HelloOoOo everybody!
A few months ago, I talked about some of the dumb stuff writers say and now we're back for part two. Because the stupidity I experience never changes, it just switches host bodies. Now there are some really obvious stupid things that lots of writers say, for example, “Real writers pants their novels” or “Romance isn’t a real genre.” Is it just me, or are the idiots always trying to define what is real and not real? But I wanted to take a deep dive into some of the stupid comments that really get me staring into space wondering where the human race went so wrong.
Disclaimer number one: These are just my opinions and I reserve the right to change my mind.
Disclaimer number two: Like every other video on my channel this is in regard to writers who plan to publish, not hobby writers who are solely seeking personal fulfillment.
And disclaimer number three: Just because you have said something on this list doesn't mean you're stupid. We're human, we all say stupid stuff sometimes. It happens. I'm just letting you know that the statement you made isn't giving what you think it's giving, so maybe you could avoid it in the future.
This video is sponsored by Skillshare. As always, all opinions are my own.
If you haven’t already, don’t forget to also subscribe to my YouTube channel for more writing tips, sarcasm, and of course, more of Princess Butters!
Number 1: “I Know My Book Is Good Because It Made Me Cry.”
Yeah, but have you considered the fact that you wrote it? You're not exactly an impartial judge. Most writers want to make their readers feel some type of emotion when reading their work whether it's happiness or anger and a lot of writers really want to make their readers cry. But just because you cried, doesn't mean readers will. I know Robert Frost said “No tears in the writer, no tears in the reader.” But first of all, that's a stupid quote. And second of all, maybe it's me, but I think people take this too literally. If you create an emotionally evocative story then readers will react to it but you don't have to literally cry.
We writers have a unique relationship with our work, we're deeply connected to it, so we're already emotionally involved. That doesn't necessarily mean it's any good. You could cry over a scene that's written terribly. A scene that readers will have no connection to because you have no idea what a dangling participle is, or how conjunctions work. But you don't notice that shit because you're blinded by your own attachment. All that to say, saying you know your book is good because it made you cry is kinda like saying, “I know my baby's cute because they make me happy.” Yeah, ’cause it's your baby, you made it! The rest of us may very well be looking at Gollum in a nappy right now.
Number 2: “My Book Is Extra Special Because I’ve Had This Idea Since I Was a Kid.”
There are exceptions to this one, okay? I just haven't seen many. Or any, really. First of all, just because you've had an idea for a long time doesn't mean it's more important or powerful than any other idea. There are people who have been married for fifty years and they're miserable together. But that's obviously a powerful marriage because it's lasted so long, right?
Second, a lot of the time if a writer has been crafting an idea since they were a child, it shows.
“But Jennaaaa! It's changed a lot since then!”
That's what they all say. The main issue is that these types of stories tend to utilize sophomoric tropes. Some of these books feature tropes like the lonely boy who becomes the chosen one for an epic adventure or the girl who proves she's not like other girls by punching a boy in the nose. There's also the pretty princess who would rather fight with the boys or the nerd who gets the cheerleader at the end. And there are lots and lots of talking animals, or anthropomorphic animals, or both. These tropes are perfect for pre-teen fiction, which is likely when you came up with the idea, but you're writing adult fiction now, and you're still using these tropes. This is not to say that you shouldn't pursue writing your childhood passion project. Just don't be so naive as to assume that something that came out of your childhood brain is going to be appropriate for an adult audience.
Number 3: “I Should Write a Memoir. My Life Is So Interesting, It’ll Sell Like Crazy.”
I'm not doubting you've had an interesting life, a lot of people have endured some pretty fucked up shit. That being said, have you seen the best-selling memoirs out today? Are you a member of the royal family navigating scandal and controversy? Have you evoked social and political change that made the world a better place? Are you a beloved actor airing out dirty laundry about some of the biggest A-listers of all time? Because these are the memoirs you're competing against. And yes, the rising tide floats all boats and blah blah blah, what the fuck ever.
