A lot of good points here, although I disagree with #1. Sometimes you just need to write that failure of a first novel to get the ball rolling. I've trunked at least two novels. Assuming the writer is objective enough, he/she will learn a thing or two in the process.
This hit hard. Thank you for exposing the truth so brutally! A couple of thoughts come to mind. First, for many, getting 'better' doesn't necessarily mean improving the quality of one's prose. Instead, it is measured by audience size or compensation, which doesn't necessarily correlate.
Secondly, I think your piece does a fantastic job of summing up the challenges faced by every hobby writer. It's very difficult to source the kind of specific, valuable feedback about our work that you're identifying, without paying for it. Many of us are left with the impressions of family/friends (skewed) or any morsel that can be gleaned from the anonymous 'audience' that we manage to cobble together on public platforms. We bumble onward because there aren't many other options.
Thank you. It’s absolutely critical to get honest feedback.
I take your point that audience size and compensation don’t always nor necessarily correlate with better writing. It can come down to luck, catching a trend, etc. A self-reflective author should always strive to improve, regardless.
I like to compare writing for the mass market to a factory and a carpenter: the factory produces; the carpenter crafts, and the carpenter will improve over time by the sheer act of caring for their work.
It’s a great comparison! The crux of the challenge for many of us is finding a skilled carpenter willing to share their observations and suggestions on our carving, planing, and joints that doesn’t cost $200/hr. What we get is the occasional ‘nice table’ thumbs up from a friend, family member or a casual passerby.
I agree. For a lot of writers, word count feels crucial. I think part of that comes from awards and submissions that only accept work over a certain length.
In the end though—write, edit, and cut until the story itself is finished. Thats how I write at least.
I noticed the same thing when I looked into traditional publishing—strict word-count expectations that can quietly shut out great stories. It’s a strange gate to keep.
oh yea I HATE that lol. I will write and edit until the story is finished. However long it is is however long it is going to be at that point. I am not going to compromise my story for the sake of some petty gate
All valid points. The harsh reality hits when the book you "just wrote" falls in the hands of a no-holds-barred reviewer like the Strange Girl and all of a sudden the walls start crumbling down.
Harsh, but important, truths. Saying "just write a book" implies that anyone can do that -- all you have to do is produce the required number of words. And maybe that does work in the nonfiction world where the message is often more important than the execution of the thing. But as you say, not everyone is cut out to write stories and saying 'just do it' suggests that they are. That goes along to an extent with one of my pet peeves: the hoary old adage that "if you say you're a writer then you are." That also makes it sound deceptively easy, without regard for the very important skills involved.
I mean when people write good books but somehow badly written but gripping books are taking center stage. I mean my poor professor trying to write and publish her phantom of the Opera retelling while 4th wing is doing far too well for its quality XD
OK, I get it. The reason I didn't is that I had not heard of Fourth Wing. Now that I know what it is I see what you mean. That's always been true, I think -- good writers who work hard have to watch badly written or poorly thought out books soar to the top of the bestseller charts. It's the "gripping" part that's key, though. A lot of people forgive bad writing if the story itself grabs them. That's on an emotional level that has nothing to do with presentation, really. So yeah, unfortunately I think you're right -- even people who are working hard and doing their best might not be seen. Phantom of the Opera retelling? Really?
It’s about a girl who is hellbent on winning a magic opera competition to become the king’s magician, and restore her father’s legacy…
But when things go awry, her only option left open to the fulfilment of her dream is to make a pact with a ghost in a mirror in a basement. She must choose between restoring her father’s legacy and her sanity.
I think “You are your own worst blind critic” is appropriate. It’s terrible when you write 8 chapters worth of heart, soul and aching fingers until the reread reveals you have no idea what the story is about. Then you proceed on a blind rewrite trying to imbue meaning where none existed.
"Interesting... Oh, wait. He’s not backed by a publisher or a big name, so I suppose I can’t believe anything he says. Must be incompetence." < This is how some will evaluate it... not on the basis of logic or thoughtful consideration, but out of pure and superficial prejudice.
