I took a break for way too long. I have always gotten compliments on my writing skills since i was six years old. But the constant "you're going to be a writer when you grow up" comment gave me anxiety. And I now have immense overachievement anxiety. And my own high standards and self doubt pulled me back and made me dislike my biggest hobby. But now I finally feel ready and cormfortable to get back into it.
I'm so glad to hear you're going to try again! It can be so tough to tune out those external (and internal) voices that put pressure on us. Good for you! :)
It has been around 5 years long break, in these years, no matter how I try to write what i feel or express my imagination, I couldn't put up the words to describe it, I didn't want to admit it but guess what? I lost my writing ability. it was during the hard times I get in dentisitry school -which i hate the most- but here iam trying to rebuild my abilities in writing, the only thing i thought iam good at. sorry for my lack in knowledge in the English language's vocabulary.
I've spent too much time THINKING about writing instead of actually writing...that I need to take up a few of these tips to get back into the swing of things.
@@meganmaclaine I have. Not as much as I'd like. BUT I have a fun new story I'm writing that I'm really loving so far so I hopefully will finish it to it's natural conclusion!
My goal is to get back into writing regularly. I’m going to try to write the book I’ve spent two years thinking about now that I’ve finished my bachelors! Thank you for all the fantastic videos! They provide such good content and have really helped me get back into feeling good about writing.
Ooh, congrats on finishing your degree! I think that's a great goal, and I'm excited to hear how your book goes now that you *hopefully* have some more time to work on it :). And thank you so much! I'm so glad they've been helpful for you!
Writing is a form of a heart felt expression. As an 80s kid, we used to hand out letters in High School that were folded in creative fun ways. Everyone had their own unique style of penmanship drew pictures and even sprayed a little perfume on them. So much more intimate and individualized than todays new social media, likes, followers and texting standards. Sad, it's a lost art.
Ever since I've been a little kid, I've been writing silly stories and imagining scenarios. Now, I've kinda lost the habit of writing (it's been several years since I've had a project). I think I wanna get back to it, but I am afraid of not being good enough to take it more seriously
This is ever so helpful Megan! Thank you! These videos really do put me at ease with these topics and that’s down to your friendly and natural way of presenting! This year I plan to start writing a wellness blog which will get me back into the flow of getting words down…and then I can ultimately get back to the first draft of my novel! Thanks again! 🥰❤️📚✍🏾🙌🏾
I took like a 4 month break or something and I want to get back into it. Thanks for this video! I just randomly wrote the best poem I’ve ever made today and I kind of want to keep writing, starting out with poetry as one of my small steps
You're so welcome! I'm glad you're getting back into it ^.^ Poetry is such a great way to do that, too, cuz they can be one line, they can be 12 lines, etc. And that's awesome! What was your poem about?
thank you for making this video - i really needed the clarity, been away from the game for a long time - random sidenote i've also read atomic habits, and i daisy chained my meditation habit to duolingo and now im on 400 days, so that really does work
@MeganMaclaine It really was very helpful and encouraging! I've already started, too! I wrote yesterday but I'm taking today off because I'm exhausted from work. Then tomorrow I'll write again. And I promised myself that it's okay to be gentle and slow getting back into it.😊
I like you humor. For me if I get one paragraph per writing session I consider it successful. Sometimes I only get out one sentence but you know that still acceptable, as long I don't go negative one it still is good.
I actually have a suggestion for a video to make. Or like a request I guess, if you’re interested. “How to deal with perfectionism in writing.” It cripples me most of the time and it’s the main reason I don’t write super often. Idk if you’re a perfectionist yourself, but if you are, I’d like to get your take on how to deal with it!
Thank you for this, Blake! I know so many writers find this challenging (myself included). I can definitely add this to my queue. Really appreciate the suggestion!
hi megan! this was really helpful! especially the part of making it fun, which i totally had forgotten about. but i do have a problem I'd love to watch a video about. i often leave stories unfinished and then leave writing for a while. when i get back to it i want to make it fun again by writing something I'm excited about and then i have a problem finishing it and I'll probably quit writing for a while again. do you have any tips on how to approach finishing a big pile of short stories? and how to decide which one to actually finish and which ones to let go off. thanks!
Hi Isabella! Great, great questions. This is such a common problem I hear from writers I work with, and so much of what I do is in hopes of helping them avoid this very thing, haha! I think I'd want to know a bit about what makes you stop working on them - do you get bored, overwhelmed, it's too hard to keep up the schedule, you have too many ideas and can't put them down fast enough, etc. Then I'd be interested in knowing what your overall goal is for your writing as well - creating a finished novel or anthology, publication, that kind of thing. Knowing your goal and what keeps you stuck can be a helpful way to figure out a plan to break the cycle. Overall, though, I'd say it's important to reread your work and remember why you starting writing the stories you put down. If you have a pile, as you say, that in itself can be overwhelming to look at haha. So I'd suggest starting with one story, rereading what you have, and thinking about why you started it and what you connect with in it. Sometimes, there are stories that we started because it seemed like a fun idea or we had a scene pop into our heads, but we're not super connected with the premise... those are probably ones we can put aside. But the stories that you feel energized and excited by as you're rereading them are ones to pick up again and try to finish. I hope that helps! I can definitely work on a video addressing these two questions in more detail, and I really appreciate you asking!
