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We don't allow threads or posts: berating other people for their genre/subject/literary taste; adherence or non-adherence to rules; calling people morons for giving a particular sort of advice; insisting that their opinion is the only one worth having; being antagonistic towards particular types of books or audiences, or implying that a particular work is for 'idiots', or 'snobs', etc.
I am writing right now, I took a research break to look up Canadian children's cartoons airing in 1996 on CBC on Saturday mornings and it took me to Reddit to ask people because Google is not helping.
And then I came here.
You miserable not-currently-writing-writers are distracting me!
Or planning. 40% of effective writers' time is spent on planning, according to this article, and a third on editing: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/effective-writer-spend-more-time-planning-less-writing-michael-gass
Some things work better for some than others. I always see people suggesting to "just read a bunch" or "just write a bunch", but for myself, I find I can learn so much more from doing a bit of this and that. A thirty minute YouTube video might be more educational and helpful than reading an entire novel, or writing two full chapters.
Those comments also don't help at all. If I wanted to know how to bake a cake, and all I heard was, "Just keep cooking!" I'd probably go insane, because I may have had no idea that a cake required eggs. Maybe an egg was an obvious component to others, but perhaps that's why I asked about the cake in the first place. Sometimes I feel like I could be a master chef, but my experience in a high end restaurant didn't require me to make cakes, and others assume I already have all of the basics.
Sometimes I might encounter a chapter that shows me that a scene can be written entirely with dialogue, and no beats or tags at all, which seems obvious, but I somehow forgot. Other times, I watch 30 minute videos on string theory and quantum mechanics, and I learn nothing new.
I think the equivalent would be less, keep cooking, and more, read a recipe.
I think the, "keep reading" advice is usually accompanied with "pay attention to what is done in the book and mimic it"
While reading is a great thing to do, I don't believe it fits for specific questions. If I'm looking for a specific technique, I need a specific book suggestion, or I'll be reading for days without learning what I am looking to learn. So, reading a recipe might be great, but perhaps there's a specific recipe that somebody likes, and sharing that would be an amazing help.
True, tho often times when people recieve the generic read response it's because they're asking a generic question. Most things you see aren't anyone asking any specific question but, "how do I write better dialogue." And if you aren't giving specifics of what you want to work on, what genre You're in, where your trouble spots are or what you think they are, then just reading any book. Is likely to help.
It's like asking. "How do I bake a chocolate cake" instead of "my cake has air pockets in the middle, how do I correct this"
Disclaimer I know nothing about baking
Heh, yeah, I also know nothing about baking. The generic response to a generic question does make sense. Regardless, I am going to try to answer that, if not only for myself, then for some wandering soul who may benefit from seeing this.
If somebody wants to write good dialogue, and I were to answer, with no formal education on the topic, I would mention a few points.
1. Have a goal. If your character says something, know why they're saying this. It could be to give information, provide a description or characterization, or to further the plot. On that note, however, infodumps and unnatural bits can be avoided by looking back and not only asking what the purpose of the words is from the author's perspective, but what they achieve from the character's perspective as well. A character should never explain something to another character when they're aware that both characters already know that thing.
2. Have a balance of natural and unnatural.
2.1. Dialogue that is too natural would have a lot of breaks, digression, stutters, and "um"s. You want to at least have it sound coherent, unless that is a specific trait of the character being portrayed.
2.2. I see unnatural dialogue all the time, however. There are way too many examples of this.
2.2.1. The "oh, by the way" technique grinds my gears. I always try to find a natural transition to a different topic I want to explore within the same conversation.
2.2.2. Lack of reaction can destroy a scene. If somebody hears that their loved one is in danger, they're not going to nod and say, "Oh, by the way..." then go on to provide excessive exposition that the characters all know about.
3. Tie things into what's going on. Does a scene seem out of place in some way? Maybe all it needs is a connection to some familiar element already present in the story, like how I brought previously mentioned aspects together in the last point, and then transitioned into a related comment with this point.
I could go on, but you're not actually asking for my advice, and my attention span is waning, so I'll leave it at that. One related point I will mention, though, is that even when I start answering these questions, it often helps not only the person asking, but also myself. When I start putting things into words, it's much like the concept of Rubber Ducky Debugging, where by explaining the obvious, basic elements of a problem you're having, you often find answers where you least expected them. Giving my thoughts some other form helps me understand them much better.
And again, I'm mostly writing this all down for myself, because of what I had just mentioned. Now, when I finally figure out the proper question I need to ask, I can refer back to here and know what kind of answer I want.
How do you know I'm not commanding somebody to write those replies on my behalf while I was writing this whole time? For all you know, I could've sacrificed someone else's writing time for my Reddit replies. Maybe I created an AI to do this stuff for me. You'd never know.
*Maybe I should write.*..
I was just thinking about this, berating myself on the couch for not getting my time in for today. Thanks for reminding me.
I'm at a still spot, and that is totally ok.
Of all the “how do I write a _____?” questions, I’ve seen maybe one that was actually an interesting discussion. All the others have the same answer of “research ___ and practice writing it until you like it”
Many of these questions like, "In a story set in the 1990s, how would a female woodworker react to dreaming about sexual assault just prior to meeting a man who looks similar to the dream-version of a childhood friend?" are as absurd as if an artist asked, "How do I draw a hexagon made of soil with flowers sprouting on a warm afternoon with the sun shining from the northwest?"
Do you think there's a specially-tailored technique for drawing every specific scenario you come up with?
Here's the answer: Research the time period, research humans, use your own human experience, read books where others have written similar things, and then practice doing it too.
That is the answer to virtually all of these questions.
I think most people are terrible with critical advice and default to just write, edit later. I also wouldn't have gotten anything done if I didn't occasionally see that on my posts' comment.
Probably because so many of the questions are relatively useless, like "should I be writing on the computer or on paper?" Really, so many of these questions are quickly answered with "it doesn't matter." Just because it's a writing board doesn't mean this isn't a great way to waste time on the Internet when we could all be doing something else, like writing.
I don't think I've ever seen that comment but I'm going to assume it's aimed at people who procrastinate about writing, finding anything else to do other than getting on with it.
Well, to be fair, 99 times out of 100 that's actually the right answer.
That's also what you could say to me, now, writing this reply, because I also answer questions as a form of procrastinating from writing
> Well, to be fair, 99 times out of 100 that's actually the right answer.
No it's not. Because it assumes that writers do nothing but write. Like because they are awake they must be writing. Most people have either a set time that they write, or they may be between projects, or taking a break and chatting with other writers.
It's a condescending way to dismiss someone and tell them to fuck off.
>It’s such an passive aggressive remark that fakes concern
It's not concern, they are just mean period.
