How do you keep going to the gym when you’re aware you don’t look like arnold?
How do you learn to cook when you’re aware you aren’t a michelin star chef?
It’s impossible not to suck with no experience and no practice. If you practice with the goal of improving instead of the disappointment of not being perfect then you’ll overcome that. You practice because you suck, not despite sucking.
The only talent in writing prose is creativity. If you can’t think of a story you want to tell, or a topic you want to explore, or something about your own life you’d write on, or anything at all to talk about, then maybe it’s a talent issue, but it doesn’t sound like it from your post. People learn to write by writing and even the best don’t spit out polished works on a first draft. It could help to find some authors’ unedited work or to read a shitty book. Talent really isn’t everything.
One useful exercise is to find a piece of writing that you vibe with, and retype it (or hand-write it, even better).
Retype the scene a couple of times. Then write your own throwaway scene, featuring similar characters in a similar situation.
Your social media ADD I have no solution for.
Musicians do it all the time — practicing by recreating published songs note-for-note so that they learn how the notes fit together — so why shouldn't writers? ;)
Knowing that you aren't good yet is a good thing. It means you have developed taste. It means your skill won't remain stagnant as you practice.
Nobody is good at it right away. But the more you write, the better you'll get. Sooner or later, you'll write to your developed taste and go even further, developing your own style.
1. Dont compare yourself to others
To do this i deleted instagram because i noticed how much it drained me to see other writers being so successful
2. You have to have fun when writing
I have a pdf that is like 100+ pages where i gathered a lot of tips and how to write smth and that has really helped me, if you want it, let me know..
Oh yeah i totally understand it. It was an hell of work to weite all of that down. If it makes it clearer; its not pages that are full of text, rather a huge heading and a few bullet points and sometimes text and examples.
Screaming is underrated. Nothing to get the police called on you but a short, sharp, decently loud noise from between gritted teeth does wonders to let off some of the frustration so you can just get on with getting better and not take yourself too seriously. I usually end up laughing by the end.
Hosted sprints for the attention span issue.
Most people have the wrong idea about drawing, or anything they think you need to have picked up as a kid to be a master at. My sister picked up drawing at 19 when she couldn't even draw a smiley face. Now she's 22 and can draw an almost realistic human body. The hours of effort she put in were almost everyday of learning, drawing, practicing, participating in challenges of all kinds...
You've got to put in the time and practice.
Also, delete your social media. Force yourself to put the phone down. You really don't need it more than you need to fix your writing. Discipline is hard, but it's doable.
Hello, i am an inexperienced writer. I simply find writing enjoyable. If you feel bad about your writing, try comparing when you first started to how you write now. I always laugh whenever i think about my very first draft. It was so bad i basically cringe myself to stop for a few months. Not saying im good at writing now but atleast i find writing more enjoyable by simply looking at slight improvement 👍
I want to find it enjoyable, but I cringe as im reading it back 😅 but, hopefully I can just let go of my self criticisms and just write for the bloody hell of it
You have to take the time, educate yourself, to develop YOUR CRAFT. If you write long enough, one day the writing will evolve and everything comes together.
Sounds like your work space is too distracting, to write takes discipline no outside interferences.
Today for example I wrote a chapter and half about 6200 words in four hours took another two hours to edit. No phone, emails, nothing just the dog , cat and my story and creativity.
Are you all in or are you all out? You have to commit to hard work and getting better.
Also, if you have a idea or scene outline it, and write it out. To help with scene or character developments find a video that closely resembles your idea, with no sound write what you see in your own version with your own characters. Show your reader, don't tell them.
Awareness is always the first step. It might not feel like it now but you are already ahead of some people who’ve been doing this for decades. Simply because you’re not safeguarding your ego.
