I’m currently writing my first story, and I won’t stop even if no one reads it. For me, simply enjoying the act of writing is enough. My ideas, once trapped in the halls of my mind, are now captured on paper, no longer confined to my thoughts.
I spent a week writing my first short story in a frenzy. My only goal was to finally finish a story. I succeeded, and now I'm finishing volume 4 of another story. Write every day, even if it's just a few words. Make it a habit. Also, it's better to plan in advance because then you always know what comes next and the writing can flow more easily.
I have also started writing for the same reason. Whenever I read this something, at the back of my mind, there are some ideas that pop up every now and then and I wanted to see what i can do with those if i were to write my own book.
Sometimes books aren't salvageable due to fundamental structural flaws, and giving up and moving onto something else can be really liberating and lead to success elsewhere.
@@BidwellRunner my method has been to take that failed manuscript, and swap plot points around. This failed for this reason so if I take this ingredient, swap it with that, maybe cook it at high heat instead of low then spice it up over here, let's see if it works now (don't know when this became a cooking metaphor but it is now!)
@@BidwellRunner I don't think a book can ever be utterly unsalvageable due purely to structural flaws. You've still got all the characters there, their relationships/conflicts, the setting, the tone, any unique narrative voice etc. Simply* restructure the plot, adding and removing plot elements as necessary, and you've salvaged that book. *Note that simple does not equate to easy! :P
@@LDillon Giving up on a book doesn't mean giving up on the characters/setting/etc. It frees them up to be used in another work. Authors often transplant their best ideas from an abandoned novel into a future novel. The plot is also inseparable from the characters. More than a series of things that happen, the plot is a product of the character's struggles and choices. Changing their journey changes the characters as well. If you change too much then you might end up with a different novel that doesn't tell the type of story you wanted to tell. Most authors have novels that they gave up on. I just want to put out there that that isn't a sign of defeat. Time and creative energy is limited, and sometimes it is better to put that into a new venture rather than investing further into sunk costs.
@@BidwellRunner Ah I completely agree with everything you're said there, so might've just been a difference in terminology! I feel that keeping everything other than the plot structure is what I'd consider the same novel, just another draft. I've always felt that draft 2 can be entirely transformative from draft 1, helps if people are afraid of cutting/changing too much because they feel attached to the work they've done so far. Completely agreed with the second part of your original comment - moving on from an old idea that no longer suits your goals/needs is a really healthy thing to accept. It was just the first part really, I don't think any project is entirely unsalvageable - there's always some worth in there, even if it would need a lot of rework. But again that's probably semantics; it sounds like we agree on the ideas themselves 😂
THIS. I've proven to myself countless times that I really should be writing more because goddamn I have all these ideas and notes but I can barely tie them together in a single page. It's really sad cause I struggle with procrastination.
@@EmmarainePink I’m exactly the same!! I come up with all these amazing ideas and then struggle with how to tie them together, and the worst part is, my motivation strays all the time. Procrastination is the thing keeping me from finishing up the plan for my book quickly, and I’ve been working on this book all year 😭
Also, I would like you to give us more tips about designing your own book cover as an indie author, and showing us in real time how you choose the images and fonts to design a book cover, and mistakes to avoid.
@@saga2094 Actually, I was referring to the possibility of an indie author designing their own book cover, in case they don't (or can't) hire a designer to do it. But yes, AI can be a problem, depending on how it is used.
I'm in the middle of one of my fanfictions. This video is literally in perfect timing for me! Thank you, Abbie. You explain things so well, you are so kind and you have such e a beautiful and sweet voice! When I listen to you, I want to write even more. I love you.
@@JoanneyxxDon't worry, I like to talk about it. I'm co-writing it with a friend. We started it in August. It's in the Supernatural Fandom and it talks about a few afternoons Sam and Dean, the protagonists, live together when their dad is outside chasing after the demon who, in the series, killed their mom. Dean is five-years-old and Sam is eleven-months-old, but in the series it's clear, even with flashbacks, that he had to hide the pain for his loss (and we talked about it and wrote some chapters about him crying and suffering and grieving, all alone), because he had to do it all alone even in the series. He is shocked and traumatized, and we put a lot of attetion on that. Mary was his mom and he saw her dying, while trying to bring his little brother, who was six-months-old, outside of the house which was on fire. Their dad survived, but he was so overwhelmed with grief that he loved his children, but didn't take so much care about them (no signs of affection, for example). And the fanfiction revolves around the bond between Sam and Dean, Dean struggling with his inner demons and, many times, playing with Sam, they enjoying themselves, the little one interacting with him by playing and babbling etc. There are no monsters in this fic. No demons, no vampires, nothing. It's not fantasy. It's a Fluff, Hurtt/Comfort, Drama, sad and melancholic fanfiction, but it has fun moments, too, and Fluff means, in fanfiction terms, moments of tenderness and filled with sweet things, in our case cuddling etc. We have a full outline (my friend is a pantser, I'm a plotter and needed an outline), so I wrote it entirely and she read it, and we work together. The problem is, I don't have a job yet, I'm thirty and she's thirty-two and she is a teacher, so she can't dedicate so much time to writing, even if she loves it. We do what we can. We agreed that I will do the majority of the work, but we talk about the fanfiction really often and we take decisions together. She writes as often as she can, and this story is as important for her as it is for me, but I don't mind if she doesn't write so much. I understand that she would want to, but she can't. She has no time and we both suffer from anxiety and I have depression, too, and this year I started having these incredibly strong headaches (I'm currently doing medical test after medical test), taking my medication and pain killers, and I have to stay in bed often because of how strong and painful these headaches are. So I have had months (February, April, July, October and November) in which I didn't write nothing at all because my physical condition didn't allow me to. I'm also working on another fanfiction on Taylor Swift Fandom, but that is only mine. And I will write future stories, but for now I'm concentrating on these two. Today I started chapter sixteen of our fanfiction. We still don't know how many chapters it will have, but surely more than twenty. We are at 65,000 words for now, and we edit and revise every few chapters before going on. We also have a beta reader who, at the end and after another round of revisions and edits, will give us feedback. We, including our beta reader, publish our stories (our beta writes poems) on a website. We are italian and the site is in Italian, for both fanfiction and original works (stories and poems).
You can't imagine how important the "big cast with no single protag should have a common internal conflict anchor" advice is for me! Chinese literature usually are ensemble aside from Journey to the West which follows the hero's path structure(shockingly modern). I was hugely influenced by classic literature so I usually write ensemble fiction but I can't manage the main conflict and focus. This is a life saver!
For me it’s writing scenes that flow well and won’t bog down the readers. How do I find the right event, sequence and dialogue that works. It is pretty action oriented all things considered.