But when it comes to memoirs, at least if you're publishing for sales and not just for personal fulfillment, you really gotta take into consideration whether or not your life and your words will make an impact on your readers. Will it make people feel seen or heard? Will it entertain them or inspire them? The problem with this point is there are plenty of people out there who should write a memoir because they have something really valuable to say. But there are just as many people who are a little bit deluded regarding their voice and contribution. And those are the people who are gonna listen to this point and think, “Fuck yeah, my book is gonna sell millions!” Unfortunately, eggshell egos make self-reflection difficult, so this point will probably fall on deaf ears.
Number 4: “It’s Probably Just Me, but I Can Totally Imagine My Book Playing in My Head. You Know, Like a Movie!”
It's not just you, that's called imagination. You can tell, ’cause it has the word “imagine” in it. In fact, it's significantly less common if you can't imagine scenes and scenarios in your mind. That's called aphantasia, and it affects only 2% to 4% of people on the planet. This comment may feel obvious or silly but I do hear it a lot. And I think it's from writers who are new to the process and heavily romanticize it. It's great to have fun and feel confident and let the writing flow, but you don't have to be "not like the other writers" to do that. If you can visualize what you're writing in your mind, not only are you exactly like a majority of other writers, but you're also exactly like 96% to 98% of people on the planet. And pretending that something that is extremely common is somehow exclusive to you just makes you sound like a noob. There's no need to separate yourself from the pack. We're a fun community, join the dysfunction.
Number 5: “I Am Sexually Attracted and Aroused by My Own Characters.”
This isn't so much a dumb thing as it is a TMI thing. Listen, I'm a romance writer, I craft characters with the intention of making them romantically and sexually desirable. Of course, I want my readers to find them attractive, and I have absolutely written scenes that got me thinking, “Damn Jenna, you wrote some good shit. Kudos to you.” But sometimes, writers wax poetic publicly about how hot and bothered their characters make them. You know, the imaginary people they invented in their head…
I have seen multiple writers boldly proclaim that they had to go “take care of themselves” after writing specific scenes, if you know what I mean. I have seen writers talk about how the sex scenes they write are their own personal fantasies or experiences. So now as a reader, we know very intimate details about a complete stranger. No one asked for this. I even saw a writer talk about how they hired their brother to draw porn of their characters. I am not making that up.
I think it's normal to have a physical or emotional response while writing, and if you're writing a hot character, I think it's valid to acknowledge that they're hot. But when writers go into depth publicly about how turned on their imaginary friends make them feel, that's when I gotta be like, “Hey, I don't know you. Please stop. This feels like sexual harassment.”
So that's all I've got for you today!
A huge thank you to Skillshare for sponsoring today's post. Skillshare is the largest online learning community for creatives with thousands of classes led by industry experts across film, illustration, design, freelance, and even writing. Skillshare can help you take your career, skills, hobbies, passions, or side hustles to the next level. And they have thousands of classes ranging from beginner level to advanced.
I have been a student on Skillshare for a long time, I've taken classes in blogging, social media management, and marketing, and I've learned so much that I've been able to put toward my author platform. But I'm also a teacher over on Skillshare with three classes available, all focused on branding and promoting yourself as an author. I have a class about how to create an author platform, how to plan a successful book release, and how to self-publish a book from start to finish.
It's always a great time to explore your passions and hobbies, or maybe improve your writing or some other creative endeavor. So, if now is the time to level up your life, joining Skillshare can make that happen. Even better, the first 500 people who click this link will get a one-month free trial of Skillshare. You gotta click that link, you won't regret it.
*This post is sponsored by Skillshare. As always, all opinions are my own.
Follow Me!
Buy My Books!
CHECK OUT THE SAVIOR’S CHAMPION:
CHECK OUT THE SAVIOR'S SISTER:
Comments