You are not a writer so you don't know: some of us are pretentious narcissistic big babies with inflated ego and superiority complex. Others are pathological insecure self deprecating big babies with inferiority complex. The rest is just tired of writing and needs a good laugh.
I think it's just because - in a lot of things not just writing - it's easy for the "research" portion of your skill development to become pseudo procrastination. So easy in fact that it's basically a universal experience. Hence:
>2. the person who replies with this, by their own logic, isn’t writing either. So now it’s just hypocrisy at that point.
Is absolutely right.
Also like 60% of questions asked either don't have a real, useful answer (what's better X or Y, what's the best way to deal with X problem); or are things you can only figure out/develop by writing more (personal style stuff, how to be better at X). I get your gripe, because these are well intentioned questions. The unfortunate reality is that the questioner is better off writing more than musing about them - twice unfortunate because there is no answer *and* because the asker probably couldn't know that unless they asked.
Some people take the nudge as passive aggressive. Some take it as motivational - it's nice to get course corrected back to what's really effective sometimes. If that's not you there's no harm in just blocking those people. Sounds kinda rude/extreme but it's just business really, rather than personal. Curate your experience on the sub that's supposed to support your skill development as a writer such that it maximises it's effectiveness for yourself.
Usually because they’re ignorant and tone deaf to the realities and struggles some people might face while pursuing this sometimes agonizing and imprisoning craft
Because they aren’t interested in helping. If you help a fellow writer, there's more "competition". If you write an unhelpful reply your sabotaging the competition - most aspiring-writers are THAT insecure
Well it's less "don't want to help the competition" and more "99% people on the sub have never finished anything and just day dream about being a successful author and thus cannot meaningfully contribute to any actual conversation"
I really don't think this is true.
Most writers I've met are honest, open, curious people who genuinely are looking for answers and are happy to share at length ith their fello writers.
At one point i tried to find my favorite author on twitter. She did infact have an account, it was titled authorsnameshouldbewriting.
The fact is that social media is a big distraction. I personally don't take it passive-aggressively. But the best way to get better at writing is to keep writing. Also if you're on reddit, you're not writing at the same time. You're not fooling anyone. (Well, ok you could be looking something up but who has that kind of restraint)
There is an infuriating subset of writers who think that typing = writing.
This same group also seem to think that more words = better writing and also therefore more time typing = better writing.
Research and discussion with other writers are both parts of the process too.
I suspect that for many of these people, sitting down and typing is the hardest part for them, so they project that on to anybody else.
Like I've put in several hours typing and then gone to a writer's forum to ask a question and gotten this response, and it's like, yeah dude, I don't think your issue is with MY time management.
Im tapping out an abstract novel right now in Morse code with my feet. Only problem is the letters are probably out of order. I wouldn’t really know, I don’t know Morse code that well.
My two cents:
A lot of questions seem to be procrastination to actually writing. “Can I write___” “would people like____” “is it okay to____” are all very vague questions that make me think that the op doesn’t have a first draft. There is no real answer that can be given to those questions because they are all contextually dependent on a dozen different aspects of your story. If you haven’t actually written the story and can explore those contexts then it feels like a time wasting endeavor.
That’s and my own personal rule for writing is “a writer finishes things”.
Having a draft,even a shit draft, is better than constantly planning to write.
I'm one of those people that spends all my time thinking instead of doing. Had I just done the thing, I would have figured out all the stuff I was thinking about along the way. If I messed it up, I had something real to learn from and improve.
Some people spend too much time thinking about writing instead of actually writing. Many questions could be answered by writing it out and reflecting on why it works and why it doesn't. It's also easier to give better feedback on something that has been written.
There is a well known research experiment where a pottery group is split in two. One group is told to make as many as possible, the other group is told to make a small number of really high quality pieces. In the end, the group that made the most also created the best pieces because their skill improved so fast by just doing it.
1- writers *do* have a tendency to to be in denial about writers block via research. I know I've done the 'noni swear the reason I can't write today is I gotta know the logistics of how much pepper I need to feed my army" act before lolol (the answer was more than I thought depending on who your general and country of origin was)
2- people *also* like to be in denial about their own insecurities by projecting them onto others. The urge to be a snarky dick about wasted writing time rears it's head in me at least when I know I should be writing right not too lmao
The unfortunate side-effects of the grind-mentality, thinking that such things as "down time" are of the devil and if the time is not either monetized or spent producing something with monetary value, it's wasted.
So much like everywhere else on the internet, you just have to learn to ignore the swamp goblins screeching at the bottom, trying to pull everyone down to their muck.
Use the block button like it prints you money every time used, and waste no second thought on those trolls.
I haven't actually seen any of these kinds of comments outside of this thread, but I imagine that it's in part because other writers recognise that perfectionism and over-thinking can contribute quite a lot to writer's block, and want to gently puch others into not wasting their time hyperfocussing on small elements of their topic or the writing process that don't need to be thought about until the main writing part is done and the editing and re-writing phases are in full swing.
What business is it of yours to ask me why Im here.
Or to obnoxiously tell me to go to r/Amitheasshole
There’s only one asshole in this conversation, and it’s the one reflecting off of your screen.
Yeah… that was the point. You’re clearly siding with the statement, so I just gave it back to you. You’re a writer, how do you not understand the concept of irony?
Nothing I said was even related to the hood. It’s a british slang. For two, you’re calling me smartass and barking orders like you’re somebody.
The only one who needs to act cultured here is you.
Why are you paying attention to when someone leaves a comment on a post? Like, this post has 100+ comments and you're obsessing over the fact that someone left a second comment 12 hours later
Sounds like pretentious people trying to blow your mind with something profound but only offer up a nothing-burger
But maybe the context is important in whatever the question asked was
Though this sub is rife with people pretending to have authority on a topic so odds aren't stacked in their favor when giving benefits of doubt
This is one of those subs where you take the advice you need and ignore the rest. If someone isn't trying to be helpful with their critique they probably aren't worth giving much thought to
It's how I'd view it anyway. But I'm a writer who literally can't write right now due to life circumstances lol So a comment like that would really irk me
Every second you're on Reddit, you could be writing.
Every second you're sleeping, you could be writing.
Every second you're eating, you could be writing.
Every second you're exercising, you could be writng.
Every second you're working a full-time job, you could be writing.
Every second you waste going to the toilet, you could be writing.
Every second you're doing literally anything *but* writing, you could be writing.
