Omggg so excited to watch! I found your channel only a short while ago and now I'm checking back every day to see if there's a new video...think it's time I put post notifications on lol! So glad to see you covering this
So happy you found my little corner of the internet 🥰 I have failed miserably at trying to write 2,000 words a day so I am back to the drawing board! I hope you find something you can use in your own process by watching me chat through mine!
@@mikwrites Oh, for sure!! I am so overly ambitious - I set targets like they're going out of style and it can be demotivating when you don't hit them... However, you're definitely right in saying we get hung up on the zero draft and it not feeling 'perfect' 😅 Can't wait for the next video!!
i zero drafted physically for a year before i even wrote a single word. it's so important to zero draft and just get an understanding about the world you're creating! good luck Mik!!
I don't think you're failing at all. It sounds like you are just discovering your process and what works vs. what doesn't work for you. I've been in a similar situation this summer. I'm mostly clear on my Act 1 as well as my main plot points. I feel very clear on my main characters. I'm still struggling with the murder aspect of my cozy murder - creating the suspects, planning out the clues and investigation, etc. This is the part I feel the most stuck on it. I thought I needed to have a complete outline before I move forward, but I think I might not move forward at all if I need to have everything figured out in detail ahead of time. I'm giving myself one more week to plot, and if it still doesn't work for me, I'm going to start writing my Act 1 scenes and do some exploratory writing and see what comes through. Your videos help me keep going because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one struggling and getting stuck, even though I know that's not true.
Thank you so much!! It's all about finding what works. And it's definitely not true we are all in this together!!! So proud of you for continuing on - mysteries are very hard to plot, but I think the discovery writing is such a good idea because it can help unlock clues, etc. 🤗
I love that you're allowing yourself to be flexible with your process. Sometimes we think that we have to either only plot or only write but the reality is that we can move between the two as needed. Good luck with your story!
thank you for this! I'm zero drafting right now for the very first time - as a beginner / hobbyist my writing process has always been totally scrambled which has always led me to hit a wall, so with my current project i'm trying to be serious about working in proper drafts and revisions, with a proper plot structure and everything. your channel has helped me so much with learning craft and i can already feel a big difference.
I know you got this!!! The first step is deciding you're going for it - so you're already there!!! Thanks for watching and being apart of the community 💗
I spent about three? four? months writing a *very* detailed outline for my first novel. It has everything I could ever want to know ahead of time - character development / story-wide arcs, plot points, lore, even a breakdown of every scene (which varies in detail). Now, four-ish chapters into the first draft, I feel like I'm over-analyzing everything that I write because it's not *exactly* like how I visualized the story in the planning phase. I fell in love with the story that I hadn't written yet, and it's hard to maintain motivation when each paragraph I write feels like it's taking the story in the wrong direction. I'm a huge perfectionist and a slow writer, and with both of those combined, I've been finding it hard to be consistent. Your perspective on zero drafts has inspired me to *try* to be aware when I'm slipping into my "editor mindset." I think that I'm much better at editing than I am at first-drafting. It's always easier to find and criticize the faults in something than to accept it as being flawed and move on. Thank you for sharing! You've earned a new subscriber, for sure.
I completely relate to this as a slow writer and a perfectionist myself -- I know you can do this!! Slipping into "editor mode" is so easy for me but this physical draft has helped a lot to not be so critical. I'd love to hear how your process continues! 💖
i love this new plan, Mik! I totally understand wanting to write things with pen and paper -- you didn't fail at all, you are still working towards writing this zero draft and figuring out what process works best for you!
