i like that you tell the writer what they are doing well instead of just dumping all the bad on them watch this very popular book editor bragging how he tears the writer apart because that's the only way they will get better
Ew. Bragging about being mean? No thank you. I mean, I spend plenty of time offering constructive criticism, but do so kindly, and only after offering genuine compliments.
Excuse me... I can't take you very seriously, when you start out the sentence without a Capital... and "I" is ALWAYS a Capital. So... if you were an experienced writer (25 years here), you'd know NEVER us a lowercase letter starting a sentence... and Always Capitalize your "I". Ohhh... and while I'm at it... Please do not be rude and mean just because you can... This man took his time and money to make this wonderful video. If you do not like it... Move on. A (real) writer, needs and wants their editor to tell the truth. That is what they are paid for, to save the writer/author being embarrassed.
@@judichristopher4604Honey, I think you misread their comment. They said they appreciate the constructive criticism, not that the editor should be mean to their authors
@judichristopher4604 How blind and conceited can you be? He was complaining about another editor and praising the guy who made this video. Either your reading comprehension skills are as small as your ego is grotesquely bloated, or you’re the kind of author who gets a pathetic high every time you catch someone in the TH-cam comment section daring to not use proper grammar in your presence. Well guess what, Miss Angela Martin from The Office: The comments section wasn’t made for proper spelling. Some people choose to use it but others don’t AND THATS FINE because it’s just for fun. Maybe just focus on your own flaws, hmm? Thank goodness you’re here to misread our comments and remind us how much better you are at spelling and bragging. THANK YOU.
@@judichristopher4604 I guess this is what the video meant with how writers are great at lines, paragraphs and dialogue and not so much the big picture.... Way to lash out so aggresively on a platform with people from all over the world.
it's so affirming to hear that structure is the hardest thing because in my scientific writing I'm made to feel like such a shitty writer because I "can't do basic structure" when I SWEAR my structure is actually fine. Hearing that the structure needs work, but it's okay, everyones structure needs work, is so nice to hear.
I’ve been a professor of linguistics and English for several years, and I finally decided to start writing my fiction novel. This past semester, I worked during my spare hours in my office and wrote many pages. I found that the production of language, the linking of all of the ideas logically and conceptually together for the various parts, and making the text fun, clear, and interesting page-after-page can be quite a collective challenge… yet, a welcome challenge! Thank you for your videos. I’ll be checking out more of them so I can stay better on track…
Congrats on starting your novel. Glad the work has been productive so far … and yet also challenging! Good luck with the rest, and I hope the videos I’m releasing soon help.
Mentored a writing class for adult beginners and the ones to watch out for are those who have been working on their masterpiece for years and will take absolutely NO input on it that isn’t glowing. They aren’t there to learn. They’re there to be discovered which is like mentoring a brick wall.
@@squidpoequo7747Not excusing it but I can kinda understand the feelings. If you’ve already dedicated a lot of years to a project, you don’t want to feel as if you’ve potentially wasted a portion of your short time on this planet, especially so if you’ve heard people close to you saying that what you’re doing is a waste of time. You become defensive even of good faith criticism. You don’t want to entertain the idea that they might be right and you’ve been the problem. “If you hadn’t spent all that time on that book, you could have done x by now”.
@@ottz2506generally speaking, as someone who has shipped creative projects, I’d say this you mention is tied to one of the most essential pieces of advice: focus on shipping stuff first. Perfect is the enemy of good, and all that. If you spend 10 years working on something, I doubt it has any more chances of being good that a project you spent 1 year on. And instead it carries a number of downsides, one of which is being quite more defensive to feedback. So, sure, I can also understand from where that defensiveness may come; but it is still a counterproductive and rather annoying reaction.
I am addicted to writing short stories, moments in time. Moments count, because they add up to a life. I savor them for the same reason I snack between meals. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is just more gratifying than waiting for a table. A control issue, perhaps. The trouble is, short stories don't really get published, and are read mostly by people you hand them to. That's ok. Hand 'em out. Tuck them into the magazines at the doctor's office. Write a story specifically for someone who is struggling. Nothing more gratifying than someone who is not a writer coming up to you in person and saying, "Hey, have you written anything lately?" It can be terrifying, like when someone asks you to write a eulogy. If someone asks you that, you have arrived as a writer.
This. I hate the modern publishing world for this. Best writer wrote short stories in old times. All my favorite writers, especially science fiction! How in world we came to popularity of tt but all books have to be NOVELS? Even collection you can publish only if you are already famous or no one cares😢 I published on Amazon a short story collection and story Narrator is about your idea about special written story. Check out if you have subscription. You can become second reader in a year🫠
@johnswoodgadgets9819 When I'm lonely I dream of you by Tallie If you'll put it in Google search, I guess you'll find🫶 Sorry for the late answer. My comment was deleted, and I just found out your question😅
I appreciate your positivity. Too many writers in the communities I'm in are focused on "an editor should only tell you what you do wrong", or "if you enjoy hearing positive feedback you're not really committed to being a writer" sorts of mindsets, and it can be really exhausting and disheartening. You seem very kind, and I find your words very encouraging.
People take writing a lot like magic, they romanticize it too much, writing is not different from painting and music, most of it is practice, having a wide horizon of references, experimenting, and so on. As a teacher, I am often surprised by how often you see people actually writing (or trying to) long texts, but know of and do a total of 0 basic writing exercises. I also feel that the illustration community is MUCH more open about the process of learning and creating than the writing community is (which people like you are doing a great job trying to improve).
I think it really depends on the writing community you're in. I'm connected to many different writing communities, and definitely in the best have seen people asking for feedback and giving helpful feedback, talking about the process of writing, etc. However I do sometimes see newer writers post things like "Hey I finished my first book! How do I get it published?" without thinking about editing, and people have to tell them that just because they finished a draft doesn't mean it's ready to publish. Generally, the people who are newer to writing are those who have not been plugged into a writing community for very long or have not read books on writing, haven't been to writing workshops, etc. etc. Which, there are a lot of people out there who fall into that category, but they're usually not really connected to writing communities yet which accounts for much of their being in the dark so to speak.
This is such a great and encouraging video. Thank you for sharing it. As a writer who believes my story telling far outclasses my ability to write good prose, I needed to hear these things. Have a great week!
i'm a writer and i know if someone read my work and gave me with criticisms that are not straight up bashing my book/plot/characters i would be so seated to hear what they had to say! feedback is so crucial and there's really not enough of it sometimes.
I'm just going to say it. I am the author of a comic book that has been published and distributed in Japan. In December 2020, a total of three copies were sold on the first day. In fact, three issues were released in the series. The emotional reward of achieving X does not offset the monetary or laborious expenses involved in creating a book. I accepted the failure as my own and refrained from distorting it in any manner.