@gods_master_craft1644 ohh Hi fellow ntp, your idea is interesting!! the 12yrs are shockingly impressive, I'm curious what you will do with it😊. I hope you'll write it too bro and love what you do :)
I also have a daydream story that I’ve been making in my head for years! I don’t think I’ll ever write it as a book though, but hey, you never know. :)
This is so helpful! Thank you!! I feel like my biggest mistake is slowing down the momentum with distractive obstacles. I have a hard time figuring out what is important to keep in the story and what matters most to the characters. Prompting myself with those questions you asked helps makes it so much clearer what is necessary to keep and what obstacles can be scrapped. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!!
Personal stakes in solving a mystery... the best example of this I know of is The Grave Report series by R.R. Virdi. The protagonist is a disembodied spirit who is tasked to solve supernatural mysteries, but he must do so while inhabiting the body of someone who is recently deceased, and the longer he spends doing so the more memories he loses.
An tip to write about large character cast is by watching shows, read books/comics, that have a large cast, an example is MLP:FIM, they have the large cast, even tho in the start they focus more in twilight, but still having many episode about the other ponies!
Thanks, so much for your advice. I didn't realize I was lacking conflict in the middle of my book. Your advice has given me an amazing idea to improve the plot so thank you so much!
11:52 This is quite annoying, and it's the reason why I dropped a fanfiction that I was reading recently. The plot that I found so interesting at first kept getting sidetracked by a bunch of side characters' stories, most of which had nothing to do with the main plot. If you want stories for your side characters so badly, then either find a way to weave them into the main narrative (as Abbie here said) or just make them into their own stories. Either way, stop wasting everyone's time. PLEASE.
I love to include the side characters perspective into the story, but their perspective is still very much connected to the mail plot and main character, it's just that perspective shifts from what MC does and thinks to how others see and think about the MC and the situation. Disconnection between characters is like you are suddenly jumping in a totally different story while you haven't the first one yet.:/
Im just looking at this channel for my story lore and this is the second video into this and im already understanding it very well so i guess this def needs a sub
Thank you so much for your videos! They always help me whenever I'm stuck on a chapter or having really bad writer's block. I was able to improve my writing and have my story flow so much better because of you 😊
You're right, Abbie 😂 I made all 5 mistakes in my debut novel (I don't know how it managed to win 2 awards and 1 shortlist this year.) It was unfortunate my manuscript was already in the copy editing stage when I discovered your channel in Jan 2023😅 Now that I'm working on my second book, it'll be character-driven, not plot-driven, so INTERNAL CONFLICT/MISBELIEF/FATAL FLAW is what I'm focusing on😅 And I will most definitely have your name in my acknowledgement page of the book!
Super cute internal conflict can be found in the Korean drama “Dong Jae, the Good or the Bastard.” Trust me, this drama is watched in one breath. It has brilliantly developed all the points that make this drama superbly done in terms of character and plot. It is worth watching if only for educational purposes.
I took your advice about how to start a first chapter, looked at what I did and saw immediately that the exposition intro to my universe delivers a far stronger punch at the closing of the chapter instead. This is going to take me down a rabbit hole of scene structure in some points in my books, but it was a consideration I wasn't spending sufficient time on, clearly. Thanks. With regards to the middle of my books, all arcs are observing these points carefully, intuitively. I'm not incompetent at story telling, but I do allow the story enough room to tell itself, seeing as this concept is so strong. It may very well be the case that people struggle with these aspects of the narrative due to uncertainty of where the story is meant to progress. Before I started, I took key scenes I already had in my head and structured the entire story with defined beats, so I knew where it was going the whole time. This stuff fell into place naturally and I hardly needed to make changes.
I don't know how you do it, but you often manage to do a video on the exact problem I'm facing. I have been working on a story that literally was obsessing me. Words flowed like a river. I knew exactly where it was going, what was going to happen, who my characters were ... and then ... a huge (plot) pothole appeared right in the middle of the road. There are half a dozen plot points that still need to happen, but it was going to read like a shopping list. And then ... TAH-DAH! I now see some challenges that still have to be dealt with before the events can mean something to the story. Thanks, Abbie. Keep on rockin'. Since nobody should get nothing but glowing things written about them, may I please share the one thing about your vids that do always make me uncomfortable? It's in the beginning, where you always say things like "Make your story matter" and "change the world." I have to say, it seems a little delusional for me to think that about what I'm pouring onto my screen. Frankly, my ultimate goal is for somebody else to read it and like it; maybe even enough to stimulate them to think more. That would change MY world. And while I'm here, I really liked "100 Days of Sunshine."
Thank you so much for all the helpful videos you make- I note down whatever you say/whatever i feel like is important for writing my future book since these tips avoid myself from making these mistakes, thanks again
Ahhhhhh I'm putting the last chapter together and wrap it up with the epilogue. Five months later for the story I was doing for the retreat 😮 it ended up being a novel 42,000 +! Thanks again Abbie!😊
I usually look at writing advice videos very cautiously. I am like "well this person must have some really amazing books right?" and it turns out that most either do not have any published (indie or traditional) or they do have something out there and I read the amazon preview and its a mess. Not so here. I read your preview for 100 Days of Sunlight and GOD DAMN! this author can write, i was hooked!
14:42 Yeah, yeesh! There was this anime called Babylon, it starts as a very engaging mystery thriller where a policeman tries to catch a psychotic woman that somehow is able to make anyone kill themselves. After an episode where she brutally murders his closest colleague live for him when he is unable to do anything to stop it other than beg her to stop-there is a time-skip and suddenly we're following the president of USA and it turns into a political drama instead where they discuss whether or not they should make suicide legal... completely abandoning the original plot.
Whenever I'm telling a story, the middle is always my strongest point. I have so many fun ideas about what to do in the middle of a story that come to me, stream of consciousness style and that people always find fun... but then I have a crappy beginning and an uncompelling ending that keeps getting further and further away, due to the bulging middle, so then it's ALL just middle scenes... It kind of got to a point where I started thinking I should just switch to random short stories and comics about whatever instead of trying to tell a longer story with everything tied together... :/
Great video! But allways remember: The most important thing is to actually write a book. It doesn't have to be perfect and it's ok if your first draft makes readers DNF your book. Having all this complex stuff to keep track of while writing makes me actually not want to write most of the time because it burns me out. Currently I am trying to care a bit less about all the perfectionistic details in the outline because I still didn't really start writing my book after almost 5 years of constant outlining, learning and remaking. Does anyone have advice on just writing?
