Chuck Palahniuk's Writing Tips | WRITING ADVICE FROM FAMOUS AUTHORS

[@mikejones9156]

I don't like having to start writing, but I do hate having to stop.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Having to stop is so much worse, I agree ☺️

[@MeredithPhillipsWrites]

OK someone's working ahead on video, my goodness 😂 Completely agree about just _finishing_ that first draft. I only reread enough of what I've written the previous day in order to pick up the threads and continue on. Going back and rereading large chunks and trying to fix it as I go is an absolute nightmare for me. Love the last point, too. It's so simple, but so easy to forget or give up on yourself. That imposter syndrome creeps in and you start questioning everything. But like you said, you'll never get anywhere if you don't keep going, so...keep going!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I'm finally ahead! We're moving house soon and I know there'll be a few weeks where I can't upload, so I'm working like mad to get a few ready before then. It's a whole different workflow, but it's so nice not to have to do it all week by week!

[@MeredithPhillipsWrites]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting Oh wow, good luck with the move!! I hope it all goes smoothly and you can get through it without _too_ much stress.

[@kempiro]

For me, there are plenty of times when I don't want to write but I write anyway and find that the discipline helps the wanting to write to blossom. What stops me in my tracks is when I find I don't like anything I've already written - I mean, stuff I know I'm ordinarily proud of. If I'm feeling broadly critical of what I've written, I know it's not a day for me to be writing. I absolutely take a break. But, if it's just lack of motivation/resistance to the work, I write through it ("write" in this context also means: stare at my manuscript for an hour or more before typing anything).

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

That sounds very similar to me, except I rarely push through anymore, I used to a lot. My output is vastly reduced these days, which makes sense considering. In wanting to avoid one side of this issue I've fallen afoul of the other side!

[@kempiro]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting, for me, I don't ever think of it as pushing. I don't push myself. I'm alergic to that. I just show up. Stand there in the place where it happens and wait, or take notes - that's a big part of my process these days: I'll be stuck on a bit and instead of pushing, I'll open up my "workshop" file and start chatting with myself, "So, I'm working on x scene and having trouble with K's breakdown in front of his therapist. He's also really sick, but doesn't know it, so he's got a headache, etc. " I just "talk it out" with myself and, soon enough, I feel the need to get back to the MS and get to writing another go at K's breakdown, or whatever.

[@JoeyPaulOnline]

Loving these looks into writing advice. I agree that finishing first is a good thing, though I will say I started out handwriting a chapter, then typing it up that night and editing and tweaking where I could, and its kinda translated into a routine for me. But its better to keep going even though I type everything now I still only let myself read one chapter before I jump in

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Ooh, did you find that physically writing first made a difference to your process? Or did it feel the same pretty much? They say it uses different parts of the brain and stuff so I'd be interested to know if that's detectable by authors! 🙂

[@JoeyPaulOnline]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting I did actually, it took me a long time to be comfortable making the switch to digital all the time, had to change around my process and how I did things. It’s been since my fifth book that I’ve switched to digital and (I’m on books 35 & 36) so I’cve had a lot of time to move things around and such. But writing it out made me feel closer to the story, to how things went down, gave me more space to think because I type faster than I hand write and all of that. It’s really only disability issues that caused me to make the switch and I do miss doing it that way at times.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

@@JoeyPaulOnline I’ll definitely have to try that! I like the idea that it might make me think more and bring me closer to the story. I haven’t written anything more than a few notes by hand in a long while and I should! Thanks for sharing your experience ☺️

[@Joseph.S.Roberts]

Again, another brilliant video. That last bit really hit home for me, because I keep saying to myself as I’m writing, why do I even bother? There’s too many books out, and everything has already been done. There are days I just want to quit all together 😭😭😭

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you. They do say that there are no new stories, but the newness (if that's a word) comes from YOU. There are loads of books out, but if they aren't by you, then you still have reason to write and get your story out!