I wanted to write a book, but when I started, I realised that I was incapable of making it interesting. Incorporating dialogues, settings etc was just too much for me, so I quit. Writing books is not for everyone, although it seems like so many people are writing books nowadays. Do you have any tips on how to get better at writing?
And I sure do. I have a section called "Writing with Vane" where I want to distill a set of rules that I've come to abide by.
The first rule is published (Writing is Not About You) and the second comes later today. I try to give tips that are pro-level and not the kind of obvious, unhelpful fluff you see in "self help books".
Though of course, rules only get you that far. There are arc structures that can help you get started and make satisfying progress, and I'll go through those too, with examples.
Hopefully, all this will help. And If you want to write and share some writing, I'm more than happy to come with notes.
Perhaps it would be interesting to change the way you read from time to time. Instead of reading continuously, pause and reflect. Think about what works on each page: the mechanics of the writing, the dialogue, how the pieces fit together, and how the book functions as a whole.
Reading books from different eras sheds light on the evolution of literature, revealing how stylistic complexity has been simplified in today’s "fast-food" formats. But it's up to you to choose.
I pretty much only read classics because I am very careful with my time when it comes to reading and I do not want to risk wasting time on a new book that has not been tested
This is a fear of mine. That I’ve somehow deluded myself into believing that I’m a decent writer/storyteller and everyone is being too nice to tell me that I am mediocre and suck.
Great article. Though I agree on all the points, I do have differing opinions on some of the executions.
Just writing and word counts are not inherently bad. In fact, they were one of the best tools when I started writing. I don't know how good or bad I am at writing if I never finish a story. Through finishing one, I can break it down to parts and analyze it. See what I can improve with my writing, what I need to learn and prepare the next time around. It is a necessary step for improvement, but not necessarily the improvement. The x-rays and the bloodworks helps the docor finds the cure, not part of the cure.
Word count is pretty much the only goal I had when I started writing. There's a certain number of words I have to write for my manuscript to be considered a novel, a short story, whatever. So, if I have a certain number of chapters to reach that amount of words total, I need to write this amount of words per chapter. That is a goal I can easily understand at the start. However, as soon as I completed the first draft, they were no longer a necessary tool. They quickly became obsolete as soon as the structure, the pacing, the ebbs and flows of the story and other tiny little tidbits takes precedence in telling me what I need to do to make it better. Simply put, word counts are a great placeholder goal that needs to be put away as soon as the real goal becomes visible.
So, yeah. It's a great article and a great reminder of where I started. Thank you for writing it.
I think the distinction here is between being a good writer and being a good storyteller. It doesn't matter how incredible your writing is if the story is lacking. I think they two are skills that are almost entirely independent of each other.
I am currently working my way through the draft process of my novel for my college capstone project. I was told that in order to get a good book, you had to write a bad book first. Get it all down because you cannot edit an empty page.
I hate drafting. But I love planning the novel and I also love revising and editing.
I would also like to add that the inhumanly fast paced publishing industry is not at all conducive to making any actual piece of art. Why can't pacing be based on the individual's needs and ability? Tolkien took 10 years to write and edit LOTR. Imagine if he were trying to get published today.
We all must learn craft. Reading helps. Tutorials help. revising helps. Feedback helps. but the writing, bad writing, sloppy writing, even that helps, but only if it can be analysed and improved.
A lot of good points here, although I disagree with #1. Sometimes you just need to write that failure of a first novel to get the ball rolling. I've trunked at least two novels. Assuming the writer is objective enough, he/she will learn a thing or two in the process.
That’s fair!
Writing stories that you shelve is also writing and learning!
This hit hard. Thank you for exposing the truth so brutally! A couple of thoughts come to mind. First, for many, getting 'better' doesn't necessarily mean improving the quality of one's prose. Instead, it is measured by audience size or compensation, which doesn't necessarily correlate.
Secondly, I think your piece does a fantastic job of summing up the challenges faced by every hobby writer. It's very difficult to source the kind of specific, valuable feedback about our work that you're identifying, without paying for it. Many of us are left with the impressions of family/friends (skewed) or any morsel that can be gleaned from the anonymous 'audience' that we manage to cobble together on public platforms. We bumble onward because there aren't many other options.