@@Bookfox In this particular scenario, the Japanese publisher actively promoted the comic and achieved remarkable success in introducing other titles to the country. The comics' lack of success can be attributed to a variety of factors.
execution vs. idea/concept is gold. i find in the reading that usually, the concept kind of BLURS anyway. it's not as clear and prominent as a movie usually unless the book is unusually movie-like. it's in the moment to moment flow and maybe how it performs in the single scene that really gives me a sense of whether the book is good or not.
A great video! I’m still only learning about writing but I don’t feel like it is a competition. If there are thousands of talented writers out there, I see that as a brilliant gift to humanity.
"Underestimate revision" -- 100% this. I was outright shocked the first few times when I thought the book was 90% done and got told it was more like 10% done.
How was this so simultaneously challenging AND encouraging at the same time. Thank you for your work and explanations. I had a lot of takeaways and I look forward to applying what I've learned here.
I’ve edited and revised my book so many times, I’m on the seventh - ninth version, and I had to give up. I’ve given it to an alpha reader, just to see if I’m on to something or not. This video was great in keeping my spirit up!
Authors need to embrace the fact that their success should never be measured by number of copies sold. Otherwise they are setting themselves up for significant disappointment. It's great that you coach them on this.
After 2.5 years, 3.5 drafts, 2 beta readers (One of whom fell in love with the story and used her creative writing degree and skills as an English teacher to edit my book), I have really enjoyed your video. Especially about the execution of the concept being 95% of the book.
Very good info. Thx. I agree on the success part. There is all kinds of success. I've only written one book so far and of course a first book is usually not very good, but I did my best. I released it to crash and burn in January 2024. 7 months later in July someone out there in the world gave me a 5/5 stars on Amazon. Not a friend or family member, a stranger. To me that felt like success. Knowing that there was one person out there who enjoyed my story made me happy. Because of that one person I'm so motivated to keep on writing and book 2 will be out in around 3 months. Maybe then I can double my success and get two 5 star ratings :D
I write for myself mostly and when I reread I'm like wow, I'm good 👍. But it's that number 8 thing that's most poignant. I need to know what works and what doesn't.
5:09 Couldnt agree more. My favourite manga Ive read this year so far is My Broken Mariko. The main character goes on a journey to spread the ashes of her best friend who died of suicide. The story is very simple but the way it was executed made me loved the book. Some panels were drawn like it was a comedy, with the characters being off-model and then the next panel would be a heart breaking scene. My favourite scene from that book was when the MC had a poignant conversation about suicide on a beach but the panel was focused on a sign that said "Suicide isnt illegal but littering is!"
Money and the fame would be a bonus. I want to write and publish because...well...i want to. Simple as that. Nine People's Favorite Thing from [title of show] really sums it up for me. I'd rather be nine people's favorite thing then 100 people's ninth favorite thing. This gives me encouragement that i am moving in the right direction, and good advice to take with me as i continue to move forward.
One of the best rejection letters I got said that I had a strong and unique voice and to keep writing. That was a nice sprinkle of inspiration on the burnt toast submission. Crunch, chew, and get to writing. The Atomicas series...check it out.
One piece of “advice” I’ve heard floating around goes along the lines of “everyone has a story inside of them. With some, sometimes inside of them is where it belongs”. It’s been stuck with me for years because I keep thinking “oh my god, what if I’m one of the some people? Should I bother? What if I become one of the authors who is technically successful but for all the wrong reasons? Maybe writing this holds a lot more risk than not writing it at all” The “wrong reasons” being that your book is generally mocked as bad and an example of bad writing that is solely used to demonstrate what prospective writers shouldn’t do. I remember also reading a review about someone’s book and it said “great idea, wrong person to write it”. If I had a review like that, it would haunt me for so long.
Flannery O'Connor used to say that the job of writing schools should be to prevent most writers from writing. I've always thought that was unnecessarily harsh. Bad reviews are inevitable, but you get to choose how to process them -- and whether to focus more on all the positive reviews.
I assume you’re for hire? Hope to need your services in the near future. I appreciate someone who knows what they’re talking about. I’ve written several non-fiction books and working on my first novel.
What makes me second-guess my writing has nothing to do with self-confidence but is mostly because I am burnt out from writing, revising, editing, etc. I become numb to my writing and simply cannot tell if it is good when I'm at the point of reviewing it.
Without going into details or anything, how many clients (if any) did you have who just wanted to write a good story that at least some few would/might like, and who wasn't already trying to think how they could rival R.R. Martin or Tolkien etc?
I see your content is directed toward writers (excellent content by the way) personally I would love some guidance from you on becoming an editor! Took a BFA in creative writing to learn I prefer editing other's work.
So knowing that the novel the editor reads is only a work-in-progress no matter how long you toiled to get it just right, should you write for editors or audiences? Both? Or writing well for one should extend to the other? I choose to believe that the only way to proceed is follow your heart and let the chips fall where they may or use cosmetic surgery afterwards to get it up to snuff. That absolves me of worrying about readers prematurely or excessively. Another tip I don’t often see or hear is how to evaluate writing advice and the thriving industry that has sprung up around it, despite these grim reports from the frontlines describing mass casualties and unsustainable losses. It’s like you would have an easier time making money paraphrasing old writing advice in a catchy way and selling that instead of using it to write. There is no reliable scientific method to separate the wheat from the chaff. Use your best judgment. But if you find yourself growing weary on this journey to writing excellence, stop for a moment and look behind you. Is your trail littered with writing advice that may have taught you something but didn’t help you write a single word of anything? Are you headed toward another holy grail? Consider the fact that you already have the tools you need, by being you, and searching for tools equally useful or crucial requires a rainbow to follow and complacent leprechauns that will allow you to steal their beloved gold. Stop. Put away the advice. Listen to yourself, the good and the bad, and just try to write it out. The only person who should be telling you what to write is you. Mentors, coaches, and advisors are of course still useful but only if you do your part first. No one, no experience, no book, no class will ever make you a writer. They might drive you to improve, they might waste your time. The secret lies within you. The cost is self-reflection. Trust nothing else. Well, trust but verify. I guess none of this really matters if your only or primary goal is to make money. If that’s true, it seems like a lot of manual labor for a relatively small reward. It doesn’t seem like self-pub spam is worth the effort at this point. The damage has been done. The slush pile is our responsibility to sort through now. Also let go of your need for original ideas. It’s an illusion. There are no original ideas. Flesh out your idea. If it’s identical to Jurassic Park, okay, you can still use it. Just don’t try to rewrite JP. You’ll be fine. If it’s not identical, no worries. That’s original enough. Thinking your ideas are somehow special is a little arrogant and vain. Speaking of JP, Crichton wrote Eaters of the Dead to prove a point. A friend claimed Beowulf could not captivate the interest of high school audiences. Crichton retold it as an action-adventure with clear connections and references to Beowulf but through a different perspective, voice, and historical context. His execution was the original part. His vision. The rest was just a common framework.
