Unless there is a lot of money on the table or some other demonic deadline, don’t lose sleep over writing. It’s not healthy.
There’s no advantage to stressing yourself out and making yourself miserable while writing a book.
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#WritersCoffeeClub 23 June 2025
What’s the worst piece of writing advice you’ve ever encountered?
The kind of advice that aims not to change or add details to a story in order to improve it, but to change the entire plot of a story. This would mean that the story is no longer mine, but that of the person giving the advice. In this case, the person should rather write the story with the desired plot on their own.
:EA DATA. SF: This is a question for amateur authors out there.
How do you keep writing when nobody else cares?
If that's enough for you to understand what I'm asking, then you don't need to read anything else.
For anyone who wants to understand where I'm coming from, keep reading and it's likely to be long and most of y'all will peace out.
I've been writing creative weird fiction since high school, thirty-five years ago, largely inspired by a childhood spent watching black and white creature features and other cheesy but incredibly earnest horror, sci-fi, and fantasy films and reading Clive Barker, Dean Koontz, Steven King, and, eventually Lovecraft and Derleth.
But I was also heavily inspired by James Joyce. Reading "The Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man" in English class was honestly life-changing. That's how I wanted to write. Joyce, along with Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper", and Conrad Aiken's "Silent Snow, Secret Snow" were my goalposts.
So that's how I write, what I aspire to be.
I'm not.
I will never be.
I'm not a great writer, merely adequate.
Further, I do not have a novel in me, just short stories and the occasional poem.
Nobody cares about those today unless you are a name or have a collection to sell.
genAI scraping the web to mulch its growth means I don't even feel comfortable sharing much of my work online.
I enter contests and I do not win.
I have no "fan base" nor even peers who look forward to what I have next. Nobody asks, nobody cares.
My wife has never understood my stories but strongly encourages me to keep writing.
So. How do I keep writing when nobody cares but me, when nobody else cares?
I mean, I have other things to do. I have other responsibilities. I have a real job. I have mental health issues.
I could just stop writing forever and nobody would stop me.
I write, but not as often as I would like.
I often wonder what the point even is.
I want to share; I want to make connections. I want to find my people.
But I haven't.
Maybe never will.
Edit: added hashtags
Unless there is a lot of money on the table or some other demonic deadline, don’t lose sleep over writing. It’s not healthy.
There’s no advantage to stressing yourself out and making yourself miserable while writing a book.
So far I've written feedback of 172 short stories on the Writing Battle contest. In case it's helpful, the most common issues I've found are:
Using coincidence to solve story problems. Coincidences that make things more difficult for the main character are more satisfying and believable than coincidences that solve the main character's problems.
A total twist surprise ending with no foreshadowing. Surprise is overrated. Creating anticipation is better, even if the reader is not sure what's going to happen until the twist hits.
A main character who only reacts, and doesn't take initiative at all. This is disappointing even in a violent and action packed story.
Over use of filter words like "she saw" and "I felt". Those can usually be left out to make the experience more impactful for the reader. Just say what she saw, or what you felt.
And of course, too much exposition. Show what's happening, and trust your reader to join the dots.
Unless there is a lot of money on the table or some other demonic deadline, don’t lose sleep over writing. It’s not healthy.
There’s no advantage to stressing yourself out and making yourself miserable while writing a book.
One thing that watching #anime has taught me, and I've breezed past 200 series at this point, none of my story ideas are close to unique. Every plot has been done a dozen times. It's the characters and how they combine with plot that matters, with the focused message we insert to be read between the lines being the thing that brings the light to the darkness. It's all that matters—other than not plagiarizing. If you are at all worried about uniqueness, stop. Hit your forehead with the heel of your palm. Sit. Write the dang thing until done. Then write something else.
“Show, don’t tell.” “Murder your darlings.” “Write every day.”
Certain pieces of advice are widespread in the writing community -- but what do they really mean?
Award-winning author @swan_tower tackles these old saws, dissecting each one to see what purpose it might serve . . . and when you should toss it aside.