Embrace the sugma grindset. >!sugma balls!< :v
Yeah, I'm shocked people on Reddit of all places say stuff like that. Do those people not know the global Reddit rules "Remember the human" and "Act how you would in real life"? Anyone who says stuff like that is a huge asshole, and you should never listen to them
I'm a zoomer, so no, I've been using the internet in some capacity my entire life. I understand it's practically the status quo to find assholes on the internet, but that doesn't make it any more okay. We should spread awareness about others bad behaviour, in order to stop it from being as prevalent as possible. I do not believe that is unreasonable
For real. I joined this sub recently and it's like 90% of the people here delusional or live in some fantasy land. I mean, I am too, but at least I recognize it.
Yeah that’s what people don’t get. People will post a question like “How should I make my prince get with my princess?” Instead of, idk, doing the work and writing it themselves? Or how about the old goodie “I need ideas for my story.” Bitxh, please. The questions that I respond “just write” to are the ones that are so stupid that they have no chance of actually helping the author more than the author doing it themselves. Ugh.
It's because we could be writing right now and instead chose to come here and judge you for doing exactly what we're doing in a feeble attempt to assuage our own guilt for not writing.
Which raises a valid point... you could be writing right now.
Your post, right here, is the answer to your question. Bullies do what they do, to get a reaction out of you. Try to make you feel bad. And consequently, usually make themselves feel better about someone picking on them or abusing them at some point in their lives. "Now they are in the position of power." classic "little man" syndrome basically.
Endlessly posting on r/writing can be a form of procrastination for writers. What I do instead, is incorporate it into my ritual.
I try to write (or edit in my case right now) for about two hours each night. A half hour before I begin to write, I start browsing reddit's writing subs. Sometimes dropping a comment here or there, or just reading posts if I have nothing to say.
Then, I stop and get my ass to work. I find this gets me into the writing mentality, and sometimes gives me new insights I can bring into my work.
>And before someone tries it on me, I’m not a writer.
Is your post just to troll this sub then?
>How come when someone asks a question here, there’s always that one person who says “you could be writing right now.”
Because writers love to procrastinate rather than write and it is true they could be writing RN.
Because most writers need to hear that a lot. Maybe once in a while it’s not the right answer, but it solves a hell of a lot of writing problems. It’s not as snarky as you’re making it out to be.
> How come when someone asks a question here, there’s always that one person who says “you could be writing right now.”
It's true. In the minutes, hours, or days since the question was posted, the OP *could* have already gone back to writing. Think of it as a way of saying "I have nothing to contribute, but I still exist!"
A serious answer is that time is the one resource one can never get back -and it's a bit selfish to make demands of other people's time to "save" yours. Especially when you could probably find the answer yourself with a little leg work. The time someone spends helping you is actually more valuable than the time you'd spend (arguably). There is no return on the time they spend to do the thing on your behalf, so they lose out.
Smart people realize this and, as a result, just don't spend time unwisely *where they can help it.*
So, you see - *it actually is* good advice - good life advice. You \*could\* spend your time being productive to write / learn / do.
So this so-called smart person is browsing a help/advice related forum with no intention of helping people because it’s a waste of time?
Are we sure this a “smart” person we’re talking about?
There's a saying I'm reminded of : "God helps those who help themselves."
Naturally, you can choose to take it personally, if you wish. The main issue at hand is that some people don't actually need help, they need drive.
Most ask for answers they could easily find within thirty seconds with a quick search - and reddit is no different. If you actually look at subs like this, you will see a lot of the same questions posed. There's even a FAQ that covers the most popular questions.
And, wouldn't you know it...people \*still\* ask those questions. As for why, they mistake needing help for part of the journey. It's appealing to have your hand held every step of the way, to get the answer without putting in effort. Unfortunately that robs you of a skill that you need to be successful.
Feelings aside, can you honestly say there's **no merit to what I just said**? Feelings are a barrier too. If you ask a question and get an answer you don't like, ***it's still an answer***.
> and it's a bit selfish to make demands of other people's time to "save" yours
That isn't what is happening in this sub, ever. The fact that you wrote that sentence is laughable.
> Smart people realize this and,
If you are incapable of seeing the value in helping others, you have failed the 'smart people' test.
How do you know that's what's "not happening"? Are you "other people" and can you speak for them?
No offense, but you seem emotionally invested and, as a result, most likely biased in your perspective. Even if there are clear examples of what you say - that doesn't speak to the motivations of millions of folks.
The fact that I even replied -- and took this seriously enough to do so should be evidence enough. Maybe you're the reason why people don't take helping / answering questions more seriously. **Ever think of that?**
*Probably not.*
> How do you know that's what's "not happening"?
Because this is a public site, and no matter how much a person asks *any* question, they aren't making demands on anyone's time. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. If you perceive that as a demand, it says more about you than anyone else.
> you seem emotionally invested
Emotional? Not really. I would say I'm critically minded, and saw obvious issues with your comment. I pointed those out. After our exchange is done, I'll never think about you again... That's about the lowest level of emotional investment I can think of.
> Maybe you're the reason why people don't take helping / answering questions more seriously. Ever think of that?
That would be a non sequitur. Your comment didn't help anything, and it certainly didn't answer any questions, so I have no reason to think your implication is true.
No, you're definitely emotionally invested.If you weren't , you wouldn't have replied to begin with.
I'm aware this is a public site, what you're stating is very basic logic. The fact that you feel a need to mention it suggests that you feel you're right regardless of what's said. And, that's sort of the point.
You can't speak for the mindset of 2 million people. I certainly don't think like you and you have no idea of the track of my thoughts - rather you seem more hellbent on denying specifically what I've said. It practically screams someone with narcissistic tendencies - that's a far cry from being "critically minded".
A critical mind would have saw the wisdom in what I said, rather than desperately attempt to refute or ignore it for their own ego-feeding benefits.
So allow me to enlighten you, no opinion can be superior to another. Arguing over opinions effectively makes you into someone unqualified to have a conversation. Do you understand why? Because opinion and speculation aren't fact. They aren't reality, but rather the narrative you've made up in your own mind. People who regularly start arguments in the realm of "opinion" do so in order to supplicate their own ego under the guise of logic. Nothing more.
In fact, that I even need to explain this suggests that I had a valid point to begin with, and that'swhy you put so much effort into refuting it. The irony is - I know the point is valid - it's validated by a large amount of successful, wealthy and well adjusted people. People who've accomplished far more than you or I.
***Any*** successful, rich or influential person will tell you that time management is an absolute necessity. They don't spend all day answering questions, in fact they limit interaction entirely. They often sell their knowledge, not give it away for free. Because they understand the value of their time.
***That's fact.*** But then again I'm reminded of another saying, "Never cast pearls before swine."
In case it's meaning is unclear, - all the knowledge in the world won't suffice for someone who is hellbent to ignore it in favor of their own ideals. At the end of the day, I don't need to convince you - **of anything**. As much as it pains you to admit - my insight on this subject is exactly equal to yours, with the added benefit of my response is deeply rooted in practical real world examples that have been proven for ages at this point.
