a new story!
keep it up, because if you don't complete it, you're depriving the world of potentially good storytelling - a flaw that will topple the hollywood elites.
Watched this video three or four months ago. Sat down with a discarded outline from half year ago, reworked it on the fly as I finished the novel. Just finished with the second draft a week ago. I thought I'd wait a few more years, and all that, before I realised I'd never get the abundant time I had on my hands -- four months of it. Thanks Drinker.
Trying to write a fantasy novel at the moment, and following Tolkien as a guide, but going to follow the Drinker's advice on actually getting it done. I really appreciate the advice, and will use this comment to hold myself accountable to actually get a novel written and published.
Special props for not beating bushes around Step 6. Arguably one of most painful parts to do right even if you have plan in mind. And best of luck to all the people who decide to listen to step one and finally start to fucking write. Be it commercial of fan project.
Glad I'm not the only one who starts with bare bones! I get a first draft done just to set down the main ideas and have to keep telling myself I can flesh it out later. I think a lot of people don't realize that the first draft is basically a placeholder, not the finished product. For me though, writing is also a process of discovery - I need the main idea down to get started, but oftentimes I find things along the way that add to the story or work better than what I initially planned. Also, characters sometimes get away from me and do their own thing, LOL, but it's interesting to follow them and see what they do. I've gotten good stuff that way. As some people put it, "Are you a planner or a pantser?" I'm a bit of both, but most skew more one way than the other, and that's okay. Do what works.
Some great tips here for aspiring authors! I agree with all of them. Currently writing my third novel and at times I wish I had as much free time as I had when I wrote my second novel which I self-published. Great video, Drinker!
If anyone wants a good example of how to establish characters in an extremely efficient manner, go and watch the first 4 episodes of season 1 of the Expanse. Using the interrogation episode to essentially add exposition in a "show, don't tell" way to establish the core cast was a stroke of genius.
God, I hated that show. I wanted to strangle that idiot goodie two shoes. Wasn't a fan of the book, either. Well, half of it was fine, if derivative (yeah, we saw Laura, too; and read that 1st edition Shadowrun adventure ripoff). The other half was stupid and derivative (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Red Mars, etc.). And I found a lot of the worldbuilding to be just dumb; like the idea that people's growth magically accelerates upward in low gravity, even though that makes zero biological sense; and the haphazard and irrational recombination of ethnicities and cultures into a giant soup, even though that's not at all how humans behave (ethnic minorities have persisted in the face of larger, dominant cultures for literally millennia, but in this universe they obliterate themselves in a handful of generations? Come on). Fun fact: A relative of mine was in the RPG campaign that was the origin of the book (Leviathan's Wake) that was the origin of The Expanse. He said that character (maybe it was Holden? I don't remember) was included specifically to showcase to other players how irritating it was to 'have a paladin in the party.' He was *meant* to be annoying.
An excellent video, Drinker. I'm hoping for a part two that explains what you're supposed to do after you've written the book (or completed the full draft).
Oh, God- yes... Part 2- Drafting & editing - though, to be fair- there's a lot of advice in this area. Part 3- The hell of things like publishing contracts- literary agents & the like - I've researched it a little, & I barely understand anything about them - someone like Drinker could help me cut through the BS (though he's in Scotland, & I'm in Australia)...
Great advice. I spent years meandering through a half baked plot and wrote 30000 words before I decided to go back to the beginning and plan it all out. Synopsis, character outlines, world building etc. I used the 27 chapter guide to break it up into smaller chunks and spent some time thinking about how they all linked together. Now I'm finally at the stage of fleshing it out and actually writing the novel. Now I know where the story is going, most of my plot holes have been filled. It really feels like I have momentum and that I'm getting somewhere. Taking time to plot it out really helps. I've also found keeping separate documents for each chapter much easier to handle than having it in one manuscript. If I need to change the order of things, then I can rename the document rather than cutting and pasting large chunks of text. I've given myself 9 months from now to get my first draft completed. Setting a deadline has also helped to keep me motivated, focused and productive.
I've been wanting to write novels since I was 13. I wrote a pretty terrible draft in college, and then let my procrastination hold me back for a decade. Finally in 2022 nanowrimo came around and I was like "I'm doing it this time." I sat down and wrote every day for a month, and then a little more and had a finished draft at the end that I thought was pretty decent, if a little short. I proved that I could do it, and it turned out that was enough. I spent the next year planning a second novel, and when November came around again I got to work. This time it took me three months, was about twice the length of the first, and I got over the finish line again. I'm currently revising book 1, and then I'll be shipping it out to agents, meanwhile I'm planning book 3 for this upcoming November. Point is, I'm 37, and I've been wanting to write books since I was 13. It's never too late to start doing the thing you love. Also do it for yourself. I may never get a publisher, in which case I'll probably just self publish, for me and my family and whoever else may read it, and that's okay.
You and Rippa, inspired me to start my graphic novel some time back. Tough as a 1 man operation, but I want it bad enough to make it work. Always appreciate any advice.
"Instead they become another almost author... just another nobody who likes to bore the arse out of people at parties by telling people about the great book they're about to write" I feel so called out by this. Thankfully I finally HAVE gotten back to working on it, but I put things off for so long. Technically speaking, I didn't write a proper outline for the first novel, but I basically had a rough idea in my head for where I wanted it to go and got about halfway through before issues came up and I stopped. But I had already done massive amounts of world building, constructing a densely packed detailed backstory, etc. Finally came back a few months ago to collect all my notes and actually start writing something down, and basically I went in the same direction I did before, but still rewriting most of it from scratch. This time I did at least reach the finish line, but I'm rewriting chunks again during the editing phase to try and make things more coherent and easier to read. So maybe I'll actually finish something for a change, but then there's the problem of finding people to actually be willing to try delving into the work and reading it to help me get valuable criticism... but I'll worry about that later.
That first point hit me hard. That goes for everything, nonetheless, and it sucks that such ideas Ive had in the past have died out because I felt like tomorrow was the miracle day for it to be done. Thanks much Drinker, you'll never cease to inspire me.
As someone with ADHD, I've personally HEAVILY struggled with procrastination and time management, because it's literally a defect in my brain LOL I've only recently been able to explore medication options and after 25 years on this planet, I feel like I'm finally starting to figure my life out a bit more. It's still a struggle of course, but I'm an artist who feels like they haven't drawn so much in the last 10 years than I have in the last year combined. So I'm just writing this to remind everyone that everyone's path to success is different, and to not be discouraged if you're having a hard time. Everyone works differently and wether that's getting a friend to help you bounce ideas off of, or keep you accountable for self imposed deadlines, or medication options or just trying to organize your time better and stick to that. you've got this
"if you can't keep a promise to yourself, what does that say about your self respect?" A verbal smack in the face to so many, myself included. Yet I 100% agree.
I'll need this. So I went to college for film and had a minor in creative writing. I wanted to go to Hollywood and become a director like the ones that I admired. Well I graduated around 2014 and afterwards I got to writing my stories as scripts. Years later reality set in and I realized I did not want to move to California. Dodged a bullet there. And the scripts I was writing, because they were fantasy, were getting longer and more elaborate. Got done recently with a 945 page behemoth. So I have made the decision to switch my stories to novels because I won't have to worry about run times and budgets. Finally rewriting one of my scripts into a novel and now on chapter 2. Hoping to have it completed by summer 2025 and be able to send out. So I'll appreciate all the help that I can get.
