One thing to remember! When you get that first bad review, be excited that someone that is most likely outside your circle of friends and family actually bought and read your book!!
I never expected to make money from this. Selling just over twenty copies of Renegade in a few days when it was released a couple of months ago was enough of a thrill for me. The subsequent feedback has been entirely positive - with particular emphasis on character development. I now have to follow that...
I don't have any problems with negative feedback, or even with rewriting and revisions, as long as they support the story as intended, and don't alter those intentions. My problem is in feeling like I've used up all of my creative imagination on the initial writing process and can't necessarily see the story develop any other way.
Nice dog (in background). I love big dogs. Used to have a huge Irish Setter. And thanks for your advice... It will be nice when The Druid (the one by Anastasi) and its sequels... The Runes of Ire, go big.
the more i heard about how hard it is, the more i feel like ive got this. i just have to do what i love and be patient, two things im great at 😊 luckily i make a living writing already without selling a single book, i sell my services AS a writer and storyteller among other things. having life experience makes my writing better, and being a good writer who focused on it in college made my life experiences more valuable and profitable. i wouldnt be able to focus my experiences into a profitable job without the ability to write it down and make a story out of it. if writing isnt your strongest suit, but you love to read, and have other skills… you can still write, you just dont have to publish books. just like a chef must know how to make multiple dishes, you use more than one skill at your job. i can bake, make pizza, salad, sandwhiches, etc. its the same with making money as a writer, writing books is only one aspect
You nailed the crucial juxtaposition by saying most authors have other day jobs, but that writing is a time consuming process. True to both. But when, then, does a writer have time to write instead of work?
It's definitely a hard balance to nail--I've heard of some writers treating their writing as if it's an additional part time job, working on their novels on weeknights and weekends. Some others have downtime during their jobs where they can write, and still others work in a part-time capacity so they have more time in the day to dedicate to writing. This is part of the reason why I love working with writers and admire them so much! It's tough to be a creative in today's society. Thanks for commenting :)
Thank you: all of what you say rings true, even uncomfortably so, given the time I have been trying to get over the first hurdle after completion of the MS: getting a favourable response from an agent to a query letter.
One of the hardest things you will ever do. So much self-doubt no matter how many novels you write. But when the epiphany happens and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is worth it. Also agree that if you are writing to please people, just stop. Every writer faces criticism. One reader will breeze through your novel and love it, while another won't make it through one page and think it stinks. Art is subjective. For me, I write what I would like to read. Unless I am excited about what I'm writing, I can't finish it.
I honestly enjoy the revision/editing process, probably because there is still a sense of control involved. The waiting for a response from an agent is the worst.
The only fear I had was if my English is good enough as I partly think in German, have dyslexia and didn't really have a huge vocabulary at that time. But I told myself that I give them a huge F you, and a finger, and wrote my book. Thankfully I had people who have been very helpful and improved a lot with my writing. The only regret I have that I have tried self publishing. Worst mistake I have ever chosen for my books.
There's a great scene in the movie The Motorcycle Diaries where Che and his pal stay at a Doctor's house for a few days and he replenishes their supplies, feeds them and houses them for a few days. The doctor wrote a novel and wanted them to read it. When they were departing the doctor asked them what they thought of it and the friend immediately starts raving this and that. The doctor was elated and then asked Che his opinion. Che mulled the question over for a second, and was honest. "I thought it was trite. The story was weak and the characters were undeveloped. I think you should stick to writing about what you know best." The doctor appeared angry for a moment and then a look of acceptance brushed over him. "No one has ever been honest with me before," he said.
I was lucky when a friend mentioned that one of his neighbours was a former editor at a small time (not Big Five) publishing house. I got in touch with this editor and she was kind enough to give my first novel, The Phantom of Witch's Tree, a once over. She liked it enough to pass it on to her former employers. Initially, the fiction editor at the company accepted the manuscript for publication but it was tough working with this guy. He was very exacting and we didn't get along. Finally, he rejected the novel. In the meantime, of course, I'd told all my friends that the novel had been accepted by a real publishing company. In desperation I wound up contacting the woman who owned the company and asked if she'd read the manuscript. She hadn't but relied on her fiction editor. I asked her to take a look at the novel herself before dumping it. She did, overrode the editor's opinion, and did the editing herself. She did a great job and helped immeasurably. So, the book came out on print on demand as a hardcover, paperback and ebook. It decent reviews from Kirkus and a few others. And one bad review. Neither I nor the publishing house made much money. Online vendors like Amazon and Barnes and Noble etc. took the lion's share. I can't honestly say I was disappointed by the experience because I know getting a first novel traditionally published is about 80 to 1 against according to Canada's National Post newspaper. But would I do it again? No.