@@meganmaclaine this is really good advice! thank you for taking the time to craft such a complete answer 🥰 i think my main problem is that i get overwhelmed by the plot. i get this really appealing ideas for a setting or a specific character that get me writing, but when i start to have problems with wrapping up the story with an actual ending i just... abandon it. that has happened to me a lot with short stories and i believe it is because short stories can be so ambiguous in its structure (and open endings are such a common thing). i've also had problems with discipline and perfectionism. when i was in college i managed to write a full length feature screenplay i was actually happy with, and most of that had to do with the pending deadline. since getting it done was the priority i didn't get caught up in if every scene or dialogue was perfect. now that i don't have that sort of pressure i really struggle with self doubt and perfectionism.
Mam, my problem is that earlier I used to write well but then I had brain surgery and now I am not able to write like before, so how can I write like before again
I’ve been on break since 2016 and I’ve been trying to get back since 2020, i wrote about 20+ first pages of every new book and i still couldn’t get any of it finish
@@meganmaclaine I think one of my many obstacles was how i get excited over my first page , then on my second I started overthinking if the first page was too boring or too much. I get stuck on my first page, constantly worrying about it and it made me feel mentally drained, so much I couldn’t even brainstorm for the second page.
Ah yes sounds like your internal editor is holding you back. But who is actually saying that it’s not good enough? The great thing about writing is that nobody has to see it until you revise and get it to where you want it. I know a lot of writers struggle with this same thing. I found what helps me is to learn a bit more about what makes writing less “boring” or more engaging for the reader, and then I had tools to employ as I wrote that gave me a little more confidence. I hope that makes sense (and helps). Nothing worse than getting stuck on the first page 😔. I’m rooting for you!!
My break was about 5 years long during my medical school studies. I think I forgot how to write🤔. I am thinking about geting started with my writing again but my internship at the hospital is too busy and then after coming home, I leave it for the next day. The next day hasn't come since 2 months😅. (I am too scared that I won't write anything good so that's another reason why the next day hasn't come) What should I do?
Oh these are both very good reasons to not write DX. It's so difficult when your schedule is jam-packed and even more when the pressure is on to write something great. I'd definitely encourage you to lower your expectations a bit. Is there a time once a week when you can write for 15 minutes? Maybe on a break or a day off (if those exist at your hospital internship!). Then, remember that it doesn't have to be good (no first draft of anything ever is). What if your goal, instead of producing something great in those 15 minutes, is just to put words on the page? Give yourself a three or four-sentence goal and just hit that. Let me know what you think! Also, you commented a while ago - how has it been going since?
@@meganmaclaine Thank you for the reply. The advice sounds great and easy to approach and I'll definitely try it. Thanks again. Your channel's too good. So you don't need to ask how it's been going since.😊
So I was thinking short stories would help yet I can’t think of anything I’ve already done vampires werewolves ghouls and goblins are my way of telling, maybe I need to be more aggressive in my story idk I need helping
My atomic habit is smoking cigars, does that count? I sit on my porch listening to music, and smoke a cigar each night... For three years now I've married my writing to it and have finished three novels.
What's one goal you have for your writing in 2023? What habit can you attach your writing to?
I took a break for way too long. I have always gotten compliments on my writing skills since i was six years old. But the constant "you're going to be a writer when you grow up" comment gave me anxiety. And I now have immense overachievement anxiety. And my own high standards and self doubt pulled me back and made me dislike my biggest hobby. But now I finally feel ready and cormfortable to get back into it.
I'm so glad to hear you're going to try again! It can be so tough to tune out those external (and internal) voices that put pressure on us. Good for you! :)
It has been around 5 years long break, in these years, no matter how I try to write what i feel or express my imagination, I couldn't put up the words to describe it, I didn't want to admit it but guess what? I lost my writing ability. it was during the hard times I get in dentisitry school -which i hate the most- but here iam trying to rebuild my abilities in writing, the only thing i thought iam good at.
sorry for my lack in knowledge in the English language's vocabulary.
I've spent too much time THINKING about writing instead of actually writing...that I need to take up a few of these tips to get back into the swing of things.
How has it gone? Have you gotten back into it?