Tbh i agree. It's much easier to write the first draft while you're flowing with ideas and using like a panster/skeleton type of outline, and actually finish it. Anything stressing you out, figure it out later and just keep writing. Then *Take a break*, THEN go back and research and refine and do master studies etc, all the technical stuff. The refining process is usually my second draft and then my final would be just me sprinkling aesthteic and making things pretty and aesthetic and fun and stuff like dialouge is on point, so instead of one continuous boring chore, you have two and a half fun stages and only one boring stage(research is fun for me tho, but for most I get why it's tedious) So my steps are, zero drafting(fun brainstorming mess/loose plot bunny/ outline, can also write quotes and scenes you wanna write in your head) First draft(just start writing what comes to you intuitively using that bare minimum outline) Second draft(boring part, but refine and research and make sure structure and arcs and stuff make sense, no plot holes and such, have others read this draft as you write it. Will be the longest part lol) Final(finishing touches, make it fancy~)
@ thanks for your advice I haven't considered splitting the process in multiple drafts yet because I am really afraid of revision. I fear that I won't stand a chance in keeping track of all the things that are wrong but it's probably harder if I keep my current workflow. I would probably make a bigger outline though. There is no way I can write the novel without planing out the arcs and the plot. But I will skipp things like - keeping track of the question and answer loops - details in worldbuilding and foreshadowing - perfect scene structure - story momentum and cause and effect chain And in general planing out every scene is probably not a good idea because the story will probably happen different to what I expect.
I have noticed that many novels do slow down in the middle. Even the great Tom Wolfe is guilty of this. "A Man in Full" starts to drag in the middle. That's why I still haven't finished reading it. Fortunately, "Bonfire of the Vanities" didn't do that..
The books I love the most, like Rendezvous with Rama, At the Mountains of Madness, or Teatro Grottesco, have no internal conflict at all. Any internal conflict would make them prosaic instead of awe inspiring.
Excellent video! You brought up some great points (mistakes 1 & 2) that I realized I've made in the beginning and middle of my first story. 👍Thanks for the video!
The examples would be perfection. Like in a point 1, with clear goal, you could tell us what was a MC' s plan in some popular book (or in your book) so we could understand the case. :)
Abbie, I must say that I love your sweater and your hair is beautiful! 💕 And thank you for so many amazing videos! I am planning to be at this live training! 😊🎉
I may add something that may cause the reader to stop following, it's long time gapes, like throwing the characters from 1980 to 1996 without explaining how the characters changed during this long period. Which will leads you to start a new arc for each character, something fatiguing
Thanks, Abbie you are such a source of inspiration and motivation. I will be finishing my first full-length novel soon and I have nothing but gratitude for your guidance. ♥🙏✍
I need advice, how do I write a character that is supposed to be a good person but due to the actions of other people towards them, they become resentful and hateful, but still has some morallity to know that what they’re doing it’s wrong😭-
Thanks for doing these types of videos cuz they do help even though I may not understand to the fullest but I have an idea of what you say so thank you.
My story has many problems but definitely not this one. The middle is the part lm most excited to write by far because i reveal all the cool worldbuilding, the juicy plot twists, and the real themes
characters need rewards too, not just challenges, honestly, a spouse without gaining a land and home and friends, support, adventure is not really enough, for girls or guys.
When you mentioned the "large cast of characters needing to have an anchor to the story" I immediately thought of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (not the musical, mind you, the actual 1000+ page book). That book is a whole masterclass on interweaving plots and characters and a bunch of other things.
Dear Abbie, I find this video idea AMAZING! I think this is a definitely underrated subject and I am SUPER glad you will host a live training about this. Paralell to this (you wont see this one coming) I am BEGGING YOU, please do a "my favorite makeup" video. You look sooooo STUNNING!! This CANNOT remain a SECRET! Have mercy on your admirers! Please make a video, here on YT, or instagram, oooor, in the worst case scenario, please write me here your top 5 eyeshadows/palettes you use. ANd once you are done, I can get back to writing. Thats right... the BIRTH of my future books depend on this. No small stakes here.... so... I ask you to deeply consider *wink *wink *wink. Thank you! Sending you hugs 💜💜💜
really need more middle arc videos because im not happy with my middle arc i feel like it too less and too much at the same time too less opportunity for revenge yet more drama
Yep, Nr. 4 is crucial for me. I hate it when writers take me away from beloved characters, especially when it feels like they're just trying to buy time to pad the page count by explaining something again, only from a different perspective. Nr. 1 reason for me to dnf a book, honestly.
“Internal conflict” is not synonymous with “character-driven”, I’d say. 🤔 The latter is about how proactively a character pursues their goals - whether they are driving the plot, exchanging punches with the antagonist via action - counter-reaction, or whether they are merely the plot’s (=often the antagonist’s) punching back. The feeling of “we could be following these events from any character’s perspective” can also be avoided by giving the protagonist certain skills (or drawbacks) that other characters do not have - the reason they could end up in the protagonist role may have to do with their profession, or their personal goal before the plot begins, neither of which necessarily has to do with their internal conflict. I admit I no longer follow your videos as regularly as I used to when I binged-watched them in 2021/2022. Simply because it recently started to feel to me, to exaggerate a little, as if “more internal conflict” has become the one fix you propose for every sub-problem a story might have. 😉 I’ve found that over-emphasising internal conflict can make the characters come off as indecisive, re-treading the same ground, and thereby indeed slow down the momentum. Pacing is ultimately about the reader being able to track the character’s progress towards their goal. And less-conflicted characters (possibly steeped in their misbelief with little awareness) may be more proactive, having fewer doubts, even while they’re pursuing their “stupid”, misbelief-driven goal.
5:17 Example, The Goonies. This is why that classic is so popular. The stakes have personal consequences. Them losing their homes, childhood friends, and community.
I agree with all the points except the 2nd one ;) When I read a book that's supposed to be criminal/mystery I don't like the main character (policeman, detective etc) to be personally invested in the case they're solving. I want them to do their job because it's their job and it's interesting, not because it's personal to them. I read too many books where instead of mystery I got long lost lovers/children, emotional dilemma whether to take the case or not and "fillers" with the main character's personal life I didn't care about at all. So.. for me it depends on the genre a lot.
I'm not much of a fan of 'oh dear, the murder victim was my roommate from college either ". But solving an 'unrelated' case can still be tied to the character's internal conflict. Perhaps the character is nigh burned out and this is the case that reminds them why they originally began to solve crimes. Or perhaps they are overly competitive and almost mess up the case because they don't share information with colleagues and this is the case where they learn to be better detective because of that. I don't say you have to find either of these examples interesting, just tried to come up with something where there can still be internal conflict but the cause is not the crime itself being personal to them.
