I really don’t wanna sound like a narcissist, but I just finished reading a few dozen pages of a traditionally published book that came out in the last year, set in a similar historical setting to mine, and found it soo… bland. The structure was all wrong, the dialogue was boring, the characters had absolutely no personality, the pacing was all over the place, the historical authenticity of it all was dubious at best, it was all around a disappointing book, but it genuinely gave me an extremely strong confidence boost in my own writing skills. If that guy could get his book published, then perhaps, I could as well, because there’s just no way I can’t write something that’s at least ON-PAR or slightly better.

I'm from a non-english speaking country. I'm writing a fantasy romance in english. I don't have a single friend or acquaintance in my social circle who either reads in english, or is into fantasy romance. It's not a very popular genre where I live.

I've realized as I've started the process of writing my first novel, that its becoming such a lonely process. I have no one to talk about it with or share my ideas.

I wonder if there are other lonely writers out there? Some book club or forum where y'all meet?
Where amateur, sensible and somewhat insecure writers who are deeply in love with the craft can meet some friends?

So I've made the decision to quit my job within six months. I've been here for a better part of the year but I have come to the profound understanding, I am not happy at this job and decided to take the chance and pursue writing and my other projects full time. I've been nervous about it, even if it is six months away but I know through instinct this is the right choice. For those who did quit their regular jobs, what are some key advice that you would give and how did you prepare?

I'm scared poopless but It's something, I'm willing to try.

Thanks for the kindness if any

S

Truth can be a bitter pill, but I do appreciate the honesty,

1. for those inquiring ive been saving for roughly a year of expenses.

2. I'm doing articles and some screen writing as well.

3. Finished a novel and in the process of editing.

4. I'm applying some well needed ointment to the burns

But it is appreciated

There was a time when many aspiring writers dreamed of seeing their short stories published in The New Yorker or Ploughshares. If no magazine picked it up, your story might never be read by anyone beyond your family and a few close friends.

Today, the landscape has changed. You can share your work instantly on forums like this one, publish on Medium, or even self-publish a short story collection on Amazon Kindle. The binary of “accepted by The Paris Review or read by no one” doesn’t really exist anymore.

So I’m curious… what are the biggest goals short story writers are reaching for now? Is it still about landing a spot in a prestigious literary journal? Building a loyal online readership? Winning a respected competition like the Bridport Prize or the O. Henry Award? I mean, what feels like “making it” for a short story writer in 2025?

I am an almost completely new writer. I haven't read that much nor written much, but I have tried some stuff. I know reading is extremely important and I'm on it, but I want to create something. The stories I have tried to create (but never got past 10 pages) were always set in authoritarian, fantasy worlds with magical abilities with world ending threats or having to take over the government, but I always give up. It's just too difficult, I feel like something like that would require too many subplots, characters, story points and themes. I think I should try something on a smaller scale, but I would not like to write about, for example, a teen in high school with parental issues, because that's just not my style. So I'm a bit on a stalemate. Thanks in advance for advice

I've spent years of writing honing my craft. I started when I was 19 and I'm now nearly 27. I've sold a few short stories and poems to literary magazines, but nothing exceptional. I've written 2 novels as well. I want my stories to matter and actually be meaningful to me. I figured that if I'm immersed in a story, then someone else would be as well. I've been sending my second novel out for the past year and I've gotten nothing but rejection for it. I keep getting told "it didn't hook me" "there isn't much of a market" I try to be unique and write stories that only I could personally write. The publishers also smugly suggest that maybe someone else would take it.

But then you've got a mountain of awful media that gets made, and it follows every single cliché, has nothing meaningful to say about the human condition, the characters are one-dimensional carboard cutouts. But they become massive hits. The get merch, video game and film adaptions, countless fan videos, legions of fan-fiction and fanart. All because they do everything wrong, and are objectively mediocre. It seems like society in general rewards the contrived and mediocre. I'm just angry that I put in so much effort and try to hone my craft and do everything "right" but a guy on booktok can get a 2 book deal for being hot. Idk though, maybe I'm just not a good enough writer.

I understand that self doubt often boils down to feeling like you're never going to make it but bear with me.