Yes, thank you! It's okay - I don't view it as a negative failure, just a failure that led me to change my plan and I think this is going to be way better - thank you always for the support 💗💗💗
Honestly I was in the same situation! I kept writing the first draft and I could feel that something was missing and so eventually I just had to take it back to the bare bones of the story and figure out what needed to be added in and now it's going so much smoother! Can't wait to see where your writing journey goes :)
I love how you are like my handwriting is terrible and its totally pretty. LOL I'm so happy you are readjusting. I think this restart is just what you need! Keep going! I got about 30k into my zero draft before deciding to go a different direction. Now I'm finally finished with the rewrite which is sort of still a zero draft. I start editing in August as I'm giving myself a break before I start draft 1. We totally got this! Restarts and all!!
i love these videos!! i’ve always loved writing, but i’ve always struggled getting past the first few chapters of an idea for a novel! i recently started reworking an old idea (and trying to plot for the first time, so we’ll see if i can stick with it now - wishing us both luck on our writing journeys :)
Hola Mik :) I just wanna say that I'm so glad, I stumbled onto your channel. I've been an intuitive writer when I was younger, but also have been struggling to get back into writing in the last years (make that about ten years haha, I'm 33 now). It's actually so fun to watch your analysis and writing advice vids and I can tell that even just subconsciously so much of what you're sharing here with us is seeping into the way I think about my story projects. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us and for creating this cute little community
Thank you for this! I've been trying to work on my novel as well as a beginning writer and I've been struggling! This is such a great idea! I never even thought about creating a full outline before starting. I've just been outlining a chapter as I go and its been a little complicated that way 😅 I'm definitely going to try doing this as well!
You shared an outline sheet some time ago, and I created a similar sheet for my chapters and scenes within each chapter. I named each chapter and wrote a scene name for each scene (there are 2-4 scenes in 1 chapter) and marked where the prologue takes place, the catalyst, the midpoint, etc. I filled out the chapters of scenes I knew where they belonged and kept filling them out as I came up with ideas. I also set a small goal, like 20,000 words in 2 months, so it feels easier to reach my goal. ☺️ Good luck and great channel! 👍🏼
There's definitely some merit in setting more 'approachable' goals. 20k is much less intimidating than 100k for example. Whatever goal you set, it should feel realistic for you given your circumstances (job, school, family situation, health, other commitments etc). I'd love to hear updates on your story process as you go along ❤
Totally relate to the physical writing! Because I am also very much an editor rather than a drafter, I am writing the first draft of one of my books on paper so that it's harder for me to be constantly editing it.
I've learned the best way for me to write my first/starting draft is to just bullet point everything with dialogue and basic action tags and locations. Something between a zéro draft and the worlds most intense outline, but it helps so much when revising. Though I still call it à first draft I've learned I can plot the story out as much as I want, but the character arcs can only be figured out by doing. You can't control those gremlins...
I'm so glad to find out that I'm not the only one who hates writing the first draft. I feel like maybe it's because I need a zero draft but I think I'm still trying to find the best outlining/zero drafting process that works for me. Loved this video and just so you know.. you're not alone. every time I do a writing update on my channel a part of me is like.. "well i failed again, lol" but it is part of the process! you're not alone! thanks for sharing! 💚
I love your plan and process! I’m starting a new writing project and as much as I want to jump in and start writing, I’m sitting down and writing things out physically first as well. My last project ended with a first draft, a complete rewrite ( both scrapped) and a lot of frustration. I’m taking things slower this time. I absolutely loved the six act structure book and it really clicked with me!
You have no idea how much I needed this video. I literally have the same problem as you. I'll follow what you're doing and see if it helps me. Thanks for the video girl! ❤️✨
“It may seem like I know nothing. And that is true.” This summarizes my entire experience writing my draft 😭😭 this is so validating that I’m not the only one struggling with this.
Another beautiful, honest update. Thank you, Mik 😊 A few things to share: 1. I love that you're allowing yourself to adapt your process as you figure out what does and doesn't work for you. 2. I've found the notion of 'lead' and 'lag' measures really helpful when it comes to setting writing goals. Setting a lead measure goal of, say, time spent working on my story, makes my lag measure of completing a chapter (or whole draft) feel more achievable. Tracking your progress at these different levels gives you more opportunities to see yourself winning. 3. Another idea I've found helpful is 'elastic habits', where you have different levels of goals you can shoot for each day. Make the minimum word count for a day something you can hit on your worst day - maybe that's a single sentence, or 100 words if you're feeling brave. I like to think of this level as a 'non-zero' level of progress. You can then have a realistic, 'normal' goal: maybe that's 1000 words, or 2 hours at the keyboard. Finally, you have an epic goal. If you achieved this level, you'd be over-the-moon proud of yourself. This is what you'd write on one of your best writing days. Maybe it's a 2k day or maybe it's a 10k day. How you define each level (mini, normal/'plus', and epic/'elite') can change over time as you become more comfortable in your writing process. For me, using a system like this helps me to be kinder to myself and make more consistent progress over time than I would otherwise have made. Maybe it could be helpful to others too. Once again, thank you for continuing to share your process with us, Mik. Appreciate ya! 💗 P.S. I'm also a snail writer 🐌 so I fully understand that struggle!