I'm currently trying to get a degree in education and plan to be a teacher. I also want to be an author, so I imagine a good time to write and work on my books would be during school breaks. I may be in the minority, but don't want to be a full-time author. :)
At the end of the day, a book is onky as good as the writer who creates it, and they wouldn't write if they didn't believe it could work. Submit that story. They can only say no.
This is my 2nd time watching you, and I literally found you just today. You have some great ideas and so thank you for information that you give. I am for the first time ever trying to dive into getting published and I am not at all sure what to expect so in searching for "how to get published as a writer" led me to find you.
Thanks so much for your work, Alyssa. I am learning so much from you. Although I have been writing all my adult life as lawyer, alI nonfiction 😏, have been working on my first children's book for several years and I have learned so much about book categories and publishing in the process. I have learned about common writing problems, like info dumping, etc., and I have revised my book extensively. As a trial lawyer I have come to enjoy getting my work critiqued, so that has not been a problem for me. Rather, it has caused me to think of new ideas for my book. I totally agree that it is good to put the book down for a while. Doing so has allowed me to see it again in a new and fresh way. This has also allowed the book and characters to evolve and grow. My book started as a 32-page picture book and is now a middle grade novel. It is a fun process but, as you said, I probably would never expect to make a living from book publishing. I also love drawing and painting, and I would not expect to make a living from that either. Thanks again, Alyssa.
I heard the author of Harry Potter got declined many times before someone finally decided to publish her book. And now it’s one of the most known book.
You are doing an excellent job. I like your style, your enthusiasm, and your knowledge. My thought worth making perhaps is that one must learn to overcome by doubt by ignoring other people, even when positive. I feel that I asked too many for advice while I should have worked harder. Much that was negative was personal and much of the positive feedback was uninformed. I found that I allowed others to distract me. I learned eventually that other people should be ignored unless they are a professional like you.
I get tired of people telling me gratuitously that I will never be able to live off writing when I mention that I am trying to find an agent. I am aware of this, and do not need to be told, as though I had said that I was sure I was going to be a celebrity author on the best seller list.
Thanks Alyssa. I've definitely bumped into several of these. I'm on my fourth novel, but this is the first one that I've pushed this hard on, and I'm intent on publishing. I think there are a couple of things I'm wrestling with now. One is that my book will not be perfect. I could revise it the rest of my life, but at some point, I'm going to have to say, "this is the best I can do right now" and let it go. The second is one I think applies very strongly to science fiction/fantasy, but I can imagine it coming up in historical-based works as well. I went through several revisions where I was mainly adding elements, and there's an almost infinite supply of these. You can't put everything in one novel. One other thing I think is that I spent a lot of time during early revisions cleaning grammar. Some of that I needed because I'm a dirty drafter, but most of it should have been delayed until I reached the last revision. Of course, that would involve me knowing when I was on the last revision...
Coming towards the end of my first novel, although elsewhere I have probably written upwards of half a million worlds although only one book of non-fiction. Of the rest, none for profit or even publication in most cases. I could provide you a link to an example but it seems Google doesn't like such things. The most daunting factor though is the time between completion and publication, which is longer than the writing. OTOH, I don't need the money because I am writing for myself, or rather, I am writing for who I was at the age of about 30.