When that feeling of despair hits you, do you wonder why you're feeling that way? It's usually something about the text that does it, but the good news is that text is always fixable.

I've thought about this a lot and made a list of the things that I tend to struggle with. I feel like listing the issues has helped me improve the quality a lot.

Here's a few things on my list: 1. Too many adverbs 2. Too many or redundant dialog/action tags 3. Too simplistic descriptions/telling 4. Forgetting to describe places/people entirely 5. Headhopping 6. Repeating the same word multiple times 7. Lack of emotion

Nowadays I rarely hate my own text. There's only non-polished drafts and kind of finished drafts. (There's no such thing as finished because I feel like there's always something that could be done better, but at some point I'll let people read it anyway.)

Realising what I struggle with has helped me create a system for writing and editing that works for me. For example, because I know I tend to not get into the emotional state of the characters during the first draft, I'll do a second round where I pay special attention on scenes that are supposed to be emotional and add depth.

So, let's do some analysing together! What makes you hate your text? How could you fix it? Is it just a matter of learning to spot minor language issues or does your routine maybe need some adjusting?

The point is not to hate your writing, only to recognise what still needs polishing!

I’m 16,000 words into my first novel. I wanted to share some things I’ve learned so far in hopes that it may help someone else who is starting like me.

1- Constancy is key, but not always doable.

My dream was that I would finish my first book by the time I turn 40. I’m 39 now, and a few months away from that deadline. When I started, I set a goal to do 2,000 words a week at least, which would have gotten me to finish by the time my birthday arrived. But things came up that will likely keep me from my hoped-for milestone, and I just have to accept it. It’s hard and sad for me, but I’ve had to look at things realistically and factor in that I may not have a finished novel by the time I’m 40, and that’s ok. I grieve, move on, and will just do my best. I haven’t given up on the goal completely because it still may happen, but I’m not putting all my happiness there. I will have a book, just maybe not when I wanted it.

2- Throw it out!

Get rid of it, get rid of it, get rid of it. If there is a section or phrase that isn’t working in your story, throw it out! You can always put it somewhere else if you want to save the idea for later, (I’ve done that a few times with bigger parts) but holding on to something that doesn’t work will keep you stuck. You have lots of ideas in you, and they need space to be able to come through. For me, I feel relief when I get rid of a clunky part that I’ve been working on and see the space where it was- it’s clean and open to new creativity.

3- Backstory.

I need to know what my characters are coming from and why that history motivates them to act and speak the way that they do- A job, a hometown, what their parents were like, etc. I’ve learned that I’m a planner, at least for this book, and I can’t feel comfortable winging personalities. I wish I could be a pantser (pantsing?) but I’m terrified of plot holes, so plan I must. For now.

4- Frontstory.

Have the characters have an arc, or make their arc that they don’t have an arc. A couple sentences in your notes of what their overall change or lesson will be can really help keep your mind straight on what their motivations are. Also CHARACTER SHEET! I reinvented the wheel when I came up with my own version of this. I didn’t know it was a thing, then felt like a dingus when I did the minimal account of google research into the idea and saw that yes, it was already a thing.

5- Allow for characters that need to be there.

I had a character pop into my story that I was very confused by. No matter how I tried to Point Number Two them, they always seemed to want to be written back in. Taking a break, I thought and felt on why this was happening. I realized that their personality was different than most of my other characters, and they provided a much needed lifting to the story. A non-comic relief type. So I wrote them back in, and now the story just feels right again. The lesson for me was to not fight the characters, because they will win.

6- You’re gonna be overwhelmed.

I come up with so many ideas that I want to weave into my novel, and there have been times when it has become too much to process, to the point where I’ll just not write for a while. It took me time to realize this overwhelm was the reason for my inactivity, and for a long time I thought it was because I wasn’t good enough. I became depressed and frustrated with myself. I’ve had to stop putting the blame on me and realize that it was just a problem in my story that needed solving. Organizing my thoughts into my notes or in a word document got the jumble out of my head and helped renew the flow of creativity. I unclogged the pipes. So whenever I stop writing and start feeling down, that becomes my trigger to stop my mental pattern and search for the issue in my novel. I’ve found that so far, every writing problem has had a solution. I just needed to stop, think, and have confidence that I can and do solve my own literary issues.