I'm trying to write my first novel and have 7ish chapters written so far. Anyone know what it would take cost/process-wise to get a dude like this to take a look? Not even in-depth analysis necessarily. Is there an hourly rate? About 20,000 words so far if that helps, TIA!
I have a sci-fi novella that's a golden age type of story where a man from the future who lives a very different existence from our own stumbles upon records of the past and slowly starts to yearn for that type of life. It's as finished as I can get it but I have no idea where to send it where it'll get a fair shake. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Get a Duotrope subscription and look up publishers/literary journals who accept sci-fi genres, and then limit it to a certain word count (of your novella's range).
I can’t even get a paragraph written. Pretty sure my dream of writing a fantasy novel is just that; A dream. The more I watch these type of video the more I realize how unqualified and uneducated i truly am.
Drop the goal of a novel for now. Start with writing a short story or a single chapter. Focus on writing something you'd want to read. Get into the pattern of writing 500 words and day and go from there. You can do it!!
Good grief, stopped listening after two minutes. Why do American videos always talk as if their audience are about 7 years old? I am from the UK and not going to watch any more American videos on writing.
don't write expecting to become a millionaire or have a lot of fans, write to make a difference in the world, it doesn't matter if you affect the life of 10 or 1 million people, it matters if you managed to make the life of at least 1 person better using only your words. That is what a successful author is. If after that you get rich an famous, even better if that's what you wanted, but don't make it your main goal or you'll be painfully disappointed, writers who can have those 2 things and are still alive are less than 1%
I have two friends who became authors because they wanted money for doing what they loved to do - not the fuzzy warm concept of making a difference in the world. Both have made millions. Imagine that? They took their passion and turned it into a career.
this demotivated me ngl. I feel like I'm unworthy, and others are so much better than me so me trying to do shit is pointless. Hell, so far I didn't manage to write more than one chapter in any thing I've tried. And I have tried so fucking much, doing structure, trying to just write and see where it will go, EVERYTHING. I can't. I'm just a depressed useless nobody that should've fucking died a while ago but didn't, struggling for nothing.
My first book had an audience of ONE. A 10-year old boy. A professional writer critiqued the book, and the results were UGLY. But his mother later informed me that my poorly-written book was the first book he had ever read from cover to cover, due to a learning disability. That was 28 years ago, and it still brings me joy.
You sound like someone I'd like to hire. Of course, I'm writing a multi-book series and don't have the money, but I appreciate this kind of insight. It's still very helpful.
@@Bookfox That makes a lot of sense. I'll bookmark your channel for when I'm done with my first draft and look into your services. I hope you enjoy dark psychological thrillers of the FBI Agent/Serial Killer variety. ;-)
0:00 💡 Writers often misjudge their book's weaknesses, focusing on elements they excel at while overlooking major issues. 1:31 🤔 Writers tend to underestimate their own strengths, often needing reassurance about their talents. 2:01 🔄 Authors frequently underestimate the extent of revision required, needing psychological readiness for substantial editing. 2:42 📚 Authors often overlook point of view issues, which significantly impact narrative coherence and reader engagement. 3:32 🧠 Most writers handle criticism well, being open to feedback and eager to revise. 4:46 😊 Writers tend to be optimistically hopeful about their book's success, often envisioning grand outcomes. 5:45 💡 Execution is key: A strong concept is valuable, but the effective implementation is what truly defines a book's success. 6:47 🏗 Structural issues are common and challenging for writers to spot, necessitating external feedback for improvement. 7:52 🌟 Many talented writers exist, each with a unique story to tell, so writers should embrace their individuality and not feel intimidated by competition.
I'm glad you took the time to talk about #2. So many "writers" out there that have gotten at least 1 book out love telling you that "the first thing you need to learn is that your writing sucks". And then they go on about how much your editor is gonna mark up your stuff. I mean, on one hand I get it, but it's such a crappy way to deliver the message and so many people seem to love doing it. Gets a little aggravating after a while. That said, I have a deep appreciation for editors who take the time to highlight the things you did well. Learning from your mistakes is of course a great way to go, but not only is it nice to hear the "you did this well", it's also a learning experience. Nice to know when something didn't just "barely squeak by" and instead actually performed really well. I'm new here and not sure why the video randomly cropped up, but I'm glad it did.
You have to watch out for gatekeepers, saboteurs and swindlers. There's always going to be those throwing obstacles in your way, because they feel you're encroaching (gatekeepers and saboteurs who try to dictate what is a good and bad book based on arbitrary "rules"). The swindlers are akin to the Gold Rush. The people who came out rich weren't the miners. It was the people on the side of the road selling the pans and shovels to prospectors.
Hearing that positive feedback is crucial, because it you don't know what's good, you might mess it up by mistake when you go to "fix" the problem areas.
So annoying that authors don't just tell people this... I mean it makes sense cuz it's easier for them, with less competition... 1. Write the entire book through a narrator's perspective, this should be your longest version by far, maybe even 300k words for an intended 100k word final version, it will be a way to identify the most important descriptions and create a leaner final book in the end. This is the most vital step by far because all you're doing is just explaining, so it doesn't have to be perfect and obvs will change anyways, it's like outlining to the most extreme extent. 2. Write the same book through a secondary character's perspective, consider doing it for multiple secondary characters, but like from the love-interest's perspective, or the main villain's, for examples... this way you can create more complete characters, you can justify more alarming actions they might take from the reader's/MC's perspective because they'll have deeper motives, conflicts of their own, etc. 3. Write the entire book but each scene is from an involved character's perspective other than the MC's, again maybe even multiple perspectives per scene. 4. Write the book again, from the perspective of the MC... Probably the most efficient way is to complete each step to completion prior to moving on, but it's whatever you think works best for you...
Wow, this sounds like really profound advice. To No. 1. I tended to obsess with structure and dramaturgic aspects and did not manage to finish my long planned novel. When I did not know how to go on, I often tended to change plot lines etc.. Although this helped me to understand the characters better, I think, for a long time I thought too much about plot. Now I am going back to more focus on other aspects because advice No. 1 seems to be true to me. I should focus on aspects I tend to NOT think about. So thanks for that impulse! :)
Thank you. I've been viewing many TH-cam educational videos on writing - lol - I wish I started here in my first book. This is the first time your channel popped up. I appreciate your style, knowledge and respect. I am looking forward to viewing more. I am a few hundred pages into my historical narrative novel about my grandfather who had a successful life before WW I, but was blown off his path. I have family anthology and many letters for material. My “success” will be to bring this incredible story to life - book sales are secondary
In the spirit of constructive feedback: Maybe it's me (probably just me), but all of the clicking and pinging noises in this video were very distracting. I was trying to focus on what you were saying but couldn't. Next time maybe only have the transition sounds but leave away the typewriter clicking?