Hi Alyssa, I've recently found your channel and find all of the advice incredibly helpful. I would like to return the favor and offer you some advice on your TH-cam channel. You have excellent credentials, excellent information and are easy on the eyes: so why do you have only 12.7k subscribers after all these years, despite all these things you have going for you? As an aspiring author I watch a lot of similar channels. I have identified a few things: 1. The background music ('chilling by hoobeza'). This makes your videos hard to binge, as the tone becomes incredibly repetitive and annoying when trying to watch more than 2-3 in a row. Your content is evergreen and TH-cam loves promoting channels that are 'bingeable', it is no coincidence I was only recommended your channel recently despite voraciously consuming authortube/booktube content since 2021. On top of that, there seems to be a disproportionate amount of people in the writing community that suffer from disability. Case in point: I linked one of your videos to an aspiring author friend of mine who said she had to turn off your video after a minute because of the music, claiming she couldn't focus on your voice (she referred to this as 'cocktail party syndrome', it has a wikipedia entry and is apparently a real thing). Although I do not suffer from any auditory impairments, the music still REALLY bothers me, and after watching some ~30 videos of yours I simply can't stand this tune anymore. 2. If the plot of a book (the info you provide) is amazing but the characters (your ways of communicating) are bland and uninteresting, I probably wouldn't read the book. In a book series I may read book 1 for the plot (watch a few of your videos), but I won't come back for book 2 if the characters didn't grip me. It looks like you are literally reading words from a script and the jump-cuts create more distance. I often find myself zoning out and having to rewind because I missed vital information - this is a problem I don't have with other channels. It would probably be better if you simply had a rough draft and rambled on for a bit, it would make you more engaging and likeable. I hope you do not take offense to these criticisms - I gain nothing from writing this comment, the sole reason for doing so is because I feel like it could help you (as you have helped me with your videos - despite the soul-crushing background tune!).
What does it mean when an agent rejects a query because my project is “not a right fit for them at the time”? They said my premise captivated them but that my project wasn’t a right fit. Do smaller agencies stray away from bigger projects?
It's their formulaic way of wriggling out of answering with something helpful. Usually they say that they didn't feel 'passionate' about the work or the characters in the novel.
I wish to make a story that care about itself over readers. If we focus too much on the reader, the story become inconsistent, characters will be incoherent and it drives away from the writer intention/plan. I am not looking for a book publishing. I have FictionPress account. If only story care about plot. For this reason I prefer reading Japaneses books.
Hey Alyssa! I was watching your writing tips as I am having a story in my head for couple of years and it simply needs to get on paper one day (problem? I am not a writer apparently), so I am trying to learn some basics and absorb some advices to avoid the greatest errors. I consider writing only as a hobby and I need to attempt to put this story on paper just so it finally leaves my head haha. + I sincerely love the writing process of creating detailed draft etc. This is my first novel idea. Ive gotten published poetry before but never proze. The question I have for you is regarding translation. I do write in other language than English. Do you think it is better for me to translate my text in English (use my words) and then let it edit by native speaker (so its not such a grammar-horror) rather than let it get translated? I feel as if I let it translated directly then it could change too much from the original (I want to make my book in my original language and English as I want to share my story - one day - with friends who either speak one or other language). Thanks for your reply and thanks for your videos it helps a lot!
The video is a great help. Most of your hard truths are Relevant. But the hard truth on the revision, not so sure? A writer crafts a story the way they want and some one with Opinion, thinks it should be another way. Who writing this book? That doesn’t work for most. I have several times wanted to see your steps you offer down below? I sign up a couple times to review it, however I get nothing.
"Don't worry about whether the battle ends in victory of defeat, lay your life before your opponent, let nature take its course, and all your tools flow naturally." Bruce Lee - Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Go and write the book, and let the chips fall where they may. To succeed you must accept failure. Like the protagonist in Enter The Dragon Han said when Williams told him he is there to win, "We are all prepared to win, just as we are born knowing only life, it is defeat we must learn to prepare you for". I hope to leave my day job, be free.
Why is writing a college eassay so freaking complicated I dont understand how to write properly I can take some of the hardest exams and pass them with flying colors but ask me to write a paper for school 🤬
Is this weird? Story parts will just pop into my mind out of nowhere and if I don't write them down right away they can be lost. Dialog comes to me that way too, kind of like a flood of info.
It's not about time, it's about whether or not does it make sense for a guy in your situation. If it does, do it now. if not, don't bother regardless of time.
You don’t need to get any of the things you mentioned in self publishing. You can design the cover yourself. If you chose a proper self publishing company. They’ll do all this work for you. I personally design all the illustrations for my books. The publishing company take my crude drawing and get their expert illustrators to copy them into book quality. They do all the editing and proof read the work.Then they lay out the pages. We go through it together until we think that it’s right. I do the blurb, and the sub title, I have complete control of my work. They will then make a one minute animated film with the details of the contents of the books. They place them in all the national libraries. It’s a fantastic collaboration between me and the publisher. All this work is finished in three months. You’ll have your book in your hand and be proud of yourself. Why should you wait for years? The days of agents and traditional publishing companies are nearly over.
sounds like someone couldn't get traditionally published and is now spreading bad advice to prevent other aspiring authors from getting published...not cool man.
