5 Things That Will RUIN Your Novel | Writing Advice

Here are some common issues that may affect your novel in a not great way
Chapters:
00:00-Intro
00: 43-Character Agency
02:29-Stakes
03:47-Plot Arcs
05:11-Lack Structure
06:59-Darkness

[@cosmicprison9819]

I’ve said the same about passive protagonists before, and yes, it will “ruin” your novel’s intellectual value - it will not necessarily ruin its financial potential though. In fact, two of the most financially successful novels in history, Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey, feature passive protagonists. In those stories, that’s a feature, not a bug. At the same time, it’s probably one of the reasons why most people intuitively regard these two book series as trash.

[@BigDaddyJinx]

And one person's trash is another's treasure. Mommy Pr0n will always sell. Even though it looks like it was written by a 12 year old high on pizza pockets and Monster drink. Intellectuals will reject it wholesale, but since intellectuals are the minority, this is why trash novels like those make bank. They catered to the right audience.

[@xChikyx]

I'm afraid my MC has not enough agency :/

[@kiwilemontea4622]

Man, I'm only 30 seconds in and I've already been assaulted by the mental image of a rival author pouring bucketfuls of adverbs onto my rough draft XD

[@cosmicprison9819]

“None of this lab-grown crap; something has to die!” Joke’s on you, because my sci-fi novel does indeed have lab-grown meat - and both sides of the conflict are trying to preserve lives. That doesn’t mean that nobody dies, though - but the stakes are ultimately “fates worse than death”…

[@francinem4944]

Steaks...

[@TimRG]

I think writers need to understand story structure. It's key to writing. However, I've never understood how people write to a plot structure. I've tried it and got bored and lost interest in the story. You gotta do what works for you.

[@madelinekonrad]

It's definitely a balance. I find that I need to know the end of a novel (at least in broad strokes) before I can start writing. But I need the freedom to discover the rest of the novel in between, within reason, for my creativity to keep me motivated. I can restructure and tweak a plot structure in a second draft.

[@TimRG]

​@@madelinekonrad The Second Draft is really where a writer needs to focus on the structure, whatever structure they use. But knowing it ahead of time helps if you're a planner like me or a pantser.

[@LeVosgienLVHLS]

I used to think that - 2nd draft getting the focus of my structural concerns, that sounded great! But in my case (pantser), it was a mistake.
Now, with a more careful and burnt-from-experience approach, I try to devise as much structure as I can in the early stages of my 'experimental' first draft (being still a pantser) and as such, mercilessly to myself perhaps, the second draft cuts at least half of the first one, altering and redressing even more of it.
Otherwise, every new iteration just end up being worse that the pleasantly funny first draft.
Finally, as for the statement, "You gotta do what works for you", while I agree, I'm also a bit warry of this reassuring, and probably procrastination inducing, set of blinders. Even if, as writers, we do need to buttress our pathetically shaky confidence at times. It can easily lead us to conveniently forget that "You gotta deliver what works for your readers".
Anyway, that was my non native english ramblings.

[@andreasboe4509]

Great list. I would add "Assuming your reader is dumb and easily entertained" ... unless that is your deliberate target demographic.

[@darkwitnesslxx]

I have a long running WIP that has a protagonist that is designed to not be able to take action. Literally a Witness (hence my username). Its VERY difficult to make it work. I've played around with different POV characters, kind of John Watson type of thing. I've played around with the majority of drama coming from internal dialog. I've all but decided it cant be done, but the story wont leave me alone. The entire plot and theme revolve around that characters inability to take action and the guilt and shame that brings. The whole thing devolves into melodrama, and i hate it so much.

[@JEMofTheShire]

The more I watch and listen to your videos, the more I get excited to do my best in writing my novel!

[@duncanosis6773]

Thanks! Best of luck with your writing!

[@The3dge]

Nice video. I almost clicked away on the hook…it was a bit too random for me, but I enjoyed the rest.

[@joshuam2212]

everything always going terribly wrong till the end then it all works out perfectly can give off to much disbelief yes it is popular but if your character is the most unlucky person you ever meat then a the drop of a hat he is the most lucky comes off as unrealistic not everything has to go wrong or right

[@francinem4944]

Ahh the arena of proud authors without the guile and guts to make their own vid of watchworthy material... frankly your insights are great and i love your humor ty for making your vids... it's funny tho how almost open minded a lot if yt watchers are... always willing to watch content they disagree with 😅

[@skyshorrchannel3474]

Good....No; great video.
I solved a - serious flaw - reconciliation scenario while you spoke.
So thank you much.

[@duncanosis6773]

Thanks!

[@asemicwriter]

You need more books.

[@tehufn]

I'm here for the dry humour

[@johndoe-rq1pu]

0. writing it.

[@BooksForever]

“Mmmmm… lab-grown steaks!”

[@nurabsal0x018c]

So you cracked 1,000 subscribers? Name them.

[@CorporateCornholio]

Hewy, Loui, Dewy, Sneezy, Doc, Bashful, Dopy, Happy, Grumpy, Sleepy .... I will see myself out now.

[@moonslave90]

"having a protagonist that lacks agency". You've never read some of the greatest Japanese novels before, have you?

[@sheila19954]

different audiences. this is not a video about Japanese writing
also, you're not going to get a lot of Japanese to read your book, honey

[@zamp_gaming]

You're talking about a very small handful of books among hundreds of millions.
For the majority of writers and readers, they don't want to write or read about an agent-less protagonist. That also includes Japanese writers and readers.

[@restlessnative9305]

WKRP FTW