I also have adhd. I didn’t have any problems with the noises, didn’t even notice. It’s a pretty common trend these days, especially for a short, concise video
also, about that last topic, don't worry about other writers, yes, you're competing with them for people's attention, but you're competing with no one to write your book, because youe book is unique, no one else has the specific set of knowledge, personality, life experiences, memories, language and skills to write your story, literally only you can, if you stop to worry about competing with other people that's a story that no one will ever know or read and the world will be a worst place because of that. Chase your dreams, it doesn't matter if it's hard, if it looks impossible, if people don't believe in you or think you can't do it, prove them wrong, because they are wrong. Maybe YOU can't write that book, but future you, with more experience and practice and knowledge can do it, and it's your obligation to get yourself to the point you become that person.
WHOA. Between *200 and 2000 copies* ?? I had no freaking idea. If you'd asked me, I would have guessed the average novel sold like 10,000 to 20,000 copies lol. I am stunned!
Hmm. Good stuff. Thanks a lot for being so nice. Writing is inherently a scary proposition. One of my dearest friends and I had a conversation once about telepathy in which I expressed my belief, a passing thought not a conviction, that if we could just see what each person was thinking during interactions the world would be a better place to live. He strongly disagreed and suggested that such a scenario for him would be a nightmarish violation. I didn't share my first thought, because I didn't want to discourage him, but I couldn't help but ruminate later about the fact that , as we are both perspective writers, that having someone read our work was essentially the same thing. Perhaps it is curated and one sided but it is still letting someone else inside your head to some degree. Even if we make an effort to avoid those places inside we don't wish others to see our values, hopes, dreams and principles and whatever part of our imagination and effort we pour into our work will be there. To say nothing of those things our readers infer from our work, correct or not about who we are! So to hear an editor say how largely positive they find their interactions with novice writers to be is both validating and comforting.
I often say "Everyone can write. Not everyone can write well." I used to take part in fanfiction contests on a now-defunct posting board. Some of the stories were incredible. Some...were words cobbled together into sentences that...sort of told a story, but the reader had to fill in a lot of blanks. I'm working on a series that defies genre labeling, so I highly doubt I'd ever find a publisher for it. And I certainly can't afford self-publishing, so it'll just be shared via email with a couple really good friends. And that's fine - I write for me, to tell the story of these characters who drop by.
Sorry about my lack of capitalization i was running on little sleep after being injured but i was warned some of the book world was very petty good to see not everyone is like that
Hello. Great video! Actually, my biggest concern is how difficult it is to enter the international market as a non-native English speaker; I'm Brazilian. My interests are in fantasy, horror, and sci-fi-genres that are very difficult to work with in Brazil. Because of this, I'm seeking to publish in English and would like to know how editors view foreign aspiring writers.
What a very encouraging post. Terrific advice and - I can see - so warmly and patiently given. Your writers are very lucky to have you helping them in their orientation and execution of their work. Thanks for taking the time to share.
Man, we want to be best seller and movie because we want make living by writing! It's not ambitions - it's love! I would be so damn happy to write all day, publish and get money on my account. But the publishers working only with network. Online writing is cheap thrills, just satisfaction of low level needs like entertaining or sex. No one wants existential crisis🤷♀️😆 And you have to be marketing expert, youtuber or other *** to get any sales anyway. This 200 to 2000 won't be granted.
I been worried to write the book ideas i wanted to do because i have been so worried it won't be good. But this gives me a bit more confidence to start this year so thank u... also is it a good thing or bad thing if you do loads and loads od reseach on what u want to write about or include in your writing because i am always doing loads of reseach
i like that you tell the writer what they are doing well instead of just dumping all the bad on them watch this very popular book editor bragging how he tears the writer apart because that's the only way they will get better
Ew. Bragging about being mean? No thank you. I mean, I spend plenty of time offering constructive criticism, but do so kindly, and only after offering genuine compliments.
Excuse me... I can't take you very seriously, when you start out the sentence without a Capital... and "I" is ALWAYS a Capital.
So... if you were an experienced writer (25 years here), you'd know NEVER us a lowercase letter starting a sentence... and Always Capitalize your "I".
Ohhh... and while I'm at it... Please do not be rude and mean just because you can... This man took his time and money to make this wonderful video. If you do not like it... Move on.
A (real) writer, needs and wants their editor to tell the truth. That is what they are paid for, to save the writer/author being embarrassed.
@@judichristopher4604Honey, I think you misread their comment. They said they appreciate the constructive criticism, not that the editor should be mean to their authors
@judichristopher4604 How blind and conceited can you be? He was complaining about another editor and praising the guy who made this video. Either your reading comprehension skills are as small as your ego is grotesquely bloated, or you’re the kind of author who gets a pathetic high every time you catch someone in the TH-cam comment section daring to not use proper grammar in your presence. Well guess what, Miss Angela Martin from The Office: The comments section wasn’t made for proper spelling. Some people choose to use it but others don’t AND THATS FINE because it’s just for fun. Maybe just focus on your own flaws, hmm? Thank goodness you’re here to misread our comments and remind us how much better you are at spelling and bragging. THANK YOU.
@@judichristopher4604 I guess this is what the video meant with how writers are great at lines, paragraphs and dialogue and not so much the big picture....
Way to lash out so aggresively on a platform with people from all over the world.
it's so affirming to hear that structure is the hardest thing because in my scientific writing I'm made to feel like such a shitty writer because I "can't do basic structure" when I SWEAR my structure is actually fine.
Hearing that the structure needs work, but it's okay, everyones structure needs work, is so nice to hear.
Same. I have always worried about structuring stories, for years.
Yep. You're normal. :)
I’ve been a professor of linguistics and English for several years, and I finally decided to start writing my fiction novel. This past semester, I worked during my spare hours in my office and wrote many pages. I found that the production of language, the linking of all of the ideas logically and conceptually together for the various parts, and making the text fun, clear, and interesting page-after-page can be quite a collective challenge… yet, a welcome challenge! Thank you for your videos. I’ll be checking out more of them so I can stay better on track…
Congrats on starting your novel. Glad the work has been productive so far … and yet also challenging! Good luck with the rest, and I hope the videos I’m releasing soon help.
writers who hire editors probably take feedback well. i ran a writers group for 4 years and i'd say it's 50/50 at that level
Mentored a writing class for adult beginners and the ones to watch out for are those who have been working on their masterpiece for years and will take absolutely NO input on it that isn’t glowing. They aren’t there to learn. They’re there to be discovered which is like mentoring a brick wall.
@@squidpoequo7747Not excusing it but I can kinda understand the feelings.