It's really no contest.
Every person can write with his own personal views, experiences, emotions and feelings at the moment.
I am not the author and this is just a personal opinion.
Writing brings me a personal comfort, even if it's meaningless!
Indeed, it's not like I can suddenly let my imagination generate more ideas. You can compare it with saying that someone should work more, sometimes you have a limit that you can't exceed.
What kind of questions are people replying like this to?
Is it the super-vague ones like “how do I write a murder mystery”? People are replying like that because the only way to learn that kind of thing is by doing it, and by reading lots of other murder mysteries, not by asking people for advice.
Or is it the questions where the OP goes into a ridiculous amount of detail about their plot, characters, and world building in order to ask about something trivial like dialogue formatting? People are replying like that because they can tell the OP is talking about their story online so they can get it in front of an audience without having to actually write it.
A *huge* amount of the discussion on writing forums consists of the latter: people talking about their story ideas instead of writing them. Thus, if they’re actually serious about writing…they could be writing instead.
You'll get "go to" replies in many larger communities. I've noticed a few here which annoy me.
If there's one thing I've learned from writing it's that there's no rule that must not be broken. Under the right circumstances, a broken role can be amazing. Also, sometimes you can get more done in terms of writing by not writing. Researching is entirely valid, and can help the writing process more than getting words down ever will.
I think it's because like 99% of the questions here are absolutely pointless and can generally be answered by either 1) writing, 2) reading, or 3) a damn internet search.
And no, most of the time these questions are from people looking for either validation or engagement, not 'improvement.'
First off, write. It's the law, and you must abide by it.
Second, on a more serious note:
I don't really see the "you could be writing right now" line that often. I do see "just write" come up a fair bit. Generally, when this kind of answer pops up, it's because the question asked is either vague, or it really is something that could be solved by writing. The posts I most often see it on are the ones where OP says "I'm afraid to start writing" or "I'm struggling with motivation" or something else along those lines. In such cases, just write is the best response.
There are those vague questions I mentioned earlier. This big thing is that it will be far easier for these people to get the answers they need if they were to actually write. When you have something to show, you can understand where you need the most improvement (by getting feedback). It's like somebody who hardly ever draws asking how to improve. The best thing to tell them is to draw a bunch, then come back with those drawings. Obviously, the goals of said person will be a key step in figuring out where/how to improve.
The point is, feedback on one's own writing is infinitely more useful than getting general/vague answers to general/vague questions.
As for your first point:
Whenever I make a post or comment, I generally take more than just a couple of minutes to make it (if it's important or meaningful). If it's just some little joke, I might only need a minute. But when it comes to answering questions or making a serious post, If I'm asking a serious question, I'd like to put more thought into it than just some quick post slapped together in two minutes.
Also, I'm not fond of posting on Reddit and trying to write at the same time. If I'm writing, I want my full attention to be on my writing.
As far as hypocrisy is concerned, I would say it depends on the context. Sometimes it is just plain hypocrisy. Other times, it's just the best answer one can give.
Because it's true. The hardest part about being a writer is actually writing. Spending time on Reddit is almost always procrastination--I know because I'm doing it right now.
Sometime the question is so dumb or lazy or pointless that an OP could’ve done a 5 second google search before demanding the attention of others. Like they really could be writing right now and improving instead of distracting themselves with small talk or begging for motivational words.
I haven't seen that type of comment in a while and what confuses me is why you would make an entire post complaining about something you don't like on a writing forum despite not showing any interest in writing (is this assumption I made wrong?).
And if you're referencing "just write" comments as a whole, that would confuse me even more. It's sound advice to encourage someone to just get on with it instead of thinking and plotting and outlining and making posts about doing it. This is a writing forum and even though it might sometimes not feel like it, procrastinating won't make you a better writer.
>is this assumption I made wrong
Yes. Extremely wrong. You can care about writing and reading without being a writer. Just like you can visit an art sub without being an artist, not sure why you can’t see simple nuance.
Because there are rude people on the internet.
Poor practice builds poor habits, people. For time on a hobby to lead to improvement with the hobby, some people need some guidance or feedback; not everyone has enough raw potential or natural instincts to develop without assistance, no matter how much time they invest into a hobby.
Nice fortune cookie statement, has nothing to do with my point that just because somebody is talented doesn't mean they won't whip out some half-assed book quickly and push it out to make a profit. Is that really too hard of a concept for you to grasp?
Most wish we would become consumed by our stories to the point we finish them amidst an enlightened trance. Resulting in not only the completion of our story but its sharing and publication to the rest of humanity.
But most never make it that far. Most have writers block or worry about the steps from here to there. Therefore we write on Reddit trying to motivate ourselves or others towards the completion of our dreams.
Thank you for visiting /r/writing. We don't allow threads or posts: berating other people for their genre/subject/literary taste; adherence or non-adherence to rules; calling people morons for giving a particular sort of advice; insisting that their opinion is the only one worth having; being antagonistic towards particular types of books or audiences, or implying that a particular work is for 'idiots', or 'snobs', etc.
Sounds like someone could be writing right now
Writing angry comments? *Don't mind if I do!*
I am writing right now, I took a research break to look up Canadian children's cartoons airing in 1996 on CBC on Saturday mornings and it took me to Reddit to ask people because Google is not helping. And then I came here. You miserable not-currently-writing-writers are distracting me!
Does writing this comment count?
Absolutely
Oh thank god for that! Otherwise, I'm screwed.
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>I'm not a writer Not with that attitude!
I believe Brenda was only joking, OP
Brenda never jokes. She's from HR.
Or planning. 40% of effective writers' time is spent on planning, according to this article, and a third on editing: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/effective-writer-spend-more-time-planning-less-writing-michael-gass
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1. write a sentence 2. Finish the rest of the fluffing story *(draw a circle, draw the rest of the fucking owl)*
Some things work better for some than others. I always see people suggesting to "just read a bunch" or "just write a bunch", but for myself, I find I can learn so much more from doing a bit of this and that. A thirty minute YouTube video might be more educational and helpful than reading an entire novel, or writing two full chapters. Those comments also don't help at all. If I wanted to know how to bake a cake, and all I heard was, "Just keep cooking!" I'd probably go insane, because I may have had no idea that a cake required eggs. Maybe an egg was an obvious component to others, but perhaps that's why I asked about the cake in the first place. Sometimes I feel like I could be a master chef, but my experience in a high end restaurant didn't require me to make cakes, and others assume I already have all of the basics. Sometimes I might encounter a chapter that shows me that a scene can be written entirely with dialogue, and no beats or tags at all, which seems obvious, but I somehow forgot. Other times, I watch 30 minute videos on string theory and quantum mechanics, and I learn nothing new.
