The 10 ways are: 1. Sprints (limit your time with a timer) 2. get rid of distractions 3. don't do research 4. don't find the "right word" 5. share schedule with others 6. don't stop to read or edit 7. don't think about speed (don't stress yourself out) 8. establish routine > reward system 9. don't push too far 10. Accept your skills where they are currently at
Imagine just writing a sentence with such development and then all of a sudden: "water holder thing for animals". That's so funny. I would like for that to happen at some point in my novel so I could edit it again later and laugh at it 😂.
I edit during the sprint breaks and in the morning before i start writing , then again at 12am after the nano daily deadline. :)))) soothes my need to edit
"This is why I write because I can't speak." This is me in a sentence. XD I've never done NaNoWriMo. I'm the one writer in the world who hasn't done that. XD XD How'd you know I was procrastinating by watching your video?? (because I literally procrastinate all the time, that's why, lol) Super helpfil. I love this!!
HAHA GIRL YOU GET ME *fist bump * seriously though NaNo isn't really anything special. just stress and self-imposed deadlines *nervous laughter * BUT IT'S FUN I DO LIKE IT. 😊 thank you so much, Ivie!!
For number 4, I do something that my sister (who isn't a writer but I guess can be helpful sometimes 😜) told me: just write the word ELEPHANT. Like that, in all caps. It's easy to notice again later, and you can figure out the word then. The tip you gave in 9 from Kate is awesome! It totally makes me feel better about my writing and stopping. Thanks for the video!
These are awesome tips! I'm a pretty slow writer as well, and I think we're a lot alike, so I'll definitely have to try them. My favorite tip is to stop before you get tired of writing. Such an amazing tip! Thanks for another fabulous video, Abbie!
Okay but I once spent a whole hour trying to figure out how to spell a word by looking through lists for Scrabble and when I found it, I decided to watch a video and ended up binge-watching a kid's cartoon. That was yesterday. I don't think I can even make it through haha XD
My problem when writing is that english is my second language and putting away Google translate would literally stop me from remembering any words -thus no full sentences. I've tried writing in my language first then translating it but english is much more expressive than mine and writing multicultural characters was just awkward.
when it happens to me i just throw the word i forgot in my native language so i can translate it later, its funny to find a portuguese word out of the blue in the middle of a sentence but it works ajsdskdjcvnh
Same another thing I do is find pictures of people and edit them to look like my characters. Hopefully it will help when I start writing (I'm outlining right now) but I wonder if it's just a waste of time and I'm just doing it to procrastinate 😂
I have actually joined Nanowrimo this year and I'm spending my time watching your amazing video just to write faster. These 10 minutes I've been listening to you will save much more minutes that I'll spend on writing to win the contest. Thanks for this perfect video!!
I am SO GLAD you said you LIKE to read your own writing. So many go on and on about how they hate their own writing, how they despise it, or get annoyed or only see flaws. Thank you! I like to read my own stuff too. I think it's fun. I love to write it, I like to edit it, I find it fun to read and discover things I do and I think it's pretty good. (Yes, I'm aware it's not the best writing in the world, but heck, it's decent, ok. And I like it!)
I also can't speak... writer problems. I am about to spend the winter out in the woods in Canada and I'm going to try ALL of this. Especially the sprints.
This is SO HELPFUL!! I am doing NaNoWriMo in November, and I'm pretty stoked to do it, as well as terrified! Am researching on how to improve my writing word-count, as well as quality. Thanks so much!!!
I must tell you, I love your videos. I can't really say what makes them different from all the other writing vlogs on YT, but it's just something about the way you speak... It seems so honest to me. Of course I don't mean that all the other vloggers are not honest, but, I don't know. There's some authenticity in you that speaks to me. Also, I love it that you don't make the videos longer than they need to be. I don't get bored with unimportant details, because everything you say resonates with me. Also, I loved your video about background music and ambient mixers - it was so specific! You gave the names of the sites and everything, not just generalities like others tend to. [I know I should have left this part under the other video, but I hope you won't mind it here as well ;)]
Wow, thank you so much!! Your comment totally brightened my day. 😊 I'm so glad you find my videos helpful and inspiring, and I'm so glad you're here! THANK YOU 💛
I love writing sprints. It's also handy as I have a family of my own. I tell them, 'I'm going to be doing nothing but writing for half an hour now, so just take care of yourselves. Please.'
Abbie, I haven't done any writing for over a decade. I have missed writing so much. The past few days, I've had an idea and it's been growing roots and taking over my brain. I was so glad to find your videos to help me get this idea out on paper. I'm so excited to write.
I am an extremely slow writer, but i reach my objectives every day and i take time to really ponder about the story, and what should come next. Also, i take time to think of all my characters reactions to what i wrote, and how they should react to it, depending on their personalities and motivations.