If you’ve already dedicated a lot of years to a project, you don’t want to feel as if you’ve potentially wasted a portion of your short time on this planet, especially so if you’ve heard people close to you saying that what you’re doing is a waste of time. You become defensive even of good faith criticism. You don’t want to entertain the idea that they might be right and you’ve been the problem.
“If you hadn’t spent all that time on that book, you could have done x by now”.
@@ottz2506generally speaking, as someone who has shipped creative projects, I’d say this you mention is tied to one of the most essential pieces of advice: focus on shipping stuff first. Perfect is the enemy of good, and all that.
If you spend 10 years working on something, I doubt it has any more chances of being good that a project you spent 1 year on. And instead it carries a number of downsides, one of which is being quite more defensive to feedback.
So, sure, I can also understand from where that defensiveness may come; but it is still a counterproductive and rather annoying reaction.
My critique group takes criticism well. But they voluntarily joined a critique group, so ...
I could wright a book in 3 months. A great one at that
I am addicted to writing short stories, moments in time. Moments count, because they add up to a life. I savor them for the same reason I snack between meals. Good, bad, or indifferent, it is just more gratifying than waiting for a table. A control issue, perhaps. The trouble is, short stories don't really get published, and are read mostly by people you hand them to. That's ok. Hand 'em out. Tuck them into the magazines at the doctor's office. Write a story specifically for someone who is struggling. Nothing more gratifying than someone who is not a writer coming up to you in person and saying, "Hey, have you written anything lately?" It can be terrifying, like when someone asks you to write a eulogy. If someone asks you that, you have arrived as a writer.
This. I hate the modern publishing world for this. Best writer wrote short stories in old times. All my favorite writers, especially science fiction! How in world we came to popularity of tt but all books have to be NOVELS? Even collection you can publish only if you are already famous or no one cares😢
I published on Amazon a short story collection and story Narrator is about your idea about special written story. Check out if you have subscription. You can become second reader in a year🫠
@@BeMyArt I will check it out!
@@BeMyArt what is the title? I can't find it
Publish them yourself as a Collection! Short form content has better luck in the indie space than traditional publishing form any reasons.
@johnswoodgadgets9819 When I'm lonely I dream of you by Tallie
If you'll put it in Google search, I guess you'll find🫶 Sorry for the late answer. My comment was deleted, and I just found out your question😅
I appreciate your positivity. Too many writers in the communities I'm in are focused on "an editor should only tell you what you do wrong", or "if you enjoy hearing positive feedback you're not really committed to being a writer" sorts of mindsets, and it can be really exhausting and disheartening. You seem very kind, and I find your words very encouraging.
People take writing a lot like magic, they romanticize it too much, writing is not different from painting and music, most of it is practice, having a wide horizon of references, experimenting, and so on. As a teacher, I am often surprised by how often you see people actually writing (or trying to) long texts, but know of and do a total of 0 basic writing exercises. I also feel that the illustration community is MUCH more open about the process of learning and creating than the writing community is (which people like you are doing a great job trying to improve).
Yes, good point. I'm going to do a video on writing exercises soon!
Yes, you are spot on.
I think it really depends on the writing community you're in. I'm connected to many different writing communities, and definitely in the best have seen people asking for feedback and giving helpful feedback, talking about the process of writing, etc. However I do sometimes see newer writers post things like "Hey I finished my first book! How do I get it published?" without thinking about editing, and people have to tell them that just because they finished a draft doesn't mean it's ready to publish. Generally, the people who are newer to writing are those who have not been plugged into a writing community for very long or have not read books on writing, haven't been to writing workshops, etc. etc.
Which, there are a lot of people out there who fall into that category, but they're usually not really connected to writing communities yet which accounts for much of their being in the dark so to speak.
@@Bookfox Subscribed, looking forward to the writing exercises ^^
This is such a great and encouraging video. Thank you for sharing it. As a writer who believes my story telling far outclasses my ability to write good prose, I needed to hear these things. Have a great week!
You're very welcome! Write on!
i'm a writer and i know if someone read my work and gave me with criticisms that are not straight up bashing my book/plot/characters i would be so seated to hear what they had to say! feedback is so crucial and there's really not enough of it sometimes.
This comment needs editing.
@@neilo2323???
I'm just going to say it. I am the author of a comic book that has been published and distributed in Japan. In December 2020, a total of three copies were sold on the first day. In fact, three issues were released in the series. The emotional reward of achieving X does not offset the monetary or laborious expenses involved in creating a book. I accepted the failure as my own and refrained from distorting it in any manner.
Well, it really comes down to marketing then. That's a whole skill set which a lot of authors aren't great at.
@@Bookfox In this particular scenario, the Japanese publisher actively promoted the comic and achieved remarkable success in introducing other titles to the country. The comics' lack of success can be attributed to a variety of factors.
I wouldn’t call it a failure. You got a book published-that’s a success.
@@ahobbit1273 The series has not made a 10th of the cost to make. I picked the idea, the art, and everything else. It failed. I own this.
Is there any place where I could read your comic book?
execution vs. idea/concept is gold. i find in the reading that usually, the concept kind of BLURS anyway. it's not as clear and prominent as a movie usually unless the book is unusually movie-like. it's in the moment to moment flow and maybe how it performs in the single scene that really gives me a sense of whether the book is good or not.
A great video! I’m still only learning about writing but I don’t feel like it is a competition. If there are thousands of talented writers out there, I see that as a brilliant gift to humanity.
"Underestimate revision" -- 100% this. I was outright shocked the first few times when I thought the book was 90% done and got told it was more like 10% done.
How was this so simultaneously challenging AND encouraging at the same time. Thank you for your work and explanations. I had a lot of takeaways and I look forward to applying what I've learned here.
Glad it was helpful!
@@Bookfox NOW, to finish the novel
I’ve edited and revised my book so many times, I’m on the seventh - ninth version, and I had to give up. I’ve given it to an alpha reader, just to see if I’m on to something or not. This video was great in keeping my spirit up!
Wow! As someone who started to write a book three weeks ago I must say Thank You! This really helped me A Lot!!!!
I was looking for such a channel for a long time. I finally arrived 🎉
Authors need to embrace the fact that their success should never be measured by number of copies sold. Otherwise they are setting themselves up for significant disappointment. It's great that you coach them on this.
It's so refreshing to hear some original advice. This video was really helpful, thank you!
Thank you. I’m a new writer and I needed this insight
After 2.5 years, 3.5 drafts, 2 beta readers (One of whom fell in love with the story and used her creative writing degree and skills as an English teacher to edit my book), I have really enjoyed your video. Especially about the execution of the concept being 95% of the book.
Very good info. Thx. I agree on the success part. There is all kinds of success. I've only written one book so far and of course a first book is usually not very good, but I did my best. I released it to crash and burn in January 2024. 7 months later in July someone out there in the world gave me a 5/5 stars on Amazon. Not a friend or family member, a stranger. To me that felt like success. Knowing that there was one person out there who enjoyed my story made me happy. Because of that one person I'm so motivated to keep on writing and book 2 will be out in around 3 months. Maybe then I can double my success and get two 5 star ratings :D
As a Ray Bradbury fan I get the joke on your T-shirt.