@@ulla7378 Yes!! I agree with both statements of the two of you. It really depends on the intent and feeling the author wants. Sometimes a "wrong" thing may actually be just what the story needs.
I think her point is still true, though. "Personal stakes" doesn't have to mean the mystery revolves around the detective's personal life, it just means it needs to matter to the detective. They can have internal conflict over their new partner's lack of exeperience, or the promotion they desperately want that solving the case hinges on, or trying to meet case quotas to ensure their department doesn't get shut down, etc. As in, it doesn't have to be personal conflict (the perp is their long lost twin brother), it just needs to be conflict happening within the character because the situations around them matter to them (their boss ALWAYS second guesses their work and prefers old school methods and procedures that they don't think are affective, but they have to be careful or they risk getting taken off the case/demoted/given a desk job).
I’m on my first story, at least, one I’m taking seriously. Even if I’m inexperienced, I feel like the middle should just be the point where you’re expanding the world view and start to chip away at the insecurities or flaws of the characters physically and mentally. And the obstacles should just be amping up or challenges before the confrontation, to the main goal or villain. I don’t think there’s a way to really make a middle part of a book boring unless you don’t know your characters well enough- or give them enough flaws. Or you don’t know the scope of the world and it feels like you just took two steps outside your house and the villain just kind of chilling, being like “howdy, neighbor.” One thing I hate personally is when the story doesn’t slow down for a good amount to let the characters breathe, and all it is action. I feel like that’s a good reason to DNF. I’m not watching two people throw punches, if I don’t know who they are as a character. Or whatever the plot is making me watch. People can correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s just my impression of the middle of the book should be .
Abbie, I know you've made videos about beta readers in the past. But could you make more videos on your beta reading process? Like, mistakes to avoid when finding beta readers, how to send them your manuscript (physical copy or a word document), how to organize their feedback and how do you know which changes do you really have to make in your manuscript.
Getting the objective too easily is something I've seen too much in modern TV. Its like, oh no they have to get the thing! What will they do? 30 seconds later they have thing.
But Abbie, shouldn’t a story change momentum because going at full speed is exhausting? Painting, I mean writing in complimentary colors, I mean pace, is the spice!
This is awesome!! Thanks, Abbie, it's super helpful! I'm 13 and trying to write a novel, but I keep getting stuck after the conflict is introduced. I feel like my descriptions are either cliche/too much or not enough, no matter the amount. Any advice?
Hello. First of all. This channel and your videos have helped me out a lot with my writing. And I was wondering if maybe you could do a video about how to accurately and respectfully write about mental health? Because I'm currently writing a character that struggles with bipolar disorder. I've done research, so much of it. Lol. I've even talked to a psychiatrist or two. But I still don't know how to respectfully write about something that I have myself never experienced. So can you please do a video how to accurately and respectfully write about such things? Please and thank you!
I've seen many professional authors do #4. I always HATED when the story did that. You've just read several chapters from one character's point, then at an exciting point--there's a divider, a new character, and this person is the one we follow for several chapters. I tried reading this one book, and it followed 3 different characters this way. Every 3-7 chapters or so, it switched. I couldn't stand it. It was like three different stories that were all uniquely different, and I'm assuming at some point toward the end they were all going to meet, but I never got that far. I ended up quitting about half way.
That's a fine line... not resolving things too quickly, but if you do, introduce new twists and turns that need to be resolved, too. That's a quick recipe for a hot mess! I like the concept, but not all books are or need to be paced like a Mission Impossible or Fast & Furious movie. Case in point - Empire Strikes Back. By far, it is viewed as the best of the SW movies, but it is also the slowest paced. Nothing, absolutely nothing about the middle of that story is quick. Everything about Yoda is slow, but we all loved him and wanted more! So much so that we were disappointed when he whipped out that little laser sword and started flipping around like a freaking banshee. Ugh. There is nothing wrong with taking the time for a character to grow and develop so they can solve things in a satisfying way. Or, maybe I'm just weird. If so, I'm OK with it. 😉
the stuff at 9:30 may be culturally influenced though... western narrative writing is goal-orientated and readers expect the story to power towards the finish line, whereas other cultures may tend to write stories that meander around a theme instead, and those can take the time to explore other aspects which, in of itself, don't lead towards the goal, but are still interesting to explore.... tl;dr be aware of cultural influences.
I’m currently writing my first story, and I won’t stop even if no one reads it. For me, simply enjoying the act of writing is enough. My ideas, once trapped in the halls of my mind, are now captured on paper, no longer confined to my thoughts.
I'll read it
I spent a week writing my first short story in a frenzy. My only goal was to finally finish a story. I succeeded, and now I'm finishing volume 4 of another story.
Write every day, even if it's just a few words. Make it a habit. Also, it's better to plan in advance because then you always know what comes next and the writing can flow more easily.
Let me know when it comes out. From the way you wrote in this comment, your writing style is beautifully descriptive
I have also started writing for the same reason. Whenever I read this something, at the back of my mind, there are some ideas that pop up every now and then and I wanted to see what i can do with those if i were to write my own book.
this gave me motivation, thank you🏩
The worst thing to do in the middle of the book is give up. Theres nothing you can learn more from than a finished manuscript.
Sometimes books aren't salvageable due to fundamental structural flaws, and giving up and moving onto something else can be really liberating and lead to success elsewhere.
@@BidwellRunner my method has been to take that failed manuscript, and swap plot points around.
This failed for this reason so if I take this ingredient, swap it with that, maybe cook it at high heat instead of low then spice it up over here, let's see if it works now (don't know when this became a cooking metaphor but it is now!)
@@BidwellRunner I don't think a book can ever be utterly unsalvageable due purely to structural flaws.
You've still got all the characters there, their relationships/conflicts, the setting, the tone, any unique narrative voice etc. Simply* restructure the plot, adding and removing plot elements as necessary, and you've salvaged that book.
*Note that simple does not equate to easy! :P
@@LDillon Giving up on a book doesn't mean giving up on the characters/setting/etc. It frees them up to be used in another work. Authors often transplant their best ideas from an abandoned novel into a future novel.
The plot is also inseparable from the characters. More than a series of things that happen, the plot is a product of the character's struggles and choices. Changing their journey changes the characters as well. If you change too much then you might end up with a different novel that doesn't tell the type of story you wanted to tell.
Most authors have novels that they gave up on. I just want to put out there that that isn't a sign of defeat. Time and creative energy is limited, and sometimes it is better to put that into a new venture rather than investing further into sunk costs.