I'M INSPIRED BY THIS VIDEO! THANK YOU SO MUCH ABBIE! NEW FAN HERE! I'M A FILIPINO BY THE WAY... I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR MORE 'INSPIRING' AND 'WRITING ADVICE' VIDEOS! I'M GLAD I SAW THIS VIDEO OF YOURS. THESE ARE MY ANSWERS TO MY EXHAUSTED QUESTIONS.
I'm looking forward to NanoWriMo 2020. I'm generally a slow writer. I think the fastest I have achieved is 1200 words in 75 minutes - article for a blog. Thanks to your Preptober video, I know how to prepare for this years Nanowrimo. Loved this video. 10 sensible, executable tips. Great work. You are the BEST!
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
When she said the most she wrote in a single day is 6K words... Me: That's more than what I have written in a MONTH! 😭😭😭 Please tell me I'm not alone. 😢
You're definitely not alone, 6k in a single day is *way* above average. She must not know anyone with an actual average daily word count, hence her (massively) skewed perception.
You're not! My best is 3K in a day if I'm super lucky, 2K is I'm lucky, 600 or less on average. Most of the time I do about 0 to 200 and go about doing something else.
Literally EVERY SINGLE WORD that you said describes me. I really needed this, though, especially the part about researching. Sometimes I have to do that as I write his-fic and have to, but that is SERIOUSLY good advice, girl!
I actually like doing word sprints because I don't see them as word wars. I see them as working together toward our word goals. No one loses, no one wins because, in the end, everyone wins.
I love your take on routine over reward. I'm currently in school to get my degree in child development and that's something we learn about the brain in children and also with adults. When you are rewarded rather than receiving praise and positive reinforcement, you are only looking forward to the reward, and end up not developing the desired behavior.
Here is my main issue with the actual writing process. How do you write at the pace of your writing? I am visualizing my scene and thinking of everything at a fast pace but my writing slows that down and it is struggle to writing at the pace my brain wants me too.
Hey Abbie! I have been a recurring viewer of yours for two years now. It all started when the teacher in the creative writing club I was in in 9th grade linked a video of yours. I've been binging you on and off ever since. Currently, I'm working on a YA fantasy novel and I'm still on the first draft. That's because I wrote five chapters (not counting random extra scenes) about a year ago and didn't pick it back up until now. I am 16, I have all the time in the world, but I am extremely excited for this journey. Sure it's hard, but I can do it insha'allah. Thank you, Abbie! 💛
I'm watching this video right after I found the perfect words I needed to form the perfect sentence in my book haha! It definitely puts a stop to the writing process though. I spent 2 hours brainstorming and asking questions to people just to find 1 phrase that I could use both as a simile and as foreshadowing. It's the best feeling when you actually find the words though. Like searching for a song you only know 4 lyrics to and then finally finding it. SO SATISFYING BUT ALSO SO DESTRUCTIVE TO THE WRITING PROCESS!
I see someone really likes their cookies haha! Last year was my first attempt at Nanowrimo (not including several other not-so determined attempts in prior years) and although I actually did most of what you suggest in this video before even watching it, it's a huge validation to know others rely on these habits/aggressive rules as well. Thanks for posting this video!
I know I'm late but this is the BEST video EVER! I related SO much. I know you may not see this Abbie, but I am DEFINITELY putting you in my acknowledgements.🥰😃
Ways to write faster work well with simple outlining and drafting. I love using Astrohaus Freewrite devices for drafting because of the freedom, and no easy way to escape the rules you described. BUT... Even though writing fast is neat, it is the quality of each scene that must be your priority. For me, getting the correct tone, and especially the right emotional response from the audience in every scene, is the key to create good stuff. Sometimes it is fun and easy, and then it is great to write faster. Sometimes you must provide near perfect empathy from the audience, and then it is much better to write slow with great vision and thought behind every line.
It was only recently I realized the importance of the whole no editing thing. I heard a podcast that likened it to sweeping the driveway and doing the dishes at the same time walking back and forth between the two locations after each dish and swing of the broom. I think as writer we don't realize how hard it is for our brain to switch from creating to criticizing and back again over and over. Ultimately the more often we switch the slower our writing will be.
The problem with me is that I have far too many books I'm working on. One day, I feel like writing one book and the next, I'm writing another. Because I have so many, I can never get an individual book completed. I'm going to focus on book for now though an use these tips, thank you! :)
Oh My Abbie! Thank you so much for this video. I am a person who always gets distracted by doing research on something but your advice is Awesome so Thank you so much.
3:00 when we do our word sprints together, we’re not particularly competitive either lol. we cheer each other on, but basically compete against ourselves & our personal best scores 🙈
It’s so true that to writers our own creations are more entertaining than anything else. I enjoy my own books more than most tv shows, and getting back into them is like returning to a show where I get to see what happens next.