Thanks for engaging always with my content!!! I appreciate you!!! & love hearing your thoughts -- I am definitely going to look into the "lead" and lag" measurement of goals that sounds super interesting. I also like elastic habits!! As someone with ADHD I need goals to be completed but bad at goal setting lmao
This WAS SO HELPFUL!!! I am a panster writer through and through have everything stuck in my head, kind of doing a zero draft already without knowing the specifics, and let the characters just come to life on their own. Outlining itself just doesn't let my creative juices flowing, but this allows me to actually visualize my story. THANK YOU! Happy writing to everyone.
Hi! You're video on outlining (and especially the table you provided to everyone) really really helped me with figuring out my plot. Now I thought I was at a point where I was happy with it. But I'm struggling with something and I would be so grateful for a few community opinions on it. I have been planning (and starting to write) this fantasy novel for a while now, until I realized that it didn't really have a plot, it didn't have enough conflict. I did some research on plotting and found your channel, which has helped immensely. As I said, I now have a plot I was pretty happy with. But then I started thinking about whether it was morally okay to write a story like this. Let me give you some context: my story is about two slaves in a fantasy world. They fall in love, something horrific happens and they find out a secret. Both of these things leave them so shocked that they escape. Now the problem: my main character, Silas, has been a slave with the same Master (the king of the land) for a very long time. He was a young child when he was brought into the palace and has lived there ever since. He has since formed a very strong trauma-bond with his Master. He kind of sees him as a father figure. Throughout the story he struggles with his loyalties and his relationship with the other slave character and wants to find out the truth. Do you think it is okay to write about a character who romanticizes slavery in his head, in order to survive? Because of the strong trauma-bond he has formed throughout his life? Do you think it provides enough context if the other slave character acts as a polar opposite to him and through her eyes we get the perspective how horrible this all is and that Silas is not thinking clearly because of his trauma? Originally I was gonna add more drama by having them join the resistance against slavery and then have him betray the resistance and try to warn his Master (he still has some loyalty towards him). And I was also gonna have an ending where the characters eventually realize that slavery needs to exist in some form in this world (it makes sense in the context of the world and the magic system, but I don't want to give every single detail). I have since come to the conclusion that this ending (and possibly the whole story) probably sends a horribly wrong message and that I need to be much more careful writing about this topic. I really hope I haven't offended anyone by this, it really isn't my goal at all. I really care about these characters and this story and want to find a way to write it without being offensive and essentially horrible. Please help :/ P.S.: Thank you for reading through all of this if you did. I'm sorry it turned out so long!
i've also been thinking about writing things out physically in addition to the digital plans, because that's how my brain works., too. and there's nothing wrong with that!! whatever it takes to get this story out of our heads and into the world lol. + every time you talk about your book i'm itching to know more!!! i'm super excited for whenever it's finished and i can buy a copy (^:
i absolutely love this video! as someone who just started getting back into writing, i felt so insecure putting "insert something here" whenever i was feeling lost. but it's really comforting to know that it's completely normal and part of zero drafting! much love 💕
currently working on a zero draft and so thankful this video came out when it did because i get so hung up the words that are bad and i end up getting stuck when i could just be getting literally anything out trying to answer questions that need answered
I've been binging your content since yesterday 😂 your girl is turning 31 next month and I've always been a hobbyist writer, but I've been loving your content cause you have all the college knowledge and it's pretty fabulous 🤩
I've been working on the same project for years and have finally moved on to something new - zero drafts are so much worse than I remember 🥲 I think you're being too hard on yourself! every writer is different and every story is different, so I think it's constricting to think that every drafting process will turn out the same ☺ at the end of that day, this is a whole world of lives and places you've created and, damn, how cool is that?! all of this has been built from nothing but you're imagination and however long it takes to put it to paper, you've got to remember that whatever you create will be 100 percent unique to you - enjoy the process of creation! every extra task or day that it takes to create, the more time you're getting to spend with your amazing project! 🥰🥰
I was supposed to start querying My dystopian book beginning this year but of course, I didn't. Beta readers are slow in reading it and I realized I need to rewrite the book after finishing the sequel, so that's going to be fun.