This video has sound advice and a wholesome way to deliver it, what a great video man
I really appreciate this video. All of this was such good information.
Glad it was helpful!
I write for myself mostly and when I reread I'm like wow, I'm good 👍.
But it's that number 8 thing that's most poignant.
I need to know what works and what doesn't.
This video was just awesome and what I needed right now. Thank you!!!
You're welcome!!!
Thank you so much for this video. Especially your last point pushed my confidence even more.
5:09 Couldnt agree more. My favourite manga Ive read this year so far is My Broken Mariko. The main character goes on a journey to spread the ashes of her best friend who died of suicide. The story is very simple but the way it was executed made me loved the book. Some panels were drawn like it was a comedy, with the characters being off-model and then the next panel would be a heart breaking scene. My favourite scene from that book was when the MC had a poignant conversation about suicide on a beach but the panel was focused on a sign that said "Suicide isnt illegal but littering is!"
Money and the fame would be a bonus. I want to write and publish because...well...i want to. Simple as that.
Nine People's Favorite Thing from [title of show] really sums it up for me. I'd rather be nine people's favorite thing then 100 people's ninth favorite thing.
This gives me encouragement that i am moving in the right direction, and good advice to take with me as i continue to move forward.
One of the best rejection letters I got said that I had a strong and unique voice and to keep writing. That was a nice sprinkle of inspiration on the burnt toast submission. Crunch, chew, and get to writing. The Atomicas series...check it out.
Such an educational video. Thank you.
One piece of “advice” I’ve heard floating around goes along the lines of “everyone has a story inside of them. With some, sometimes inside of them is where it belongs”. It’s been stuck with me for years because I keep thinking “oh my god, what if I’m one of the some people? Should I bother? What if I become one of the authors who is technically successful but for all the wrong reasons? Maybe writing this holds a lot more risk than not writing it at all”
The “wrong reasons” being that your book is generally mocked as bad and an example of bad writing that is solely used to demonstrate what prospective writers shouldn’t do.
I remember also reading a review about someone’s book and it said “great idea, wrong person to write it”. If I had a review like that, it would haunt me for so long.
Flannery O'Connor used to say that the job of writing schools should be to prevent most writers from writing. I've always thought that was unnecessarily harsh.
Bad reviews are inevitable, but you get to choose how to process them -- and whether to focus more on all the positive reviews.
I assume you’re for hire? Hope to need your services in the near future. I appreciate someone who knows what they’re talking about. I’ve written several non-fiction books and working on my first novel.
Sure, reach out when you're ready.
Sir, that is a truly splendid shirt!
Great info but subscribed because of your amazing attitude, definitely good stuff coming from you
What makes me second-guess my writing has nothing to do with self-confidence but is mostly because I am burnt out from writing, revising, editing, etc. I become numb to my writing and simply cannot tell if it is good when I'm at the point of reviewing it.
Is this why books are rife with tropes and cliches now? Because a handful of people called “editors” act as gatekeepers for good taste?
Great video! But I have to ask: did you ever come across a manuscript that you felt was too problematic or extremely subpar to be a successful story?
There was never a manuscript that couldn't be revised, no.
can you make a video to give more advice on the execution and structure tip???
dude i love this so much! hopefully someday I can get an editor as amazing as you! :)
I hope so too! Good luck and thank you.
Without going into details or anything, how many clients (if any) did you have who just wanted to write a good story that at least some few would/might like, and who wasn't already trying to think how they could rival R.R. Martin or Tolkien etc?
Is it true that a novel writer almost always needs an agent? Just wondering because I write short stories and poems, and never used an agent.
"Thumbs UP" ...People!!!
Dude. That’s 4 1/4 book per month. That’s so much
Very inspiring! Thank you
I see your content is directed toward writers (excellent content by the way) personally I would love some guidance from you on becoming an editor! Took a BFA in creative writing to learn I prefer editing other's work.
i love this video. But, the sound effects are SO loud. Listening with ear-buds and ouch.
Thank you for this video.
This was great - thanks!
You're very welcome.
Brilliant topic!!
So knowing that the novel the editor reads is only a work-in-progress no matter how long you toiled to get it just right, should you write for editors or audiences? Both? Or writing well for one should extend to the other?
I choose to believe that the only way to proceed is follow your heart and let the chips fall where they may or use cosmetic surgery afterwards to get it up to snuff. That absolves me of worrying about readers prematurely or excessively.
Another tip I don’t often see or hear is how to evaluate writing advice and the thriving industry that has sprung up around it, despite these grim reports from the frontlines describing mass casualties and unsustainable losses. It’s like you would have an easier time making money paraphrasing old writing advice in a catchy way and selling that instead of using it to write.
There is no reliable scientific method to separate the wheat from the chaff. Use your best judgment. But if you find yourself growing weary on this journey to writing excellence, stop for a moment and look behind you. Is your trail littered with writing advice that may have taught you something but didn’t help you write a single word of anything? Are you headed toward another holy grail? Consider the fact that you already have the tools you need, by being you, and searching for tools equally useful or crucial requires a rainbow to follow and complacent leprechauns that will allow you to steal their beloved gold. Stop. Put away the advice. Listen to yourself, the good and the bad, and just try to write it out.
The only person who should be telling you what to write is you. Mentors, coaches, and advisors are of course still useful but only if you do your part first. No one, no experience, no book, no class will ever make you a writer. They might drive you to improve, they might waste your time. The secret lies within you. The cost is self-reflection. Trust nothing else. Well, trust but verify.
I guess none of this really matters if your only or primary goal is to make money. If that’s true, it seems like a lot of manual labor for a relatively small reward. It doesn’t seem like self-pub spam is worth the effort at this point. The damage has been done. The slush pile is our responsibility to sort through now.
Also let go of your need for original ideas. It’s an illusion. There are no original ideas. Flesh out your idea. If it’s identical to Jurassic Park, okay, you can still use it. Just don’t try to rewrite JP. You’ll be fine. If it’s not identical, no worries. That’s original enough. Thinking your ideas are somehow special is a little arrogant and vain.
Speaking of JP, Crichton wrote Eaters of the Dead to prove a point. A friend claimed Beowulf could not captivate the interest of high school audiences. Crichton retold it as an action-adventure with clear connections and references to Beowulf but through a different perspective, voice, and historical context. His execution was the original part. His vision. The rest was just a common framework.
New authors are open to criticism? In what alternative universe are you living in? I want to move there.