@@BidwellRunner Ah I completely agree with everything you're said there, so might've just been a difference in terminology! I feel that keeping everything other than the plot structure is what I'd consider the same novel, just another draft. I've always felt that draft 2 can be entirely transformative from draft 1, helps if people are afraid of cutting/changing too much because they feel attached to the work they've done so far.
Completely agreed with the second part of your original comment - moving on from an old idea that no longer suits your goals/needs is a really healthy thing to accept. It was just the first part really, I don't think any project is entirely unsalvageable - there's always some worth in there, even if it would need a lot of rework.
But again that's probably semantics; it sounds like we agree on the ideas themselves 😂
The timing of this is LITERALLY perfect, I’m coming up to the middle of my book right now thank you Abbie! 😂
My book also is in the middle 😅
I’m just coming up on the start of act II
@@M_edits_3 what genre is your book?
I am in the middle of my book. Wow praise God I found you
@@Writingfnafcat-1983vr fantasy
Other thing to help sort this out: just write, it is so important to exercise, and read, get your writing muscles trained!
THIS. I've proven to myself countless times that I really should be writing more because goddamn I have all these ideas and notes but I can barely tie them together in a single page. It's really sad cause I struggle with procrastination.
@@EmmarainePink I’m exactly the same!! I come up with all these amazing ideas and then struggle with how to tie them together, and the worst part is, my motivation strays all the time. Procrastination is the thing keeping me from finishing up the plan for my book quickly, and I’ve been working on this book all year 😭
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again!
Thank you, Abbie, for inspiring me to create my first novel.
You are so amazing!
Also, I would like you to give us more tips about designing your own book cover as an indie author, and showing us in real time how you choose the images and fonts to design a book cover, and mistakes to avoid.
This is so important in a time where AI is taking over more and more of the book industry
@@saga2094 Actually, I was referring to the possibility of an indie author designing their own book cover, in case they don't (or can't) hire a designer to do it. But yes, AI can be a problem, depending on how it is used.
Yes this pleeeeeaaaaase. Canva is haaard
This! Never knew I needed it until u suggested it
You know it's a good book when you get just past the middle and sad that it's almost over.
I'm in the middle of one of my fanfictions. This video is literally in perfect timing for me! Thank you, Abbie. You explain things so well, you are so kind and you have such e a beautiful and sweet voice! When I listen to you, I want to write even more. I love you.
Ooh whats the fanfic abt? Dont mind my random curiosity 😭
@@JoanneyxxDon't worry, I like to talk about it. I'm co-writing it with a friend. We started it in August. It's in the Supernatural Fandom and it talks about a few afternoons Sam and Dean, the protagonists, live together when their dad is outside chasing after the demon who, in the series, killed their mom. Dean is five-years-old and Sam is eleven-months-old, but in the series it's clear, even with flashbacks, that he had to hide the pain for his loss (and we talked about it and wrote some chapters about him crying and suffering and grieving, all alone), because he had to do it all alone even in the series. He is shocked and traumatized, and we put a lot of attetion on that.
Mary was his mom and he saw her dying, while trying to bring his little brother, who was six-months-old, outside of the house which was on fire. Their dad survived, but he was so overwhelmed with grief that he loved his children, but didn't take so much care about them (no signs of affection, for example).
And the fanfiction revolves around the bond between Sam and Dean, Dean struggling with his inner demons and, many times, playing with Sam, they enjoying themselves, the little one interacting with him by playing and babbling etc. There are no monsters in this fic. No demons, no vampires, nothing. It's not fantasy. It's a Fluff, Hurtt/Comfort, Drama, sad and melancholic fanfiction, but it has fun moments, too, and Fluff means, in fanfiction terms, moments of tenderness and filled with sweet things, in our case cuddling etc.
We have a full outline (my friend is a pantser, I'm a plotter and needed an outline), so I wrote it entirely and she read it, and we work together. The problem is, I don't have a job yet, I'm thirty and she's thirty-two and she is a teacher, so she can't dedicate so much time to writing, even if she loves it. We do what we can. We agreed that I will do the majority of the work, but we talk about the fanfiction really often and we take decisions together. She writes as often as she can, and this story is as important for her as it is for me, but I don't mind if she doesn't write so much. I understand that she would want to, but she can't. She has no time and we both suffer from anxiety and I have depression, too, and this year I started having these incredibly strong headaches (I'm currently doing medical test after medical test), taking my medication and pain killers, and I have to stay in bed often because of how strong and painful these headaches are. So I have had months (February, April, July, October and November) in which I didn't write nothing at all because my physical condition didn't allow me to.
I'm also working on another fanfiction on Taylor Swift Fandom, but that is only mine. And I will write future stories, but for now I'm concentrating on these two.
Today I started chapter sixteen of our fanfiction. We still don't know how many chapters it will have, but surely more than twenty. We are at 65,000 words for now, and we edit and revise every few chapters before going on. We also have a beta reader who, at the end and after another round of revisions and edits, will give us feedback.
We, including our beta reader, publish our stories (our beta writes poems) on a website. We are italian and the site is in Italian, for both fanfiction and original works (stories and poems).
Girl i pansted in the middle so hard that I'm lost and back tracking lol
You can't imagine how important the "big cast with no single protag should have a common internal conflict anchor" advice is for me!
Chinese literature usually are ensemble aside from Journey to the West which follows the hero's path structure(shockingly modern). I was hugely influenced by classic literature so I usually write ensemble fiction but I can't manage the main conflict and focus. This is a life saver!
For me it’s writing scenes that flow well and won’t bog down the readers. How do I find the right event, sequence and dialogue that works. It is pretty action oriented all things considered.
Have characters play off each other to avoid monologues.
Unputdownable! I loved that word!
I look forward to this every wednesday ❤
Just taking a moment to appreciate this queen right here! I’m very grateful for your knowledge, and may I say, ma'am, you truly do change the world.
@gods_master_craft1644 ohh Hi fellow ntp, your idea is interesting!! the 12yrs are shockingly impressive, I'm curious what you will do with it😊. I hope you'll write it too bro and love what you do :)
I also have a daydream story that I’ve been making in my head for years! I don’t think I’ll ever write it as a book though, but hey, you never know. :)
currently outlining the middle part of my novel, I need this, thanks abbie!
This is so helpful! Thank you!! I feel like my biggest mistake is slowing down the momentum with distractive obstacles. I have a hard time figuring out what is important to keep in the story and what matters most to the characters. Prompting myself with those questions you asked helps makes it so much clearer what is necessary to keep and what obstacles can be scrapped. Thank you so much for sharing this with us!!!
Personal stakes in solving a mystery... the best example of this I know of is The Grave Report series by R.R. Virdi. The protagonist is a disembodied spirit who is tasked to solve supernatural mysteries, but he must do so while inhabiting the body of someone who is recently deceased, and the longer he spends doing so the more memories he loses.