@@LynnaKatriel it’s all part of a package. They have several packages, you chose whatever suits your needs. They also set up a website for you. There’s no need to worry about anything, people are frightened to self publish but there no need to be. It’s the agents and trad publishers that put out these frighteners trying to stop the self publishing companies that they know are a threat to their monopoly,
I self published a non-fiction book and did everything myself, including cover art and getting an ISBN number. It's a total PITA and I was utterly sick of the whole thing at the end.
@@dirkbruere I’ve got a proper publishing company. They do the isbn number. If get the right organisation it should be a pleasant experience. I didn’t have to do the covers or illustrations. I wanted to, it was a pleasure. You’re with the wrong company.
One thing to remember! When you get that first bad review, be excited that someone that is most likely outside your circle of friends and family actually bought and read your book!!
That's a great positive spin to put on it!
That's a great one!!
And that maybe there is
1. Room to improve
2. Who your audience is.
As Nathanial Hawthorne said, "Easy reading is damn hard writing." Anybody who has tried to write knows how true those words are.
Haha, exactly!
That's a pretty good one, never heard it before.
Same for writing an academic paper 🤣🤣🤣
I never expected to make money from this. Selling just over twenty copies of Renegade in a few days when it was released a couple of months ago was enough of a thrill for me. The subsequent feedback has been entirely positive - with particular emphasis on character development. I now have to follow that...
I don't have any problems with negative feedback, or even with rewriting and revisions, as long as they support the story as intended, and don't alter those intentions. My problem is in feeling like I've used up all of my creative imagination on the initial writing process and can't necessarily see the story develop any other way.
Nice dog (in background). I love big dogs. Used to have a huge Irish Setter. And thanks for your advice... It will be nice when The Druid (the one by Anastasi) and its sequels... The Runes of Ire, go big.
the more i heard about how hard it is, the more i feel like ive got this. i just have to do what i love and be patient, two things im great at 😊 luckily i make a living writing already without selling a single book, i sell my services AS a writer and storyteller among other things. having life experience makes my writing better, and being a good writer who focused on it in college made my life experiences more valuable and profitable. i wouldnt be able to focus my experiences into a profitable job without the ability to write it down and make a story out of it. if writing isnt your strongest suit, but you love to read, and have other skills… you can still write, you just dont have to publish books. just like a chef must know how to make multiple dishes, you use more than one skill at your job. i can bake, make pizza, salad, sandwhiches, etc. its the same with making money as a writer, writing books is only one aspect
You nailed the crucial juxtaposition by saying most authors have other day jobs, but that writing is a time consuming process. True to both. But when, then, does a writer have time to write instead of work?
It's definitely a hard balance to nail--I've heard of some writers treating their writing as if it's an additional part time job, working on their novels on weeknights and weekends. Some others have downtime during their jobs where they can write, and still others work in a part-time capacity so they have more time in the day to dedicate to writing.
This is part of the reason why I love working with writers and admire them so much! It's tough to be a creative in today's society. Thanks for commenting :)
Have you tried getting up early and writing then, when you're fresher?
I am glad that you continue to provide good advice instead of trying to make your videos slicker.
Thank you: all of what you say rings true, even uncomfortably so, given the time I have been trying to get over the first hurdle after completion of the MS: getting a favourable response from an agent to a query letter.
One of the hardest things you will ever do. So much self-doubt no matter how many novels you write. But when the epiphany happens and you can see the light at the end of the tunnel, it is worth it. Also agree that if you are writing to please people, just stop. Every writer faces criticism. One reader will breeze through your novel and love it, while another won't make it through one page and think it stinks. Art is subjective. For me, I write what I would like to read. Unless I am excited about what I'm writing, I can't finish it.
I honestly enjoy the revision/editing process, probably because there is still a sense of control involved. The waiting for a response from an agent is the worst.
You are so helpful, so focused, and so truthful. Yes, I am learning-- "Writing is re-writing!" Thank you!
The only fear I had was if my English is good enough as I partly think in German, have dyslexia and didn't really have a huge vocabulary at that time. But I told myself that I give them a huge F you, and a finger, and wrote my book. Thankfully I had people who have been very helpful and improved a lot with my writing.
The only regret I have that I have tried self publishing. Worst mistake I have ever chosen for my books.
I love your content. It's helped me a ton while writing my first novel. Thank you.