Wow! Our writing styles are complete opposites. And that’s ok. Whatever works, right? -I don’t do sprints. I do marathons… like 14 hours straight marathons. -I read. I edit. I find the right word. And I don’t get distracted when using an online thesaurus. -I agree about people and distractions. But I have to have my internet on. If it’s off, I’d be distracted. I’d worry if there was a family emergency I needed to know about. -It’s all good. I guess it just shows it’s ok to do your own thing. -I still love your videos & info. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
God Bless You! You qre such an inspiration. Many times you have uplifted me from the trenches of my pending doom (gantasy) and I come right out of it. You're a million bucks, girl. Write Crime thriller, or how to write one! Rock on!!!
These are all good tips. My suggestion to becoming a good writer, and that includes writing with speed, is to prep for it. Prep for,the times when you achieve “flow.” 1st:learn to type. With word per minute typing speeds of at least 60, one can achieve productivity of a 1000 to 1500 words an hour, and at that rate, after 4 to 6 hours, can see some real movement. 10,000? 20,000 words a day? I’ve never heard anyone working at that rate, and if they do, I’d hate to see their editing process. (My opinion) Also, it’s the marathon runner who puts in the distance, not the sprinter. 2nd: learn to write by writing (specifically what you want to write-by genre), and … writing fast happens when the ideas flow. When I first started writing, it took me 4 years to do 120,000 words, mainly because the ideas, the creativity, was slow. It was a non-existent muscle, atrophied to uselessness. Now, just finishing up the edits of my 4th book, and mentally working on the fifth, that little idea muscle is a power house. It doesn’t stop. I wrote 350,000 words and 3 books, just to get to the point, to write my 4th in only 6 months, working on weekends and days off. It’s at 175,000 words. I would say, if you can do 200,000 to 250,000 words of solid, entertaining writing to start out with, “putting in the hard work,” taking you 3, 6, or more years, but maybe less, you’ll be on your way. They say it takes 10 years of solid work to become a good writer, so you can see where some of my numbers come from. 3rd, achieve “flow state.” While I still get stuck on “that word,” I find “flow” almost like a runners high. The book practically writes itself, and I’m there for the ride. I’m there as an audience member, and I’m entertained by what’s spilling onto the screen. It’s almost magic. You can find many videos on TH-cam on “flow,” but I can’t tell you specifically how it works. But when one achieves flow, and it takes anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to achieve in a sitting, but when you achieve it, all distractions go away, turning to background noise. It is that runners high. It is that “steak” when bowling or playing pool. It is that mental state. And when you’re in it … … when you’re in it, you need those tools to keep it flowing. You need that comfort in your mind, knowing what you write can then be edited into gold. I type at maybe 100 wpm, and even then, my hands don’t keep up. At the end of the day my mind is useless, as are my hands, just like that marathoner. And when the ideas stop … I go back and start editing. Yes … with the 1st draft that isn’t done, but I find going back just a few chapters, and sometimes all the way to the front, it refreshes my memories. It gives me those “Oh yeah” moments. But I’m also a pantser, writing at the seat of my pants. An outliner may not need this. In the end, this makes writing fun, and when anything is fun, it makes you want to do it more and more. Keep writing. ;)
Thank you, Abbie. You're always helpful and encouraging to listen to. Everything you say always slaps me back to reality and rationality when it comes to my struggles with writing.
You are hilarious and so so wise. I know most of this, but I just..don't sometimes. Great ideas! I liked and subscribed about eight videos ago. Lol! Love love your content!
I watched this, funnily enough that first thing you mentioned about making it a competition really worked well for me, ive tried some of the other things in the video and they didnt work out but that one did
About the writing sprints. I’m writing on Wattpad, because it doesn’t cost to write there and get feedback etc. I couldn’t compete with others to write sprint, but writing a “reading night” live, could actually be seen similar. I mean, you’re trying to write between 3.000 and 6.000+ words in a few hours to bring out a whole chapter every hour for the waiting readers to read. It’s actually pretty fun. So yeah, it’s like this with the timer, only that people are waiting for it.
Abbie, you really hit the nail about stopping to self edit. Can’t say how many times I ruined a scene by stopping to make a small change and it all fell apart. Thanks for all the tips!
this chaotic Abbie energy is bringing me life!! haha thanks for these tips, Abbie! Amazing to see how your videos have evolved over the years (We love both!)
You nailed me on # 4 ! I’m a slow writer because I’m mentally editing my word choices before anything can get onto the page. In fact I notice I’m doing it now even as I’m typing this comment. I feel better about my slowness and see how I can improve now, thanks.