Drinker, thank you for this video!! I've asked you 2 questions during Open Bar and you and the guests gave some advice that I greatly appreciate! I'm not quite over the issue I'm having, but I am working on it and haven't given up. I'd like to add 1 more point to your video. I'm a series reader. I love how a whole world can be created wnd expanded on within a great series. One thing I effing hate is when an author abandons or replaces a plot to reflect their personal lives; all the self-inserts like we see in tv and movies because they want to work their sh** out on their paying customers rather than privately. One author I used to love married a whacko. He did some bad things. The heroine in a series reflected the author's emotions spoken out of the main character in the 3rd book rather than the character behaving in any way that made sense to the plot and overall storyline of the series. It became one of those all men are bad things, can never trust again, shouldn't family come first in a story that had NOTHING to do with matters of family or relationships. I was a couple dozen books into one of her other series and stopped reading her books. Another author I loved got divorced, remarried and shall we say...discovered some alternate choices of how to live. All of a sudden, plots were forgotten and the main characters reflected her choices and hangups. It made NO sense to the storyline. Almost 20 books in and I stopped reading her work, and I won't go back. Some friends kept reading in hopes she'd go back to how she used to tell stories and it's even worse. No one would have even known about her personal life had she 1. Not inserted herself into the books and 2. Expected acceptance from strangers about her personal choices inserted into an established storyline so her main character reflects HER. And she said that many times on her forum- it was done as her way to reveal her lifestyle to the world and get support from the fans of her books. Problem is, a good chunk of us didn't give a flying sh** about what she does behind closed doors and were angry that she ruined her book series. She told us to eff off and not buy her books if we didn't like her changes, then griped up a storm when we did.
Absolutely BRILLIANT advice! And this applies to much more than just writing a Book. I've met so many People who talk about their dreams but never actually pursue them. I was a Game Developer for about 15 Years, I just mod and do it as a hobby now but when I was serious my Sister's BF's dream job was being a game dev and that was when I was at my apex and going hard making games. I even bought a second PC he could use while I taught him but he never took me up on it. I also teamed up with sooooo many People online and tried to make collaborative projects but nobody is serious, People want to talk a lot but don't want to actually do anything. I've moved on though- right now my laser is burning out parts for a miniature house I'll be selling as a kit soon- doing my last prototyping pass :D Art is hard, it's very much an eggs in a basket sort of thing- you might spend Years on a project just to make nothing off of it. That goes for Books too. But, if you never actually do the thing, you'll always fail, I'd rather do the thing and fail than fail because I never tried!
Advice also works for fanfic. Though I'm never going to be full-published-author productive at that. I'm not intending for it to ever be a source of income, let alone my main source of income.
My gf and I recently came up with an idea for a children's detective book, and with the Drinker's help, we'll make damn sure it's smarter than Knives Out
@@MFFL674I don’t think OP was calling Knives Out a dumb movie, imo they were just saying their ambitions were to make something smart, and comparing it to something they considered smart helps establish their ambitions
Drinker speaks sense! Persistence and consistency in writing is a pain, but it's absolutely essential. Never would have finished one book and gotten as far as I am in another without a mindset of 'unless I'm sick, I'm doing this much work each night'.
Thank you Mr. Drinker. Ever since you spoke at ATL Comic Con last year you inspired me to really flesh out the details of my world before writing the first book. After almost a year, I finally got the narrative and outline of the first book finished, complete with fleshed out character arcs and effective story beats. Now, like you said, it’s time to just do it! And every time if I feel the need to procrastinate I can rewatch this video. Thank you for inspiring me and many others to work hard to put our dreams into reality!!!
Thank you Drinker, just thank you. I'm sure you are the forerunner for many who want to work in YT, writing, cinema etc. Your example will ripple out into the drive and success of others.
Thanks for this, Drinker! As someone who has several WIPs I appreciate the advice from someone who knows the trade of storytelling and creation as well as you
Drinker, you must be psychic, because this is exactly what I needed right now! I've been in that putting-meat-on-the-bones phase of writing a book for a little while now. I've also kinda been stuck in the taking-a-nap-after-my-9-to-5 subphase for a bit too, but it looks like what I have done so far has been on the right track. I think knowing that, and now having a good idea of where to go next in the process, will be just the motivation I need to really get going! I'm really excited to get this whole world I've had kicking around in my head for a while finally out and on paper. Thank you man!
A lot of good advice here, though I'm not sure I agree with the dismissal of discovery writing. While I'm not full blown write with no guide in mind, I'm not very talented in planning. I come up with some initial ideas - a character, a setting - then write a small scene. It often helps get my creativity flowing, and I find a ton of ideas spring into existence. Then I write a whole new scene. Then I start organizing an overarching plot line. I write a chapter at a time, finding my way, and jotting down ideas for later drafts. After this I often write the entire story again basically. So I don't think there's anything wrong with discovery writing, you just need to be aware it'll require a lot of rewriting. How one writes is up to them, and I know many people never start writing because like me, they struggle with rigid planning. Just write, and revise plans as you go.
I agree, creativity and planning are usually very opposite traits. I sometimes like to write without any plans whatsoever. A character or setting will pop into my head, and I'll go from there. It's an adventure, it's more enjoyable, and I write more quickly too. Knowing how the story ends, and having everything set out, can get a little stale for me. Boredom is my biggest issue when it comes to writing.
Agreed, I've written 15 novels so far, the last 8-9 being fully discovery written. But it does take some confidence to do it, and an understanding of story structure so you don't run yourself into a corner.
Also, I don't agree that it requires rewriting. Dean Wesley Smith is a discovery writer with over 200 novels that harps against the rewriting myth, he's got a few good articles on his website about it.
You’re a good man, drinker. I appreciate this advice, even though I have no desire to write a book, the basic ideas hold true for any project that’ll take more than a day to accomplish.
Pattern Recognition Time: Great advice Drinker. Thinking is the key. Mickey Spillane wrote 'I, The Jury' in 9 days. Jim Thompson wrote 'The Killer Inside Me' in seven. Michael Moorcock routinely wrote novels in 36 hours. And Anthony Burgess told his family, "Unless your dying, don't knock on my office door for the next 8 hours." Plus, don't be afraid to leave fragments. Writers like Robert E. Howard left lots of them behind, so just keep writing stuff which you might return to. Now get to work ...
@@shanequastunningbrave5376 No. Not true. You don't understand who these guys were. They wrote fast because they had a lot of experience writing before they ever tackled novels and wrote fast because they knew exactly what their audience wanted. Prior to WW 2 Spillane got his start writing comics books plus their two page short filler stories. In Thompson's case he wrote for the True Crime Magazine market of the late 40s. Thompson was, among other things, also a newspaperman where the ethic was 'hit the type writer keys right first time every time'. Every hear of Anthony Trollop? He could write a 1000 words in fifteen minutes which is why his novels are a big as some pocket dictionaries. This is not nonsense. It's all documented (I read Thompson biography 'Savage Art.' He did write fast). Like Hunter S. Thompson (no relation) once said, "Writing is a hard dollar' so writing fast is the name of the game if you want to keep the roof over your head and put food on the table. Stephen King? When was all coked-up he something wrote fifty pages in a day. I'm just fascinated by how these guys did it. Sorry you feel bad. I don't. (And I wrote this in a half hour. Ha ha ha.)
@@1600SkidRowAvenue Yes yes yes and Stallone 'wrote Rocky in 3 days' as everyone quotes... oh except Stallone who said he wrote an initial draft in 3 days after a lot of thought but it was terrible and he spent a long time redrafting and perfecting it. You have fallen for the romanticised myth of the manuscript was written fast and delivered as is. You don't go from having an idea to a finished book or film in 36 hours, it's total nonsense.
@@shanequastunningbrave5376 Stallone? What novel did he write? Sure Ms. Painfully Obvious, most novels take a long time to finish but I'm talking about the exceptions. Anthony Burgess wrote 'A Clockwork Orange in three weeks. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote and rewrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in a singe week while on a cocaine binge. Or look at the number of novels Michael Moorcock's has had published. Moorcock plans what he's going to do in advance and then in a 36 hour marathon of no sleep and coffee has 50,000 words done, a short novel. You don't explain the prolific author (who works like a fiend) and you don't know what you're talking about.
Thanks a ton for this. This is some really obvious and simple advice but hard to hear and accept. I think the most important thing for people like me to remember is that “you want this.” When you’re not doing the things that calm you down or make you relaxed or fun, you want this. You’re here for a reason that matters and will be worth it. And I think you can take it a step further and say “I’m actually excited to do this. I think I can desire this more than the other thing.”
I needed this today. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today. I don't believe in any of that stuff, but if I did, it would strengthen my belief. As it is, I will just say it is a beautiful coincidence that you graciously decided to share this, and that the algorithm did something good for me for once. Thank you a thousand times.