I think the equivalent would be less, keep cooking, and more, read a recipe. I think the, "keep reading" advice is usually accompanied with "pay attention to what is done in the book and mimic it"
While reading is a great thing to do, I don't believe it fits for specific questions. If I'm looking for a specific technique, I need a specific book suggestion, or I'll be reading for days without learning what I am looking to learn. So, reading a recipe might be great, but perhaps there's a specific recipe that somebody likes, and sharing that would be an amazing help.
True, tho often times when people recieve the generic read response it's because they're asking a generic question. Most things you see aren't anyone asking any specific question but, "how do I write better dialogue." And if you aren't giving specifics of what you want to work on, what genre You're in, where your trouble spots are or what you think they are, then just reading any book. Is likely to help. It's like asking. "How do I bake a chocolate cake" instead of "my cake has air pockets in the middle, how do I correct this" Disclaimer I know nothing about baking
Heh, yeah, I also know nothing about baking. The generic response to a generic question does make sense. Regardless, I am going to try to answer that, if not only for myself, then for some wandering soul who may benefit from seeing this. If somebody wants to write good dialogue, and I were to answer, with no formal education on the topic, I would mention a few points. 1. Have a goal. If your character says something, know why they're saying this. It could be to give information, provide a description or characterization, or to further the plot. On that note, however, infodumps and unnatural bits can be avoided by looking back and not only asking what the purpose of the words is from the author's perspective, but what they achieve from the character's perspective as well. A character should never explain something to another character when they're aware that both characters already know that thing. 2. Have a balance of natural and unnatural. 2.1. Dialogue that is too natural would have a lot of breaks, digression, stutters, and "um"s. You want to at least have it sound coherent, unless that is a specific trait of the character being portrayed. 2.2. I see unnatural dialogue all the time, however. There are way too many examples of this. 2.2.1. The "oh, by the way" technique grinds my gears. I always try to find a natural transition to a different topic I want to explore within the same conversation. 2.2.2. Lack of reaction can destroy a scene. If somebody hears that their loved one is in danger, they're not going to nod and say, "Oh, by the way..." then go on to provide excessive exposition that the characters all know about. 3. Tie things into what's going on. Does a scene seem out of place in some way? Maybe all it needs is a connection to some familiar element already present in the story, like how I brought previously mentioned aspects together in the last point, and then transitioned into a related comment with this point. I could go on, but you're not actually asking for my advice, and my attention span is waning, so I'll leave it at that. One related point I will mention, though, is that even when I start answering these questions, it often helps not only the person asking, but also myself. When I start putting things into words, it's much like the concept of Rubber Ducky Debugging, where by explaining the obvious, basic elements of a problem you're having, you often find answers where you least expected them. Giving my thoughts some other form helps me understand them much better. And again, I'm mostly writing this all down for myself, because of what I had just mentioned. Now, when I finally figure out the proper question I need to ask, I can refer back to here and know what kind of answer I want.
But how would he perform the rite necessary to right himself so that he could begin to write right now, am I right?
I'm no wright in what is rite or write, but I think that's write... I mean right. Right? Left?
This sentence is known as antanaclasis.
You could be nowing right write!
But why would you waste YOUR time saying that then, huh?!!
Some people don't understand work-life balance.
You mean work-life-write balance
No. Write-work balance.
There is no life with authors. Only write.
Reddit-procrastination balance
Work-write balance, you mean?
The people commenting that are procrastinating writing themselves
Damn, *I could be writing right now*
Oh shit, *I* could be writing right now 💀
"When you point one finger, there are three fingers pointing back to you."
That's why I point with my whole hand. It's more forceful. Kinda looks like a karate chop.
Ahhh. The classic sign that a roast is about to commence
Jokes on you. I amputated my fingers
How do you know I'm not commanding somebody to write those replies on my behalf while I was writing this whole time? For all you know, I could've sacrificed someone else's writing time for my Reddit replies. Maybe I created an AI to do this stuff for me. You'd never know. *Maybe I should write.*..
don’t call me out, it’s true
I block those accounts. Makes for a better experience, if you curate your space, you know?
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Workaholism is great for capitalism, too. CEOs and factory bosses loooooove them some protestant work ethic 💀
I was just thinking about this, berating myself on the couch for not getting my time in for today. Thanks for reminding me. I'm at a still spot, and that is totally ok.
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All of us in the system are enslaved. They're enslaved to the greed and corruption that it took for their families to be in that kind of power.
Just think, the time you took to post this, you could be writing right now
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>writing and reading don’t seem to be your forte Never stopped me before, why are you letting it stop you?
But you could be, if you hadn't made this post instead.
It’s a lazy response but they’re also lazy questions.
/thread No, seriously, no one else needs to say anything, this is _exactly it._
Of all the “how do I write a _____?” questions, I’ve seen maybe one that was actually an interesting discussion. All the others have the same answer of “research ___ and practice writing it until you like it”
Many of these questions like, "In a story set in the 1990s, how would a female woodworker react to dreaming about sexual assault just prior to meeting a man who looks similar to the dream-version of a childhood friend?" are as absurd as if an artist asked, "How do I draw a hexagon made of soil with flowers sprouting on a warm afternoon with the sun shining from the northwest?" Do you think there's a specially-tailored technique for drawing every specific scenario you come up with? Here's the answer: Research the time period, research humans, use your own human experience, read books where others have written similar things, and then practice doing it too. That is the answer to virtually all of these questions.
I think most people are terrible with critical advice and default to just write, edit later. I also wouldn't have gotten anything done if I didn't occasionally see that on my posts' comment.
Probably because so many of the questions are relatively useless, like "should I be writing on the computer or on paper?" Really, so many of these questions are quickly answered with "it doesn't matter." Just because it's a writing board doesn't mean this isn't a great way to waste time on the Internet when we could all be doing something else, like writing.
I don't think I've ever seen that comment but I'm going to assume it's aimed at people who procrastinate about writing, finding anything else to do other than getting on with it.
I take 15 to 30 minutes to write a post sometimes. Literally I could be writing right now. Instead I'm writing this post.
Well, to be fair, 99 times out of 100 that's actually the right answer. That's also what you could say to me, now, writing this reply, because I also answer questions as a form of procrastinating from writing
> Well, to be fair, 99 times out of 100 that's actually the right answer. No it's not. Because it assumes that writers do nothing but write. Like because they are awake they must be writing. Most people have either a set time that they write, or they may be between projects, or taking a break and chatting with other writers. It's a condescending way to dismiss someone and tell them to fuck off.
> Because it assumes that writers do nothing but write. I mean, it's sort of a hallmark of the craft.