@@meganmaclaine I have. Not as much as I'd like. BUT I have a fun new story I'm writing that I'm really loving so far so I hopefully will finish it to it's natural conclusion!
My goal is to get back into writing regularly. I’m going to try to write the book I’ve spent two years thinking about now that I’ve finished my bachelors! Thank you for all the fantastic videos! They provide such good content and have really helped me get back into feeling good about writing.
Ooh, congrats on finishing your degree! I think that's a great goal, and I'm excited to hear how your book goes now that you *hopefully* have some more time to work on it :).
And thank you so much! I'm so glad they've been helpful for you!
Writing is a form of a heart felt expression. As an 80s kid, we used to hand out letters in High School that were folded in creative fun ways. Everyone had their own unique style of penmanship drew pictures and even sprayed a little perfume on them. So much more intimate and individualized than todays new social media, likes, followers and texting standards. Sad, it's a lost art.
I hope create this little habits to get back to write.
Yesss!!
I just finished the first draft I started for NaNoWriMo at 117,938 words
BILLLLL!!! Amazing!!! I hope you're taking some time to rest and celebrate?? 🎉🎉🎉
Ever since I've been a little kid, I've been writing silly stories and imagining scenarios. Now, I've kinda lost the habit of writing (it's been several years since I've had a project). I think I wanna get back to it, but I am afraid of not being good enough to take it more seriously
This is ever so helpful Megan! Thank you! These videos really do put me at ease with these topics and that’s down to your friendly and natural way of presenting! This year I plan to start writing a wellness blog which will get me back into the flow of getting words down…and then I can ultimately get back to the first draft of my novel! Thanks again! 🥰❤️📚✍🏾🙌🏾
Thank you, Darin! You are always so supportive. And ahh, I love that idea! You will be so good at that!! :) One word at a time...
I took like a 4 month break or something and I want to get back into it. Thanks for this video! I just randomly wrote the best poem I’ve ever made today and I kind of want to keep writing, starting out with poetry as one of my small steps
You're so welcome! I'm glad you're getting back into it ^.^ Poetry is such a great way to do that, too, cuz they can be one line, they can be 12 lines, etc. And that's awesome! What was your poem about?
@@meganmaclaine I’ve had insomnia for the last year and a half but the crazy thing is, my life has been better because of it. The poem is about that.
@@blakegrimes3557 That sounds like quite the journey! Very cool that a poem came from it, too.
thank you for making this video - i really needed the clarity, been away from the game for a long time - random sidenote i've also read atomic habits, and i daisy chained my meditation habit to duolingo and now im on 400 days, so that really does work
Thank you for watching it! I'm glad it was helpful. And hey, that's awesome!! It sure does :)
@@meganmaclaine 👍keep up the great work!
I like the idea of reintegration, like one or two days a week and building back up from there. Thank you for this video!🙂🙏
You're so welcome! Glad it was helpful :)
@MeganMaclaine It really was very helpful and encouraging! I've already started, too! I wrote yesterday but I'm taking today off because I'm exhausted from work. Then tomorrow I'll write again. And I promised myself that it's okay to be gentle and slow getting back into it.😊
@@holbrookjr Woohoo! This is awesome to hear. Yes, slow and steady - that's the way :) Great job!
@@meganmaclaine Thank you so much! I really am grateful for your encouragement! 🙂 And your wisdom, too!
I like you humor. For me if I get one paragraph per writing session I consider it successful. Sometimes I only get out one sentence but you know that still acceptable, as long I don't go negative one it still is good.
Thanks! And setting yourself a small goal - that's awesome. Every little bit counts :)
Great tips! 😊
Glad they were helpful!
Great tips! I had a lovely break over Christmas but it’s so good to be back working now.
Thank you! I'm so glad you were able to take a nice break! :)
4:25 If you're a writer, your life is absolutely not dull or boring.
Ooh, interesting. Totally different feel if you think about it as a friendship. Happy New Year to you, too!!
@@meganmaclaine Happy New Year! These were great tips, hope you complete all your writing goals!
Thank you tons!@@kiwij1424
Loved this video, thanks!
My pleasure! Glad it was helpful :)
Thank you Megan
You're so welcome!
I actually have a suggestion for a video to make. Or like a request I guess, if you’re interested. “How to deal with perfectionism in writing.” It cripples me most of the time and it’s the main reason I don’t write super often. Idk if you’re a perfectionist yourself, but if you are, I’d like to get your take on how to deal with it!
Thank you for this, Blake! I know so many writers find this challenging (myself included). I can definitely add this to my queue. Really appreciate the suggestion!
Great video. Thanks!