This highlights why The Critical Drinker really DOES have the right to pick apart shitty Hollywood writing. My personal view is this: If you're a serious writer/artist, the most profound and meaningful relationship you're ever going to have is between you and that blank piece of paper. The sooner you come to grips with that reality the happier you'll be.
Although I am not going to write a book, I am struggling with making progress (or should I say even a start) on some other goals. I found this video quite motivating. Thank you, Critical Drinker!
I've met a lot of people who want to be a writer but have no story they want to tell... that breaks my mind. Why do you want to write if you have no story??
I have written a trilogy of novels in the past seven years. This video captures the essence of the mindset of the mad storyteller better than anything I've come across (except the Stephen King book 'On Writing'). Thank you for weaving just the right amount of freshness and humor into the strange and unenviable process of transitioning from a writer-in-waiting to a proper novelist.
Yes, commitment has the most to do with at least finishing the story. But what method you use to start will vary among writers. Personally when I prep start, I write a synopsis (like Drinker says) and/or I'll begin by listing the characters, their descript, role, and archetype (even a brief bio on their personal background/history and views), then jot down the plot in an outline (this helps in seeing how long or far your story can go, and helps you keep pace and stay organized without getting tangled in plots or situations that develop). Make these plotpoints as detailed as you feel content, and don't worry about inserting dialogue at this point, you can always edit and expand the conversations later. After the plot feels 90% complete, THEN I can begin on the actual text. After completing text: edit, revise edit, and revise some more. Until you feel good about this first draft. Let it sit a month or a few weeks, reread and start draft two!
Excellent. You hit the nail on the head repeatedly in this one. And your use of your old rejection letters was brilliant. Thanks. My first novel really began with one character facing one moral dilemma and worked out from there. The worldbuilding took as much effort as character building. You really do, as you say, need to have your rules and backstory down enough to carry the narrative before you start.
This is why this is "the guy" that was thrust into the very specific internet spotlight that he has. People that love things criticize them the most. Passionate people are often creative people. Anti-Conformists are often critical thinkers capable of thinking for themselves and blazing their own paths. There is, in heinsight, zero question why Drinker gathered the following he did through simple comedic comedy. You've done good Drinker. Don't know if this is where you wanted to get to when started down this road, but you did a damn good job getting here.
Thanks Drinker. It's always good to find a "how to write" video that doesn't pump a bunch of sunshine up the viewers ass or not clutter it up with a bunch of flowery imagery or technical jargon. That said, storytelling, like any art form, is unique to the artist. I tend to agree more with Steven King. He calls outlines the place where plots go to die and has said his characters largely write themselves. They let him know who they are. I haven't been published but I have written a couple books and some of the best characters didn't start out in the story, they just found their way in. Those were the ones who were easiest to write because as King said they revealed who they were to me. But King also said keeping the rejection letters was a part of his success. He said as they piled up instead of tossing them away he got a bigger nail. And a foundation is important going in. An editor friend put it to me this way; "ask yourself why anyone would want to read your book." I start out with why am I even writing it. As I say, I've written two books. The first one was more of an exercise to see if I could do it or more importantly, enjoyed doing it. I did, and it sucked so bad beyond my editor friend it never saw the light of day. He actually thought it had promise, but I thought it was crap and as I said, the why am I writing it question led that one to the ash heap of history. I was very happy and proud of my second effort. I still am. I passed that one around a bit and to be honest more people disliked it or lost interest than liked it. But the ones who did like it really enjoyed it. That taught me two valuable lessons. First, don't pass your work to friends if you want critical feedback. Second, not everyone is going to like your stuff and you have to be okay with that. John Lennon said as much about the Beatles, "It's okay not to like us," as he put it, "just like it's okay for us to not like you." But here is a fundamental lesson I learned, your characters will never hate you. And there is something about creating a world, an environment that didn't exist, breathing life and personality into characters, that gives you a sense of satisfaction you can't get anywhere else. I put myself into each character. It's cheaper than a therapist and since I know who I am it makes the process run a bit more smoothly. But the Drinker is right, the first step is the most important. Just pound away. Don't worry about editing until it's time for that stage. I shopped my book around and got less than zero interest but lately I've been thinking it's time to revisit the story and do some fix-up. The beginning is way to labored and there are some characters who show up that maybe should go away. Those were the ones I planned on putting in there off the jump but their arc...well, it flatlined. So that's where I'm at. Will I succeed? I already have. That's the beauty of it. As long as you like what you have created, you have at least one fan.
If there is any aspiring writers out there watching this video, heed what the Drinker says. Everything here is on point. The one thing that I want to add that has helped me over the years is if you want to write, be sure you read, and read a lot. Reading, above and beyond anything else, is the most critical thing an aspiring writer can do beyond the act of writing itself.
I like the images you chose for this video as the lonely mountain scenery takes me back to the time I finally got to write. Family life got in the way for so long, but then I landed this great job as a caretaker in an empty hotel in the mountains for six months. Maybe it was the thin rarified air, but the old distractions just seemed to fall away, and I saw with a greater clarity than ever what I had to do to achieve my task. I got so much done during those days - the writing just fell out of me onto the page. I'm still yet to find a publisher, however.
Drinker, nothing you shared here I haven’t heard 1 million times before. In fact, the only new thing I’m taking away from this entire video is that somehow, I suddenly have the sense I can actually do this. Dunno what it is - Maybe because I’m listening to you for so long, maybe it’s your incredible southern Texas drawl, But by God, I don’t feel like I’ve got this now, but I sure as hell feel like I CAN get this! Cheers Drinker, keep on keepin’ on!
Great advice, Drinker. I've published more than a million words of sci-fi and I've listened to many writers talking about their writing process. They can generally be divided as plotters or pantsers. Most are plotters, like you, creating an outline first, but many of the most popular writers are like me, improvising from start to finish, not even knowing whodunnit, and surprisingly it works. To my great astonishment I've never had writer's block. For twelve years the ideas have just kept coming, so it is possible to write a coherent script without an outline. I suppose a background in programming helps keeping track of all the lose ends. Thanks for all your movie reviews. It seems to me that the superhero wave is over. Would love to see more reviews of movies like "The Holdovers" and "Dream Scenario", maybe even some reviews of old favorites of yours that are available on streaming services.
Sound advice. Something I'll add - a lot of aspiring writers assume they have to start with a book. Don't be afraid to try some short stories first. They can help you learn the basics without the time commitment of a novel. They are also a good way to get in with a publisher. I struggled to finish my first novel, and a friend got me an invite to submit for an anthology. My story was accepted, I got some valuable feedback, and it served as my audition to the publisher who picked up my series. If I insisted on only doing a book, that might not have happened.
A Part 2 suggestion - "I've written the damned thing. Now what?"
Hell, even fan fics can help. You write and add chaarcters. Can always try there as well.
Short stories are ideal for starting. Who knows? Some might grow in the future and become a full book.
There are some very successful authors who literally started that way. Orson Scott Card, Edgar Allen Poe, Ernest Hemingway, and Mark Twain to name a few.
@@jonbaxter2254 I have a couple of author friends who started writing fanfic and now they're both writing for trad pub.
@@nalublackwater9729 My first short story has led to three books so far. I know several authors who submitted a short story, and the publisher said "great, can you write a book?"
Step 1: Come up with a plot
“Nah it’ll be fine!”
I too read Stephen King.
Well, that’s not always the first step.
@@jonbaxter2254 Step 2: Never, under any circumstances, look back at what you've written to make sure it's not unintentionally comical or disturbing in the wrong way.
"Nah, I'd win," Satoru Gojo said.
I feel like I've been lovingly scolded by my drunk, Scottish uncle who took me aside for a few minutes to set me straight and get me back to doing what he knows I really love, I just needed that little bit of extra encouragement and weary wisdom. Thank you, Drinker, it's done the job! Much appreciated!
I use "The Two Minute Rule" for many things in life but it's particularly useful in writing. Commit to sit down and write at least two minutes everyday no matter what. No matter how busy you are you have two minutes to spare. Write a sentence or two then see if you feel like writing more, if you do then go for it! If not, you've done the minimum for today and that's okay.