Thank you. It’s absolutely critical to get honest feedback.
I take your point that audience size and compensation don’t always nor necessarily correlate with better writing. It can come down to luck, catching a trend, etc. A self-reflective author should always strive to improve, regardless.
I like to compare writing for the mass market to a factory and a carpenter: the factory produces; the carpenter crafts, and the carpenter will improve over time by the sheer act of caring for their work.
It’s a great comparison! The crux of the challenge for many of us is finding a skilled carpenter willing to share their observations and suggestions on our carving, planing, and joints that doesn’t cost $200/hr. What we get is the occasional ‘nice table’ thumbs up from a friend, family member or a casual passerby.
I agree. For a lot of writers, word count feels crucial. I think part of that comes from awards and submissions that only accept work over a certain length.
In the end though—write, edit, and cut until the story itself is finished. Thats how I write at least.
Good point about the contests that require longer works. That’s very odd to me.
I like your method!
I noticed the same thing when I looked into traditional publishing—strict word-count expectations that can quietly shut out great stories. It’s a strange gate to keep.
oh yea I HATE that lol. I will write and edit until the story is finished. However long it is is however long it is going to be at that point. I am not going to compromise my story for the sake of some petty gate
All valid points. The harsh reality hits when the book you "just wrote" falls in the hands of a no-holds-barred reviewer like the Strange Girl and all of a sudden the walls start crumbling down.
Cheers from the Strange Girl 💜
I may have had this in mind when I wrote it 😏
Facts 👀👀
This needs to be plastered all over the writingfeedback reddit.
Harsh, but important, truths. Saying "just write a book" implies that anyone can do that -- all you have to do is produce the required number of words. And maybe that does work in the nonfiction world where the message is often more important than the execution of the thing. But as you say, not everyone is cut out to write stories and saying 'just do it' suggests that they are. That goes along to an extent with one of my pet peeves: the hoary old adage that "if you say you're a writer then you are." That also makes it sound deceptively easy, without regard for the very important skills involved.
and all the people who are actively busting their butts making a real piece of art are overshadowed by--fourth wing? Seriously?
I’m not sure what you mean.
I mean when people write good books but somehow badly written but gripping books are taking center stage. I mean my poor professor trying to write and publish her phantom of the Opera retelling while 4th wing is doing far too well for its quality XD
OK, I get it. The reason I didn't is that I had not heard of Fourth Wing. Now that I know what it is I see what you mean. That's always been true, I think -- good writers who work hard have to watch badly written or poorly thought out books soar to the top of the bestseller charts. It's the "gripping" part that's key, though. A lot of people forgive bad writing if the story itself grabs them. That's on an emotional level that has nothing to do with presentation, really. So yeah, unfortunately I think you're right -- even people who are working hard and doing their best might not be seen. Phantom of the Opera retelling? Really?
Yea! It’s called ‘Sing the Night’ and you can preorder it here:
https://www.meganjaureguieccles.com/
It’s about a girl who is hellbent on winning a magic opera competition to become the king’s magician, and restore her father’s legacy…
But when things go awry, her only option left open to the fulfilment of her dream is to make a pact with a ghost in a mirror in a basement. She must choose between restoring her father’s legacy and her sanity.
It comes out in March :D
I think “You are your own worst blind critic” is appropriate. It’s terrible when you write 8 chapters worth of heart, soul and aching fingers until the reread reveals you have no idea what the story is about. Then you proceed on a blind rewrite trying to imbue meaning where none existed.
"Interesting... Oh, wait. He’s not backed by a publisher or a big name, so I suppose I can’t believe anything he says. Must be incompetence." < This is how some will evaluate it... not on the basis of logic or thoughtful consideration, but out of pure and superficial prejudice.
I wanted to write a book, but when I started, I realised that I was incapable of making it interesting. Incorporating dialogues, settings etc was just too much for me, so I quit. Writing books is not for everyone, although it seems like so many people are writing books nowadays. Do you have any tips on how to get better at writing?
