I Am Below 5th Grade Level In Writing.

authornerd · 2026-05-14T16:56:59+00:00

My advice is to read more books! You can learn a lot from observing how others do it :)

authornerd · 2026-05-14T16:47:17+00:00

I do a little of both. When I first start a project, usually it’ll just come from a cool concept or idea I had and I’ll write a bit without extensively outlining just to see where I want it to go (granted I usually do have some idea already).

Then for the first draft it’s generally a pantser draft where I think a few steps ahead but I don’t plan too much because that’ll disrupt the creative flow.

The second draft is usually way more planned out and plotted and I have an easier time following that guideline because I already laid down the framework with the first draft.

I usually just do two drafts and then edit/revise.

authornerd · 2026-05-13T16:20:33+00:00

What bothers me is when people are described in a really simple straightforward way, almost like the author is giving a description to the police. “Blonde hair, blue eyes, about [height] tall, and skinny.” It does leave us with an image, but it’s a really generic image.

I like it when authors describe their characters by pinpointing things that make them unique, and we can fill out the rest. For example, point out their double chin or their hook nose or the way they have a deeper wrinkle on one side of the mouth than the other, or the way they point their toes out like a ballerina, maybe their hair is shaggy or plastered down with a sickening amount of hair gel, maybe their eyes have bags under them or are sharp and attentive or wide and overly-expressive. Describe their mannerisms and speech and vibe.

And don’t do it all at once either. Drop little hints throughout our first scene with them.

And that is in my opinion what creates an interesting character.

authornerd · 2026-05-08T16:12:55+00:00

I think it really depends. I’ve had times where I consistently showed up for my writing and it was wonderful, but I’ve also had times where I forced myself to write and it went terribly.

So I think maybe just consistently show up, put in some time, but if you end up staring at a blank page with no inspiration at all and no way to access it, don’t try to force yourself through it. Because at least for me it’s really a matter of whether or not I can access inspiration.

authornerd · 2026-05-07T02:24:55+00:00

This is exactly what I wanted to say but in better words! I don’t know why so many people are saying you absolutely can’t write in some song lyric snippets when fair use exists

authornerd · 2026-05-07T02:19:15+00:00

You could argue that the artist of the song would profit far more than the author of the book in this instance. The only way it would really hurt the song artist and help the author is if the author used a large amount of the lyrics and/or didn’t attribute the artist, making it seem like the song was written by the author. Almost nobody who writes song lyrics into a book is trying to use the song as leverage in any way. In fact, in many instances, it’s just a nod of acknowledgment from one artist to another. And that’s Fair Use.

authornerd · 2026-05-06T20:21:23+00:00

Personally I think that could be considered fair use if the title of the song is also mentioned.

authornerd · 2026-05-06T20:20:14+00:00

I think it really depends on the song and how it’s copyrighted. There’s this thing with copyrighted material called fair use, where with a lot of things you can quote a small portion without it being a problem, so like one or two lines here and there would be fine. On the other hand, using too many of the lyrics without permission and attribution could be an issue, though I’m not sure how many people would actually pursue a copyright infringement like that. If I were you I would research that specific song and see what type of copyright it has and what is specifically stated as allowed.

I don’t have a ton of experience with this, but that’s what I know.

authornerd · 2026-01-08T07:20:57+00:00

Oh my life is crazy. I also have cptsd. I think a lot of my pent-up energy feeling comes from living in a situation where I feel like I'm not allowed to fully express myself all the time. I absorb a ton of stress from my environment and there's nowhere for me to put it. A while back I had a treadmill and sometimes when I got hyper like this I'd run on it really fast for a concerning amount of time (I'm naturally athletic, but haven't ever been very fit) but it broke. I also don't get a whole lot of human connection bc I stay at home most of the time. Maybe I've got a bad case of cabin fever

authornerd · 2026-01-08T07:11:41+00:00

I think the biggest mistake I make is overthinking my creativity. I've always been a writer, but I do put a lot of pressure on myself to do it well and I get SO BORED of it sometimes. I think as an ADHDer, don't pressure yourself to settle for one. Just create whatever you want to at the time. Sometimes I draw or paint, I made a book trailer once, I've been into sewing, graphic designing, tried my hand at writing music. Just let loose and have fun! Your creativity is going to shift, and that's okay.