Think Sanderson uses that rule, why he releases a book every other month I suppose.
I use the same rule for sex. If I'm not finished in 2 minutes, I'm just wasting time.
I wasn't planning to write a book, but now I am!
I’m currently working on editing a third draft and this is pretty much how I’m managing the to-do list of items to fix: a little bit of work every day - doesn’t have to be much, but has to be something every day. Then it becomes a habit you can build upon.
Great advice, I remember a lecturer in Uni telling us that when you start an essay at least write the heading and just ONE sentence for the introduction. That way you've gotten over the mental hurdle of having to start and you can go from there.
I never wanted to write a book, but listening to you I feel like I can put my life on the right track…
You should really do a “Drinker motivates” series.
I second this. Do a Drinker Motivates series, even if it's you just yelling like a drunken arsehole into the microphone.
And call it "D-Motivates" just for fun
@@michaelmurphy2112 Noice.
lucas popan 😅😂
I 2nd Drinker Motivates🎉❤
“Stop procrastinating!”
Yeah, GEORGE. SIT YOUR ASS DOWN, AND FINISH THE FUCKING-
"I'd rather finish my big mac"
Every writer does that. I certainly do, but my next deadline is June so I can't just sit around all day. Those who don't have a publisher should set their own deadlines and stick to it.
Brandon Sanderson wrote 5 books over the course of the pandemic, George has literally no excuse
@@justlivin2499 I love the Stormlight Archives. That's a crazy work rate.
LOL I spat out my coffee reading this
I'm in a short story contest and I have five days, so thanks for this
EDIT: Got it in at the 11th hour on 2/25, it's called "No Love For The Zebras." The villain uses the phrase "I'm a piscine Genghis Khan," which made sense at the time. Maybe in late May they'll announce the winners.
Last Edit: Didn't win, but some of the feedback: "Overall, the writing is good. There are a lot of interesting details and we would encourage you to expand and develop the story further. It was a pleasure to read. Nice work and keep writing!"
What contest and how?
@@gregwise5655 Search for Writers Playground, the deadline already passed for this one, next one is probably in June or July
Stop wasting time! Get on it!
And good luck!
Best of luck, friend!
Good luck, buddy!
My man hits the nail on the head every time so sit down and listen
I wrote my first book in under 90 days while working a full time job. He’s right in that you need to sacrifice your leisure time if you want to get it done. There were times were I spent the bulk of a weekend/day off just writing with the occasional meal. It can be downright draining at times, but if you have the story in your head then you need to do everything in power to get it jotted down.
And stop reading the fucking comments 😂
For the “stick the landing” one advice I heard is “know what promises you made to the reader”. As you said not every plot plot or thread needs resolution. But certain key plot points do need resolving.
For instance in the first star wars, “who is darth vader” was something that could be saved for the sequel whereas “destroy the death star” had to be resolved in that movie.
As a side note “subverting expectations” is not a valid excuse to not answer those story promises
Well said, Drinker. My biggest piece of advice to writers of fiction: write down your mythos (rules of how your world works, magic system, tech level, what can/not be done, and the like). Before I started writing and was a mere humble reader, I was surprised by how many published writers of Sci Fi and fantasy don’t do this and it shows when they break the rules they’ve laid down. Readers notice.
The difference between 'hard' and 'soft' magic systems has a lot more to do with how much the audience is told than with fuzziness in the actual rules.
The important point is that if magic is a tool the protagonists have, then the audience should have an idea of what it can do. The more important it is to their capabilities, the more they need to know, because otherwise establishing stakes becomes difficult.
"Super easy, barely an inconvenience" is only a good answer to questions the reader never asks.
Unless you're establishing a baseline, in which case the reader hasn't yet had time to get invested in the assumed status quo.
0:42 Step 1 - Stop Procrastinating!
4:48 Step 2 - Dem Bones
8:11 Step 3 - Set Rules
9:22 Step 4 - Character is Key
12:15 Step 5 - Don't Be A Smart Arse
13:08 Step 6 - Stick The Landing
Thanks for this - make it a series! Qs: What are your writing tools, mechanics, process? What do you open when you sit down to write? What do you open when you get hit with an idea?
I’ve had a story to tell since high school, one that started as a daydream for me to escape to, for years and years. Then two years ago the story and characters started to set into concrete and grow roots. And then I didn’t believe in myself to write it, I’ve never written anything. As of the beginning of this year, after two years of planning, developing, and world-building, I’m managing my time to write. Glass of wine to not overthink and stop myself, and just go go go. It’s the best feeling ever. Sometimes I need a couple days to let an idea marinate. But then I’m so excited to get back to it once the epiphany hits. Thanks for the tips and motivation Drinker. Here’s to hoping I’m not just a hopeful!
I wrote a few fan fics (MLP) like fifteen years ago, it started out a just a power fantasy. I heard the story be read back to me and I learned how to make it better, make it sound better and make more logical sense. I have heard many stories since then, some real, some fake and others too real to even make up because life. It matters not if the story is true or not, it's the realm of believability that makes it real and feel so, the emotion in it, how it is VA's and read aloud. I just can't see anyone voicing my characters but me, though I would like to have it properly voice acted and made into an audio reading and maybe a D&D world. I always had something to tell but I never knew what that thing was, until now. It was a slow burn but when it hit me and I knew what I wanted to tell, I was all over myself all thanks to one individual RUclipsr, his friend and Fallout New Vegas. It was after The Frontier was released and someone did a Legion Playthrough and had their own ideas about stuff and things within the Legion. I became obsessed with the concept and I knew what I wanted to do. Make a character and give them a Legion-esque background and name them something appropriate for their race and gender. (In a D&D-like world so a Dragon Warrior Priestess, Swords, melee and magic were her specialties, Ember Brimstone) I liked the idea of breaking down an individual so completely that was the only true way to gain strength, not as one is currently but made different first and then molded into the perfect solider. Basically creating an OP anime protag that the twist is that the MC is the BBEG fending off some chaos God always unseen by everyone around them but the individual, Ember herself and her pet human girl named Calix. Thing is that Ember is bad but not necessarily a bad person sometimes, though The Mad King is much more a threat that people know or are aware of at all. I needed some kind of motivation to get back to my now what I call Science Fantasy, been writing it for over two years going on three sometime this year now but it was because of AI Dungeon that I made the story into my own thing (Human error and stuff setbacks and so much info loss) I have been rewriting it and making it infinity better. So much more emotion and inflection used, only a lucky few have actually heard me read it to them and only a lucky few will ever have it read to them it is more of a self entertainment that I made for myself and is more of just for me. Also huge content warning so that usually is what turns people off which is fucking stupid because of Super Ultra Mega Weenie Hut Jr's that YT has turned into. Content warnings make me happy because it means some people still can think freely and have their own ideas about things. 80's/90's anime is a lost Art. Mad Bull 34, Dragons Heaven, Dragon Half, Ranma 1/2, Demon City Shinjuku, Cyber City 808 Oedo, Gray Digital Target, Area 88, Devilman, you know the ones. I do love me some Isekai'd because defeated Truck-kun, and some of the Harem D&D new animes, but Danmachi is sick and I do like it when the fans improve the characters and make them say what really matters in dialogue like having a Goddess rock you every night but then being totally head over heels for Sword Princess.
The Mad King thing is a reference to someone outside of that story hints why their name is never mentioned a whole lot if it is it invokes the power of The Mad Kind and gains more strength. The Mad King is currently trapped in a cursed claymore sword held by Ember herself. There is a drinking contest, and the opponent is someone by the name of The Processional Drinker, guess who that is. City Designation #4256 is short for Halo. Calix herself is a reference to another character in a different story called Kalix The Lonely Werewolf Girl. You can see where my mind when for my story. Magic-technology is the reason for Plasma swords that scream once ignited (Warhammer Force Sword) and not a lot of new things are produced if they are they are weak and inferior as in Psionics to actual Magic. Extra-dimensional bird beings from some different space/time monitoring the goings on in the multiverse and documents everything. (SCP reference to The Wandsmen) A dragon from the old world into the new shining cities of tomorrow, well that's just more Night City and Cyber Punk sticking its head out. Gotta have tech with my magic. If I told you I'm wiccan would you believe me, but look at this premo chrome, choom. Watch Ember turn the competition into molten slag with Fireball. Also, ten lbs limit is only what you can do with that Mage Hand imagine what a neck would do if held by that force, it only takes ten psi to give a man a boner. Force choke in D&D with Mage Hand, get some of those Adult Swim cartoon violence going as descriptions for the MC doing whatever to some baddies, Super Jail is a fun place to start. Robotomy was VA'd and written by some of those AS peoples but it was for Cartoon Network.