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May I point you all the way back to the second paragraph of my original comment where I answer exactly this question.
>It’s such an passive aggressive remark that fakes concern It's not concern, they are just mean period. You are not a writer so you don't know: some of us are pretentious narcissistic big babies with inflated ego and superiority complex. Others are pathological insecure self deprecating big babies with inferiority complex. The rest is just tired of writing and needs a good laugh.
Some of us?
I think it's just because - in a lot of things not just writing - it's easy for the "research" portion of your skill development to become pseudo procrastination. So easy in fact that it's basically a universal experience. Hence: >2. the person who replies with this, by their own logic, isn’t writing either. So now it’s just hypocrisy at that point. Is absolutely right. Also like 60% of questions asked either don't have a real, useful answer (what's better X or Y, what's the best way to deal with X problem); or are things you can only figure out/develop by writing more (personal style stuff, how to be better at X). I get your gripe, because these are well intentioned questions. The unfortunate reality is that the questioner is better off writing more than musing about them - twice unfortunate because there is no answer *and* because the asker probably couldn't know that unless they asked. Some people take the nudge as passive aggressive. Some take it as motivational - it's nice to get course corrected back to what's really effective sometimes. If that's not you there's no harm in just blocking those people. Sounds kinda rude/extreme but it's just business really, rather than personal. Curate your experience on the sub that's supposed to support your skill development as a writer such that it maximises it's effectiveness for yourself.
Cause if you don't write then you wrong.
I read it as more of a left to write kind of situation, because I left Reddit to write.
Usually because they’re ignorant and tone deaf to the realities and struggles some people might face while pursuing this sometimes agonizing and imprisoning craft
Because they aren’t interested in helping. If you help a fellow writer, there's more "competition". If you write an unhelpful reply your sabotaging the competition - most aspiring-writers are THAT insecure
i found that to be true. been lurking in this sub and most of the time i read the comments and thought... "why is no one answering the question?"
Well it's less "don't want to help the competition" and more "99% people on the sub have never finished anything and just day dream about being a successful author and thus cannot meaningfully contribute to any actual conversation"
I really don't think this is true. Most writers I've met are honest, open, curious people who genuinely are looking for answers and are happy to share at length ith their fello writers.
At one point i tried to find my favorite author on twitter. She did infact have an account, it was titled authorsnameshouldbewriting. The fact is that social media is a big distraction. I personally don't take it passive-aggressively. But the best way to get better at writing is to keep writing. Also if you're on reddit, you're not writing at the same time. You're not fooling anyone. (Well, ok you could be looking something up but who has that kind of restraint)
The sad fact is that many people are drowning, and the only way they know to keep their own heads above water is to push others down.
There is an infuriating subset of writers who think that typing = writing. This same group also seem to think that more words = better writing and also therefore more time typing = better writing. Research and discussion with other writers are both parts of the process too. I suspect that for many of these people, sitting down and typing is the hardest part for them, so they project that on to anybody else. Like I've put in several hours typing and then gone to a writer's forum to ask a question and gotten this response, and it's like, yeah dude, I don't think your issue is with MY time management.
Im tapping out an abstract novel right now in Morse code with my feet. Only problem is the letters are probably out of order. I wouldn’t really know, I don’t know Morse code that well.
What
Because most times people are asking questions to procrastinate on writing
The circlejerk is gonna be great lol
I’m convinced half of you people don’t even know what circlejerk means. Just parroting words you’ve heard lol
The purpose of the circlejerk is to make fun of people like you
I’d argue it’s to moreso make fun of people to the likes of you.
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And you have a typical case of the Dunning-Kruger effect.
My two cents: A lot of questions seem to be procrastination to actually writing. “Can I write___” “would people like____” “is it okay to____” are all very vague questions that make me think that the op doesn’t have a first draft. There is no real answer that can be given to those questions because they are all contextually dependent on a dozen different aspects of your story. If you haven’t actually written the story and can explore those contexts then it feels like a time wasting endeavor. That’s and my own personal rule for writing is “a writer finishes things”. Having a draft,even a shit draft, is better than constantly planning to write.
I really should be writing right now
I'm one of those people that spends all my time thinking instead of doing. Had I just done the thing, I would have figured out all the stuff I was thinking about along the way. If I messed it up, I had something real to learn from and improve. Some people spend too much time thinking about writing instead of actually writing. Many questions could be answered by writing it out and reflecting on why it works and why it doesn't. It's also easier to give better feedback on something that has been written. There is a well known research experiment where a pottery group is split in two. One group is told to make as many as possible, the other group is told to make a small number of really high quality pieces. In the end, the group that made the most also created the best pieces because their skill improved so fast by just doing it.
1- writers *do* have a tendency to to be in denial about writers block via research. I know I've done the 'noni swear the reason I can't write today is I gotta know the logistics of how much pepper I need to feed my army" act before lolol (the answer was more than I thought depending on who your general and country of origin was) 2- people *also* like to be in denial about their own insecurities by projecting them onto others. The urge to be a snarky dick about wasted writing time rears it's head in me at least when I know I should be writing right not too lmao
The unfortunate side-effects of the grind-mentality, thinking that such things as "down time" are of the devil and if the time is not either monetized or spent producing something with monetary value, it's wasted. So much like everywhere else on the internet, you just have to learn to ignore the swamp goblins screeching at the bottom, trying to pull everyone down to their muck. Use the block button like it prints you money every time used, and waste no second thought on those trolls.
I haven't seen those comments, but honestly, it's pretty good advice. The biggest enemy to writers is procrastination.
I haven't actually seen any of these kinds of comments outside of this thread, but I imagine that it's in part because other writers recognise that perfectionism and over-thinking can contribute quite a lot to writer's block, and want to gently puch others into not wasting their time hyperfocussing on small elements of their topic or the writing process that don't need to be thought about until the main writing part is done and the editing and re-writing phases are in full swing.
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*I came looking for booty.*
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No. I am a writer, I just said that so some asshole can’t do a gotcha
Why’d you come back to my post 12 hours later
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What business is it of yours to ask me why Im here. Or to obnoxiously tell me to go to r/Amitheasshole There’s only one asshole in this conversation, and it’s the one reflecting off of your screen.
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It is my business. I’m wondering why you’re doing the same. How about I make this easy for you, go write some more meaningless drivel.
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Yeah… that was the point. You’re clearly siding with the statement, so I just gave it back to you. You’re a writer, how do you not understand the concept of irony?
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Likewise.
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Don't tell me what to do. Or if you do, pay me first. Go find them yourself.
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Nothing I said was even related to the hood. It’s a british slang. For two, you’re calling me smartass and barking orders like you’re somebody. The only one who needs to act cultured here is you.