8:40 YESS this was a huge problem I used to have. I still kinda do it sometimes but I’m working on it XD I literally got a typewriter just to train myself to stop going back to edit things. Cause with a typewriter you can’t really do that 😂 it helped tremendously and now I can write on my laptop or a notebook without going back and trying to fix every little thing every time I write a sentence, at least most times lol I highly recommend a typewriter to anyone who has this problem.
Thank you so much for this video. This is invaluable to me as a creative writer and also for my day job working as a commercial content writer. So helpful and encouraging. Thank you. 💖💕
Hi abbie, I ve watching your videos for the past few months... I gotta say, you give great advices and are incredibly informative. Thanks for motivating people like me 💪
For me it helps to just highlight a word or phrase I’m not satisfied with and move on. I can figure out something better later. This is especially useful if I happen to notice some word repetition, since I don’t have to think about synonyms or rephrasing.
Wow this was absolutely amazing!!!! I don’t write novels but I am making comics and all of the tips still apply! Actually I think they apply to pretty much any piece of work or project, thank you so much Abbie ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Hi Abbie I am a 62 year old grandad and doctor writing my first book, really enjoy your videos, thanks loads
that's terrific!
This is the most wholesome comment I have ever seen
I want to use your situation in a story, that was so wholesome
Wow , im 37 and want to start writing my first book. Did you ever get started??
@@irenechaconruiz7807 feel free good luck
The 10 ways are:
1. Sprints (limit your time with a timer)
2. get rid of distractions
3. don't do research
4. don't find the "right word"
5. share schedule with others
6. don't stop to read or edit
7. don't think about speed (don't stress yourself out)
8. establish routine > reward system
9. don't push too far
10. Accept your skills where they are currently at
Thank you!
Thanks
I appreciate the recap.
2-4 and 6 are my banes. Ugh, so hard not to edit. I love editing.
4 is the bane of my existence
“Literally nothing entertains me as much as my own writing” 🙋🏻♀️😅💛
true, though.
Same
Same
I couldn’t think of the word “trough” so I wrote “water holder thing for animals”
That was fun to find when I re read it lol
HAHA THAT'S GREAT
Imagine just writing a sentence with such development and then all of a sudden: "water holder thing for animals". That's so funny. I would like for that to happen at some point in my novel so I could edit it again later and laugh at it 😂.
I’ve done stuff like this for my school stories lol LOVE IT!
Oh my God, the tip on not editing while writing CRUSHED me. My writing process is like a machine, everything happens at once.
I edit during the sprint breaks and in the morning before i start writing , then again at 12am after the nano daily deadline. :)))) soothes my need to edit
Same🙈🙈
That’s my problem - I focus way too hard on writing the perfect sentence
This is me.
I’m glad I’m not the only one
“ this is why I write because I can’t speak “ I immediately hit the like button
as you should.
"This is why I write because I can't speak." This is me in a sentence. XD
I've never done NaNoWriMo. I'm the one writer in the world who hasn't done that. XD XD
How'd you know I was procrastinating by watching your video??
(because I literally procrastinate all the time, that's why, lol)
Super helpfil. I love this!!
HAHA GIRL YOU GET ME *fist bump * seriously though NaNo isn't really anything special. just stress and self-imposed deadlines *nervous laughter * BUT IT'S FUN I DO LIKE IT. 😊 thank you so much, Ivie!!
Same! I write so much better than I speak XD
NaNoWriMo would be better if you could write on it and, as you do, updates progress.
I agree with everything you just said. :D It also applies to me. :p
Same.
Treat it like freakin NETFLIX
For number 4, I do something that my sister (who isn't a writer but I guess can be helpful sometimes 😜) told me: just write the word ELEPHANT. Like that, in all caps. It's easy to notice again later, and you can figure out the word then.
The tip you gave in 9 from Kate is awesome! It totally makes me feel better about my writing and stopping. Thanks for the video!
Oooh that's a good idea!! you'd definitely spot it from afar haha!! 😂 YES THAT ONE IS SO HELPFUL. 💛 thank you so much for watching, Julia!
I DO THAT TOO😂
Woah.. I thought I was the only one XD
These are awesome tips! I'm a pretty slow writer as well, and I think we're a lot alike, so I'll definitely have to try them. My favorite tip is to stop before you get tired of writing. Such an amazing tip! Thanks for another fabulous video, Abbie!
Thank you so much, Alea!! 😊💛 I'm so happy you liked this video!! YES I LOVE THAT ONE. it's seriously amazing.
“Or you can threaten them at knife point.”
When my brother comes into my room
Me: GET OUT I HAVE A KNIFE!!!!!
@Alexandria Truitthow did you teach him that? TELL ME
@@liv6731 loll
1920's slang we should bring back. Ha! That's my fav one & we should bring them ALL BACK in 2020!