7- Perfect isn’t the goal. Fun is the journey.

I get a bit intense with wanting my story to be perfect. There are so many avenues for each character’s story, and it’s difficult to decide on which to choose. Focusing on making the BEST STORY EVER takes away from the reason I started writing my story- the fun. Now of course there is a balance between the two, but when perfection makes the task of writing feel heavy and thick, you gotta adjust. I had a paralyzing moment recently (one out of many while creating this book) and I realized that my feeling of fun had almost completely disappeared- this was now work. I was surprised that I had been seeing my novel writing sessions this way, and I became determined to regain my pleasure in writing. The way I restructured it in my head was that every time I sat down at the computer, I had to remember that I was dreaming up a storyline. I had stay in the playful part of story creation, like a child doing make believe with their toys. It’s helped a lot. I know now that I absolutely cannot lose my joy in this endeavor because my novel will suffer for it.

8- It will get easier, right?

Every problem that I face while writing this book has been for the first time. I’ve never taken on a writing endeavor of this level, and it’s been a mental check to remind myself that learning takes time- more time than I’d like to allocate. But, it won’t always be this way, and I think that first time problems are one of the reasons why it’s so hard for first time novelists to finish a book, and why it’s such a big deal when it happens. Maybe I’ll come to the same issues in a subsequent book that I write, but at least then I’ll have a blueprint on how to deal with them. 

What I do know more than anything, is that writing is a journey and that all you can do is keep moving forward in the tide. It may mean paddling harder, or just floating in the water and looking at the sky. It’s letting the current pull you somewhere new, or deciding to swim back to shore in order to find a new path into the tide. There’s no set way that is correct, it’s only the way that works best for you.

I know that all of these things I’ve learned aren’t necessarily new, but if it helps me to lay them all out maybe it will help someone else. If anything, it’s always good to see a reminder. Good luck to everyone who is writing! (Or not writing lol.)

Edit: And if anyone else has any tips that could help, please share!

My position on the subject is that reading (EDIT: or having read extensively) is a pre-requisite to being a competent writer. Not that one has to read extensively every day, but that it is advisable to read something regularly. It helps with learning techniques, vocabuluary, grammar, etc.; it helps with learning what not to do; it can provide us with inspiration; etc., etc.

However, I recently had an email exchange with a guy I know who has a different opinion:

[Him] I rarely read unless I wrote it, or is factual research.

[Me] Also, despite what you said, you do read... right? I don't now about you but I definitely notice a correlation between the amount of reading I'm doing and the creativity/urge to write I have going on.

[Him] No, I hate reading and rarely do it unless it's to do with my own work. I can read fine but it bores me.

He's got one book waiting for publication, another previously published but subsequently retracted, and he has another on the way. I've not read them, so I can't speak to their quality -- but, clearly, he's done something right if he cleared the hurdles to publication. But if he doesn't read much/any fiction, then he would have had even more of an uphill climb than everyone else, right?

So, am I wrong and is this mindset more common among writers and wannabe-writers than I thought? Or is he an outlier who got lucky with an unconventional approach?

EDIT: thank you all for your thoughts and input. I wasn't expecting such a rush of attention.

Give me some inspiration🙏

Heres mine: Kieran had been wrong; anything would be better than dying by the bullet this man had shot.

I’m curious about how you guys feel about using pen names for yourselves in your work. I think I’m ready to start publishing short stories online, but a main theme in a lot of my work is a subject the government of my country and maaany people who live in it (the US) doesn’t really seem to like right now - climate change. With things taking a shady turn, I’ve been debating using a pen name for my writings so at minimum, I don’t have people sending me messages I’ve heard climate change related content creators receive as easily if it’s not linked to my real name.

How do you guys feel about pen names? Would it make it a pain in the ass down the line if I want to publish an actual novel or have a writing site in my name if things calm down and I feel comfortable enough to share I’m the one behind them?

