#write well

Ahhhhhh I am all here for this with some shitty quotes which render all my shitty quotes redundant.  It’s totally intimating to say these things because the advice I will give is already out there, it’s been said before, in much better, more profound ways. But I won’t let that stop me from saying the same sentiment again, but in my own voice. 

I feel this way all the time.  Comparing yourself directly to the greats of writing is counterproductive. When you read back your writing, judge it against your own progress.  It’s okay to not be brilliant right away, to feel like your never going to get to the ‘masterpiece’ levels that you adore, but you will. You’re probably not doing as badly as you think you are.  

If you write something and you hate it,  leave it alone for a few weeks, hide it.  forget about it and then come back to it later and see how you feel, see how you want to improve and rewrite it. No one creates a masterpiece in their first draft.   

 To become a better writer there are two things you must do. The first is to read, continue reading your favourite authors,  but read everything else as well. Read outside of your comfort zone, read terrible books. Read books about dinosaurs or quantum physics, read poetry and children’s books, read drama and horror. Read everything you can and imagine how you would have written it differently. 

The second, is to write. That’s it. Just write. But again, write out of your comfort zone.  If you want your writing to improve, don’t just practice writing the same type of thing over and over again.  Because you will get better at what you practice, but if you practice bad habits, you’ll be really good at writing in a way that you might not like. Mix it up a bit. Practice writing in different genres and times and voices and characters.  

And the hardest advice to follow of all: don’t worry about it.  Write anyway.

 Your writing is bad?  Don’t worry about it. Write anyway.  

Someone else is better than you? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway. 

You just read an amazing book and are stuck in that world and voice and never want to leave?? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway.

 Feel intimidated and in over your head? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway. 

People asking you questions you’re not sure how to answer? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway. 

Writing an answer way longer than the original question? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway. 

Not sure if you’re being helpful or pretentious? Don’t worry about it. Write anyway.

 Everyone has a hard time. But try not to dwell on it. You totally got this! 

Goodluck, and keep writing! :) 

Span. 

“Comparison is the thief of joy” - Franklin Roosevelt  

“Practice makes perfect, so be careful what you practice” 

Set goals for yourself.

A big part of writing is not losing stamina, and a fun way to do that is to set reachable goals. If your goal is to write a page a day, you may find that hard at the beginning. Try a different goal. Aim to reach 1k words. Or aim to reach 20k words. Then, make sure you plan a reward for yourself.

When you reach your goal, take yourself out to ice cream and celebrate. Go bowling. Buy that new shirt you’ve been dreaming about. Go see a new movie in theaters.

This helps your brain link writing with something pleasurable, and that means you’ll enjoy writing more and more each time.

Your book isn’t written in stone. 

Remember that it’s okay to change your story.

P2: and it sparked the idea that maybe I should transition my book into fantasy/medieval time - I can totally see how it could transition over and improve the book idea even more, but the problem is I am terrified of writing fantasy. I have no vast knowledge about any kind of creatures that live in fantasy worlds. I have absolutely no idea how to even make a fake world or write a medieval like setting. Do you think I would be in over my head if I went through with it? Thanks a bunch for 👂  

Hi!  thank you so much!!! :) :)  

 Okay,  excellent rant/question.  I have two main pointers… 

Firstly, I am always in over my head. Everyone takes on projects they’re not ready for.  We learn along the way. It’s okay to be scared of taking a leap of faith, but the most important thing about fear, is not letting it stop you. My chiropractor gave me some nice advice,  it was to analyze fear.. and before you listen to it, make sure it’s not just False Evidence Appearing Real.   Fear of walking across a tightrope between buildings is very different from fear of writing in the wrong genre.  Don’t hold yourself or your writing, back because you think you’re not ready. There will never be a ‘right time’  You got this, it might be hard work, but you can do it!!   Building a fantasy world doesn’t really have any rules,  it’s your universe, you are it’s creator, you are it’s god. 

Secondly, sure some stories work better in different genre’s/ time periods than others… However, if your plot is strong enough and your characters are relatable and interesting people, then it shouldn’t really matter what your setting is.  It might be more fun on a remote island in the 1840′s and it might be more dramatic in space in 3054.  But the fundamentals of your story, that you’ve been building for the last fives years, are likely to be interchangeable. 

Hope this wasn’t too intimidating. Have a play around with ideas, both in your head, and written out. Maybe try a chapter  or a scene in different settings and see which one feels best when you read it.   Write what feels right to you. 

Also note that it’s okay to feel bored with your own work every once in a while, keeping inspired and happy all the time is impossible, you got this!! :D 

Keep writing, 

Hey there @ghostlyturkeybananamug  :)  

I am about to give you the most annoyingly simple advice in the world… ready? 

‘Just relax and do it. ’  

 It’s super frustrating right? My brother gives this advice out all the time. It’s his go to baby. Even when you don’t ask for advice, and really don’t want any,  he gives it regularly anyway.  However, I think  in this case he’s right. 

 You  just have to start somewhere, anywhere. Literally just put pen to paper, or open a fresh document and start writing out ideas.  

Use the cliches at your fingertips if you need them.. ‘once upon a time…’ ‘ In a galaxy far far away…’ ‘Dear Diary’ ‘In a world..’  Quite often I like to start by writing as if I am telling my story to someone I know well and like, but they don’t know anyone I’m talking about. So I choose someone in real life, often my sister in law for familiarity, so that the casual voice is there, and then I start writing her a letter.  ‘Dear reader…’   These can be annoying but it’s a structure to start from. Once you’ve begun you can always come back and change things. That’s the beauty of writing, the re-write.

Some people find it helpful to write out a plan they can follow along or a timeline, a sort of brainstorming  of ideas for their book. So the ideas don’t run too far away from them while they are writing.  I start my story long before I start writing it. It emerges in the notes section of my phone or in scraps of paper on my desk and in my sketch book.  I think about the plot and then start writing later.  

 Another quick thing, ‘Enter late, Leave early.’ Start your story somewhere interesting. Begin in the action.  You can always set the scene during or after the event that you lead with. Begin with something intruiging and maybe a little mysterious to instantly enthrall your reader. 

Hope this long, not so simple response helps. Also once you begin writing,  write every day. Momentum is everything

Helly Nonnie!  

Ooooooh what kind??  This ask is making me burst with questions. Is your android your main character? Are they AI? Do they only have the physicality of a human or also their mental capabilities?  How do they feature in your plot? Do you want your reader to empathise with them? Or are they all machine?  Is their decision making more clearly rational than emotional based?  

Read  The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells.  All Systems Red is fantastic! 

Watch Bicentennial Man (but be warned Robin Williams will tear your heart out)

What I am getting at here is media absorption. Take in as many different versions of the same  type of story as that which you are writing and let them be a source of inspiration for you.