I'm trying to write my first novel and have 7ish chapters written so far. Anyone know what it would take cost/process-wise to get a dude like this to take a look? Not even in-depth analysis necessarily. Is there an hourly rate? About 20,000 words so far if that helps, TIA!
I want that shirt.
I have a sci-fi novella that's a golden age type of story where a man from the future who lives a very different existence from our own stumbles upon records of the past and slowly starts to yearn for that type of life. It's as finished as I can get it but I have no idea where to send it where it'll get a fair shake. Any thoughts and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Get a Duotrope subscription and look up publishers/literary journals who accept sci-fi genres, and then limit it to a certain word count (of your novella's range).
@@Bookfoxyou'll get % from it, right? Lol
I can’t even get a paragraph written. Pretty sure my dream of writing a fantasy novel is just that; A dream. The more I watch these type of video the more I realize how unqualified and uneducated i truly am.
Drop the goal of a novel for now. Start with writing a short story or a single chapter. Focus on writing something you'd want to read. Get into the pattern of writing 500 words and day and go from there. You can do it!!
How many of these 51 novels got published in the end?
I am writing a book right now. I want to sell it in different languages, one of which is English. How do the other writers reach you? 🤔
Do you still edit? I don’t see link to your editing services
As a book editor, do you charge by the hour, by the number of words, or on a per-project basis?
Per Project. Usually modified if the book is longer than 100k or shorter than 70k.
@@Bookfox Thanks, that’s useful to know!
Inspiring and helpful, thank you.
Could you edit my book? Its finished and already have a paperback though
It's usually best to do developmental editing before you publish.
@@Bookfox oh makes sense
All the quick changes in picture clips are painful to the eyeballs. This is a video to close the eyes and listen to the advice.
My goal is to sell 200 k books over the course of 10 to 20 years.
You are WOW. As McDreamy would say: a breath of fresh air.
Funny number
Edited 51 novels - or skimmed and commented on 51 novels?
Good grief, stopped listening after two minutes. Why do American videos always talk as if their audience are about 7 years old? I am from the UK and not going to watch any more American videos on writing.
who is he to pass comment?
Do you have a job?
I help writers full time. This is my job.
Something tells me that you have been a teacher at some stage in your life. If not, then I feel you would make an excellent one. Well done, mate.
Ha! You read me like a book. 10 years teaching at universities like USC and Chapman here in California, before I pivoted to doing Bookfox full time.
don't write expecting to become a millionaire or have a lot of fans, write to make a difference in the world, it doesn't matter if you affect the life of 10 or 1 million people, it matters if you managed to make the life of at least 1 person better using only your words. That is what a successful author is. If after that you get rich an famous, even better if that's what you wanted, but don't make it your main goal or you'll be painfully disappointed, writers who can have those 2 things and are still alive are less than 1%
I have two friends who became authors because they wanted money for doing what they loved to do - not the fuzzy warm concept of making a difference in the world. Both have made millions. Imagine that? They took their passion and turned it into a career.
Write because you have story you have to tell. nothing else! Edit: I wrote it while driving haha
Write about what you want to say to the world and write stories you always wanted to hear but nobody tells them.
This does indeed motivate me to continue writing...
And hiring him… interesting…
this demotivated me ngl. I feel like I'm unworthy, and others are so much better than me so me trying to do shit is pointless. Hell, so far I didn't manage to write more than one chapter in any thing I've tried. And I have tried so fucking much, doing structure, trying to just write and see where it will go, EVERYTHING. I can't. I'm just a depressed useless nobody that should've fucking died a while ago but didn't, struggling for nothing.
@@KitnaMW What is your favorite novel? Name two authors that influence you the most and I'll tell you who you should read instead.
My first book had an audience of ONE. A 10-year old boy. A professional writer critiqued the book, and the results were UGLY. But his mother later informed me that my poorly-written book was the first book he had ever read from cover to cover, due to a learning disability. That was 28 years ago, and it still brings me joy.
Thanks! I needed to hear some of this, because... man, we can get stuck in our own head sometimes (and that can be a dark and scary place)!
So true ... glad I could serve as a bit of encouragement.
Nice insight. I suspect that we've all been here a time or two.
You sound like someone I'd like to hire. Of course, I'm writing a multi-book series and don't have the money, but I appreciate this kind of insight. It's still very helpful.
Well, I often edit the first book in a series for someone and the principles I teach them allow them to revise the sequels.
@@Bookfox That makes a lot of sense. I'll bookmark your channel for when I'm done with my first draft and look into your services. I hope you enjoy dark psychological thrillers of the FBI Agent/Serial Killer variety. ;-)
0:00 💡 Writers often misjudge their book's weaknesses, focusing on elements they excel at while overlooking major issues.
1:31 🤔 Writers tend to underestimate their own strengths, often needing reassurance about their talents.
2:01 🔄 Authors frequently underestimate the extent of revision required, needing psychological readiness for substantial editing.
2:42 📚 Authors often overlook point of view issues, which significantly impact narrative coherence and reader engagement.
3:32 🧠 Most writers handle criticism well, being open to feedback and eager to revise.
4:46 😊 Writers tend to be optimistically hopeful about their book's success, often envisioning grand outcomes.
5:45 💡 Execution is key: A strong concept is valuable, but the effective implementation is what truly defines a book's success.
6:47 🏗 Structural issues are common and challenging for writers to spot, necessitating external feedback for improvement.
7:52 🌟 Many talented writers exist, each with a unique story to tell, so writers should embrace their individuality and not feel intimidated by competition.
These time stamps aren’t…quite right. 🤨
7:52 💀💀 the video is 7:44 max...
Thank you for the notes! It helped me keep track of what was happening.
This is so universal and general, like saying that sun is shining and making me happy.
@@100push-upsguy6 Bingo! What did you expect?
I'm glad you took the time to talk about #2. So many "writers" out there that have gotten at least 1 book out love telling you that "the first thing you need to learn is that your writing sucks". And then they go on about how much your editor is gonna mark up your stuff. I mean, on one hand I get it, but it's such a crappy way to deliver the message and so many people seem to love doing it. Gets a little aggravating after a while.
That said, I have a deep appreciation for editors who take the time to highlight the things you did well. Learning from your mistakes is of course a great way to go, but not only is it nice to hear the "you did this well", it's also a learning experience. Nice to know when something didn't just "barely squeak by" and instead actually performed really well.
I'm new here and not sure why the video randomly cropped up, but I'm glad it did.
You have to watch out for gatekeepers, saboteurs and swindlers. There's always going to be those throwing obstacles in your way, because they feel you're encroaching (gatekeepers and saboteurs who try to dictate what is a good and bad book based on arbitrary "rules"). The swindlers are akin to the Gold Rush. The people who came out rich weren't the miners. It was the people on the side of the road selling the pans and shovels to prospectors.
Hearing that positive feedback is crucial, because it you don't know what's good, you might mess it up by mistake when you go to "fix" the problem areas.