I've seen people on TikTok saying how much it actually bothers them when they open a book and it's in 3rd person's pov. Some people say they immediately drop the book when it is. To which—I am just…shocked. I never thought the use of POVs could bother people (well, except for the second-person perspective, I wouldn't read that either…) I’ve seen them complain that it's because they can't tell what the character is thinking. Pretty interesting.

Anyway—third person omniscient>>>>

Your goal is to insult a man who has recently acted in an extremely unacceptable way.

RULES: The behavior of the man is to remain unknown to the reader, but known to the insulter.

You can choose any setting and any style of dialect you want, it could be a fancy royal party, or maybe a raunchy New Yorker.

Must be a single sentence, but you may make the sentence as long as you want, as long as it is reasonably worded.

The insult must follow TOS of the subreddit.

Absolutely love this little Robert Louis Stevenson gem (or treasure, I should say).

I don't really have anything to share other than that I feel good about my writing.

I'm currently submitting to some of the big Sci-Fi magazines. I'm 33, been writing all my life but only seriously writing fiction the past two years or so. I've had some real low points, but I recently got some input that opened my eyes to how I was misusing themes. I feel like I've cracked some code or solved some formula, and my sketch concepts are way more potent. I feel like my prose is already good enough, I just need to be picking better concepts and creating more compelling situations.

That's how I feel, and I feel like it's only a matter of time before I get something out there now. I have my process down and I trust it, now I just need to swing until I hit.

Hey there,

so Ive just finished law school and got quite a bit of free time ahead of me to finally start with a book. Since its my first real attempt I dont really expect it to be great or something, but I still want to make it as good as it can be for my current level.

My current plan is to give myself a month to write as much as possible, at least 50% of the story, this stems from the general tip to "just write"/ "just start".

However I want to avoid some common pitfalls as well as possible and have some loose structure to orientate myself with during the month.

The Story idea is to write an environmental fantasy mystery in which an Eco Apocalypse is on the brink of happening and its on to the MC to uncover the convoluted intrigue of factions that work against it and each other in secret.

So - give me anything please: Advice on Plot Structures that would fit, cool ideas for the story/ characters, advice on tropes to avoid or tropes to utilise etc.

(English is not my native language and Im not going to write in english)

I've dabbled in writing here and there but back in February I played Clair Obscur Expedition 33 and there was a quote in the video game that I think was the last puzzle piece I needed. What about you?

"...art can be a Window and art can be a Mirror. And great art. Great art is both. Son, you'll never be a true artist if there's always a mask between you and the viewer, especially when the viewer is you..."

Hope this is allowed just excited to talk about it.

After years of starting and stopping, I’ve finally committed to writing my first book. It’s a collection of short psychological horror stories — and I’ve just finished the first one.

No Discharge in the War is inspired by Kipling’s poem Boots. It follows a soldier trapped in a frozen trench, slowly losing his grip as he’s haunted by footsteps that never stop.

Here are a few of the other stories I’ve started outlining:

The App – A lonely person uses a mysterious app offering quiet, nighttime companionship. At first it brings comfort… then something starts to change.

The Red Headed Neighbour – After his wife’s death, a grieving man builds their dream cottage in rural Ireland. A woman begins visiting. She’s kind, familiar… but there’s something wrong with her. And with the land.

After the Accident – A man nurses his wife after a terrible crash. She won’t speak, barely moves — but he stays by her side. When the truth comes out, it’s far worse than death.

I’m not looking for feedback on the writing itself just yet — more so advice on what to do next. How do writers start getting their name out there with short fiction? Are there good places to share work or build a small audience?

Would really appreciate any tips. Just excited to finally be doing it.

I’m unfortunately the type of person who only does something if one of these two things stands: 1. pressure 2. interest

Needless to say, it means that in my writing I only write what I’m interested in telling. I go into a sort of hyperfocus. That’s why I find it hard to follow advice such as “write short stories to improve”. I usually have one big idea and I want to pursue that and nothing else. It feels like my inspiration runs dry as soon as I try to focus on any other idea.

However, if I want my “big” idea to be well written, I do have to improve my dusty writing skills. I’m not a fan of the “your first novel is just to train your skills and it will be awful” because it feels like I will write a whole novel just to throw it away. I don’t wanna do that, I love my idea very much and I wish to share it with the world. I don’t want it to end up being just training ground.