This is weirdly motivating! Thank you for sharing
I appreciate the restraint Drinker used in not cutting screenshots behind his major criticisms. Definitely a way to make sure this has broader appeal, even if I could picture exact representations from modern Hollywood for each of the times he said "don't do this."
"Never use a long word where a short one will do. If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out." - I always liked that as a general guideline from George Orwell.
That's good advice. I like that!
Something my 5th grade teacher told me that I've never forgotten is to not use adverbs.
"He ran quickly down the hall."
Vs.
"He sprinted down the hall."
It forces you to expand your vocabulary.
@@GregoryPrange-x1nI think I'm having the same revelation as you did in class 5, haha!
Beginner writers use "He said."
Developing writers use "He insisted."
Journeyman writers use "He interjected insistently."
Veteran writers use "He said."
This does somewhat depend on the genre. If you're writing general fiction this is great advice. If you're writing, say, fantasy? Most fantasy fans want to get lost in that world and appreciate richer prose (just don't go overbard).
But in school I always had to use extra words to get to that 500 word count requirement. It was much easier to use less words when they were hand written pages as opposed to word processors that do the word count for the marker.
YOU motivate me, Drinker, you charismatic avatar of drunken wordplay! Your books and your videos have pushed me to finally get off my arse and write the story mulling through my head... and you know what? I did it. I reached the end of my story, and currently going through the editing process. Thank you, Drinker. I hope one day, you read my book and like the character I named after you. God bless you, Drinker!
Thank you for this. As an aspiring author on his second manuscript, we all need more down-to-earth, honest writing videos like this one.
I've considered your videos as part of a Master Class in Storytelling - and this one shows that this is true. Thank you, sir!
I listened to this on a peaceful drive through the country into town. I had no distractions. Very well done. Informative, truthful, and brutally motivating. Great video man
Drinker is 100% right about finishing what you started. When I first started writing, I’d get 3-4 chapters in and give up, and my desktop was a graveyard of abandoned story ideas. Once I pushed through and finished that first novel, the next ones came more naturally.
I can attest to this as well. I used to be good about finishing what I wrote, but a failed attempt at a trilogy left me with a lot of self-doubt and little motivation. I would start a story only to set it aside, until I finally became fed up with it, gave myself a scolding, and finally finished one of the unfinished stories. After I did that, my motivation made a recovery and all the self-doubt took a back seat.
I'm writing a novel right now, and this is immensely helpful. I write 1,000 words a day no matter what.
Even f the words are:
"All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy, All work and no Play makes Jack a dull boy"
🤣🤣🤣
It's a gripping narrative.
As Steven Pressfield said in his book "The War of Art": "I write only when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes every morning at nine o'clock sharp.”
My man, this vid might just be exactly what I needed right now. All the steps you outlined are ones I'm following ... EXCEPT the first! My time management has been atrocious! For more than ten years now I've been taking notes for a novel... Worldbuilding, worldbuilding, worldbuilding... Research, research research... Without the faintest shred of time management! I've mostly just been scribbling down what I can focus on, whenever I can focus on it. In the past two years I've actually started writing a first draft and come up with a self-publishing plan, so at the very least I can say I'm getting somewhere, but it'd be nice to actually GET THERE before I get too old to think!
Admittedly, I don't regret being so glacial. The genre of my story is something that I'm not even sure has been attempted before: a hybrid of high fantasy and hard science fiction. I firmly believe they're not incompatible, they just require a LOT of work. Imagine if Tolkein had written his own laws of physics for Lord of the Rings and adhered to them throughout the text of the story. It would've been utterly pointless for most readers, because most readers just don't care if mass and energy are being properly conserved when Gandalf strikes the Balrog with his sword. As a certified weirdo, I DO! And I hope to have that shine through in my book.
Thanks for the kick in the ass. I really respect your perspective on storytelling and the no nonsense advice. If my story has success I’ll make sure to give you kudos.
I'd add that the best way to write nothing is to think that you've got to write perfection on the first draft. Just bang the whole thing down, from beginning to end, any which way. It'll be shite, but that doesn't matter because no-one else is going to see that draft. Then you get to go back over it and improve it. It's much easier and more enjoyable to fine-tune something that already exists in some form.
And the thing with a well-developed character is that you should be able to think of any situation - from the mundane (he can't find his car-keys) to the extreme (the three-minute warning just sounded) - and have a clear idea how that particular character is going to react to it. When you know them that well, they're a character with a personality of their own.
This is one of your best videos! Your books are amazing and were the inspiration to write my own. Thank you for leading me down my author path.
Here's another good bit of advice, coming from the late great Ray Bradbury: if you're new to fiction writing, don't jump right into writing a novel. Start with short stories instead! To get the practice you'll need to properly develop a longer-form story, try making a bunch of little ones first. Bradbury suggested going about this by dedicating yourself to writing one short story per week for a whole year. Start at the beginning of the week, spend as much time as you can on it, and then stop working on it at the end of the week *regardless of how unfinished it is.* Repeat this process for one year, and you'll be surprised at how the variety and quality of your output has changed since you started. It's a helluva lot of work and you're not going to be please with every individual piece you write. But even so, to paraphrase Bradbury, it's impossible for a person to write 52 bad short stories in a row. You gotta start somewhere!
I started with fanfiction. Perhaps when I shifted to original works I should have wrote short stories first.
Thank you, Drinker! Very motivating to hear your own personal experience doing this stuff. I'll add a piece of invaluable advice I've used writing tabletop campaigns:
Write your opening and then write (a rough idea of) the ending. Now, you always know what direction the story should be moving.
Moreover, this same piece advice holds true for individual chapters, quests, character arcs, etc.
I am about to publish my first two books this year, one n June, the second in November. To be a good writer, you've got to be a good reader as well.
This should be a pinned comment.
KAHN!
Thanks guys. Take a look at my page for more :)
Some advice for new writers who lean towards being "architects" rather than "discovery" writers: after you get enough of an outline to know how the story starts, force yourself to write that 1st chapter before you finish fleshing out the world building and all the character outlines!
It will help focus your outlining and planning and, if you're like me, you'll realize that you don't have to write The Silmarillion for your story before you write the first chapter.
I also recommend continuing to write while you finish outlining. Incorporating some "discovery writing" into your work can give you ideas that help you piece things together organically.
I wrote a background character on a whim who was introduced and killed on the same page, but I realized she was prefect to help tie in an idea I'd planned out for the plot months ago and now it makes the whole thing feel much more realistic and natural.
I have written two novellas and am working on a third but have been dragging my feet to complete it, thank you for a kick in the pants.
Your prompts even gave me some ideas for a new story!
keep it up, because if you don't complete it, you're depriving the world of potentially good storytelling - a flaw that will topple the hollywood elites.
Watched this video three or four months ago. Sat down with a discarded outline from half year ago, reworked it on the fly as I finished the novel. Just finished with the second draft a week ago. I thought I'd wait a few more years, and all that, before I realised I'd never get the abundant time I had on my hands -- four months of it.
Thanks Drinker.
The Drinker really needs to be knighted. His candor and wisdom is off the charts. Also, "Sir Drinker" has a nice ring to it. 🥃
Nah, we'll never hear the end of it.
@@nonamebrand9236 🤣👍
Sir Critical of the Drinker Isles
Trying to write a fantasy novel at the moment, and following Tolkien as a guide, but going to follow the Drinker's advice on actually getting it done. I really appreciate the advice, and will use this comment to hold myself accountable to actually get a novel written and published.
Special props for not beating bushes around Step 6. Arguably one of most painful parts to do right even if you have plan in mind.