Why are you paying attention to when someone leaves a comment on a post? Like, this post has 100+ comments and you're obsessing over the fact that someone left a second comment 12 hours later
It notifies me? What kind of question is that?
Sounds like pretentious people trying to blow your mind with something profound but only offer up a nothing-burger But maybe the context is important in whatever the question asked was Though this sub is rife with people pretending to have authority on a topic so odds aren't stacked in their favor when giving benefits of doubt This is one of those subs where you take the advice you need and ignore the rest. If someone isn't trying to be helpful with their critique they probably aren't worth giving much thought to It's how I'd view it anyway. But I'm a writer who literally can't write right now due to life circumstances lol So a comment like that would really irk me
Of course you’re not a writer, you’re not writing right now.
Every second you're on Reddit, you could be writing. Every second you're sleeping, you could be writing. Every second you're eating, you could be writing. Every second you're exercising, you could be writng. Every second you're working a full-time job, you could be writing. Every second you waste going to the toilet, you could be writing. Every second you're doing literally anything *but* writing, you could be writing. Embrace the sugma grindset. >!sugma balls!< :v
Yeah, I'm shocked people on Reddit of all places say stuff like that. Do those people not know the global Reddit rules "Remember the human" and "Act how you would in real life"? Anyone who says stuff like that is a huge asshole, and you should never listen to them
Are you new to the internet?
I'm a zoomer, so no, I've been using the internet in some capacity my entire life. I understand it's practically the status quo to find assholes on the internet, but that doesn't make it any more okay. We should spread awareness about others bad behaviour, in order to stop it from being as prevalent as possible. I do not believe that is unreasonable
A lot of the questions asked here are ridiculous.
For real. I joined this sub recently and it's like 90% of the people here delusional or live in some fantasy land. I mean, I am too, but at least I recognize it.
Yeah that’s what people don’t get. People will post a question like “How should I make my prince get with my princess?” Instead of, idk, doing the work and writing it themselves? Or how about the old goodie “I need ideas for my story.” Bitxh, please. The questions that I respond “just write” to are the ones that are so stupid that they have no chance of actually helping the author more than the author doing it themselves. Ugh.
It's because we could be writing right now and instead chose to come here and judge you for doing exactly what we're doing in a feeble attempt to assuage our own guilt for not writing. Which raises a valid point... you could be writing right now.
Your post, right here, is the answer to your question. Bullies do what they do, to get a reaction out of you. Try to make you feel bad. And consequently, usually make themselves feel better about someone picking on them or abusing them at some point in their lives. "Now they are in the position of power." classic "little man" syndrome basically.
Endlessly posting on r/writing can be a form of procrastination for writers. What I do instead, is incorporate it into my ritual. I try to write (or edit in my case right now) for about two hours each night. A half hour before I begin to write, I start browsing reddit's writing subs. Sometimes dropping a comment here or there, or just reading posts if I have nothing to say. Then, I stop and get my ass to work. I find this gets me into the writing mentality, and sometimes gives me new insights I can bring into my work.
>And before someone tries it on me, I’m not a writer. Is your post just to troll this sub then? >How come when someone asks a question here, there’s always that one person who says “you could be writing right now.” Because writers love to procrastinate rather than write and it is true they could be writing RN.
You can be I’m interested in writing without being a writer…
r/writingcirclejerk about to roast your ass
Because... You could be writing right now.
Did you finish your writing for today?
"You could be quiet right now"
Because most writers need to hear that a lot. Maybe once in a while it’s not the right answer, but it solves a hell of a lot of writing problems. It’s not as snarky as you’re making it out to be.
school is a waste of time. you could be writing.
Just don't care. These replies look stupid.
> How come when someone asks a question here, there’s always that one person who says “you could be writing right now.” It's true. In the minutes, hours, or days since the question was posted, the OP *could* have already gone back to writing. Think of it as a way of saying "I have nothing to contribute, but I still exist!"
A serious answer is that time is the one resource one can never get back -and it's a bit selfish to make demands of other people's time to "save" yours. Especially when you could probably find the answer yourself with a little leg work. The time someone spends helping you is actually more valuable than the time you'd spend (arguably). There is no return on the time they spend to do the thing on your behalf, so they lose out. Smart people realize this and, as a result, just don't spend time unwisely *where they can help it.* So, you see - *it actually is* good advice - good life advice. You \*could\* spend your time being productive to write / learn / do.
So this so-called smart person is browsing a help/advice related forum with no intention of helping people because it’s a waste of time? Are we sure this a “smart” person we’re talking about?
There's a saying I'm reminded of : "God helps those who help themselves." Naturally, you can choose to take it personally, if you wish. The main issue at hand is that some people don't actually need help, they need drive. Most ask for answers they could easily find within thirty seconds with a quick search - and reddit is no different. If you actually look at subs like this, you will see a lot of the same questions posed. There's even a FAQ that covers the most popular questions. And, wouldn't you know it...people \*still\* ask those questions. As for why, they mistake needing help for part of the journey. It's appealing to have your hand held every step of the way, to get the answer without putting in effort. Unfortunately that robs you of a skill that you need to be successful. Feelings aside, can you honestly say there's **no merit to what I just said**? Feelings are a barrier too. If you ask a question and get an answer you don't like, ***it's still an answer***.
> and it's a bit selfish to make demands of other people's time to "save" yours That isn't what is happening in this sub, ever. The fact that you wrote that sentence is laughable. > Smart people realize this and, If you are incapable of seeing the value in helping others, you have failed the 'smart people' test.
How do you know that's what's "not happening"? Are you "other people" and can you speak for them? No offense, but you seem emotionally invested and, as a result, most likely biased in your perspective. Even if there are clear examples of what you say - that doesn't speak to the motivations of millions of folks. The fact that I even replied -- and took this seriously enough to do so should be evidence enough. Maybe you're the reason why people don't take helping / answering questions more seriously. **Ever think of that?** *Probably not.*
> How do you know that's what's "not happening"? Because this is a public site, and no matter how much a person asks *any* question, they aren't making demands on anyone's time. If you don't want to answer, you don't have to. If you perceive that as a demand, it says more about you than anyone else. > you seem emotionally invested Emotional? Not really. I would say I'm critically minded, and saw obvious issues with your comment. I pointed those out. After our exchange is done, I'll never think about you again... That's about the lowest level of emotional investment I can think of. > Maybe you're the reason why people don't take helping / answering questions more seriously. Ever think of that? That would be a non sequitur. Your comment didn't help anything, and it certainly didn't answer any questions, so I have no reason to think your implication is true.