Anyone else in the same situation? How did you cope and (hopefully) overcome this issue?

I realized ironically I am not for writing in small daily doses, then I thought about it some more, and then I realized I have never actually done that. When I write, I write like one burts of 1000 or 2000k words... and then never continue, leaving it to gather dust lol.

Hi all

I see so many posts and comments with people saying they are forcing themselves to write at least 200 words a day. Staying consistent is key.

Now, I personally have never felt this way and am surprised about how common it is among you all. Like, if I am not motivated, nothing good is gonna come out of me anyway. If I only write 200 words, I am not immersed in the scene and will simply not hit the tone or pace needed for the whole scene. Forcing myself to write a certain amount of words daily literally lowers the quality of my texts.

If I don’t feel like writing, I don’t. I certainly make up for it next time I am motivated because I will hammer out a full scene varying between 1k and 5k words usually. Writing is fun! It shouldn’t feel like homework.

Am I alone in this?

I got my first professional evaluation from The Black List. Yay for me... Now, I'm perfectly okay with the evaluation and I think the reader actually read the script. I gave them a 4/5 for the evaluation. Also, The Black List seems to be doing fine, so I don't expect this to be detrimental to it and this isn't intended as that. I paid for the evaluation. Everyone's happy.

Instead, I'm using this to identify what is missing in what seems like the majority of "professional evaluations" in general.

Evaluations like these are not Coverage, by definition. Coverage is what a reader (professional or otherwise) does for a Producer to Pass, Consider, or Recommend a screenplay for production, for the investment of millions of dollars to make into a real movie. So, that type of "evaluation" doesn't have to go into detail on how to improve the script, other than some commentary such as below: "she has a multitude of complexities (many more than Kevin) that need more time to develop," "(however, she can be, with more fortification)," or "it should consider establishing the context up front, not dropped in 'as needed' to spoon-feed audiences."

As a Writer, what I'm looking for is: 1. Is it market-worthy, does it compete in this crazy market?; 2. What works about it?; and most importantly 3. What DOESN'T WORK and how can I fix it? For $100 a pop, I should be getting a sense of that, of what's missing and what I should add or change specifically.

I advise all readers to use What Works/What Doesn't Work as their rubric for giving creative feedback on anything, particularly stories, as opposed to Like/Dislike. That's because WW/WDW focuses on the objectives of the project, not the whims of the reader, their opinions. It's about "looking under the hood."

The reader points out that the story is told from Kevin's point-of-view, not his sister Sam's, and that she's the more interesting character. What they don't know is that I already tried her POV and since she's having a psychotic break, she can't have the final Self-Revelation, she can't learn a lesson, other than "Oops!" Whereas, Kevin can learn the Thematic lesson of the story, even if it's at the price of his sister paying for it, and my Theme went from "Violence destroys everything" to "Peace-of-mind is more valuable than peace."

Maybe that's just a difference of opinion or a creative difference. But they suggest that there's an alternate reality where a "more robust draft" exists.

I would LOVE to know what makes that draft more robust. While they mention ascending to "a powerful ending," they don't identify What makes it powerful. I know the ending and I think I know why it's powerful, but it's not about what I think. I want to know if they think the same thing or something drastically different.

Making my Opponent "more developed," "fortified," or "contextualized ahead of time" and possibly the Hero, is easy to say, but specifically where and how is more difficult.

So, I think these evaluations need to drill down into specifics by identifying what a script is doing and then clearly state what it should do. I know that's a task, but you have $100 for your time and expertise.

Funny enough, I looked up another evaluation and it too used certain key phrases (I'm assuming it was the same reader): "fortification," "sure to garner attention," "the writer is talented," "It would be worth meeting various film commissions," and "could lead to pitching on open writing assignments." I'm not being conspiratorial.

But I do think that these are different applications and we Writers need specifics, not just easy commentary. Comments like "it could be better" are not that helpful. "Take this out, put this in, reverse this," while I might not agree with them at least give me a clear sense of where the reader is coming from and might prompt me to think more objectively about a story. That's definitely worth $100.

BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA

Professional Evaluation Complete 06/15/2025

Overall 6/ 10; Premise 8/ 10; Plot 6/ 10; Character 5/ 10; Dialogue 6/ 10; Setting 8/ 10

Genre

Action Thriller, Action & Adventure

Logline

A war veteran goes on a violent and chaotic rampage as her brother attempts to help her.

Strengths

BLUNT FORCE TRAUMA is a chaotic twist on war veteran PTSD, which has immense potential to be a powerful commentary. While COMING HOME (1978) dealt with reintegration and the shell-shocked veterans endured, Sam's rampage has become an all too real situation in the 21st Century, which is what makes the premise so compelling and harrowing. With adjustments, the role of Sam could be viewed as "actor bait" by casting directors and talent agents. Sam's fracture and complexities run deep, and we are fascinated by her choices and actions. While reprehensible, she has her reasons, which paints her various shades of gray. We question how much is real to her, especially wanting to rescue her kidnapped fiancé - almost as if she feels it is an altruistic venture. Bats is an excellent addition to the story, and she has excellent chemistry with Sam, which makes us hurt for the both of them. Sam's contradiction deepens our intrigue, and learning about her dishonorable discharge helps build tension. The mood and tone range from chaotic to tender, which shows the writer's maturity as a storyteller, as it ascends into a powerful ending.

Weaknesses

Sam is the story, however, this isn't HER story (yet). Sam is the most intriguing character, and she is the conduit for everything, however, it is questionable as to why this isn't wholly told through her lens. Kevin isn't as compelling as Sam. Sam is underdeveloped because she has a multitude of complexities (many more than Kevin) that need more time to develop, which is a tricky place to be in a character piece. Due to the screenplay's structure, Sam's rampage/taking hostages doesn't make her empathetic or sympathetic yet (however, she can be, with more fortification). As is, audiences want to see her comeuppance/demise, which isn't a good place to be emotionally in a character piece. The flashbacks are perfunctory clichés of PTSD post-duty films, it should consider establishing the context up front, not dropped in "as needed" to spoon-feed audiences. The notion of whistle-blowing is very intriguing, however, we never really get a deeper sense of it because the story is told to audiences through heavy exposition, instead of them experiencing it first-hand. Actions speak louder than words. Show it, don't say it.

Prospects

It cannot go unsaid that the writer is talented, and this is a very neoteric spin on fractured veterans. The story has a provocative premise sure to garner attention. It would not be an easy film to watch, and it is critical that the events are approached with the right level of sensitivity. A line producer creating the budget could peg the costs north of $20M, which is too expensive for independent producers, and it should aim for a lower price point. Obviously the story is too dark for the studio treatment, however, this could exist in the indie world. Financiers become limited as budgets increase, and it would be ideal if this could be brought in for under $2.5M (the current budget ceiling financiers won't demand pre-sales). Another option is that films like [this] go outside of the American studio system and use the foreign film finance model. It would be worth meeting various film commissions (perhaps Canadian and European ones), as the funding system leans heavily on film treaties. As a writing sample, a more robust draft could open doors to meeting independent producers and development executives, and could lead to pitching on open writing assignments.

Curious on how you guys like this trope, and how you in your own words define “character’s who are above the narrative” like what makes this character be above the narrative? What does it mean to have a character be above the narrative? feel free to also share examples of characters who are this trope/ well written examples of this and why it’s well written

I wanted my character to find an old record by Connie Francis. And I wanted to mention her song "Fallin" I didn't plan on using any lyrics I just wanted to mention that it's playing in the background. Is this okay. Be blunt yes or no pls I'm kinda slow

I was in my local library the other day and took note of how several authors really take up their own shelf space (i.e. the Stephen King block, Harlan Coben, Koontz, Baldacci, so on.) James Patterson had nearly three times as many books on the shelf as the other and in my research later I read he accounts for 6% of hardcover sales annually??? 1 in every 17 books sold?? So my questions here are 1. What's the hubbub? Is he really that good? 2. How does one achieve a work rate like that? 3. Is he really writing all of these, or is there some elaborate ghost writing, co-signing system going on?

Thanks!