And best of luck to all the people who decide to listen to step one and finally start to fucking write. Be it commercial of fan project.
This video is very applicable to writing a film, too. Good advice Mr. Drinker
Glad I'm not the only one who starts with bare bones! I get a first draft done just to set down the main ideas and have to keep telling myself I can flesh it out later. I think a lot of people don't realize that the first draft is basically a placeholder, not the finished product.
For me though, writing is also a process of discovery - I need the main idea down to get started, but oftentimes I find things along the way that add to the story or work better than what I initially planned.
Also, characters sometimes get away from me and do their own thing, LOL, but it's interesting to follow them and see what they do. I've gotten good stuff that way.
As some people put it, "Are you a planner or a pantser?" I'm a bit of both, but most skew more one way than the other, and that's okay. Do what works.
Some great tips here for aspiring authors! I agree with all of them. Currently writing my third novel and at times I wish I had as much free time as I had when I wrote my second novel which I self-published. Great video, Drinker!
If anyone wants a good example of how to establish characters in an extremely efficient manner, go and watch the first 4 episodes of season 1 of the Expanse. Using the interrogation episode to essentially add exposition in a "show, don't tell" way to establish the core cast was a stroke of genius.
God, I hated that show. I wanted to strangle that idiot goodie two shoes. Wasn't a fan of the book, either. Well, half of it was fine, if derivative (yeah, we saw Laura, too; and read that 1st edition Shadowrun adventure ripoff). The other half was stupid and derivative (The Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Red Mars, etc.). And I found a lot of the worldbuilding to be just dumb; like the idea that people's growth magically accelerates upward in low gravity, even though that makes zero biological sense; and the haphazard and irrational recombination of ethnicities and cultures into a giant soup, even though that's not at all how humans behave (ethnic minorities have persisted in the face of larger, dominant cultures for literally millennia, but in this universe they obliterate themselves in a handful of generations? Come on).
Fun fact: A relative of mine was in the RPG campaign that was the origin of the book (Leviathan's Wake) that was the origin of The Expanse. He said that character (maybe it was Holden? I don't remember) was included specifically to showcase to other players how irritating it was to 'have a paladin in the party.' He was *meant* to be annoying.
An excellent video, Drinker. I'm hoping for a part two that explains what you're supposed to do after you've written the book (or completed the full draft).
Oh, God- yes...
Part 2- Drafting & editing - though, to be fair- there's a lot of advice in this area.
Part 3- The hell of things like publishing contracts- literary agents & the like - I've researched it a little, & I barely understand anything about them - someone like Drinker could help me cut through the BS (though he's in Scotland, & I'm in Australia)...
I'm writing one right now. Thank you, Drinker, I owe you a Jack Daniel's for this.
Great advice. I spent years meandering through a half baked plot and wrote 30000 words before I decided to go back to the beginning and plan it all out. Synopsis, character outlines, world building etc. I used the 27 chapter guide to break it up into smaller chunks and spent some time thinking about how they all linked together. Now I'm finally at the stage of fleshing it out and actually writing the novel. Now I know where the story is going, most of my plot holes have been filled. It really feels like I have momentum and that I'm getting somewhere. Taking time to plot it out really helps. I've also found keeping separate documents for each chapter much easier to handle than having it in one manuscript. If I need to change the order of things, then I can rename the document rather than cutting and pasting large chunks of text. I've given myself 9 months from now to get my first draft completed. Setting a deadline has also helped to keep me motivated, focused and productive.
I've been wanting to write novels since I was 13. I wrote a pretty terrible draft in college, and then let my procrastination hold me back for a decade. Finally in 2022 nanowrimo came around and I was like "I'm doing it this time." I sat down and wrote every day for a month, and then a little more and had a finished draft at the end that I thought was pretty decent, if a little short. I proved that I could do it, and it turned out that was enough. I spent the next year planning a second novel, and when November came around again I got to work. This time it took me three months, was about twice the length of the first, and I got over the finish line again. I'm currently revising book 1, and then I'll be shipping it out to agents, meanwhile I'm planning book 3 for this upcoming November.
Point is, I'm 37, and I've been wanting to write books since I was 13. It's never too late to start doing the thing you love. Also do it for yourself. I may never get a publisher, in which case I'll probably just self publish, for me and my family and whoever else may read it, and that's okay.
You and Rippa, inspired me to start my graphic novel some time back. Tough as a 1 man operation, but I want it bad enough to make it work. Always appreciate any advice.
"Instead they become another almost author... just another nobody who likes to bore the arse out of people at parties by telling people about the great book they're about to write"
I feel so called out by this. Thankfully I finally HAVE gotten back to working on it, but I put things off for so long.
Technically speaking, I didn't write a proper outline for the first novel, but I basically had a rough idea in my head for where I wanted it to go and got about halfway through before issues came up and I stopped. But I had already done massive amounts of world building, constructing a densely packed detailed backstory, etc.
Finally came back a few months ago to collect all my notes and actually start writing something down, and basically I went in the same direction I did before, but still rewriting most of it from scratch.
This time I did at least reach the finish line, but I'm rewriting chunks again during the editing phase to try and make things more coherent and easier to read.
So maybe I'll actually finish something for a change, but then there's the problem of finding people to actually be willing to try delving into the work and reading it to help me get valuable criticism... but I'll worry about that later.
That first point hit me hard. That goes for everything, nonetheless, and it sucks that such ideas Ive had in the past have died out because I felt like tomorrow was the miracle day for it to be done. Thanks much Drinker, you'll never cease to inspire me.
As someone with ADHD, I've personally HEAVILY struggled with procrastination and time management, because it's literally a defect in my brain LOL I've only recently been able to explore medication options and after 25 years on this planet, I feel like I'm finally starting to figure my life out a bit more. It's still a struggle of course, but I'm an artist who feels like they haven't drawn so much in the last 10 years than I have in the last year combined. So I'm just writing this to remind everyone that everyone's path to success is different, and to not be discouraged if you're having a hard time. Everyone works differently and wether that's getting a friend to help you bounce ideas off of, or keep you accountable for self imposed deadlines, or medication options or just trying to organize your time better and stick to that. you've got this
"if you can't keep a promise to yourself, what does that say about your self respect?" A verbal smack in the face to so many, myself included. Yet I 100% agree.
I'll need this. So I went to college for film and had a minor in creative writing. I wanted to go to Hollywood and become a director like the ones that I admired. Well I graduated around 2014 and afterwards I got to writing my stories as scripts. Years later reality set in and I realized I did not want to move to California. Dodged a bullet there. And the scripts I was writing, because they were fantasy, were getting longer and more elaborate. Got done recently with a 945 page behemoth. So I have made the decision to switch my stories to novels because I won't have to worry about run times and budgets. Finally rewriting one of my scripts into a novel and now on chapter 2. Hoping to have it completed by summer 2025 and be able to send out. So I'll appreciate all the help that I can get.
That sounds pretty cool, good luck with the rewrites.
Great advice! Coping with depression during my PhD made the whole process horrible. It takes a lot to write a book. I admire whoever gives it a shot.
Drinker, thank you for this video!! I've asked you 2 questions during Open Bar and you and the guests gave some advice that I greatly appreciate! I'm not quite over the issue I'm having, but I am working on it and haven't given up.
I'd like to add 1 more point to your video. I'm a series reader. I love how a whole world can be created wnd expanded on within a great series. One thing I effing hate is when an author abandons or replaces a plot to reflect their personal lives; all the self-inserts like we see in tv and movies because they want to work their sh** out on their paying customers rather than privately.
One author I used to love married a whacko. He did some bad things. The heroine in a series reflected the author's emotions spoken out of the main character in the 3rd book rather than the character behaving in any way that made sense to the plot and overall storyline of the series. It became one of those all men are bad things, can never trust again, shouldn't family come first in a story that had NOTHING to do with matters of family or relationships. I was a couple dozen books into one of her other series and stopped reading her books.