An tip to write about large character cast is by watching shows, read books/comics, that have a large cast, an example is MLP:FIM, they have the large cast, even tho in the start they focus more in twilight, but still having many episode about the other ponies!
Middle middle middle!!! My main issue right now! Thank you!! Gotta remember INTERNAL CONFLICT! ❤❤❤
Around 6:14 you use such a great metaphor, the electricity that lights up the story. Nice touch, Abbie !
Thanks, so much for your advice. I didn't realize I was lacking conflict in the middle of my book. Your advice has given me an amazing idea to improve the plot so thank you so much!
I'm literally in the middle of my book and this is so helpful because I have no idea how to continue, thank you!
11:52 This is quite annoying, and it's the reason why I dropped a fanfiction that I was reading recently. The plot that I found so interesting at first kept getting sidetracked by a bunch of side characters' stories, most of which had nothing to do with the main plot.
If you want stories for your side characters so badly, then either find a way to weave them into the main narrative (as Abbie here said) or just make them into their own stories. Either way, stop wasting everyone's time. PLEASE.
I love to include the side characters perspective into the story, but their perspective is still very much connected to the mail plot and main character, it's just that perspective shifts from what MC does and thinks to how others see and think about the MC and the situation. Disconnection between characters is like you are suddenly jumping in a totally different story while you haven't the first one yet.:/
Im just looking at this channel for my story lore and this is the second video into this and im already understanding it very well so i guess this def needs a sub
Thank you so much for your videos! They always help me whenever I'm stuck on a chapter or having really bad writer's block. I was able to improve my writing and have my story flow so much better because of you 😊
You're right, Abbie 😂 I made all 5 mistakes in my debut novel (I don't know how it managed to win 2 awards and 1 shortlist this year.) It was unfortunate my manuscript was already in the copy editing stage when I discovered your channel in Jan 2023😅 Now that I'm working on my second book, it'll be character-driven, not plot-driven, so INTERNAL CONFLICT/MISBELIEF/FATAL FLAW is what I'm focusing on😅 And I will most definitely have your name in my acknowledgement page of the book!
Super cute internal conflict can be found in the Korean drama “Dong Jae, the Good or the Bastard.” Trust me, this drama is watched in one breath. It has brilliantly developed all the points that make this drama superbly done in terms of character and plot. It is worth watching if only for educational purposes.
Hi Abbie! I know this isn't the topic of the video, but thank you so much for writing 100 Days of Sunshine! It was a book I didn't know I needed.
Abbie is the perfect fuel to add to my writing fire.
I took your advice about how to start a first chapter, looked at what I did and saw immediately that the exposition intro to my universe delivers a far stronger punch at the closing of the chapter instead. This is going to take me down a rabbit hole of scene structure in some points in my books, but it was a consideration I wasn't spending sufficient time on, clearly. Thanks.
With regards to the middle of my books, all arcs are observing these points carefully, intuitively. I'm not incompetent at story telling, but I do allow the story enough room to tell itself, seeing as this concept is so strong. It may very well be the case that people struggle with these aspects of the narrative due to uncertainty of where the story is meant to progress. Before I started, I took key scenes I already had in my head and structured the entire story with defined beats, so I knew where it was going the whole time. This stuff fell into place naturally and I hardly needed to make changes.
I don't know how you do it, but you often manage to do a video on the exact problem I'm facing. I have been working on a story that literally was obsessing me. Words flowed like a river. I knew exactly where it was going, what was going to happen, who my characters were ... and then ... a huge (plot) pothole appeared right in the middle of the road. There are half a dozen plot points that still need to happen, but it was going to read like a shopping list. And then ... TAH-DAH! I now see some challenges that still have to be dealt with before the events can mean something to the story. Thanks, Abbie. Keep on rockin'.
Since nobody should get nothing but glowing things written about them, may I please share the one thing about your vids that do always make me uncomfortable? It's in the beginning, where you always say things like "Make your story matter" and "change the world." I have to say, it seems a little delusional for me to think that about what I'm pouring onto my screen. Frankly, my ultimate goal is for somebody else to read it and like it; maybe even enough to stimulate them to think more. That would change MY world.
And while I'm here, I really liked "100 Days of Sunshine."
You are such an inspiration! Every time I watch your videos I am fueled with writing energy! Thank you for this video it was such a help
Thank you so much for all the helpful videos you make- I note down whatever you say/whatever i feel like is important for writing my future book since these tips avoid myself from making these mistakes, thanks again
I have LITERALLY been waiting for this video on this topic!!! Thank you Abbie!!! ❤️
Ahhhhhh I'm putting the last chapter together and wrap it up with the epilogue. Five months later for the story I was doing for the retreat 😮 it ended up being a novel 42,000 +! Thanks again Abbie!😊
I usually look at writing advice videos very cautiously. I am like "well this person must have some really amazing books right?" and it turns out that most either do not have any published (indie or traditional) or they do have something out there and I read the amazon preview and its a mess. Not so here. I read your preview for 100 Days of Sunlight and GOD DAMN! this author can write, i was hooked!
14:42
Yeah, yeesh! There was this anime called Babylon, it starts as a very engaging mystery thriller where a policeman tries to catch a psychotic woman that somehow is able to make anyone kill themselves. After an episode where she brutally murders his closest colleague live for him when he is unable to do anything to stop it other than beg her to stop-there is a time-skip and suddenly we're following the president of USA and it turns into a political drama instead where they discuss whether or not they should make suicide legal... completely abandoning the original plot.
Made a few notes about a few small edits i need to make to my manuscript because of this video. Thank you.
I'm plotting the middle right now. SO THIS IS PERFECT YAY!!!
Been binging your videos. Just signed up for your Patreon. Thank you for having such an incredibly valuable channel!
Whenever I'm telling a story, the middle is always my strongest point. I have so many fun ideas about what to do in the middle of a story that come to me, stream of consciousness style and that people always find fun... but then I have a crappy beginning and an uncompelling ending that keeps getting further and further away, due to the bulging middle, so then it's ALL just middle scenes... It kind of got to a point where I started thinking I should just switch to random short stories and comics about whatever instead of trying to tell a longer story with everything tied together... :/
Great video!
But allways remember: The most important thing is to actually write a book. It doesn't have to be perfect and it's ok if your first draft makes readers DNF your book. Having all this complex stuff to keep track of while writing makes me actually not want to write most of the time because it burns me out. Currently I am trying to care a bit less about all the perfectionistic details in the outline because I still didn't really start writing my book after almost 5 years of constant outlining, learning and remaking. Does anyone have advice on just writing?