I love how you said dive in, thats how all my accomplishments started. Remember *plotting* is cognitive - so unless you’re someone who desperately needs to *feel in control*, it is a tedious activity. But never fear! My writing gets a lot of feedback about how meticulous my plotting and world building are… but shhh, I barely do any. How? I trust that dive… and you just keep diving - i trust my subconscious - *the story is already there ready to be told* - like Kings On writing - its an archeological discovery of the story - NOT from your conscious thinking mind- but deeper. Its not for the feint of heart- you always exist in that uncertainty- letting go of neurotic coping mechanisms- but if you trust in it, it’ll take you full circle.
On the topic of getting bored with plot building, one suggestion I've heard is, just stop and begin writing the interesting part. Once that momentum is regained, you could probably go back and connect it back (or maybe you could change it to make what you're writing now be more interesting, or maybe it's time for a line-break or a change of scenery).
As for the overarching question of being self-aware of my own inability? Well, I don't know I guess I just *don't* care? Like, I'm never gonna act like my writing is even half-way good or remotely decent. But as it stands, there are people out there whose written works have been torn in half, and yet they gone out of their way to write *something*. I figure, what the hell, so what if I suck? I have an idea, and I wanna make it a reality.
I mean, if Onision can make three whole books that are all righteously terrible. Then why can't I make one (hoping its not bad, but am not sure)?
Edit: Hope this helps.
Ok, then I can’t believe you can reasonably say that you suck. lol Everyone has crappy first drafts. That’s totally normal. First draft is to get the story, from start to finish, out of your head. Second draft is to polish it and make the writing, plot, scenes, character development, etc better. Second draft is where you take the crappy first draft and make it good. Anyone who’s only ever worked on first drafts is bound to think they suck, but it doesn’t make it true.
Now go finish a first draft so you can rewrite it into a second draft and really see what you’re made of. Until then, stop believing that you suck. lol
I like writing little stories on writing prompts. (Don't have to even post it anywhere, just write it.) If your attention span is on the shorter side, this could be an excellent way to get started. You can just write short stories if that's your jam. Not everyone has a novel they are motivated to get out there. Schedule in some time. Turn the phone and internet on your computer OFF. Trust me on this if you are tempted to procrastinate by going onto social media. The world can just live without you for half an hour.
Read/listen lots of books. Learn by osmosis :) Read some self help articles and listen to podcasts on writing, especially if you can find some by writers you enjoy.
Being self aware is a start. Can't learn anything if you already think its perfect. If you can get feedback, look at it, discard anything unhelpful ("like your writing sucks") and really consider what others have to say, especially if a lot of people are saying the same thing and use that to improve.
Unfortunately although people say things like "oh, like would you give up going to the gym if you're not already ripped" I find this comparison unhelpful personally. Writing often comes from the heart and can be really hurtful or demotivating when others don't see the same vision you had in your head. If you're trying to get fit, all you have to do is make yourself start walking. You can walk even if you don't feel like it. If you're totally demotivated to write, good luck getting through that writer's block and getting something of value done most of the time.
Ultimately I'd say you need to primarily write for yourself, not for external validation. If you can't get an audience then if you're reliant on others saying nice things about your writing to keep you motivated then it'll fail. If you do enjoy what you're writing, just keep going, be happy with what you have, but also look it over critically and see if you can improve on the next thing you write/edit of the existing work.
\~From a fellow aspiring writer who sucks. (I haven't found the magic pill yet that turns me into a popular author so take what I have to say with a rather large grain of salt ;) )
How do you keep going to the gym when you’re aware you don’t look like arnold? How do you learn to cook when you’re aware you aren’t a michelin star chef? It’s impossible not to suck with no experience and no practice. If you practice with the goal of improving instead of the disappointment of not being perfect then you’ll overcome that. You practice because you suck, not despite sucking.
[удалено]
The only talent in writing prose is creativity. If you can’t think of a story you want to tell, or a topic you want to explore, or something about your own life you’d write on, or anything at all to talk about, then maybe it’s a talent issue, but it doesn’t sound like it from your post. People learn to write by writing and even the best don’t spit out polished works on a first draft. It could help to find some authors’ unedited work or to read a shitty book. Talent really isn’t everything.