There's a great scene in the movie The Motorcycle Diaries where Che and his pal stay at a Doctor's house for a few days and he replenishes their supplies, feeds them and houses them for a few days. The doctor wrote a novel and wanted them to read it. When they were departing the doctor asked them what they thought of it and the friend immediately starts raving this and that. The doctor was elated and then asked Che his opinion. Che mulled the question over for a second, and was honest. "I thought it was trite. The story was weak and the characters were undeveloped. I think you should stick to writing about what you know best." The doctor appeared angry for a moment and then a look of acceptance brushed over him. "No one has ever been honest with me before," he said.
Oh, gods, I have encountered ALL of these and more. (writing for 30+ years) Thank you for the content. Keep up the good work. Have a great day!
I was lucky when a friend mentioned that one of his neighbours was a former editor at a small time (not Big Five) publishing house. I got in touch with this editor and she was kind enough to give my first novel, The Phantom of Witch's Tree, a once over. She liked it enough to pass it on to her former employers. Initially, the fiction editor at the company accepted the manuscript for publication but it was tough working with this guy. He was very exacting and we didn't get along. Finally, he rejected the novel.
In the meantime, of course, I'd told all my friends that the novel had been accepted by a real publishing company.
In desperation I wound up contacting the woman who owned the company and asked if she'd read the manuscript. She hadn't but relied on her fiction editor. I asked her to take a look at the novel herself before dumping it. She did, overrode the editor's opinion, and did the editing herself. She did a great job and helped immeasurably.
So, the book came out on print on demand as a hardcover, paperback and ebook. It decent reviews from Kirkus and a few others. And one bad review.
Neither I nor the publishing house made much money. Online vendors like Amazon and Barnes and Noble etc. took the lion's share.
I can't honestly say I was disappointed by the experience because I know getting a first novel traditionally published is about 80 to 1 against according to Canada's National Post newspaper.
But would I do it again? No.
Thank you sharing your process--it's interesting to see how your process differs from the Big Five process!
I'm currently trying to get a degree in education and plan to be a teacher. I also want to be an author, so I imagine a good time to write and work on my books would be during school breaks. I may be in the minority, but don't want to be a full-time author. :)
At the end of the day, a book is onky as good as the writer who creates it, and they wouldn't write if they didn't believe it could work.
Submit that story. They can only say no.
As usual, your content is on point. It's Brandon Sanderson levels of insight in the writing/editing/publishing process!
This is my 2nd time watching you, and I literally found you just today. You have some great ideas and so thank you for information that you give. I am for the first time ever trying to dive into getting published and I am not at all sure what to expect so in searching for "how to get published as a writer" led me to find you.
I’m enjoying your writing guidance and advice. Love your style Alyssa…cute dog too.
Thanks so much for your work, Alyssa. I am learning so much from you. Although I have been writing all my adult life as lawyer, alI nonfiction 😏, have been working on my first children's book for several years and I have learned so much about book categories and publishing in the process. I have learned about common writing problems, like info dumping, etc., and I have revised my book extensively. As a trial lawyer I have come to enjoy getting my work critiqued, so that has not been a problem for me. Rather, it has caused me to think of new ideas for my book. I totally agree that it is good to put the book down for a while. Doing so has allowed me to see it again in a new and fresh way. This has also allowed the book and characters to evolve and grow. My book started as a 32-page picture book and is now a middle grade novel. It is a fun process but, as you said, I probably would never expect to make a living from book publishing. I also love drawing and painting, and I would not expect to make a living from that either. Thanks again, Alyssa.
Thank you for your candid words! I go through all of these writing challenges almost daily! It's nice to know that we're not alone.
You got this!
@@AlyssaMatesic Thanks for the encouraging words!
I heard the author of Harry Potter got declined many times before someone finally decided to publish her book. And now it’s one of the most known book.
Very informative video.
Thanks so much
Cheers!!!
You are doing an excellent job. I like your style, your enthusiasm, and your knowledge. My thought worth making perhaps is that one must learn to overcome by doubt by ignoring other people, even when positive. I feel that I asked too many for advice while I should have worked harder. Much that was negative was personal and much of the positive feedback was uninformed. I found that I allowed others to distract me. I learned eventually that other people should be ignored unless they are a professional like you.
I get tired of people telling me gratuitously that I will never be able to live off writing when I mention that I am trying to find an agent. I am aware of this, and do not need to be told, as though I had said that I was sure I was going to be a celebrity author on the best seller list.