Okay but I once spent a whole hour trying to figure out how to spell a word by looking through lists for Scrabble and when I found it, I decided to watch a video and ended up binge-watching a kid's cartoon.
That was yesterday. I don't think I can even make it through haha XD
HAHA OH MY GOSH that's so great 😂
@@AbbieEmmons thank you haha XD
I think I found my clone
That’s me TODAY 😅
“Go write something because you’re probably procrastinating writing by watching this video.” You caught me 😂
Abbie: "and determination, will get you far my friend." Me: *sweats, procrastinates, concentrates as hard as i can*
wait in 27 days? I can't even finish a polished short story in 6 months!
"...whatever life form you live with..."
Me: stares at my 12 year old cactus
cactus are wonderful writing companions… 💛
@@AbbieEmmons yeah, just give them a hug whenever you don't feel like writing. That way you always feel like writing:)
My problem when writing is that english is my second language and putting away Google translate would literally stop me from remembering any words -thus no full sentences.
I've tried writing in my language first then translating it but english is much more expressive than mine and writing multicultural characters was just awkward.
Omg also English is my second language and if l translate my first all the sentences doesn't make a sense 😂😂😳😳
when it happens to me i just throw the word i forgot in my native language so i can translate it later, its funny to find a portuguese word out of the blue in the middle of a sentence but it works ajsdskdjcvnh
guilty for researching right here. i wasted 3 hours on trying to come up w character names and searching name meanings lol 😂
Exactly
I can definitely relate 😂
Same another thing I do is find pictures of people and edit them to look like my characters. Hopefully it will help when I start writing (I'm outlining right now) but I wonder if it's just a waste of time and I'm just doing it to procrastinate 😂
Naming characters is the hardest part lol. Right now I’m just throwing random names for side characters like “I’ll change them later”.
I have actually joined Nanowrimo this year and I'm spending my time watching your amazing video just to write faster. These 10 minutes I've been listening to you will save much more minutes that I'll spend on writing to win the contest. Thanks for this perfect video!!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad this video helped you!! 😊
I am SO GLAD you said you LIKE to read your own writing. So many go on and on about how they hate their own writing, how they despise it, or get annoyed or only see flaws. Thank you! I like to read my own stuff too. I think it's fun. I love to write it, I like to edit it, I find it fun to read and discover things I do and I think it's pretty good. (Yes, I'm aware it's not the best writing in the world, but heck, it's decent, ok. And I like it!)
I also can't speak... writer problems.
I am about to spend the winter out in the woods in Canada and I'm going to try ALL of this. Especially the sprints.
This is SO HELPFUL!! I am doing NaNoWriMo in November, and I'm pretty stoked to do it, as well as terrified! Am researching on how to improve my writing word-count, as well as quality. Thanks so much!!!
I’m so glad you liked this video, Merrick! I'M STOKED AND TERRIFIED TOO HAHA 😂 I hope you have an awesome NaNo!
lol did u win
I must tell you, I love your videos. I can't really say what makes them different from all the other writing vlogs on YT, but it's just something about the way you speak... It seems so honest to me. Of course I don't mean that all the other vloggers are not honest, but, I don't know. There's some authenticity in you that speaks to me. Also, I love it that you don't make the videos longer than they need to be. I don't get bored with unimportant details, because everything you say resonates with me.
Also, I loved your video about background music and ambient mixers - it was so specific! You gave the names of the sites and everything, not just generalities like others tend to. [I know I should have left this part under the other video, but I hope you won't mind it here as well ;)]
Wow, thank you so much!! Your comment totally brightened my day. 😊 I'm so glad you find my videos helpful and inspiring, and I'm so glad you're here! THANK YOU 💛
I love writing sprints. It's also handy as I have a family of my own. I tell them, 'I'm going to be doing nothing but writing for half an hour now, so just take care of yourselves. Please.'
Yes!! It's so good to be able to take that time for your art and not be interrupted. 👏✨
@@AbbieEmmons absolutely!
Abbie, I haven't done any writing for over a decade. I have missed writing so much. The past few days, I've had an idea and it's been growing roots and taking over my brain. I was so glad to find your videos to help me get this idea out on paper. I'm so excited to write.
I am an extremely slow writer, but i reach my objectives every day and i take time to really ponder about the story, and what should come next. Also, i take time to think of all my characters reactions to what i wrote, and how they should react to it, depending on their personalities and motivations.
“This is why I’m a writer, because I can’t speak” me lol
I'M INSPIRED BY THIS VIDEO! THANK YOU SO MUCH ABBIE! NEW FAN HERE! I'M A FILIPINO BY THE WAY... I CAN'T WAIT FOR YOUR MORE 'INSPIRING' AND 'WRITING ADVICE' VIDEOS! I'M GLAD I SAW THIS VIDEO OF YOURS. THESE ARE MY ANSWERS TO MY EXHAUSTED QUESTIONS.