[@PoetlaureateNFDL]

Thanks for this. I will share it with my writers group in Wisconsin!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you! The more the merrier :)

[@ATMcGWriter]

This is a brilliant video Kieren. Thanks for taking Chucks initial guidance and expanding on it. I have subscribed now. So I will be watching past videos and looking forward to new ones.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it! ☺️

[@ianlovell6709]

I'm currently editing my manuscript, and while in the process I've found there was quite a bit missing, I've found I can fill some of the chapters out where before it was a bit thin.

[@L.DacreTynan]

Love it KW! I'm consistently impressed by the application and reasoning you give, behind the various nuggets of Authorly Truth. I really like your comment on, making a few notes a couple of lines down the page when something comes to hand - a note on the plot ahead or some other realization. Here I am like a sap, trying to REMEMBER it for later - like a Caveman - I'll be scrawling it a little further down on the page from now on!

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Thanks mate 🙂 Yeah, that bit of my particular writing method came from things slipping my mind, and it's now reached the point that I absolutely WILL NOT remember stuff if I don't make a note first! Use it with caution! 😂

[@BrittanyPutzer]

Great video! Yes, there is no way to know for sure if your writing will be the next best seller. You just need to do it bc you love it

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I definitely agree. Just loving it should always be the place to start from ☺

[@StephenLoblack]

I've been waiting for you Chuck

[@marcschoenbach2397]

Phenomenal video. Insightful

[@koltonheath6073]

On tip five I've ran into a problem on my novel how could this tip help me. The problem is I've hit writers block and I want to just start over what do I do.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Think back to the last major event, or the last fork in the road with what happened in your story. Was there a different way you could have taken it? Even one that didn't seem right? It might be an idea, even if you don't write anything down, to track back in your mind and follow that other path, or create it, and see if there's another route you could take to the end. It depends how far you're through, but even if your story is new, this could still help. Another suggestion would be to make sure you're writing from the perspective that you feel most effective in, and in the right tense. Sometimes a change of angle can help.

[@koltonheath6073]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting thank you for the help. I will think about what you've written.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

@@koltonheath6073 if in doubt, let a little time pass and see how you feel ☺️

[@koltonheath6073]

@@KierenWestwoodWriting okay 😊👌👍

[@drstafford4194]

If you give up, not only will you not be successful, but, if writing is as nourishing to you as breathing, a part of you will die a slow and agonizing death.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

I agree, to me it feels like leaving something irreplaceable behind and never seeing it again.

[@drstafford4194]

Another analogy, if one doesn’t have a “clean break” with a former lover, how can one effectively court, or pursue a new love interest and give 100 percent to the relationship.

[@justinedse3314]

@@drstafford4194 That happens all the time unfortunately.

[@brys.3131]

Writing. What a great ride.

[@laurabesley7095]

Just wanted to say I think the timer advice is pretty sound, but unless you're fairly experienced, I would suggest 10/15 mins, not 30/60. It takes a lot of concentration to write solidly for that amount of time and, in my opinion, you're better off setting the alarm for a shorter amount of time and continuing when it goes off than waiting for it to go off.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

That makes a lot of sense, I hadn't thought of that at all 🙂

[@laurabesley7095]

I often do the timer thing when I'm stuck and find 9 times out of 10, I turn it off and continue writing after 10 mins.

[@michaeldavis9693]

Very strange.. I was JUST reading a chapter from fight Club in bed before work. Then this video popped up and played on its own, after I’d watched a video on a different writer.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

That is odd.. Thanks for stopping by though, whatever the case!

[@warmflash]

I’ve read/listen to it 10 times •

[@moshecallen]

The surname is Ukranian Палагнюк. I don't know it well enough to be sure of the stress in the name. Pa-lah-n(y)uk. The last vowel palatalizes the previous consonant which can sound like a y-sound added. Yet it's only 3 syllables. In Russian, the letter г would have a sound like the g is get but in Ukrainian it's like the h of horse.

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

Ah, thank you. I researched this before I made the video, and I just went with what I saw most often, but I still got it wrong!

[@JClark-ux1hz]

👏👏👏

[@SolStone]

Cool

[@KierenWestwoodWriting]

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