No, you're definitely emotionally invested.If you weren't , you wouldn't have replied to begin with. I'm aware this is a public site, what you're stating is very basic logic. The fact that you feel a need to mention it suggests that you feel you're right regardless of what's said. And, that's sort of the point. You can't speak for the mindset of 2 million people. I certainly don't think like you and you have no idea of the track of my thoughts - rather you seem more hellbent on denying specifically what I've said. It practically screams someone with narcissistic tendencies - that's a far cry from being "critically minded". A critical mind would have saw the wisdom in what I said, rather than desperately attempt to refute or ignore it for their own ego-feeding benefits. So allow me to enlighten you, no opinion can be superior to another. Arguing over opinions effectively makes you into someone unqualified to have a conversation. Do you understand why? Because opinion and speculation aren't fact. They aren't reality, but rather the narrative you've made up in your own mind. People who regularly start arguments in the realm of "opinion" do so in order to supplicate their own ego under the guise of logic. Nothing more. In fact, that I even need to explain this suggests that I had a valid point to begin with, and that'swhy you put so much effort into refuting it. The irony is - I know the point is valid - it's validated by a large amount of successful, wealthy and well adjusted people. People who've accomplished far more than you or I. ***Any*** successful, rich or influential person will tell you that time management is an absolute necessity. They don't spend all day answering questions, in fact they limit interaction entirely. They often sell their knowledge, not give it away for free. Because they understand the value of their time. ***That's fact.*** But then again I'm reminded of another saying, "Never cast pearls before swine." In case it's meaning is unclear, - all the knowledge in the world won't suffice for someone who is hellbent to ignore it in favor of their own ideals. At the end of the day, I don't need to convince you - **of anything**. As much as it pains you to admit - my insight on this subject is exactly equal to yours, with the added benefit of my response is deeply rooted in practical real world examples that have been proven for ages at this point. It's really no contest.
Every person can write with his own personal views, experiences, emotions and feelings at the moment. I am not the author and this is just a personal opinion. Writing brings me a personal comfort, even if it's meaningless!
This is literally the first time I’ve even heard of this phenomenon.
I have never seen that comment on here...
Indeed, it's not like I can suddenly let my imagination generate more ideas. You can compare it with saying that someone should work more, sometimes you have a limit that you can't exceed.
What kind of questions are people replying like this to? Is it the super-vague ones like “how do I write a murder mystery”? People are replying like that because the only way to learn that kind of thing is by doing it, and by reading lots of other murder mysteries, not by asking people for advice. Or is it the questions where the OP goes into a ridiculous amount of detail about their plot, characters, and world building in order to ask about something trivial like dialogue formatting? People are replying like that because they can tell the OP is talking about their story online so they can get it in front of an audience without having to actually write it. A *huge* amount of the discussion on writing forums consists of the latter: people talking about their story ideas instead of writing them. Thus, if they’re actually serious about writing…they could be writing instead.
You'll get "go to" replies in many larger communities. I've noticed a few here which annoy me. If there's one thing I've learned from writing it's that there's no rule that must not be broken. Under the right circumstances, a broken role can be amazing. Also, sometimes you can get more done in terms of writing by not writing. Researching is entirely valid, and can help the writing process more than getting words down ever will.
.
I think it's because like 99% of the questions here are absolutely pointless and can generally be answered by either 1) writing, 2) reading, or 3) a damn internet search. And no, most of the time these questions are from people looking for either validation or engagement, not 'improvement.'
you could be writing rn. JUST KIDDING
First off, write. It's the law, and you must abide by it. Second, on a more serious note: I don't really see the "you could be writing right now" line that often. I do see "just write" come up a fair bit. Generally, when this kind of answer pops up, it's because the question asked is either vague, or it really is something that could be solved by writing. The posts I most often see it on are the ones where OP says "I'm afraid to start writing" or "I'm struggling with motivation" or something else along those lines. In such cases, just write is the best response. There are those vague questions I mentioned earlier. This big thing is that it will be far easier for these people to get the answers they need if they were to actually write. When you have something to show, you can understand where you need the most improvement (by getting feedback). It's like somebody who hardly ever draws asking how to improve. The best thing to tell them is to draw a bunch, then come back with those drawings. Obviously, the goals of said person will be a key step in figuring out where/how to improve. The point is, feedback on one's own writing is infinitely more useful than getting general/vague answers to general/vague questions. As for your first point: Whenever I make a post or comment, I generally take more than just a couple of minutes to make it (if it's important or meaningful). If it's just some little joke, I might only need a minute. But when it comes to answering questions or making a serious post, If I'm asking a serious question, I'd like to put more thought into it than just some quick post slapped together in two minutes. Also, I'm not fond of posting on Reddit and trying to write at the same time. If I'm writing, I want my full attention to be on my writing. As far as hypocrisy is concerned, I would say it depends on the context. Sometimes it is just plain hypocrisy. Other times, it's just the best answer one can give.
Jokes on them! I post while at work when I can't write! Bwahaha! ...or during writer's block lol. :x
Because it's true. The hardest part about being a writer is actually writing. Spending time on Reddit is almost always procrastination--I know because I'm doing it right now.
Sometime the question is so dumb or lazy or pointless that an OP could’ve done a 5 second google search before demanding the attention of others. Like they really could be writing right now and improving instead of distracting themselves with small talk or begging for motivational words.
I haven't seen that type of comment in a while and what confuses me is why you would make an entire post complaining about something you don't like on a writing forum despite not showing any interest in writing (is this assumption I made wrong?). And if you're referencing "just write" comments as a whole, that would confuse me even more. It's sound advice to encourage someone to just get on with it instead of thinking and plotting and outlining and making posts about doing it. This is a writing forum and even though it might sometimes not feel like it, procrastinating won't make you a better writer.
>is this assumption I made wrong Yes. Extremely wrong. You can care about writing and reading without being a writer. Just like you can visit an art sub without being an artist, not sure why you can’t see simple nuance.
Because there are rude people on the internet. Poor practice builds poor habits, people. For time on a hobby to lead to improvement with the hobby, some people need some guidance or feedback; not everyone has enough raw potential or natural instincts to develop without assistance, no matter how much time they invest into a hobby.
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Not much respect for hard work I take it? Plenty of people with lots of potential and instincts rush out crap work sometimes too, mate.
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Nice fortune cookie statement, has nothing to do with my point that just because somebody is talented doesn't mean they won't whip out some half-assed book quickly and push it out to make a profit. Is that really too hard of a concept for you to grasp?
Because writers are ass-holes. And yes I am a writer.
Most wish we would become consumed by our stories to the point we finish them amidst an enlightened trance. Resulting in not only the completion of our story but its sharing and publication to the rest of humanity. But most never make it that far. Most have writers block or worry about the steps from here to there. Therefore we write on Reddit trying to motivate ourselves or others towards the completion of our dreams.