I'm looking forward to NanoWriMo 2020. I'm generally a slow writer. I think the fastest I have achieved is 1200 words in 75 minutes - article for a blog. Thanks to your Preptober video, I know how to prepare for this years Nanowrimo. Loved this video. 10 sensible, executable tips. Great work. You are the BEST!
Thank you so much for your kind words! They mean so much to me, and I am thrilled that the content I make encourages you to chase your dreams and make your story MATTER!
When she said the most she wrote in a single day is 6K words...
Me: That's more than what I have written in a MONTH! 😭😭😭
Please tell me I'm not alone. 😢
is that 20 pages?
@@captainpinky8307 With a 12 font size on a letter-sized paper (short bondpaper), 6K words is about 10 pages.
You're definitely not alone, 6k in a single day is *way* above average. She must not know anyone with an actual average daily word count, hence her (massively) skewed perception.
I can’t write you more than that in a day with motivation, but I get motivation very rarely so-
You're not! My best is 3K in a day if I'm super lucky, 2K is I'm lucky, 600 or less on average. Most of the time I do about 0 to 200 and go about doing something else.
Literally EVERY SINGLE WORD that you said describes me. I really needed this, though, especially the part about researching. Sometimes I have to do that as I write his-fic and have to, but that is SERIOUSLY good advice, girl!
I'm at 18,000 words for Nano! Last year I only got to 3,500, so yay! I do have a research slowdown problem, so this helps!
I actually like doing word sprints because I don't see them as word wars. I see them as working together toward our word goals. No one loses, no one wins because, in the end, everyone wins.
I love your take on routine over reward. I'm currently in school to get my degree in child development and that's something we learn about the brain in children and also with adults. When you are rewarded rather than receiving praise and positive reinforcement, you are only looking forward to the reward, and end up not developing the desired behavior.
Here is my main issue with the actual writing process. How do you write at the pace of your writing? I am visualizing my scene and thinking of everything at a fast pace but my writing slows that down and it is struggle to writing at the pace my brain wants me too.
Abbie is one of the most relatable and genuine person I have seen so far, love her so much🖤
Hey Abbie! I have been a recurring viewer of yours for two years now. It all started when the teacher in the creative writing club I was in in 9th grade linked a video of yours. I've been binging you on and off ever since. Currently, I'm working on a YA fantasy novel and I'm still on the first draft. That's because I wrote five chapters (not counting random extra scenes) about a year ago and didn't pick it back up until now. I am 16, I have all the time in the world, but I am extremely excited for this journey. Sure it's hard, but I can do it insha'allah. Thank you, Abbie! 💛
I'm watching this video right after I found the perfect words I needed to form the perfect sentence in my book haha! It definitely puts a stop to the writing process though. I spent 2 hours brainstorming and asking questions to people just to find 1 phrase that I could use both as a simile and as foreshadowing. It's the best feeling when you actually find the words though. Like searching for a song you only know 4 lyrics to and then finally finding it. SO SATISFYING BUT ALSO SO DESTRUCTIVE TO THE WRITING PROCESS!
me: *editing story while this video plays on another tab*
abbie: don't stop to read or edit anything!
I see someone really likes their cookies haha!
Last year was my first attempt at Nanowrimo (not including several other not-so determined attempts in prior years) and although I actually did most of what you suggest in this video before even watching it, it's a huge validation to know others rely on these habits/aggressive rules as well.
Thanks for posting this video!
Whenever I don't know how to explain something I just go to the conclusion I suck lmao
This is actually getting my writing muscles pumping! I'm actually motivated again.
"You're probably procrastinating writing by watching this video." You know me too well for someone I've never met.
you're like a much nicer version of my inner critic. Thanks for the writing advice!!!
I know I'm late but this is the BEST video EVER! I related SO much.
I know you may not see this Abbie, but I am DEFINITELY putting you in my acknowledgements.🥰😃
Starting to binge watch all your videos ❤️❤️❤️
Awesome video! Thank you for the tips..err....rules. :) A beginning writer at the age of 45! WooHoo!!! Take Care and Keep Writing!
Good for you! I'm so glad you liked this video 💛
Talent my friend talent. Also the quality of this video is great. Did you get a new camera? It looks really good either way. 😏
No I didn't but wow thank you that's a huge compliment!! 😊❤️ I really want to get a new camera though… someday *nervous laughter *
*Thank you.* 💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏💕💕💕
Ways to write faster work well with simple outlining and drafting. I love using Astrohaus Freewrite devices for drafting because of the freedom, and no easy way to escape the rules you described. BUT...