#nonfiction #WritingAdvice #instruction #how-to @bookstodon #bookstodon #books #bookViewCafe
LINK: https://bookviewcafe.com/bvc-announces-the-writers-little-book-of-platitudes-by-marie-brennan/
![[ALT TEXT: THE WRITER'S LITTLE BOOK OF PLATITUDES, Tips and Tricks for Taking (and Ignoring) Advice, by Marie Brennan, Author of The Memoirs of Lady Trent.]
[ALT IMAGE:white cover with black lettering on it. There's a huge red "NO" target within a circle, the diagonal bar crossing the words THOU SHALT NOT inside the circle.]](https://cdn.masto.host/raggedfeathers/media_attachments/files/113/985/869/409/285/295/original/50b71d7e5541ccc9.jpg "[ALT TEXT: THE WRITER'S LITTLE BOOK OF PLATITUDES, Tips and Tricks for Taking (and Ignoring) Advice, by Marie Brennan, Author of The Memoirs of Lady Trent.]
[ALT IMAGE:white cover with black lettering on it. There's a huge red \"NO\" target within a circle, the diagonal bar crossing the words THOU SHALT NOT inside the circle.]")
This is the talk I did on Sunday for the "Write Your Own Way" Summit.
This is about how to use the techniques of Compassions Focussed Therapy to deal with getting blocked or stuck with your fiction writing. There's a focus on what works for neurodivergent people, but it's applicable to any writer.
35 minutes long
Just a reminder that my talk on getting your writing process unstuck using the techniques of compassion focused therapy is happening today 
I'm one of the speakers at a free 4 day virtual event called **The Write Your Own Way Summit: Forge Your Unique Magic**.
My topic is "*Getting Unstuck: A Compassion Centered Approach to Writing Difficulties*" with a focus on neurodivergence. It takes place on 3pm EST on the 2nd of February.
**Write Your Own Way** is an event that celebrates the diverse, personal, and uniquely creative paths that writers take to to produce their best work.
Join Us for Write Your Own Way Here! (affiliate link) https://summit.writeyourownway.com/?sc=jk6Mtl61&ac=3baUA7h5
There’s an option to upgrade to the All Access Pass, which will give you access to the Summit recordings plus additional bonuses from the Summit speakers. (If you do decide to upgrade your ticket, I do receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Write Your Own Way SummitWrite Your Own Way SummitWrite Your Own Way Summit is meant to help writers find their own unique approach to writing. Thi...
I'm one of the speakers at a free 4 day virtual event called **The Write Your Own Way Summit: Forge Your Unique Magic**.
My topic is "*Getting Unstuck: A Compassion Centered Approach to Writing Difficulties*" with a focus on neurodivergence. It takes place on 3pm EST on the 2nd of February.
**Write Your Own Way** is an event that celebrates the diverse, personal, and uniquely creative paths that writers take to to produce their best work.
Join Us for Write Your Own Way Here! (affiliate link) https://summit.writeyourownway.com/?sc=jk6Mtl61&ac=3baUA7h5
There’s an option to upgrade to the All Access Pass, which will give you access to the Summit recordings plus additional bonuses from the Summit speakers. (If you do decide to upgrade your ticket, I do receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.)
Write Your Own Way SummitWrite Your Own Way SummitWrite Your Own Way Summit is meant to help writers find their own unique approach to writing. Thi...
Like an alternative to reading to more books from other authors and learning their style, instead we could accomplish this [] faster with AI.
Nope.
I disagree.
I must have been unclear.
AI is like a pen. It sits there useless unless you think of something to write. It does not think, nor does it create. It predicts based on word and phrase frequency without any discernment whatsoever of meaning in the words it vomits out. If hate or misogyny is trending, that's what it will write. Beware.
Wanna be a writer? Note that friends don't encourage friends to become writers. It b hard. Here's my best #writingadvice:
First off, and primarily, write a lot and write often. You don't get mastery for free, dear apprentice. Rigidity in writing is rectified the same way rust is removed from gears. Add oil and spin the mechanism. Write. Don't expect perfection, ever, or good every time. You will improve if you keep writing. You are a programmer. Were you good at it immediately?