Tbh i agree. It's much easier to write the first draft while you're flowing with ideas and using like a panster/skeleton type of outline, and actually finish it. Anything stressing you out, figure it out later and just keep writing. Then *Take a break*, THEN go back and research and refine and do master studies etc, all the technical stuff. The refining process is usually my second draft and then my final would be just me sprinkling aesthteic and making things pretty and aesthetic and fun and stuff like dialouge is on point, so instead of one continuous boring chore, you have two and a half fun stages and only one boring stage(research is fun for me tho, but for most I get why it's tedious)
So my steps are,
zero drafting(fun brainstorming mess/loose plot bunny/ outline, can also write quotes and scenes you wanna write in your head)
First draft(just start writing what comes to you intuitively using that bare minimum outline)
Second draft(boring part, but refine and research and make sure structure and arcs and stuff make sense, no plot holes and such, have others read this draft as you write it. Will be the longest part lol)
Final(finishing touches, make it fancy~)
@ thanks for your advice
I haven't considered splitting the process in multiple drafts yet because I am really afraid of revision. I fear that I won't stand a chance in keeping track of all the things that are wrong but it's probably harder if I keep my current workflow.
I would probably make a bigger outline though. There is no way I can write the novel without planing out the arcs and the plot. But I will skipp things like
- keeping track of the question and answer loops
- details in worldbuilding and foreshadowing
- perfect scene structure
- story momentum and cause and effect chain
And in general planing out every scene is probably not a good idea because the story will probably happen different to what I expect.
I have noticed that many novels do slow down in the middle. Even the great Tom Wolfe is guilty of this. "A Man in Full" starts to drag in the middle. That's why I still haven't finished reading it. Fortunately, "Bonfire of the Vanities" didn't do that..
This came at the perfect time! I’m in the dreaded middle of my story right now and I need some pointers 😅
The books I love the most, like Rendezvous with Rama, At the Mountains of Madness, or Teatro Grottesco, have no internal conflict at all. Any internal conflict would make them prosaic instead of awe inspiring.
I just got your book in the mail!!! eeeee so excited!
tomorrow i start writing my new novel and this video was so useful!! thank you as always, abbie!!
Excellent video! You brought up some great points (mistakes 1 & 2) that I realized I've made in the beginning and middle of my first story. 👍Thanks for the video!
I am just going into revisions for Part 2, and this vid has some good suggestions I can compare notes to. Thanks.
The examples would be perfection. Like in a point 1, with clear goal, you could tell us what was a MC' s plan in some popular book (or in your book) so we could understand the case. :)
Saggy middle syndrome is one such mistakes a lot of writers fall into, especially pantsers
Yay! A new video! ♥♥♥
I agree with all of these! Great points, and will be great help for my book!
I though you'd say Internal conflict is important cuz I love it. Heck halfplotted and internal conflict helps a lot listen to her
Abbie, I must say that I love your sweater and your hair is beautiful! 💕
And thank you for so many amazing videos! I am planning to be at this live training! 😊🎉
I may add something that may cause the reader to stop following, it's long time gapes, like throwing the characters from 1980 to 1996 without explaining how the characters changed during this long period.
Which will leads you to start a new arc for each character, something fatiguing
Thanks, Abbie you are such a source of inspiration and motivation. I will be finishing my first full-length novel soon and I have nothing but gratitude for your guidance. ♥🙏✍
I need advice, how do I write a character that is supposed to be a good person but due to the actions of other people towards them, they become resentful and hateful, but still has some morallity to know that what they’re doing it’s wrong😭-
Good advice for any length story. Thumbs up and subscribed
i really enjoy your videos your passion is palpable
Thanks for doing these types of videos cuz they do help even though I may not understand to the fullest but I have an idea of what you say so thank you.
My story has many problems but definitely not this one. The middle is the part lm most excited to write by far because i reveal all the cool worldbuilding, the juicy plot twists, and the real themes
How do you time your videos so perfectly? ARE YOU MAGIC
Thank you. ❤❤
These tips help me exactly where I am stuck.
Luv Luv Luv it.
8:54 Every Shonen anime:
Love this video! Great advice!! ❤️❤️
Abbie Emmons after a long flight?! Heck yeah.
characters need rewards too, not just challenges, honestly, a spouse without gaining a land and home and friends, support, adventure is not really enough, for girls or guys.
your makeup is so pretty 🙈
When you mentioned the "large cast of characters needing to have an anchor to the story" I immediately thought of Victor Hugo's Les Miserables (not the musical, mind you, the actual 1000+ page book). That book is a whole masterclass on interweaving plots and characters and a bunch of other things.
This is exactly what I needed in my writing arsenal! Thank you!
Dear Abbie,
I find this video idea AMAZING! I think this is a definitely underrated subject and I am SUPER glad you will host a live training about this. Paralell to this (you wont see this one coming) I am BEGGING YOU, please do a "my favorite makeup" video. You look sooooo STUNNING!! This CANNOT remain a SECRET! Have mercy on your admirers! Please make a video, here on YT, or instagram, oooor, in the worst case scenario, please write me here your top 5 eyeshadows/palettes you use. ANd once you are done, I can get back to writing. Thats right... the BIRTH of my future books depend on this. No small stakes here.... so... I ask you to deeply consider *wink *wink *wink. Thank you! Sending you hugs 💜💜💜
I 100% agree!! 😂
I rlly needed this rn lol, ty!! ❤
Thank you for making this video. Got all of it written in my College Rule.
I love that intro so much ❤
Real
really need more middle arc videos because im not happy with my middle arc i feel like it too less and too much at the same time too less opportunity for revenge yet more drama
Yep, Nr. 4 is crucial for me. I hate it when writers take me away from beloved characters, especially when it feels like they're just trying to buy time to pad the page count by explaining something again, only from a different perspective. Nr. 1 reason for me to dnf a book, honestly.
“Internal conflict” is not synonymous with “character-driven”, I’d say. 🤔 The latter is about how proactively a character pursues their goals - whether they are driving the plot, exchanging punches with the antagonist via action - counter-reaction, or whether they are merely the plot’s (=often the antagonist’s) punching back.
The feeling of “we could be following these events from any character’s perspective” can also be avoided by giving the protagonist certain skills (or drawbacks) that other characters do not have - the reason they could end up in the protagonist role may have to do with their profession, or their personal goal before the plot begins, neither of which necessarily has to do with their internal conflict.