Love this! Such a great idea. I kept going back and forth with my ideas because I wanted to write but at the same time I didn’t feel I had enough to start full on writing just yet. I didn’t do a chap outline but I got inspired a few days ago to write more backstory and the whys and it was starting to make more sense. I’m excited to try out your method!
LOVE editing, HATE draftimg - I think it's because my prose is never as good on paper or on the computer screen as it is in my head :) Once I give myself permission to suck and word vomit the story out (or as you delightfully put it - dump sand in the sandbox), I can get the story out and start editing. After all, I can't edit a BLANK page! Definitely gonna try this process :) Thanks, Mik!
Can relate! The dissonance between the story in my head vs the first words that make it onto the page is uncomfortable - but you can't edit a blank page, so it must be done. 😂
I resemble this almost COMPLETELY. I hate drafting and I love outlining and editing. My zero drafts are about 30% of the length of readable draft. When I edit, I add a LOT of words, which really fills in the picture. The zero draft is mostly the dialogue, some orchestration, and not much else.
It’s ok, Joe Abercrombie hates the first draft too. It’s in the editing that he really gets his good writing done. Live your flexibility, it’s important for people to know that it’s ok to change and pivot if it’s not working ❤ Adele x
I’m also zero drafting for the first time ever! The idea that I don’t need to have everything figured out right at the start is kind of blowing my mind. Like duh of course it’s not even a first draft! Don’t know how I never thought of it that way before lol
Omggg so excited to watch! I found your channel only a short while ago and now I'm checking back every day to see if there's a new video...think it's time I put post notifications on lol! So glad to see you covering this
So happy you found my little corner of the internet 🥰 I have failed miserably at trying to write 2,000 words a day so I am back to the drawing board! I hope you find something you can use in your own process by watching me chat through mine!
@@mikwrites Oh, for sure!! I am so overly ambitious - I set targets like they're going out of style and it can be demotivating when you don't hit them... However, you're definitely right in saying we get hung up on the zero draft and it not feeling 'perfect' 😅 Can't wait for the next video!!
i zero drafted physically for a year before i even wrote a single word. it's so important to zero draft and just get an understanding about the world you're creating! good luck Mik!!
I love that!!!! and thank you 💗
I think it's so helpful to actually give yourself the time you need to breathe life into your story. ❤
I don't think you're failing at all. It sounds like you are just discovering your process and what works vs. what doesn't work for you. I've been in a similar situation this summer. I'm mostly clear on my Act 1 as well as my main plot points. I feel very clear on my main characters. I'm still struggling with the murder aspect of my cozy murder - creating the suspects, planning out the clues and investigation, etc. This is the part I feel the most stuck on it. I thought I needed to have a complete outline before I move forward, but I think I might not move forward at all if I need to have everything figured out in detail ahead of time. I'm giving myself one more week to plot, and if it still doesn't work for me, I'm going to start writing my Act 1 scenes and do some exploratory writing and see what comes through. Your videos help me keep going because sometimes I feel like I'm the only one struggling and getting stuck, even though I know that's not true.
Thank you so much!! It's all about finding what works. And it's definitely not true we are all in this together!!! So proud of you for continuing on - mysteries are very hard to plot, but I think the discovery writing is such a good idea because it can help unlock clues, etc. 🤗
I love that you're allowing yourself to be flexible with your process. Sometimes we think that we have to either only plot or only write but the reality is that we can move between the two as needed. Good luck with your story!
thank you for this! I'm zero drafting right now for the very first time - as a beginner / hobbyist my writing process has always been totally scrambled which has always led me to hit a wall, so with my current project i'm trying to be serious about working in proper drafts and revisions, with a proper plot structure and everything. your channel has helped me so much with learning craft and i can already feel a big difference.