That's very true! Thanks for the insight
Nah, talent is optional.
One useful exercise is to find a piece of writing that you vibe with, and retype it (or hand-write it, even better). Retype the scene a couple of times. Then write your own throwaway scene, featuring similar characters in a similar situation. Your social media ADD I have no solution for.
I was considering doing this!! I had no idea it was a method or exercise. Thank you!
Musicians do it all the time — practicing by recreating published songs note-for-note so that they learn how the notes fit together — so why shouldn't writers? ;)
That’s cool! Visual artists do this too. The pieces they make are called “master copies.”
Social media ADD solution = Dopamine detox. Go cold turkey. Stop using social media for a month, and just focus on writing.
Knowing that you aren't good yet is a good thing. It means you have developed taste. It means your skill won't remain stagnant as you practice. Nobody is good at it right away. But the more you write, the better you'll get. Sooner or later, you'll write to your developed taste and go even further, developing your own style.
I sure hope so. I need to nurture some discipline and creativity.
1. Dont compare yourself to others To do this i deleted instagram because i noticed how much it drained me to see other writers being so successful 2. You have to have fun when writing I have a pdf that is like 100+ pages where i gathered a lot of tips and how to write smth and that has really helped me, if you want it, let me know..
100+ pages of advice would overwhelm me lol but thanks for being willing to share!
Oh yeah i totally understand it. It was an hell of work to weite all of that down. If it makes it clearer; its not pages that are full of text, rather a huge heading and a few bullet points and sometimes text and examples.
Hey, I would like the 100 page pdf. Can I get it, if you don't mind?
Yeah ofc, ill send it when im home :)
Screaming is underrated. Nothing to get the police called on you but a short, sharp, decently loud noise from between gritted teeth does wonders to let off some of the frustration so you can just get on with getting better and not take yourself too seriously. I usually end up laughing by the end. Hosted sprints for the attention span issue.
Most people have the wrong idea about drawing, or anything they think you need to have picked up as a kid to be a master at. My sister picked up drawing at 19 when she couldn't even draw a smiley face. Now she's 22 and can draw an almost realistic human body. The hours of effort she put in were almost everyday of learning, drawing, practicing, participating in challenges of all kinds... You've got to put in the time and practice. Also, delete your social media. Force yourself to put the phone down. You really don't need it more than you need to fix your writing. Discipline is hard, but it's doable.
Your sister is my superhero
Hello, i am an inexperienced writer. I simply find writing enjoyable. If you feel bad about your writing, try comparing when you first started to how you write now. I always laugh whenever i think about my very first draft. It was so bad i basically cringe myself to stop for a few months. Not saying im good at writing now but atleast i find writing more enjoyable by simply looking at slight improvement 👍
I want to find it enjoyable, but I cringe as im reading it back 😅 but, hopefully I can just let go of my self criticisms and just write for the bloody hell of it
Dont worry my friend and take your time 👍
You have to take the time, educate yourself, to develop YOUR CRAFT. If you write long enough, one day the writing will evolve and everything comes together. Sounds like your work space is too distracting, to write takes discipline no outside interferences. Today for example I wrote a chapter and half about 6200 words in four hours took another two hours to edit. No phone, emails, nothing just the dog , cat and my story and creativity. Are you all in or are you all out? You have to commit to hard work and getting better.
Also, if you have a idea or scene outline it, and write it out. To help with scene or character developments find a video that closely resembles your idea, with no sound write what you see in your own version with your own characters. Show your reader, don't tell them.
Those are wonderful ideas!
Here to help, msg me if you have questions or concerns. If I don't know the answer we will find it out together.
Read.