Another author I loved got divorced, remarried and shall we say...discovered some alternate choices of how to live. All of a sudden, plots were forgotten and the main characters reflected her choices and hangups. It made NO sense to the storyline. Almost 20 books in and I stopped reading her work, and I won't go back. Some friends kept reading in hopes she'd go back to how she used to tell stories and it's even worse. No one would have even known about her personal life had she 1. Not inserted herself into the books and 2. Expected acceptance from strangers about her personal choices inserted into an established storyline so her main character reflects HER. And she said that many times on her forum- it was done as her way to reveal her lifestyle to the world and get support from the fans of her books.
Problem is, a good chunk of us didn't give a flying sh** about what she does behind closed doors and were angry that she ruined her book series. She told us to eff off and not buy her books if we didn't like her changes, then griped up a storm when we did.
Absolutely BRILLIANT advice! And this applies to much more than just writing a Book. I've met so many People who talk about their dreams but never actually pursue them. I was a Game Developer for about 15 Years, I just mod and do it as a hobby now but when I was serious my Sister's BF's dream job was being a game dev and that was when I was at my apex and going hard making games. I even bought a second PC he could use while I taught him but he never took me up on it. I also teamed up with sooooo many People online and tried to make collaborative projects but nobody is serious, People want to talk a lot but don't want to actually do anything. I've moved on though- right now my laser is burning out parts for a miniature house I'll be selling as a kit soon- doing my last prototyping pass :D
Art is hard, it's very much an eggs in a basket sort of thing- you might spend Years on a project just to make nothing off of it. That goes for Books too. But, if you never actually do the thing, you'll always fail, I'd rather do the thing and fail than fail because I never tried!
Advice also works for fanfic. Though I'm never going to be full-published-author productive at that. I'm not intending for it to ever be a source of income, let alone my main source of income.
This is a lecture on everything I've done wrong for the last 30 years of my life. Thanks Drinker.
I think Step 0 is “Stock the larder with some of Islay’s finest”. C’mon Drinker, priorities… 🥃
Thanks!
From my meager experience, revision, and lots of it, is where a person learns to write.
I love this so much. It's given me a reason and motivation to write in my pain. Thanks Drinker.
My gf and I recently came up with an idea for a children's detective book, and with the Drinker's help, we'll make damn sure it's smarter than Knives Out
Less convenience and contrivances?
knives out was terrific though. what made it a dumb movie?
@@MFFL674I don’t think OP was calling Knives Out a dumb movie, imo they were just saying their ambitions were to make something smart, and comparing it to something they considered smart helps establish their ambitions
Drinker speaks sense! Persistence and consistency in writing is a pain, but it's absolutely essential. Never would have finished one book and gotten as far as I am in another without a mindset of 'unless I'm sick, I'm doing this much work each night'.
Now this, is podracing!
Thank you Mr. Drinker. Ever since you spoke at ATL Comic Con last year you inspired me to really flesh out the details of my world before writing the first book. After almost a year, I finally got the narrative and outline of the first book finished, complete with fleshed out character arcs and effective story beats. Now, like you said, it’s time to just do it! And every time if I feel the need to procrastinate I can rewatch this video. Thank you for inspiring me and many others to work hard to put our dreams into reality!!!
I'm currently writing my first graphic novel Red Angel. Set in a dark anthropomorphic war world. Thanks for this advice!
Thank you Drinker, just thank you.
I'm sure you are the forerunner for many who want to work in YT, writing, cinema etc. Your example will ripple out into the drive and success of others.
Cheers Drinker.
Thanks for this, Drinker! As someone who has several WIPs I appreciate the advice from someone who knows the trade of storytelling and creation as well as you
I stumbled at the "needs talent" hudle.
If you think you need talent to write a book then you need to read more.
Drinker, you must be psychic, because this is exactly what I needed right now! I've been in that putting-meat-on-the-bones phase of writing a book for a little while now. I've also kinda been stuck in the taking-a-nap-after-my-9-to-5 subphase for a bit too, but it looks like what I have done so far has been on the right track. I think knowing that, and now having a good idea of where to go next in the process, will be just the motivation I need to really get going! I'm really excited to get this whole world I've had kicking around in my head for a while finally out and on paper. Thank you man!
A lot of good advice here, though I'm not sure I agree with the dismissal of discovery writing. While I'm not full blown write with no guide in mind, I'm not very talented in planning.
I come up with some initial ideas - a character, a setting - then write a small scene. It often helps get my creativity flowing, and I find a ton of ideas spring into existence.
Then I write a whole new scene. Then I start organizing an overarching plot line. I write a chapter at a time, finding my way, and jotting down ideas for later drafts.
After this I often write the entire story again basically.
So I don't think there's anything wrong with discovery writing, you just need to be aware it'll require a lot of rewriting.
How one writes is up to them, and I know many people never start writing because like me, they struggle with rigid planning. Just write, and revise plans as you go.
I agree, creativity and planning are usually very opposite traits. I sometimes like to write without any plans whatsoever. A character or setting will pop into my head, and I'll go from there. It's an adventure, it's more enjoyable, and I write more quickly too. Knowing how the story ends, and having everything set out, can get a little stale for me. Boredom is my biggest issue when it comes to writing.
Agreed, I've written 15 novels so far, the last 8-9 being fully discovery written. But it does take some confidence to do it, and an understanding of story structure so you don't run yourself into a corner.
Also, I don't agree that it requires rewriting. Dean Wesley Smith is a discovery writer with over 200 novels that harps against the rewriting myth, he's got a few good articles on his website about it.
You’re a good man, drinker. I appreciate this advice, even though I have no desire to write a book, the basic ideas hold true for any project that’ll take more than a day to accomplish.
Pattern Recognition Time: Great advice Drinker. Thinking is the key. Mickey Spillane wrote 'I, The Jury' in 9 days. Jim Thompson wrote 'The Killer Inside Me' in seven. Michael Moorcock routinely wrote novels in 36 hours. And Anthony Burgess told his family, "Unless your dying, don't knock on my office door for the next 8 hours." Plus, don't be afraid to leave fragments. Writers like Robert E. Howard left lots of them behind, so just keep writing stuff which you might return to. Now get to work ...
Ah the old 'so and so' wrote a classic in a really short time frame myth, this type of nonsense is made up to make writers feel bad.
Noice cucking there bro.
@@shanequastunningbrave5376 No. Not true. You don't understand who these guys were. They wrote fast because they had a lot of experience writing before they ever tackled novels and wrote fast because they knew exactly what their audience wanted. Prior to WW 2 Spillane got his start writing comics books plus their two page short filler stories. In Thompson's case he wrote for the True Crime Magazine market of the late 40s. Thompson was, among other things, also a newspaperman where the ethic was 'hit the type writer keys right first time every time'. Every hear of Anthony Trollop? He could write a 1000 words in fifteen minutes which is why his novels are a big as some pocket dictionaries. This is not nonsense. It's all documented (I read Thompson biography 'Savage Art.' He did write fast). Like Hunter S. Thompson (no relation) once said, "Writing is a hard dollar' so writing fast is the name of the game if you want to keep the roof over your head and put food on the table. Stephen King? When was all coked-up he something wrote fifty pages in a day. I'm just fascinated by how these guys did it. Sorry you feel bad. I don't. (And I wrote this in a half hour. Ha ha ha.)
@@1600SkidRowAvenue Yes yes yes and Stallone 'wrote Rocky in 3 days' as everyone quotes... oh except Stallone who said he wrote an initial draft in 3 days after a lot of thought but it was terrible and he spent a long time redrafting and perfecting it. You have fallen for the romanticised myth of the manuscript was written fast and delivered as is. You don't go from having an idea to a finished book or film in 36 hours, it's total nonsense.
@@shanequastunningbrave5376 Stallone? What novel did he write? Sure Ms. Painfully Obvious, most novels take a long time to finish but I'm talking about the exceptions. Anthony Burgess wrote 'A Clockwork Orange in three weeks. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote and rewrote Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in a singe week while on a cocaine binge. Or look at the number of novels Michael Moorcock's has had published. Moorcock plans what he's going to do in advance and then in a 36 hour marathon of no sleep and coffee has 50,000 words done, a short novel. You don't explain the prolific author (who works like a fiend) and you don't know what you're talking about.