I starting my first draft today too.
😍 my goal is 1000 per day. Because is my first time trying so seriously !!
I know you got this!!! The first step is deciding you're going for it - so you're already there!!! Thanks for watching and being apart of the community 💗
I spent about three? four? months writing a *very* detailed outline for my first novel. It has everything I could ever want to know ahead of time - character development / story-wide arcs, plot points, lore, even a breakdown of every scene (which varies in detail). Now, four-ish chapters into the first draft, I feel like I'm over-analyzing everything that I write because it's not *exactly* like how I visualized the story in the planning phase. I fell in love with the story that I hadn't written yet, and it's hard to maintain motivation when each paragraph I write feels like it's taking the story in the wrong direction. I'm a huge perfectionist and a slow writer, and with both of those combined, I've been finding it hard to be consistent. Your perspective on zero drafts has inspired me to *try* to be aware when I'm slipping into my "editor mindset." I think that I'm much better at editing than I am at first-drafting. It's always easier to find and criticize the faults in something than to accept it as being flawed and move on. Thank you for sharing! You've earned a new subscriber, for sure.
I completely relate to this as a slow writer and a perfectionist myself -- I know you can do this!! Slipping into "editor mode" is so easy for me but this physical draft has helped a lot to not be so critical. I'd love to hear how your process continues! 💖
I love the building out of the chapter-by-chapter outline! I love having physical and digital planning too. You've got this!
Yes!! I don't know what it is but I *_need_* a physical and digital version - thank you for watching! 💗
i love this new plan, Mik! I totally understand wanting to write things with pen and paper -- you didn't fail at all, you are still working towards writing this zero draft and figuring out what process works best for you!
Yes, thank you! It's okay - I don't view it as a negative failure, just a failure that led me to change my plan and I think this is going to be way better - thank you always for the support 💗💗💗
Honestly I was in the same situation! I kept writing the first draft and I could feel that something was missing and so eventually I just had to take it back to the bare bones of the story and figure out what needed to be added in and now it's going so much smoother! Can't wait to see where your writing journey goes :)
So glad this type of process helped you and it’s going smoother!! And thank you! I’m excited about where it is going 🤍
I love how you are like my handwriting is terrible and its totally pretty. LOL I'm so happy you are readjusting. I think this restart is just what you need! Keep going! I got about 30k into my zero draft before deciding to go a different direction. Now I'm finally finished with the rewrite which is sort of still a zero draft. I start editing in August as I'm giving myself a break before I start draft 1. We totally got this! Restarts and all!!
LOL i always think my handwriting is bad - I am learning I am hard on myself 😂 and we DO totally got this!!!!!
i love these videos!! i’ve always loved writing, but i’ve always struggled getting past the first few chapters of an idea for a novel! i recently started reworking an old idea (and trying to plot for the first time, so we’ll see if i can stick with it now - wishing us both luck on our writing journeys :)
Yay! So glad you are reworking an old idea! Good luck on your journey!!!!! 💖
Hola Mik :) I just wanna say that I'm so glad, I stumbled onto your channel. I've been an intuitive writer when I was younger, but also have been struggling to get back into writing in the last years (make that about ten years haha, I'm 33 now). It's actually so fun to watch your analysis and writing advice vids and I can tell that even just subconsciously so much of what you're sharing here with us is seeping into the way I think about my story projects. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us and for creating this cute little community
This is so so kind thank you so much 😭🫶 & yes the notecard approach always wins for me!!
Thank you for this! I've been trying to work on my novel as well as a beginning writer and I've been struggling! This is such a great idea! I never even thought about creating a full outline before starting. I've just been outlining a chapter as I go and its been a little complicated that way 😅 I'm definitely going to try doing this as well!
