What's an Author hill you 100% die on? (Please talk about writing related topics)

[Deleted member 206441]

Me?

There are no stupid questions, but realistically...

"Advice, Tips, Questions, and Answers" only provides a tiny buff to a person's knowledge.

These answers only provide the tiniest of first steps.

A moderate buff comes from reading other people's books.

A massive buff comes from writing and rewriting.

Because good writers can't be taught how to trap lightning in a bottle.

It just happens.

P.S or leave it to A.I.

 

[Corty]

Asking about story ideas is worthless because there are no bad ideas, only bad executions.

 

[Tempokai]

Storytelling is communication of ideas. If you treat it as art first, you're doing it wrong. If you treat your amateur GB smut the same as Moby Dick and wait for validation, you're writing mindset is wrong. Ideas are cheap nowadays, only execution matters. There's certain flow that writer must find to connect with as many people as possible, and amateurs seeing a failure often give up, not knowing failure is the way to mastery.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

1st person is a terrible POV~.

 

[StoneInky]

If you write from a generic tastless MC narrative, it doesn't matter how interesting your plot or setting is. It'll still be boring.

 

[Hoshino]

If you want to make the story feel emotional, then making the characters perfect or without any flaws doesn't actually make it less emotional because nothing is perfect. A perfect character would still suffer or at least have a slight weakness. If you create such a character and remove its emotions, weaknesses, desires, and irrationality, then it would no longer be considered human; it would just be a hollow shell. It would have consciousness but no desire.

There is no such thing as perfection..

 

[Deleted member 206441]

"Show, don't tell" is a usless axiom if the the author is a noob.

 

[ShrimpShady]

Most conventional writing advice should be taken with an ocean's worth of salt.

Writing, like all art, is first and foremost about intention. As long as you understand what story you're trying to tell in each of your words, everything else will follow.

 

[yeul_e]

In my native language, there's nothing wrong on using adjective and adverbs. When writing in English I need to make not-so-easy an adjustment.

 

[Alski]

Take 2

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Sleep deprivation is the fastest way to cure writer's block. Though rest is needed to prevent writer's fatigue. Balance is key.

 

[Macha]

If you don't enjoy your writing or doing it cause more stress than fun, do something else.

 

[ThisAdamGuy]

"Show don't tell" is the most important lesson a new writer can learn, possibly second only to "proofread your crap before posting it."

I've seen a lot of people lately claim that "show don't tell" is useless advice, and I always wonder how much of the stuff they've actually read on this site. There is a serious "tell don't show" epidemic going on out there.

He opened the door and stepped into the room. It was painted blue. He saw a box. It was in the corner. He walked over to the box. Then he opened it. There was a thing inside. He picked it up.
"I've got a thing in my hand," he said.
*Gross," said his friend.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Write for yourself is the worst advice ever. "Write something and someone will like it" is the most toxic positive shit ever said that leads to tremendous disappointment and eventual dropping of writing.

The most important advice isn't really an advice, it should be a rule that everyone must promote and practice. Before you start writing you should fucking figure out why you write. You have to adjust depending on what you want. If you want readers but keep gaslighting yourself it's a hobby and you don't care about readers, views, or rating, all you will get is wasted time and tremendous bitterness, dropping and resenting not only writing but readers as well. If you want readers but refuse to cater to them, it will once again lead you to tremendous bitterness and resentment. And so on.

 

[Deleted member 84247]

Write for yourself is the worst advice ever. "Write something and someone will like it" is the most toxic positive shit every said that leads to tremendous dissaopintment and eventual dropping of writing.

The most important advice isn't really an advice, it should be a rule that everyone must promote and practice. Before you start writing you should fucking figure out why you write. You have to adjust depending on what you want. If you want readers but keep gaslighting yourself it's a hobby and you don't care about readers, views, or rating, all you will get is wasted time and tremendous bitterness, dropping and resenting not only writing but readers as well. If you want readers but refuse to cater to them, it will once again lead you to tremendous bitterness and resentment. And so on.

I'm of the same mind as this guy. If you want to write for yourself, there is no need to post it except for validation.

Now, to answer this thread. Discipline is way more important than motivation. This goes for writing, but it goes for everything in life. Motivation is ever waning, but if you discipline yourself, that will stay forever. Even on days where I feel like I don't want to write anything, I still do it.

This leads into the second thing. Stop preaching things that only make people feel good but never make them face reality. Feeling good is nice, but happiness is a fleeting emotion. If you want people to feel fulfilled in their writing, then tell them harsh truths like what Sailus said. Deliver the readers something they want to read, and discipline yourself. Stop being lazy.

 

[Macha]

Feeling good is nice, but happiness is a fleeting emotion.

Happiness is fleeting, darkness is forever.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

Happiness is fleeting, darkness is forever.

Joy can also be forever. Happiness is shallow and immediate. Joy is built on a foundation that only goes away when said foundation crumbles. Find Joy in something long lasting.

 

[Okram]

I'm of the same mind as this guy. If you want to write for yourself, there is no need to post it except for validation.

Now, to answer this thread. Discipline is way more important than motivation. This goes for writing, but it goes for everything in life. Motivation is ever waning, but if you discipline yourself, that will stay forever. Even on days where I feel like I don't want to write anything, I still do it.

This leads into the second thing. Stop preaching things that only make people feel good but never make them face reality. Feeling good is nice, but happiness is a fleeting emotion. If you want people to feel fulfilled in their writing, then tell them harsh truths like what Sailus said. Deliver the readers something they want to read, and discipline yourself. Stop being lazy.

Agreed with En chan, If you rely on motivation to get shit done you will never actually finish anything. Miss one day because you felt unmotivated, then it will turn into 2, then 4, and so on on until you drop completely.

 

[Tile10]

There's a certain threshold for how evil a character can be before they simply become a bad villain, even if the evil is well explained and executed.

"Write what you would never say" is good advice, actually.

You should ask yourself if you should tell info rather than showing it when editing.

Grammar is much more important than most will tell you.

 

[Thraben]

The reader is a terrible critic.

Literally NEVER listen to what they want unless you are writing for profit, which you aren't. Write what YOU would want to read.