Even though writing fast is neat, it is the quality of each scene that must be your priority. For me, getting the correct tone, and especially the right emotional response from the audience in every scene, is the key to create good stuff. Sometimes it is fun and easy, and then it is great to write faster. Sometimes you must provide near perfect empathy from the audience, and then it is much better to write slow with great vision and thought behind every line.
This worked! Usually I type 2,000 to 2,500 words in a writing day. Using the timer to do sprints, one day I did 4,000 and another 6,000. Happy days!
I just love how you cramp so many great advice into one video, I find myself agreeing with everything you say, thank you so much
It was only recently I realized the importance of the whole no editing thing. I heard a podcast that likened it to sweeping the driveway and doing the dishes at the same time walking back and forth between the two locations after each dish and swing of the broom. I think as writer we don't realize how hard it is for our brain to switch from creating to criticizing and back again over and over. Ultimately the more often we switch the slower our writing will be.
The problem with me is that I have far too many books I'm working on. One day, I feel like writing one book and the next, I'm writing another. Because I have so many, I can never get an individual book completed. I'm going to focus on book for now though an use these tips, thank you! :)
I have found word sprints by myself to be a great tool. I'll probably employ them again this year for Nano.
SAME! they're awesome 😊
"1920's slang that we should bring back" looooooool - too true!
Thank you for helping me grow as a writer ☺️
4:10 I gasped way too dramatically at this 😂
“Get rid of all distractions” as I binge watch all of your videos while I write
Oh My Abbie! Thank you so much for this video. I am a person who always gets distracted by doing research on something but your advice is Awesome so Thank you so much.
3:00 when we do our word sprints together, we’re not particularly competitive either lol. we cheer each other on, but basically compete against ourselves & our personal best scores 🙈
It’s so true that to writers our own creations are more entertaining than anything else. I enjoy my own books more than most tv shows, and getting back into them is like returning to a show where I get to see what happens next.
I was totally procrastinating watching this video lol. Thanks for the tips!
Wow!
Our writing styles are complete opposites. And that’s ok. Whatever works, right?
-I don’t do sprints. I do marathons… like 14 hours straight marathons.
-I read. I edit. I find the right word. And I don’t get distracted when using an online thesaurus.
-I agree about people and distractions. But I have to have my internet on. If it’s off, I’d be distracted. I’d worry if there was a family emergency I needed to know about.
-It’s all good. I guess it just shows it’s ok to do your own thing.
-I still love your videos & info. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for putting yourself out there.
Literally nothin entertains me as much as my own writing!
Amen!
Thank you thank you!!
Great vid!
*All the tips are so effective! I love watching your videos in between my word sprints! *♥️♥️
God Bless You! You qre such an inspiration. Many times you have uplifted me from the trenches of my pending doom (gantasy) and I come right out of it. You're a million bucks, girl. Write Crime thriller, or how to write one! Rock on!!!
These are all good tips. My suggestion to becoming a good writer, and that includes writing with speed, is to prep for it. Prep for,the times when you achieve “flow.”
1st:learn to type. With word per minute typing speeds of at least 60, one can achieve productivity of a 1000 to 1500 words an hour, and at that rate, after 4 to 6 hours, can see some real movement. 10,000? 20,000 words a day? I’ve never heard anyone working at that rate, and if they do, I’d hate to see their editing process. (My opinion) Also, it’s the marathon runner who puts in the distance, not the sprinter.
2nd: learn to write by writing (specifically what you want to write-by genre), and … writing fast happens when the ideas flow. When I first started writing, it took me 4 years to do 120,000 words, mainly because the ideas, the creativity, was slow. It was a non-existent muscle, atrophied to uselessness. Now, just finishing up the edits of my 4th book, and mentally working on the fifth, that little idea muscle is a power house. It doesn’t stop. I wrote 350,000 words and 3 books, just to get to the point, to write my 4th in only 6 months, working on weekends and days off. It’s at 175,000 words. I would say, if you can do 200,000 to 250,000 words of solid, entertaining writing to start out with, “putting in the hard work,” taking you 3, 6, or more years, but maybe less, you’ll be on your way. They say it takes 10 years of solid work to become a good writer, so you can see where some of my numbers come from.
3rd, achieve “flow state.” While I still get stuck on “that word,” I find “flow” almost like a runners high. The book practically writes itself, and I’m there for the ride. I’m there as an audience member, and I’m entertained by what’s spilling onto the screen. It’s almost magic. You can find many videos on TH-cam on “flow,” but I can’t tell you specifically how it works. But when one achieves flow, and it takes anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour to achieve in a sitting, but when you achieve it, all distractions go away, turning to background noise. It is that runners high. It is that “steak” when bowling or playing pool. It is that mental state. And when you’re in it …
… when you’re in it, you need those tools to keep it flowing. You need that comfort in your mind, knowing what you write can then be edited into gold. I type at maybe 100 wpm, and even then, my hands don’t keep up. At the end of the day my mind is useless, as are my hands, just like that marathoner. And when the ideas stop … I go back and start editing. Yes … with the 1st draft that isn’t done, but I find going back just a few chapters, and sometimes all the way to the front, it refreshes my memories. It gives me those “Oh yeah” moments. But I’m also a pantser, writing at the seat of my pants. An outliner may not need this.