I admit I no longer follow your videos as regularly as I used to when I binged-watched them in 2021/2022. Simply because it recently started to feel to me, to exaggerate a little, as if “more internal conflict” has become the one fix you propose for every sub-problem a story might have. 😉
I’ve found that over-emphasising internal conflict can make the characters come off as indecisive, re-treading the same ground, and thereby indeed slow down the momentum. Pacing is ultimately about the reader being able to track the character’s progress towards their goal. And less-conflicted characters (possibly steeped in their misbelief with little awareness) may be more proactive, having fewer doubts, even while they’re pursuing their “stupid”, misbelief-driven goal.
Thanks. I needed this right now.
5:17 Example, The Goonies. This is why that classic is so popular. The stakes have personal consequences. Them losing their homes, childhood friends, and community.
Nice Video and It covers one of the most important aspects of writing. BUT , WHEN DID Abbie become a channel with a Music Symbol beside it ?
That internal conflict montage was peak Abbie 😂👌
I agree with all the points except the 2nd one ;) When I read a book that's supposed to be criminal/mystery I don't like the main character (policeman, detective etc) to be personally invested in the case they're solving. I want them to do their job because it's their job and it's interesting, not because it's personal to them. I read too many books where instead of mystery I got long lost lovers/children, emotional dilemma whether to take the case or not and "fillers" with the main character's personal life I didn't care about at all. So.. for me it depends on the genre a lot.
I'm not much of a fan of 'oh dear, the murder victim was my roommate from college either ". But solving an 'unrelated' case can still be tied to the character's internal conflict. Perhaps the character is nigh burned out and this is the case that reminds them why they originally began to solve crimes. Or perhaps they are overly competitive and almost mess up the case because they don't share information with colleagues and this is the case where they learn to be better detective because of that.
I don't say you have to find either of these examples interesting, just tried to come up with something where there can still be internal conflict but the cause is not the crime itself being personal to them.
@@ulla7378 Yes!! I agree with both statements of the two of you. It really depends on the intent and feeling the author wants. Sometimes a "wrong" thing may actually be just what the story needs.
I think her point is still true, though. "Personal stakes" doesn't have to mean the mystery revolves around the detective's personal life, it just means it needs to matter to the detective. They can have internal conflict over their new partner's lack of exeperience, or the promotion they desperately want that solving the case hinges on, or trying to meet case quotas to ensure their department doesn't get shut down, etc. As in, it doesn't have to be personal conflict (the perp is their long lost twin brother), it just needs to be conflict happening within the character because the situations around them matter to them (their boss ALWAYS second guesses their work and prefers old school methods and procedures that they don't think are affective, but they have to be careful or they risk getting taken off the case/demoted/given a desk job).
I’m on my first story, at least, one I’m taking seriously. Even if I’m inexperienced, I feel like the middle should just be the point where you’re expanding the world view and start to chip away at the insecurities or flaws of the characters physically and mentally. And the obstacles should just be amping up or challenges before the confrontation, to the main goal or villain.
I don’t think there’s a way to really make a middle part of a book boring unless you don’t know your characters well enough- or give them enough flaws.
Or you don’t know the scope of the world and it feels like you just took two steps outside your house and the villain just kind of chilling, being like “howdy, neighbor.”
One thing I hate personally is when the story doesn’t slow down for a good amount to let the characters breathe, and all it is action. I feel like that’s a good reason to DNF. I’m not watching two people throw punches, if I don’t know who they are as a character. Or whatever the plot is making me watch.
People can correct me if I’m wrong, but that’s just my impression of the middle of the book should be .
See you on Sunday :) I'm super excited :)
Abbie, I know you've made videos about beta readers in the past. But could you make more videos on your beta reading process? Like, mistakes to avoid when finding beta readers, how to send them your manuscript (physical copy or a word document), how to organize their feedback and how do you know which changes do you really have to make in your manuscript.
for me step 3 is romance in my fantasy book
I'm stuck on multiple parts that I still need to fill in but I am already at 79.5k words almost
Thank you for this video, Abbie 🤩❤️
Getting the objective too easily is something I've seen too much in modern TV. Its like, oh no they have to get the thing! What will they do? 30 seconds later they have thing.
But Abbie, shouldn’t a story change momentum because going at full speed is exhausting? Painting, I mean writing in complimentary colors, I mean pace, is the spice!
This is awesome!! Thanks, Abbie, it's super helpful! I'm 13 and trying to write a novel, but I keep getting stuck after the conflict is introduced. I feel like my descriptions are either cliche/too much or not enough, no matter the amount. Any advice?
Don't rush, you are still young, and you can learn.
My advice is to practice by writing short stories. Good luck
@@DreamCatcher101-6 Thank you, I do write short stories often :)
Hello. First of all. This channel and your videos have helped me out a lot with my writing. And I was wondering if maybe you could do a video about how to accurately and respectfully write about mental health? Because I'm currently writing a character that struggles with bipolar disorder. I've done research, so much of it. Lol. I've even talked to a psychiatrist or two. But I still don't know how to respectfully write about something that I have myself never experienced. So can you please do a video how to accurately and respectfully write about such things? Please and thank you!
3:55 Finally!! The super cut we deserve!!😂😂
I write adventure romance and this helped me too much.
I've seen many professional authors do #4. I always HATED when the story did that. You've just read several chapters from one character's point, then at an exciting point--there's a divider, a new character, and this person is the one we follow for several chapters. I tried reading this one book, and it followed 3 different characters this way. Every 3-7 chapters or so, it switched. I couldn't stand it. It was like three different stories that were all uniquely different, and I'm assuming at some point toward the end they were all going to meet, but I never got that far. I ended up quitting about half way.
I love your videos sm
Thank you for this help!❤❤❤
That's a fine line... not resolving things too quickly, but if you do, introduce new twists and turns that need to be resolved, too. That's a quick recipe for a hot mess! I like the concept, but not all books are or need to be paced like a Mission Impossible or Fast & Furious movie. Case in point - Empire Strikes Back. By far, it is viewed as the best of the SW movies, but it is also the slowest paced. Nothing, absolutely nothing about the middle of that story is quick. Everything about Yoda is slow, but we all loved him and wanted more! So much so that we were disappointed when he whipped out that little laser sword and started flipping around like a freaking banshee. Ugh.
There is nothing wrong with taking the time for a character to grow and develop so they can solve things in a satisfying way. Or, maybe I'm just weird. If so, I'm OK with it. 😉
the stuff at 9:30 may be culturally influenced though... western narrative writing is goal-orientated and readers expect the story to power towards the finish line, whereas other cultures may tend to write stories that meander around a theme instead, and those can take the time to explore other aspects which, in of itself, don't lead towards the goal, but are still interesting to explore....
tl;dr be aware of cultural influences.
Amazing, you give the best advice.