Thank you for watching!! Would love to know if this method works for you or if you figure out your own method 💙
You shared an outline sheet some time ago, and I created a similar sheet for my chapters and scenes within each chapter. I named each chapter and wrote a scene name for each scene (there are 2-4 scenes in 1 chapter) and marked where the prologue takes place, the catalyst, the midpoint, etc.
I filled out the chapters of scenes I knew where they belonged and kept filling them out as I came up with ideas.
I also set a small goal, like 20,000 words in 2 months, so it feels easier to reach my goal. ☺️
Good luck and great channel! 👍🏼
That is amazing!!! Thanks so much for watching ❤
There's definitely some merit in setting more 'approachable' goals. 20k is much less intimidating than 100k for example. Whatever goal you set, it should feel realistic for you given your circumstances (job, school, family situation, health, other commitments etc).
I'd love to hear updates on your story process as you go along ❤
Totally relate to the physical writing! Because I am also very much an editor rather than a drafter, I am writing the first draft of one of my books on paper so that it's harder for me to be constantly editing it.
Yes absolutely!! we love sticky notes and we love editing 💖
I've learned the best way for me to write my first/starting draft is to just bullet point everything with dialogue and basic action tags and locations. Something between a zéro draft and the worlds most intense outline, but it helps so much when revising. Though I still call it à first draft
I've learned I can plot the story out as much as I want, but the character arcs can only be figured out by doing. You can't control those gremlins...
Yes!! I’m doing that a lot too - idk why it helps so much but it really does - we’re in this together 🤍
I'm so glad to find out that I'm not the only one who hates writing the first draft. I feel like maybe it's because I need a zero draft but I think I'm still trying to find the best outlining/zero drafting process that works for me. Loved this video and just so you know.. you're not alone. every time I do a writing update on my channel a part of me is like.. "well i failed again, lol" but it is part of the process! you're not alone! thanks for sharing! 💚
I am glad you feel the same too! I hate first drafts hahah - thank you for watching! 💙
I love your plan and process! I’m starting a new writing project and as much as I want to jump in and start writing, I’m sitting down and writing things out physically first as well. My last project ended with a first draft, a complete rewrite ( both scrapped) and a lot of frustration. I’m taking things slower this time. I absolutely loved the six act structure book and it really clicked with me!
Yay! So glad the 6 act structure clicked with you too - I truly love it . Thanks for watching!! 💗
Yes yes yes!!! Zero draft is the hardest for me!! Overthinking bonanza!!!! lol great video so helpful!!!!❤
I am such an overthinker 😭😭
You have no idea how much I needed this video. I literally have the same problem as you. I'll follow what you're doing and see if it helps me. Thanks for the video girl! ❤️✨
Thank you for watching!! 💖 Would love to know if it helps you!
“It may seem like I know nothing. And that is true.” This summarizes my entire experience writing my draft 😭😭 this is so validating that I’m not the only one struggling with this.
I truly know nothing of my book im just writing 😭😭😭
Another beautiful, honest update. Thank you, Mik 😊
A few things to share:
1. I love that you're allowing yourself to adapt your process as you figure out what does and doesn't work for you.
2. I've found the notion of 'lead' and 'lag' measures really helpful when it comes to setting writing goals. Setting a lead measure goal of, say, time spent working on my story, makes my lag measure of completing a chapter (or whole draft) feel more achievable. Tracking your progress at these different levels gives you more opportunities to see yourself winning.
3. Another idea I've found helpful is 'elastic habits', where you have different levels of goals you can shoot for each day. Make the minimum word count for a day something you can hit on your worst day - maybe that's a single sentence, or 100 words if you're feeling brave. I like to think of this level as a 'non-zero' level of progress. You can then have a realistic, 'normal' goal: maybe that's 1000 words, or 2 hours at the keyboard. Finally, you have an epic goal. If you achieved this level, you'd be over-the-moon proud of yourself. This is what you'd write on one of your best writing days. Maybe it's a 2k day or maybe it's a 10k day. How you define each level (mini, normal/'plus', and epic/'elite') can change over time as you become more comfortable in your writing process. For me, using a system like this helps me to be kinder to myself and make more consistent progress over time than I would otherwise have made. Maybe it could be helpful to others too.