Thank YOU! :)
Thank you mam 🎉
You're so welcome! 😊
hi megan! this was really helpful! especially the part of making it fun, which i totally had forgotten about. but i do have a problem I'd love to watch a video about. i often leave stories unfinished and then leave writing for a while. when i get back to it i want to make it fun again by writing something I'm excited about and then i have a problem finishing it and I'll probably quit writing for a while again. do you have any tips on how to approach finishing a big pile of short stories? and how to decide which one to actually finish and which ones to let go off. thanks!
Hi Isabella! Great, great questions. This is such a common problem I hear from writers I work with, and so much of what I do is in hopes of helping them avoid this very thing, haha! I think I'd want to know a bit about what makes you stop working on them - do you get bored, overwhelmed, it's too hard to keep up the schedule, you have too many ideas and can't put them down fast enough, etc. Then I'd be interested in knowing what your overall goal is for your writing as well - creating a finished novel or anthology, publication, that kind of thing. Knowing your goal and what keeps you stuck can be a helpful way to figure out a plan to break the cycle.
Overall, though, I'd say it's important to reread your work and remember why you starting writing the stories you put down. If you have a pile, as you say, that in itself can be overwhelming to look at haha. So I'd suggest starting with one story, rereading what you have, and thinking about why you started it and what you connect with in it. Sometimes, there are stories that we started because it seemed like a fun idea or we had a scene pop into our heads, but we're not super connected with the premise... those are probably ones we can put aside. But the stories that you feel energized and excited by as you're rereading them are ones to pick up again and try to finish. I hope that helps! I can definitely work on a video addressing these two questions in more detail, and I really appreciate you asking!
@@meganmaclaine this is really good advice! thank you for taking the time to craft such a complete answer 🥰 i think my main problem is that i get overwhelmed by the plot. i get this really appealing ideas for a setting or a specific character that get me writing, but when i start to have problems with wrapping up the story with an actual ending i just... abandon it. that has happened to me a lot with short stories and i believe it is because short stories can be so ambiguous in its structure (and open endings are such a common thing). i've also had problems with discipline and perfectionism. when i was in college i managed to write a full length feature screenplay i was actually happy with, and most of that had to do with the pending deadline. since getting it done was the priority i didn't get caught up in if every scene or dialogue was perfect. now that i don't have that sort of pressure i really struggle with self doubt and perfectionism.
Mam, my problem is that earlier I used to write well but then I had brain surgery and now I am not able to write like before, so how can I write like before again
I’ve been on break since 2016 and I’ve been trying to get back since 2020, i wrote about 20+ first pages of every new book and i still couldn’t get any of it finish
Oh no! That's so frustrating. What do you think is your main obstacle?
@@meganmaclaine I think one of my many obstacles was how i get excited over my first page , then on my second I started overthinking if the first page was too boring or too much. I get stuck on my first page, constantly worrying about it and it made me feel mentally drained, so much I couldn’t even brainstorm for the second page.
Ah yes sounds like your internal editor is holding you back. But who is actually saying that it’s not good enough? The great thing about writing is that nobody has to see it until you revise and get it to where you want it. I know a lot of writers struggle with this same thing. I found what helps me is to learn a bit more about what makes writing less “boring” or more engaging for the reader, and then I had tools to employ as I wrote that gave me a little more confidence. I hope that makes sense (and helps). Nothing worse than getting stuck on the first page 😔. I’m rooting for you!!
My break was about 5 years long during my medical school studies. I think I forgot how to write🤔.
I am thinking about geting started with my writing again but my internship at the hospital is too busy and then after coming home, I leave it for the next day. The next day hasn't come since 2 months😅. (I am too scared that I won't write anything good so that's another reason why the next day hasn't come)
What should I do?
Oh these are both very good reasons to not write DX. It's so difficult when your schedule is jam-packed and even more when the pressure is on to write something great. I'd definitely encourage you to lower your expectations a bit. Is there a time once a week when you can write for 15 minutes? Maybe on a break or a day off (if those exist at your hospital internship!). Then, remember that it doesn't have to be good (no first draft of anything ever is). What if your goal, instead of producing something great in those 15 minutes, is just to put words on the page? Give yourself a three or four-sentence goal and just hit that.
Let me know what you think! Also, you commented a while ago - how has it been going since?
@@meganmaclaine Thank you for the reply. The advice sounds great and easy to approach and I'll definitely try it. Thanks again.
Your channel's too good. So you don't need to ask how it's been going since.😊
So I was thinking short stories would help yet I can’t think of anything I’ve already done vampires werewolves ghouls and goblins are my way of telling, maybe I need to be more aggressive in my story idk I need helping
Hi, I'm just seeing this! What do you think is falling flat? The plot? The character development? Something else?
My atomic habit is smoking cigars, does that count? I sit on my porch listening to music, and smoke a cigar each night... For three years now I've married my writing to it and have finished three novels.
It sounds like it's worked perfectly for you! That's awesome to hear, Paul 😄
I literally don't have a single habit.
Oh nooooo