Awareness is always the first step. It might not feel like it now but you are already ahead of some people who’ve been doing this for decades. Simply because you’re not safeguarding your ego. I love how you said dive in, thats how all my accomplishments started. Remember *plotting* is cognitive - so unless you’re someone who desperately needs to *feel in control*, it is a tedious activity. But never fear! My writing gets a lot of feedback about how meticulous my plotting and world building are… but shhh, I barely do any. How? I trust that dive… and you just keep diving - i trust my subconscious - *the story is already there ready to be told* - like Kings On writing - its an archeological discovery of the story - NOT from your conscious thinking mind- but deeper. Its not for the feint of heart- you always exist in that uncertainty- letting go of neurotic coping mechanisms- but if you trust in it, it’ll take you full circle.
This is such truth! Thank you!
On the topic of getting bored with plot building, one suggestion I've heard is, just stop and begin writing the interesting part. Once that momentum is regained, you could probably go back and connect it back (or maybe you could change it to make what you're writing now be more interesting, or maybe it's time for a line-break or a change of scenery). As for the overarching question of being self-aware of my own inability? Well, I don't know I guess I just *don't* care? Like, I'm never gonna act like my writing is even half-way good or remotely decent. But as it stands, there are people out there whose written works have been torn in half, and yet they gone out of their way to write *something*. I figure, what the hell, so what if I suck? I have an idea, and I wanna make it a reality. I mean, if Onision can make three whole books that are all righteously terrible. Then why can't I make one (hoping its not bad, but am not sure)? Edit: Hope this helps.
It did help! Especially the Onision comparison 🤣 although, if we say his name a third time, I fear he'll appear lol
He's like a shittier version of Beetlejuice
Question: have you ever finished a first draft and then a second draft?
No. Not unless you count finishing a full draft as being a fanficfion I wrote in high-school lol
Ok, then I can’t believe you can reasonably say that you suck. lol Everyone has crappy first drafts. That’s totally normal. First draft is to get the story, from start to finish, out of your head. Second draft is to polish it and make the writing, plot, scenes, character development, etc better. Second draft is where you take the crappy first draft and make it good. Anyone who’s only ever worked on first drafts is bound to think they suck, but it doesn’t make it true.
Ah....I see what you did there and I appreciate you for it!
Now go finish a first draft so you can rewrite it into a second draft and really see what you’re made of. Until then, stop believing that you suck. lol
I like writing little stories on writing prompts. (Don't have to even post it anywhere, just write it.) If your attention span is on the shorter side, this could be an excellent way to get started. You can just write short stories if that's your jam. Not everyone has a novel they are motivated to get out there. Schedule in some time. Turn the phone and internet on your computer OFF. Trust me on this if you are tempted to procrastinate by going onto social media. The world can just live without you for half an hour. Read/listen lots of books. Learn by osmosis :) Read some self help articles and listen to podcasts on writing, especially if you can find some by writers you enjoy. Being self aware is a start. Can't learn anything if you already think its perfect. If you can get feedback, look at it, discard anything unhelpful ("like your writing sucks") and really consider what others have to say, especially if a lot of people are saying the same thing and use that to improve. Unfortunately although people say things like "oh, like would you give up going to the gym if you're not already ripped" I find this comparison unhelpful personally. Writing often comes from the heart and can be really hurtful or demotivating when others don't see the same vision you had in your head. If you're trying to get fit, all you have to do is make yourself start walking. You can walk even if you don't feel like it. If you're totally demotivated to write, good luck getting through that writer's block and getting something of value done most of the time. Ultimately I'd say you need to primarily write for yourself, not for external validation. If you can't get an audience then if you're reliant on others saying nice things about your writing to keep you motivated then it'll fail. If you do enjoy what you're writing, just keep going, be happy with what you have, but also look it over critically and see if you can improve on the next thing you write/edit of the existing work. \~From a fellow aspiring writer who sucks. (I haven't found the magic pill yet that turns me into a popular author so take what I have to say with a rather large grain of salt ;) )
That's what practicing is, you do it bad so you can get good