Once again, thank you for continuing to share your process with us, Mik. Appreciate ya! 💗
P.S. I'm also a snail writer 🐌 so I fully understand that struggle!
Thanks for engaging always with my content!!! I appreciate you!!! & love hearing your thoughts -- I am definitely going to look into the "lead" and lag" measurement of goals that sounds super interesting. I also like elastic habits!! As someone with ADHD I need goals to be completed but bad at goal setting lmao
@@mikwrites that last sentence is true of me too! 😂 And it's a pleasure, Mik. Your content invites engagement.
This WAS SO HELPFUL!!! I am a panster writer through and through have everything stuck in my head, kind of doing a zero draft already without knowing the specifics, and let the characters just come to life on their own. Outlining itself just doesn't let my creative juices flowing, but this allows me to actually visualize my story. THANK YOU! Happy writing to everyone.
I love that you basically already zero draft!!! Thanks for watching 💖
Hi!
You're video on outlining (and especially the table you provided to everyone) really really helped me with figuring out my plot. Now I thought I was at a point where I was happy with it.
But I'm struggling with something and I would be so grateful for a few community opinions on it.
I have been planning (and starting to write) this fantasy novel for a while now, until I realized that it didn't really have a plot, it didn't have enough conflict. I did some research on plotting and found your channel, which has helped immensely. As I said, I now have a plot I was pretty happy with. But then I started thinking about whether it was morally okay to write a story like this.
Let me give you some context: my story is about two slaves in a fantasy world. They fall in love, something horrific happens and they find out a secret. Both of these things leave them so shocked that they escape.
Now the problem: my main character, Silas, has been a slave with the same Master (the king of the land) for a very long time. He was a young child when he was brought into the palace and has lived there ever since. He has since formed a very strong trauma-bond with his Master. He kind of sees him as a father figure. Throughout the story he struggles with his loyalties and his relationship with the other slave character and wants to find out the truth. Do you think it is okay to write about a character who romanticizes slavery in his head, in order to survive? Because of the strong trauma-bond he has formed throughout his life? Do you think it provides enough context if the other slave character acts as a polar opposite to him and through her eyes we get the perspective how horrible this all is and that Silas is not thinking clearly because of his trauma?
Originally I was gonna add more drama by having them join the resistance against slavery and then have him betray the resistance and try to warn his Master (he still has some loyalty towards him). And I was also gonna have an ending where the characters eventually realize that slavery needs to exist in some form in this world (it makes sense in the context of the world and the magic system, but I don't want to give every single detail). I have since come to the conclusion that this ending (and possibly the whole story) probably sends a horribly wrong message and that I need to be much more careful writing about this topic.
I really hope I haven't offended anyone by this, it really isn't my goal at all. I really care about these characters and this story and want to find a way to write it without being offensive and essentially horrible. Please help :/
P.S.: Thank you for reading through all of this if you did. I'm sorry it turned out so long!
i've also been thinking about writing things out physically in addition to the digital plans, because that's how my brain works., too. and there's nothing wrong with that!! whatever it takes to get this story out of our heads and into the world lol.
+ every time you talk about your book i'm itching to know more!!! i'm super excited for whenever it's finished and i can buy a copy (^:
i absolutely love this video! as someone who just started getting back into writing, i felt so insecure putting "insert something here" whenever i was feeling lost. but it's really comforting to know that it's completely normal and part of zero drafting! much love 💕
We love [insert something here] she is my best friend 😅😭 thank you for watching 💕
I love your videos are very helpful. 😍 thanks!!