Preach it, sister.
I have never spent one minute staring at a blank page. There’s too much to write about.
Thanks Alyssa. I've definitely bumped into several of these. I'm on my fourth novel, but this is the first one that I've pushed this hard on, and I'm intent on publishing. I think there are a couple of things I'm wrestling with now. One is that my book will not be perfect. I could revise it the rest of my life, but at some point, I'm going to have to say, "this is the best I can do right now" and let it go.
The second is one I think applies very strongly to science fiction/fantasy, but I can imagine it coming up in historical-based works as well. I went through several revisions where I was mainly adding elements, and there's an almost infinite supply of these. You can't put everything in one novel.
One other thing I think is that I spent a lot of time during early revisions cleaning grammar. Some of that I needed because I'm a dirty drafter, but most of it should have been delayed until I reached the last revision. Of course, that would involve me knowing when I was on the last revision...
It sounds like you've put a lot of heart and thought into your process--I wish you the best with this novel!
Coming towards the end of my first novel, although elsewhere I have probably written upwards of half a million worlds although only one book of non-fiction. Of the rest, none for profit or even publication in most cases. I could provide you a link to an example but it seems Google doesn't like such things. The most daunting factor though is the time between completion and publication, which is longer than the writing. OTOH, I don't need the money because I am writing for myself, or rather, I am writing for who I was at the age of about 30.
Hi Alyssa,
I've recently found your channel and find all of the advice incredibly helpful. I would like to return the favor and offer you some advice on your TH-cam channel. You have excellent credentials, excellent information and are easy on the eyes: so why do you have only 12.7k subscribers after all these years, despite all these things you have going for you?
As an aspiring author I watch a lot of similar channels. I have identified a few things:
1. The background music ('chilling by hoobeza'). This makes your videos hard to binge, as the tone becomes incredibly repetitive and annoying when trying to watch more than 2-3 in a row. Your content is evergreen and TH-cam loves promoting channels that are 'bingeable', it is no coincidence I was only recommended your channel recently despite voraciously consuming authortube/booktube content since 2021. On top of that, there seems to be a disproportionate amount of people in the writing community that suffer from disability. Case in point: I linked one of your videos to an aspiring author friend of mine who said she had to turn off your video after a minute because of the music, claiming she couldn't focus on your voice (she referred to this as 'cocktail party syndrome', it has a wikipedia entry and is apparently a real thing). Although I do not suffer from any auditory impairments, the music still REALLY bothers me, and after watching some ~30 videos of yours I simply can't stand this tune anymore.
2. If the plot of a book (the info you provide) is amazing but the characters (your ways of communicating) are bland and uninteresting, I probably wouldn't read the book. In a book series I may read book 1 for the plot (watch a few of your videos), but I won't come back for book 2 if the characters didn't grip me. It looks like you are literally reading words from a script and the jump-cuts create more distance. I often find myself zoning out and having to rewind because I missed vital information - this is a problem I don't have with other channels. It would probably be better if you simply had a rough draft and rambled on for a bit, it would make you more engaging and likeable.
I hope you do not take offense to these criticisms - I gain nothing from writing this comment, the sole reason for doing so is because I feel like it could help you (as you have helped me with your videos - despite the soul-crushing background tune!).
Because she makes these videos for the right reasons and doesn't algorithm snipe with clickbait and viral hashtags.
Great commentary.
What does it mean when an agent rejects a query because my project is “not a right fit for them at the time”? They said my premise captivated them but that my project wasn’t a right fit. Do smaller agencies stray away from bigger projects?
It's their formulaic way of wriggling out of answering with something helpful. Usually they say that they didn't feel 'passionate' about the work or the characters in the novel.
I wish to make a story that care about itself over readers. If we focus too much on the reader, the story become inconsistent, characters will be incoherent and it drives away from the writer intention/plan.
I am not looking for a book publishing. I have FictionPress account. If only story care about plot. For this reason I prefer reading Japaneses books.
As Red Smith said, "writing is easy. You just have to sit in front of your typewriter until drops of blood appear on your forehead."