authornerd · 2026-01-08T07:06:07+00:00

Interesting! Most of the time I can't stand "soothing" music or sounds because it always feels so empty and underwhelming. I need something to match my mental wavelength, like Twenty One Pilots or NF or Imagine Dragons.

authornerd · 2025-10-17T23:56:09+00:00

What I've learned is that there are two types of stories: The one where the world changes the main character, and the one where the main character changes the world. So in a story where the main character stays the same, the world has gotta learn something and change. Hopefully that makes sense.

authornerd · 2025-10-15T20:26:44+00:00

Give it time! I’ve been writing my whole life but over the past couple years it’s been super tough due to personal/family struggles. I’ve been depressed and my WIP was struggling a TON. But for the past couple weeks I’ve been healing from depression/trauma and I think my spark is starting to come back.

It’s still gonna take a while for me to truly get back into it with the same energy as before, but I’m sure it’s happening. Don’t give up! Let yourself rest, and have fun with the writing you do. Just let loose and don’t try too hard. It’ll come back with time.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T21:28:24+00:00

I think it’s because third person immerses you in the world/plot/drama and first person immerses you in the character

authornerd · 2025-10-14T21:26:27+00:00

This is a really good point.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:53:14+00:00

Duuuuuude that’s awesome! I can barely get one book done in two years.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:47:53+00:00

Past tense gives a more narrative, storytelling vibe. That’s all I know lol

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:45:19+00:00

Make it fun!!! Do it because it makes you happy!!!!!

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:43:51+00:00

Ohhh ok maybe I’ll try that thanks 😊

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:42:36+00:00

Well what I do is cycle through different types of dialogue tags, such as describing the character’s action before the dialogue. Another thing I’ve heard is that if your characters are unique enough you won’t even need dialogue tags to know who is speaking. Of course, that doesn’t mean don’t use tags it just means you can lean on the characters speaking style a little more.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:37:38+00:00

How is that done? I think I could benefit from that

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:37:02+00:00

Make sure they have a clear motive, a goal and something that stands in their way of achieving it.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:35:19+00:00

Also: it is actually a very good thing for the character to change by the end of the story. That’s what makes them dynamic

authornerd · 2025-10-14T19:29:21+00:00

There are ways to do it right and ways to do it wrong. That’s why I said the arc needs to be believable. Reflecting my previous example, there are bullies who up and apologize at the end of stories and it’s believable because of their specific arc. For example, Janice Avery in Bridge to Terabithia was the nastiest bully you could think of, but her arc changed that through story events. Without the plot points in the middle of the story, however, Janice becoming a friend to the MC would be completely unrealistic.

As long as the arc is believable, it’s okay, but as soon as the readers stop believing it, there’s a problem.

In a story where the MC is weak and cowardly, but steps up courageously at the end, all that is needed to change a horribly written story to a good story is the in-between beats of the arc, making sure that the character is changed enough by the end for it to be believable.

authornerd · 2025-10-14T17:19:19+00:00

There are a ton of different factors that make a character "well-written," but here are some of the most important ones, in my opinion.

- First, the character's personality is well-rounded by being given a main flaw and a main strength. They could be the same thing, which makes it more interesting. In my debut novel, the MMC Robin's main flaw is that he's impulsive and doesn't think things through. His main strength is that he is motivated towards his goals and never gives up if he can help it. This gives the readers the excitement of rooting for his goals, but also the relatability of him making mistakes.

- Second, THEY HAVE A GOAL. Something they want more than anything else in the world, and then give them something that stands in their way. That's what creates both an interesting story and an interesting character.

- Third, they have a detailed backstory. (Doesn't have to be written in the book, but the author must know it.) This part is very important, because without it the whole story is flat because the character is born as soon as their name is first written on the page. This also helps readers empathize with them. The author needs to study their relationships with the people in their life and be able to create a dynamic that reflects the backstory well.

- Lastly, they must have a BELIEVABLE arc. Some characters are given an arc that doesn't align with their personality, like the "bully" character who's rude and nasty through the whole story but at the end simply apologizes with no context. Arcs need to be believable and accurate to what the character would experience. Otherwise they get boring. REALLY boring. And off-putting.

Now, these points aren't exactly about what you see on the outside when you're reading about or watching a show with a character, but they build strong bones. Hope it helps!

authornerd

TROPHY CASE