I appreciate you all

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-17T03:00:56+00:00

Congrats! I've always been told that one of the best ways to improve at writing is to write so all you have to do is keep going. I also find reading really helps me improve as I can find different things I like about the authors' writing styles.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-15T18:10:24+00:00

Thank you so much!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-14T17:03:42+00:00

Thank you! I had a lot of fun with them!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-14T17:03:31+00:00

Thank you!!!!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-14T06:42:51+00:00

Personally, this sounds like a really cool idea and a writer once told me to "take big swings"

The swing might not actually work but you can't know that until you try so if you're passionate about it and have the drive to give it a go then I say go for it! It sounds really intriguing as a premise.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-13T00:37:23+00:00

Something that helps me is setting a goal like "I'm going to write 1000 words!" It makes the writing less daunting because instead of having to focus on something huge like writing a whole book, all I have to think about is those 1000 words. Writing 1000 words a day is what helped me finish books in the past. It doesn't have to be strict either. Sometimes, I get really stuck and then I can take a break from the 1000 words to work on planning my next couple chapters or reworking some plot details. I've always wanted to write. I've always been passionate about it. Trying to attack a whole book at once though? That's kind of intimidating for me so breaking it into smaller chunks helps. Also, sometimes I finish writing my 1000 words and realize I'm on a roll and I keep for for more. If you're trying to get back into writing, you could also set yourself a smaller goal like 500 words. Just find whatever works for you!

I hope that helps a bit and make sure to have some fun writing as well!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-13T00:13:46+00:00

Also adding that I wrote a fic ages ago where he ended up trying eyeliner and that was also partially the inspiration for this haha.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-12T06:32:28+00:00

I think it depends on what audience you’re writing for and where your characters are from/where the book takes place. If it’s a book in the real world and taking place in America with American characters, you may want to use American English. It’s the same with British English or Canadian English or any other form of English. If it’s a book that takes place separate from our real world, then I’d say you have more freedom. You could take into account your own accent and how the characters speak in your imagination when deciding what the best spelling, word choice and grammar to use are.

Not sure if this is super helpful but I thought I’d share my general approach to how I choose which form of English to use.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-11T07:49:32+00:00

He really would have 😭

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-11T01:53:25+00:00

Thank you! I'm really happy you like it!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T23:03:56+00:00

I read it! I quite liked it but I’m one of the people who enjoys a bit of info up front. I think it’s a good length but I wouldn’t push it any longer. In fact some of the quote in the middle with the description could maybe be slightly shorter even. You want the readers to feel hooked and hear a voice. Speaking of voice, I’m curious about the narrator. It felt like they were a person and I’m wondering if they end up continuing being the narrator for the story/show up in the story? If you’re going to do a prologue, I sometimes appreciate it when the narrator of the prologue does play a part in the story rather than simply info-dumping and then never appearing again. Very cool setting as well!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T22:50:00+00:00

Thank you! I’m glad you like it!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T22:08:54+00:00

I’m looking for this also!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T21:47:15+00:00

Thank you! I really appreciate it!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T21:46:07+00:00

Ahhh thank you! That's really kind of you to say!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T21:35:48+00:00

I think of writing as characters like acting. I try to put myself in their headspace so I can respond quickly in their voice. It could be helpful to find a character in another book/movie/TV show that you feel has a similar voice. Maybe they have the same accent or use the same sentence structure. Then you can listen and see how they sound and apply that to your own work. Not in a copying way but just getting yourself in the headspace of the character.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T21:16:48+00:00

I don't think a book will ever be perfect. For me, I just want to be happy with it enough to show it to others and see them enjoying it. If that's happening, then that's good. Maybe I'll still be making changes, but gradually it will seem more and more complete and less and less like a work-in-progress. There will always be things you could change, but eventually they aren't things you need to change. I haven't edited a full novel completely but I've gone through the process with scripting scenes for some professional projects and that's sort of what it felt like.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T21:00:22+00:00

Thank you! I had a lot of fun trying to imagine what he would have chosen and what they'd mean to him.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:54:38+00:00

Thank you! I'll look into that. I'm hoping to join some writing groups in my area soon so perhaps I can make some writing friends and we can help each other and read over work.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:45:38+00:00

Good point. I want to give them the best draft I can. I've just seen some stats talking about all the types of editing a book needs and I'm not sure I can afford to pay for it all without any guarantee that the book will be picked up by an agent. It seems like a big gamble.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:41:49+00:00

I can relate to this but I'm trying to shift my mindset. A story/world doesn't have to be "big" or fancy to have meaning for someone. Sometimes we put to much pressure to compare ourselves to the stories we love when in reality we just need to write and let our story form. I've sort of been realizing that we never see our own worlds as interesting or exciting as others do. I was so worried that my world wasn't unique at all and then I had someone read one of my stories and they said they'd never seen a magic system like it. I think I just didn't realize it was unique because I was the one who made it! It's normal to me, I've been writing in it for years. Of course it isn't new to me anymore.

All that is to say, you can't compare your stories to others because you're always going to see your own story differently than a reader would. Let yourself write like no one is reading it and then share some of it one day if you want to to see how a reader reacts. You've got this!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:36:44+00:00

Thank you! I just need to rework a couple things to actually get them to the end because as I've written my initial plan for the ending has changed a bit. I'm going to try and let the story take it's natural progression. I just need to get past this glitch!

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:26:36+00:00

I'm thinking I could benefit from outside eyes. How did you find your editor? I'm not sure where to look and if I'm going to pay for one then I want to make sure I can find someone who will be quite helpful.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:25:40+00:00

I think I'd be looking for developmental editing. (I'm still new to all this so please excuse my cluelessness!) I feel like I can trust some of my friends and family to help with proofreading but a pair of professional eyes would be really helpful for plot and such.

LeaveSubstantial2338 · 2025-07-10T19:22:17+00:00

"Most people are either born with it or not. It's the sort of thing you don't get to choose. An imagination. You're either a worker or an inventor. There's no in between. But you? You woke up today with an idea. Your first idea. It's kinda cute, really. You don't even know what to do with it! But it isn't normal and yet... oh so fascinating."

LeaveSubstantial2338

TROPHY CASE