Thanks a ton for this. This is some really obvious and simple advice but hard to hear and accept. I think the most important thing for people like me to remember is that “you want this.” When you’re not doing the things that calm you down or make you relaxed or fun, you want this. You’re here for a reason that matters and will be worth it. And I think you can take it a step further and say “I’m actually excited to do this. I think I can desire this more than the other thing.”
step one: add words
step two: publish
I needed this today. Not yesterday, not tomorrow, but today. I don't believe in any of that stuff, but if I did, it would strengthen my belief. As it is, I will just say it is a beautiful coincidence that you graciously decided to share this, and that the algorithm did something good for me for once. Thank you a thousand times.
This highlights why The Critical Drinker really DOES have the right to pick apart shitty Hollywood writing. My personal view is this: If you're a serious writer/artist, the most profound and meaningful relationship you're ever going to have is between you and that blank piece of paper. The sooner you come to grips with that reality the happier you'll be.
Although I am not going to write a book, I am struggling with making progress (or should I say even a start) on some other goals. I found this video quite motivating. Thank you, Critical Drinker!
I've met a lot of people who want to be a writer but have no story they want to tell... that breaks my mind. Why do you want to write if you have no story??
I think people like the idea of "being a writer." (Whatever exactly that means to them.)
I have written a trilogy of novels in the past seven years. This video captures the essence of the mindset of the mad storyteller better than anything I've come across (except the Stephen King book 'On Writing'). Thank you for weaving just the right amount of freshness and humor into the strange and unenviable process of transitioning from a writer-in-waiting to a proper novelist.
Never heard of you, never seeing you on the bookshelves.
Yes, commitment has the most to do with at least finishing the story. But what method you use to start will vary among writers. Personally when I prep start, I write a synopsis (like Drinker says) and/or I'll begin by listing the characters, their descript, role, and archetype (even a brief bio on their personal background/history and views), then jot down the plot in an outline (this helps in seeing how long or far your story can go, and helps you keep pace and stay organized without getting tangled in plots or situations that develop). Make these plotpoints as detailed as you feel content, and don't worry about inserting dialogue at this point, you can always edit and expand the conversations later. After the plot feels 90% complete, THEN I can begin on the actual text. After completing text: edit, revise edit, and revise some more. Until you feel good about this first draft. Let it sit a month or a few weeks, reread and start draft two!
Writing is 2% perspiration and 98% masturbation
Considering two hands are commonly needed to write, it may be 98% auto-fellatio.
Please elaborate 🤨
@@mchsprod ive read enough fantasy romance with smut to know bear is correct
Excellent. You hit the nail on the head repeatedly in this one. And your use of your old rejection letters was brilliant. Thanks. My first novel really began with one character facing one moral dilemma and worked out from there. The worldbuilding took as much effort as character building. You really do, as you say, need to have your rules and backstory down enough to carry the narrative before you start.
I finally read a couple of this guys books. Hialrious bad, get triggered lol
wanna see bad watch his movie trailer!
This had me thinking as I was listening drinker, I had to rewind a couple of times. Great advice!
Isn't this the guy wrote a couple of dogshit books 😭😭
I can't begin to describe how perfectly timed this video was. Thank you for the advice Drinker!
Simple.
Read you crappy books. Take a note. Never write like you. Be happy.
Funny thing is your books aren't good. They are written like a movie not a book
Thank you Drinker. Solid advice, and it actually helped me get motivated to get back to writing.
Thank you!
Your books aren't good, though 😅
This is why this is "the guy" that was thrust into the very specific internet spotlight that he has. People that love things criticize them the most. Passionate people are often creative people. Anti-Conformists are often critical thinkers capable of thinking for themselves and blazing their own paths. There is, in heinsight, zero question why Drinker gathered the following he did through simple comedic comedy. You've done good Drinker. Don't know if this is where you wanted to get to when started down this road, but you did a damn good job getting here.
Thanks Drinker. It's always good to find a "how to write" video that doesn't pump a bunch of sunshine up the viewers ass or not clutter it up with a bunch of flowery imagery or technical jargon. That said, storytelling, like any art form, is unique to the artist. I tend to agree more with Steven King. He calls outlines the place where plots go to die and has said his characters largely write themselves. They let him know who they are. I haven't been published but I have written a couple books and some of the best characters didn't start out in the story, they just found their way in. Those were the ones who were easiest to write because as King said they revealed who they were to me. But King also said keeping the rejection letters was a part of his success. He said as they piled up instead of tossing them away he got a bigger nail. And a foundation is important going in. An editor friend put it to me this way; "ask yourself why anyone would want to read your book." I start out with why am I even writing it.
As I say, I've written two books. The first one was more of an exercise to see if I could do it or more importantly, enjoyed doing it. I did, and it sucked so bad beyond my editor friend it never saw the light of day. He actually thought it had promise, but I thought it was crap and as I said, the why am I writing it question led that one to the ash heap of history. I was very happy and proud of my second effort. I still am. I passed that one around a bit and to be honest more people disliked it or lost interest than liked it. But the ones who did like it really enjoyed it. That taught me two valuable lessons. First, don't pass your work to friends if you want critical feedback. Second, not everyone is going to like your stuff and you have to be okay with that. John Lennon said as much about the Beatles, "It's okay not to like us," as he put it, "just like it's okay for us to not like you."
But here is a fundamental lesson I learned, your characters will never hate you. And there is something about creating a world, an environment that didn't exist, breathing life and personality into characters, that gives you a sense of satisfaction you can't get anywhere else. I put myself into each character. It's cheaper than a therapist and since I know who I am it makes the process run a bit more smoothly. But the Drinker is right, the first step is the most important. Just pound away. Don't worry about editing until it's time for that stage. I shopped my book around and got less than zero interest but lately I've been thinking it's time to revisit the story and do some fix-up. The beginning is way to labored and there are some characters who show up that maybe should go away. Those were the ones I planned on putting in there off the jump but their arc...well, it flatlined. So that's where I'm at. Will I succeed? I already have. That's the beauty of it. As long as you like what you have created, you have at least one fan.
If there is any aspiring writers out there watching this video, heed what the Drinker says. Everything here is on point. The one thing that I want to add that has helped me over the years is if you want to write, be sure you read, and read a lot. Reading, above and beyond anything else, is the most critical thing an aspiring writer can do beyond the act of writing itself.
This is excellent advice. Been writing stories since 2017 on a professional level, and literally everything here checks out
I like the images you chose for this video as the lonely mountain scenery takes me back to the time I finally got to write. Family life got in the way for so long, but then I landed this great job as a caretaker in an empty hotel in the mountains for six months. Maybe it was the thin rarified air, but the old distractions just seemed to fall away, and I saw with a greater clarity than ever what I had to do to achieve my task. I got so much done during those days - the writing just fell out of me onto the page. I'm still yet to find a publisher, however.
Drinker, nothing you shared here I haven’t heard 1 million times before. In fact, the only new thing I’m taking away from this entire video is that somehow, I suddenly have the sense I can actually do this. Dunno what it is - Maybe because I’m listening to you for so long, maybe it’s your incredible southern Texas drawl, But by God, I don’t feel like I’ve got this now, but I sure as hell feel like I CAN get this! Cheers Drinker, keep on keepin’ on!
Wonderful, practical advice, young man! Looking forward to your film, sure it'll be a great one. Thanks again. All the best!
Great advice, Drinker. I've published more than a million words of sci-fi and I've listened to many writers talking about their writing process. They can generally be divided as plotters or pantsers. Most are plotters, like you, creating an outline first, but many of the most popular writers are like me, improvising from start to finish, not even knowing whodunnit, and surprisingly it works. To my great astonishment I've never had writer's block. For twelve years the ideas have just kept coming, so it is possible to write a coherent script without an outline. I suppose a background in programming helps keeping track of all the lose ends. Thanks for all your movie reviews. It seems to me that the superhero wave is over. Would love to see more reviews of movies like "The Holdovers" and "Dream Scenario", maybe even some reviews of old favorites of yours that are available on streaming services.
My brother and I are working on a comic series. This advice is appreciated! Thank you Drinker
I have a book I wanna start but procrastination always gets in the way. This video definitely helps in getting me started