In the end, this makes writing fun, and when anything is fun, it makes you want to do it more and more. Keep writing. ;)
Your "cookie recipe" running gag made my day! :p Now, I can set a timer and go at it.
I discovered your channel at the beginning of the year and you´re helping me so much to write my novel, thank you so much!!
You are such a wonderful human! Your videos have been inspiring and I feel encouraged to write after each one instead to burdened. You have my thanks!
Don't look for right perfect word...Yes, Thanks
Thank you, Abbie. You're always helpful and encouraging to listen to. Everything you say always slaps me back to reality and rationality when it comes to my struggles with writing.
Your eyes are so beautiful✨❤️
This is one of my favorite videos!
Thank you!
You are hilarious and so so wise. I know most of this, but I just..don't sometimes. Great ideas! I liked and subscribed about eight videos ago. Lol! Love love your content!
You are so relatable! I just wanted to binge all of your videos but then I realize that I have some more time to write, so peace!
I watched this, funnily enough that first thing you mentioned about making it a competition really worked well for me, ive tried some of the other things in the video and they didnt work out but that one did
I soooo love you and i hope to internalize your practical wisdom to get my writing dreams actualized!!! APPRECIATED😘
Honestly, #3 saved my NaNoWriMo novel when I read it on your blog. It is REVOLUTIONARY.
WOW THAT'S SO COOL EVANGELINE!! 😊 *casually fangirls * thank you!!
No3 worked for me. Thanks. Great video
About the writing sprints.
I’m writing on Wattpad, because it doesn’t cost to write there and get feedback etc.
I couldn’t compete with others to write sprint, but writing a “reading night” live, could actually be seen similar. I mean, you’re trying to write between 3.000 and 6.000+ words in a few hours to bring out a whole chapter every hour for the waiting readers to read.
It’s actually pretty fun.
So yeah, it’s like this with the timer, only that people are waiting for it.
Abbie, you really hit the nail about stopping to self edit. Can’t say how many times I ruined a scene by stopping to make a small change and it all fell apart. Thanks for all the tips!
this chaotic Abbie energy is bringing me life!! haha thanks for these tips, Abbie! Amazing to see how your videos have evolved over the years (We love both!)
7 and 8 are frigging gold.
Hi Abbie, I've been writing screenplays for several years and I find this list very helpful. Well done.
This is the best quick advice!
Great video! The call out about the reward system was both eye-opening and needed 😂 There's a lot of great advice here. Thank you for it!
You nailed me on # 4 ! I’m a slow writer because I’m mentally editing my word choices before anything can get onto the page. In fact I notice I’m doing it now even as I’m typing this comment. I feel better about my slowness and see how I can improve now, thanks.
Hey Abbie, thank you for the great advice in this video.
Great Video, Abbie! I love your "pumped up" style and your great words of wisdom. Keep rockin' it!
Wow thank you so much, Betsy!! 😊
I was wondering how i could get fast at writing.I used these tips and they tottally work.Thank you so much!😊😊
8:40 YESS this was a huge problem I used to have. I still kinda do it sometimes but I’m working on it XD I literally got a typewriter just to train myself to stop going back to edit things. Cause with a typewriter you can’t really do that 😂 it helped tremendously and now I can write on my laptop or a notebook without going back and trying to fix every little thing every time I write a sentence, at least most times lol I highly recommend a typewriter to anyone who has this problem.
So good. Thanks Abbie!
I'll definitely try these tips!
Thank you so much for this video. This is invaluable to me as a creative writer and also for my day job working as a commercial content writer. So helpful and encouraging. Thank you. 💖💕
Hi abbie, I ve watching your videos for the past few months... I gotta say, you give great advices and are incredibly informative. Thanks for motivating people like me 💪
I'm 13, and I'm writing a book. Due to the pressure of studies, I want to write faster. Thank you for ur tips, these really helped me ❤️
For me it helps to just highlight a word or phrase I’m not satisfied with and move on. I can figure out something better later. This is especially useful if I happen to notice some word repetition, since I don’t have to think about synonyms or rephrasing.
Wow this was absolutely amazing!!!! I don’t write novels but I am making comics and all of the tips still apply! Actually I think they apply to pretty much any piece of work or project, thank you so much Abbie ❤️❤️❤️❤️