@@dueling_spectra7270 Exactly. It's good to know what NOT to do, but if you don't know what's actually good, you're still shooting in the dark.
So annoying that authors don't just tell people this... I mean it makes sense cuz it's easier for them, with less competition...
1. Write the entire book through a narrator's perspective, this should be your longest version by far, maybe even 300k words for an intended 100k word final version, it will be a way to identify the most important descriptions and create a leaner final book in the end. This is the most vital step by far because all you're doing is just explaining, so it doesn't have to be perfect and obvs will change anyways, it's like outlining to the most extreme extent.
2. Write the same book through a secondary character's perspective, consider doing it for multiple secondary characters, but like from the love-interest's perspective, or the main villain's, for examples... this way you can create more complete characters, you can justify more alarming actions they might take from the reader's/MC's perspective because they'll have deeper motives, conflicts of their own, etc.
3. Write the entire book but each scene is from an involved character's perspective other than the MC's, again maybe even multiple perspectives per scene.
4. Write the book again, from the perspective of the MC...
Probably the most efficient way is to complete each step to completion prior to moving on, but it's whatever you think works best for you...
Im in deep shock! Never saw the kind of advice youre giving in your videos around. Please, MORE!!!!!!!
Wow, this sounds like really profound advice. To No. 1. I tended to obsess with structure and dramaturgic aspects and did not manage to finish my long planned novel. When I did not know how to go on, I often tended to change plot lines etc.. Although this helped me to understand the characters better, I think, for a long time I thought too much about plot. Now I am going back to more focus on other aspects because advice No. 1 seems to be true to me. I should focus on aspects I tend to NOT think about. So thanks for that impulse! :)
Thank you. I've been viewing many TH-cam educational videos on writing - lol - I wish I started here in my first book. This is the first time your channel popped up. I appreciate your style, knowledge and respect. I am looking forward to viewing more.
I am a few hundred pages into my historical narrative novel about my grandfather who had a successful life before WW I, but was blown off his path. I have family anthology and many letters for material.
My “success” will be to bring this incredible story to life - book sales are secondary
In the spirit of constructive feedback: Maybe it's me (probably just me), but all of the clicking and pinging noises in this video were very distracting. I was trying to focus on what you were saying but couldn't. Next time maybe only have the transition sounds but leave away the typewriter clicking?
I found it almost unwatchable because of this. Like the video was distracting me from itself. I may have ADHD though.
@@sarahpowell671 I may have ADHD too (like seriously), but still it's good to hear I was not the only one who found it distracting.
I also have adhd. I didn’t have any problems with the noises, didn’t even notice. It’s a pretty common trend these days, especially for a short, concise video
also, about that last topic, don't worry about other writers, yes, you're competing with them for people's attention, but you're competing with no one to write your book, because youe book is unique, no one else has the specific set of knowledge, personality, life experiences, memories, language and skills to write your story, literally only you can, if you stop to worry about competing with other people that's a story that no one will ever know or read and the world will be a worst place because of that. Chase your dreams, it doesn't matter if it's hard, if it looks impossible, if people don't believe in you or think you can't do it, prove them wrong, because they are wrong. Maybe YOU can't write that book, but future you, with more experience and practice and knowledge can do it, and it's your obligation to get yourself to the point you become that person.
God i needed the revision talk. Ive had to scrap SO MANY WORDS
"The Revision Talk" ha ha. Like it's the bird and bees talk.
But yes, It's oh so normal to scrap so many words. I feel your pain.
WHOA. Between *200 and 2000 copies* ?? I had no freaking idea. If you'd asked me, I would have guessed the average novel sold like 10,000 to 20,000 copies lol. I am stunned!
Hmm. Good stuff.
Thanks a lot for being so nice. Writing is inherently a scary proposition. One of my dearest friends and I had a conversation once about telepathy in which I expressed my belief, a passing thought not a conviction, that if we could just see what each person was thinking during interactions the world would be a better place to live.
He strongly disagreed and suggested that such a scenario for him would be a nightmarish violation.
I didn't share my first thought, because I didn't want to discourage him, but I couldn't help but ruminate later about the fact that , as we are both perspective writers, that having someone read our work was essentially the same thing.
Perhaps it is curated and one sided but it is still letting someone else inside your head to some degree. Even if we make an effort to avoid those places inside we don't wish others to see our values, hopes, dreams and principles and whatever part of our imagination and effort we pour into our work will be there. To say nothing of those things our readers infer from our work, correct or not about who we are!
So to hear an editor say how largely positive they find their interactions with novice writers to be is both validating and comforting.
Thank you for your postivity. The hardest thing about writing is marketing.
Thank you! And yes, marketing is always super difficult.
I love editing my book. I thought I'll hate it after ending first one but I start and it was enjoyable 😅 People surprised whenever I'm saying this 😂
0:37 - "very very well", let's try rephrasing this 😉
I often say "Everyone can write. Not everyone can write well." I used to take part in fanfiction contests on a now-defunct posting board. Some of the stories were incredible. Some...were words cobbled together into sentences that...sort of told a story, but the reader had to fill in a lot of blanks.
I'm working on a series that defies genre labeling, so I highly doubt I'd ever find a publisher for it. And I certainly can't afford self-publishing, so it'll just be shared via email with a couple really good friends. And that's fine - I write for me, to tell the story of these characters who drop by.
Sorry about my lack of capitalization i was running on little sleep after being injured but i was warned some of the book world was very petty good to see not everyone is like that
Hello. Great video! Actually, my biggest concern is how difficult it is to enter the international market as a non-native English speaker; I'm Brazilian. My interests are in fantasy, horror, and sci-fi-genres that are very difficult to work with in Brazil. Because of this, I'm seeking to publish in English and would like to know how editors view foreign aspiring writers.
What a very encouraging post. Terrific advice and - I can see - so warmly and patiently given. Your writers are very lucky to have you helping them in their orientation and execution of their work. Thanks for taking the time to share.
"Writers take criticism well" I think all the books ur editing are just from canadians.
Man, we want to be best seller and movie because we want make living by writing! It's not ambitions - it's love! I would be so damn happy to write all day, publish and get money on my account. But the publishers working only with network. Online writing is cheap thrills, just satisfaction of low level needs like entertaining or sex. No one wants existential crisis🤷♀️😆 And you have to be marketing expert, youtuber or other *** to get any sales anyway. This 200 to 2000 won't be granted.
I'm sort of curious about how many of those books got published and whether any of them became best sellers?
Again, another long @$$ sales pitch to buy a product or service
I been worried to write the book ideas i wanted to do because i have been so worried it won't be good. But this gives me a bit more confidence to start this year so thank u... also is it a good thing or bad thing if you do loads and loads od reseach on what u want to write about or include in your writing because i am always doing loads of reseach
granmarly my man