Hey Alyssa! I was watching your writing tips as I am having a story in my head for couple of years and it simply needs to get on paper one day (problem? I am not a writer apparently), so I am trying to learn some basics and absorb some advices to avoid the greatest errors. I consider writing only as a hobby and I need to attempt to put this story on paper just so it finally leaves my head haha. + I sincerely love the writing process of creating detailed draft etc. This is my first novel idea. Ive gotten published poetry before but never proze. The question I have for you is regarding translation. I do write in other language than English. Do you think it is better for me to translate my text in English (use my words) and then let it edit by native speaker (so its not such a grammar-horror) rather than let it get translated? I feel as if I let it translated directly then it could change too much from the original (I want to make my book in my original language and English as I want to share my story - one day - with friends who either speak one or other language). Thanks for your reply and thanks for your videos it helps a lot!
Thank you
Always helpful information.
The video is a great help. Most of your hard truths are Relevant. But the hard truth on the revision, not so sure? A writer crafts a story the way they want and some one with Opinion, thinks it should be another way.
Who writing this book? That doesn’t work for most.
I have several times wanted to see your steps you offer down below? I sign up a couple times to review it, however I get nothing.
Yep.
"Don't worry about whether the battle ends in victory of defeat, lay your life before your opponent, let nature take its course, and all your tools flow naturally." Bruce Lee - Tao of Jeet Kune Do. Go and write the book, and let the chips fall where they may. To succeed you must accept failure. Like the protagonist in Enter The Dragon Han said when Williams told him he is there to win, "We are all prepared to win, just as we are born knowing only life, it is defeat we must learn to prepare you for". I hope to leave my day job, be free.
Awesome video!! :)
I'm about to turn 47 years old. If I get accepted by a publisher tomorrow, I'm not actually getting published until I'm 50. That's disheartening.
Don’t feel bad. Laura Ingalls Wilder didn’t publish her first book until the age of 65.
But it's a lot *easier* to make a living if you're a self-published author. I know many of them, and I'm going that way myself.
Would it be worse to be a good writer who isn't a good storyteller, or a good storyteller who's a bad writer?
Why is writing a college eassay so freaking complicated I dont understand how to write properly I can take some of the hardest exams and pass them with flying colors but ask me to write a paper for school 🤬
Is this weird? Story parts will just pop into my mind out of nowhere and if I don't write them down right away they can be lost. Dialog comes to me that way too, kind of like a flood of info.
Forget everything else, I just wish I could have fun again.
At the end of the day ! What about the start of the day??
Cart before the horse question here, but does publishing rights include the rights to sell it to be turned into a screenplay?
The truth is what sets us free. How long should one wait before considering self-publishing? In you opinion.
It's not about time, it's about whether or not does it make sense for a guy in your situation. If it does, do it now. if not, don't bother regardless of time.
Start 1.52 👍great vid
First yes!
You don’t need to get any of the things you mentioned in self publishing. You can design the cover yourself. If you chose a proper self publishing company. They’ll do all this work for you. I personally design all the illustrations for my books. The publishing company take my crude drawing and get their expert illustrators to copy them into book quality. They do all the editing and proof read the work.Then they lay out the pages. We go through it together until we think that it’s right. I do the blurb, and the sub title, I have complete control of my work. They will then make a one minute animated film with the details of the contents of the books. They place them in all the national libraries. It’s a fantastic collaboration between me and the publisher. All this work is finished in three months. You’ll have your book in your hand and be proud of yourself. Why should you wait for years? The days of agents and traditional publishing companies are nearly over.
sounds like someone couldn't get traditionally published and is now spreading bad advice to prevent other aspiring authors from getting published...not cool man.
Did the "proper self-publishing company" do all this for you free of charge? Probably not, eh?
@@LynnaKatriel it’s all part of a package. They have several packages, you chose whatever suits your needs. They also set up a website for you. There’s no need to worry about anything, people are frightened to self publish but there no need to be. It’s the agents and trad publishers that put out these frighteners trying to stop the self publishing companies that they know are a threat to their monopoly,
I self published a non-fiction book and did everything myself, including cover art and getting an ISBN number.
It's a total PITA and I was utterly sick of the whole thing at the end.
@@dirkbruere I’ve got a proper publishing company. They do the isbn number. If get the right organisation it should be a pleasant experience. I didn’t have to do the covers or illustrations. I wanted to, it was a pleasure. You’re with the wrong company.
Most Pulitzer Prize winning books are well edited but extremely boring novels
What is this word obstacles?
LOL, set up a marketing plan... ummmm I'm a writer, not a real life Mad Man.
I'm definitely trying to figure out my own process of crafting a book. ✍️🫠🙈