Keep your day job, though. I got one when I realized the path to being an author was long even after selling a novel.
If you can, find other writers and exchange small stories and essays. Learn how to critique the writing not the writer. Google "Clarion Critique Method".
Beyond practice, practice, practice, a way to improve your writing IS to read your favorite authors, essayists, and columnists. Don't just be entertained. Notice what works. Try to write in their style. Likely that will chafe as much as educate, and cause you to improve your own style.
Last recommendation: Pretend you are speaking to a friend and that you are telling them a story. Write it down instead (leaving out the ums and you knows). Dictation is good; try that. Most people actually speak eloquently when they get started on a topic they like or are telling a fond story.
Don't be afraid to revise.
Complete things. If you have to, make them really short. Complete them.
When you finish something, start the next thing. Always.
G'luck.
PS: Follow these hashtags and participate. It's good for short bursts of writing everyday.
#pennedpossibilities
#writerscoffeeclub
#wordweavers
My hashtags:
#writer #author #writingCommunity #writersofmastodon #fiction
cc: @freeagent @vextaur
A write-along/TTRPG Playthrough stream!
Cremboblin the Nog Monster returns!
Will he usurp the Red Tyrant known as SANTA!
Let's screw up Christmas LIVE right NOW: https://youtube.com/live/T96TFuEUMjs
#writingcommunity #writer #story #vancouver #indie #fiction #stream #livestream #litgames #amwriting ##writeyourstory #emergingwriters #writingadvice #writealong #TTRPG #SoloTTRPG #DnD #5e #pathfinder #PF2e #dungeon #itchio #Xmas #Christmas #santa #cryptid
A write-along/TTRPG Playthrough stream!
She should've been back by now.
The sun is getting low.
Into the dark woods you'll go...
Hexcrawl with us LIVE right NOW: https://youtube.com/live/N7dnh3ieQhY
I'm the new Revisionary at the Loft Literary Center's online writing community--helping people learn about & embrace revision w/new content + live sessions each week. I'm so happy to get to play! Check it out or tell people you think might be interested :)
Monthly Membership: https://loft.thinkific.com/bundles/loft-lit-commons?ref=b5cc65
Annual Membership: https://loft.thinkific.com/bundles/lit-commons-annual-membership?ref=b5cc65
Me: https://loft.thinkific.com/courses/lit-commons-revisionary-s2
@edibuddies @writers #Writing #AmEditing #WritingAdvice #WritingCraft #QueerWriters #FictionWriting #IndieAuthors
A write-along/TTRPG Playthrough stream!
This week, our ranger will face the terrible reborn wyrm that threatens her tribe!
See the conclusion LIVE right NOW: https://youtube.com/live/xYOwTFNQ7sA
Totally a sub toot.
There's this thing some writers like to say. It goes something like this:
"A true writer will write no matter what, whether or not they're making money, whether or not anyone is reading them. The test for whether you're a writer is: if you can stop writing, you're not a writer."
This is utter and complete *bullshit*.
A poet said this at a workshop for young writers when I was a teenager. He was leading the workshop. (He got exposed as a plagiarist later but that's another story).
I trusted him and took it as the literal truth, and it discouraged me so thoroughly that I stopped writing.
It took me to my mid thirties to realise that you should not listen to writing advice by anyone who uses the phrase "a real writer".
Since I started writing again I've written 10 books and writing has been one of the central joys of my life.
Any writing advice that makes you want to stop writing is bad advice *for you*
A write-along/TTRPG Playthrough stream!
You are members of the National Parks Service. Also, you are wizards.
Come manage a magical park LIVE right NOW: https://youtube.com/live/Fhwc0N4CdvI
A write-along/TTRPG Playthrough stream!
What would you cook for the king that kidnapped you?
Help us forage & cook LIVE right NOW: https://youtube.com/live/HPpCdOZXHnA