Thank you for watching!! 🤗
currently working on a zero draft and so thankful this video came out when it did because i get so hung up the words that are bad and i end up getting stuck when i could just be getting literally anything out trying to answer questions that need answered
Yes!!!! I always get hung up on the words and I just needed to step away I think lol - thank you for watching!!! 💗
I've been binging your content since yesterday 😂 your girl is turning 31 next month and I've always been a hobbyist writer, but I've been loving your content cause you have all the college knowledge and it's pretty fabulous 🤩
Wow thank you for the compliment!!!! And us 30 something’s need to stick together! (Almost a 30 something but I’m grouping myself in there 😂)
I've been working on the same project for years and have finally moved on to something new - zero drafts are so much worse than I remember 🥲 I think you're being too hard on yourself! every writer is different and every story is different, so I think it's constricting to think that every drafting process will turn out the same ☺ at the end of that day, this is a whole world of lives and places you've created and, damn, how cool is that?! all of this has been built from nothing but you're imagination and however long it takes to put it to paper, you've got to remember that whatever you create will be 100 percent unique to you - enjoy the process of creation! every extra task or day that it takes to create, the more time you're getting to spend with your amazing project! 🥰🥰
I am the queen of hard on myself - thank you for reminding me that I am good!! 💗🤗
THIS, this is exactly what I am struggling with DX so glad I found your content
So glad I could help!!! You got this!
I was supposed to start querying My dystopian book beginning this year but of course, I didn't. Beta readers are slow in reading it and I realized I need to rewrite the book after finishing the sequel, so that's going to be fun.
oh man I'm so sorry beta reading is going slow - that can always be a tough waiting period but I have faith in you! 🤗
Love this! Such a great idea. I kept going back and forth with my ideas because I wanted to write but at the same time I didn’t feel I had enough to start full on writing just yet. I didn’t do a chap outline but I got inspired a few days ago to write more backstory and the whys and it was starting to make more sense. I’m excited to try out your method!
Yay! Let me know if this works for you!!! 💖
@@mikwrites Will do!
I'm one chapter away from finishing my zero draft today! Less than twelve thousand words, but it helps so much!
Yay!!! Congratulations! That's so great!
“Why do you need a digital and physical copy?” this is exactly how my brain works too I feel so validated
I always need a digital and a physical copy 😭😭
Things I need to hear.
This is so helpful thank you !! Also getting stuck in my zero drafting at the moment and think this will really help xx
I hope it does help!! Let me know what works for you 💖💖
Really helpful video. We have similar writing processes. thank you for introducing me to the zero draft
So glad you found it helpful 💖
LOVE editing, HATE draftimg - I think it's because my prose is never as good on paper or on the computer screen as it is in my head :)
Once I give myself permission to suck and word vomit the story out (or as you delightfully put it - dump sand in the sandbox), I can get the story out and start editing.
After all, I can't edit a BLANK page! Definitely gonna try this process :) Thanks, Mik!
Yes!! Glad to know someone else agrees 😂 Once the words are on the page I feel like I become a way better writer!!! Thank YOU 💗
Can relate! The dissonance between the story in my head vs the first words that make it onto the page is uncomfortable - but you can't edit a blank page, so it must be done. 😂
I resemble this almost COMPLETELY. I hate drafting and I love outlining and editing. My zero drafts are about 30% of the length of readable draft. When I edit, I add a LOT of words, which really fills in the picture. The zero draft is mostly the dialogue, some orchestration, and not much else.
I have found my people!! Down with drafting 😂
So cool to see another author whose brain works like mine. I also need to have a handwritten and digital version of things
It is necessary !!!
Good plan.
Great video 😊
Random but where did you get that notebook? Been looking for one with that size and thickness
I am so sorry but i truly have no clue and that is due to me buying 1 million journals whenever I see them :(
It’s ok, Joe Abercrombie hates the first draft too. It’s in the editing that he really gets his good writing done. Live your flexibility, it’s important for people to know that it’s ok to change and pivot if it’s not working ❤ Adele x
Yes! I think we all hate our first draft lol - Hope you have a great week, Adele! 💖
I’m also zero drafting for the first time ever! The idea that I don’t need to have everything figured out right at the start is kind of blowing my mind. Like duh of course it’s not even a first draft! Don’t know how I never thought of it that way before lol
It literally took me so so so long to finally figure this out like I knew it but I didn't believe it lol
I think I "zero draft" without knowing it because i really like outlining or specific scene crafting to build the story around
I love that!! 💖
LOVEEE this as usual bestie. couldn’t be more proud of you!!!🫶🏼🫂 let me go try this brb
You are too kind! Thank you for always being so encouraging in the comments!👏👏💗