It's definitely hard work.
And I sure do. I have a section called "Writing with Vane" where I want to distill a set of rules that I've come to abide by.
The first rule is published (Writing is Not About You) and the second comes later today. I try to give tips that are pro-level and not the kind of obvious, unhelpful fluff you see in "self help books".
Though of course, rules only get you that far. There are arc structures that can help you get started and make satisfying progress, and I'll go through those too, with examples.
Hopefully, all this will help. And If you want to write and share some writing, I'm more than happy to come with notes.
Thanks! I’ll check them out
Read multiple books in the genre you want to write. And prioritize older books.
Agree. Some of the classics are insanely good. Life-shattering.
I already read a lot but it doesn’t help. I’m not a fan of classics tbh
Perhaps it would be interesting to change the way you read from time to time. Instead of reading continuously, pause and reflect. Think about what works on each page: the mechanics of the writing, the dialogue, how the pieces fit together, and how the book functions as a whole.
Reading books from different eras sheds light on the evolution of literature, revealing how stylistic complexity has been simplified in today’s "fast-food" formats. But it's up to you to choose.
I honestly think that would take the joy out of reading for me. I do it to relax or to escape reality 😅 but thank you for the tips!
I pretty much only read classics because I am very careful with my time when it comes to reading and I do not want to risk wasting time on a new book that has not been tested
The classics inspire both my life as a writer and my other side as well.
This is a fear of mine. That I’ve somehow deluded myself into believing that I’m a decent writer/storyteller and everyone is being too nice to tell me that I am mediocre and suck.
It’s a valid fear, because we all have blind spots. If was an editor I’d be offering my services right now.
It’s important to have someone read it and give honest feedback, even though it can be painful.
I had this issue with The Jotun Bride now where I got notes on moving some storylines earlier as they were ineffective where I originally had them.
I didn’t need to do anything about the beginning, so that’s why I could just go ahead and start publishing.
I only ever heard good things about your Christmas Demon book though. I’ll be sure to check it out now.
Great article. Though I agree on all the points, I do have differing opinions on some of the executions.
Just writing and word counts are not inherently bad. In fact, they were one of the best tools when I started writing. I don't know how good or bad I am at writing if I never finish a story. Through finishing one, I can break it down to parts and analyze it. See what I can improve with my writing, what I need to learn and prepare the next time around. It is a necessary step for improvement, but not necessarily the improvement. The x-rays and the bloodworks helps the docor finds the cure, not part of the cure.
Word count is pretty much the only goal I had when I started writing. There's a certain number of words I have to write for my manuscript to be considered a novel, a short story, whatever. So, if I have a certain number of chapters to reach that amount of words total, I need to write this amount of words per chapter. That is a goal I can easily understand at the start. However, as soon as I completed the first draft, they were no longer a necessary tool. They quickly became obsolete as soon as the structure, the pacing, the ebbs and flows of the story and other tiny little tidbits takes precedence in telling me what I need to do to make it better. Simply put, word counts are a great placeholder goal that needs to be put away as soon as the real goal becomes visible.
So, yeah. It's a great article and a great reminder of where I started. Thank you for writing it.
I think the distinction here is between being a good writer and being a good storyteller. It doesn't matter how incredible your writing is if the story is lacking. I think they two are skills that are almost entirely independent of each other.
I think you're 100% right.
I am currently working my way through the draft process of my novel for my college capstone project. I was told that in order to get a good book, you had to write a bad book first. Get it all down because you cannot edit an empty page.
I hate drafting. But I love planning the novel and I also love revising and editing.
I would also like to add that the inhumanly fast paced publishing industry is not at all conducive to making any actual piece of art. Why can't pacing be based on the individual's needs and ability? Tolkien took 10 years to write and edit LOTR. Imagine if he were trying to get published today.
We all must learn craft. Reading helps. Tutorials help. revising helps. Feedback helps. but the writing, bad writing, sloppy writing, even that helps, but only if it can be analysed and improved.
Great article.
Thank you 😊