Failing at Writing is Good | Turning Setbacks into Success

[@katherineedwards13]

Not gonna lie, this is not writing advice, this is life advice. You always make me want to write on my WIP.

[@wanderingbelle7]

“If you’re not failing, you’re not trying.” I don’t remember who said this but I liked it:)

[@Evieangelion]

Failed at writing my first book. Failed at the second. I have started my third novel, and im NOT giving up!

[@hollyA.04]

You can do this!!!

[@daedricdragon5976]

That's amazing! Never giving up is the way to go!

[@magicinthemundane9527]

You’ve got this! Great mindset!!

[@carpetcatco]

Wannabe authors unite! \owo/

[@mischiefmakerstudios9900]

EvVeta Charles You got farther then I did! I just deleted “The Not So Imaginary Super Hero Adventure!” My main problem is if I didn’t know where the delete key was, I might not quit. Except I just got discouraged with my own writing & realizing the story isn’t as exciting or gripping the way I wanted this story to be. Now I am simply disappointed in myself,. That’s me, a disappointment.

[@solarsailer4166]

Just because it's difficult, even painful, does not mean we should turn away from it. "Why do we fall?" "So we learn to pick ourselves up." Learning to take criticism is so important, but I fear many professionals in the film industry are not setting a healthy example and throw up shields against legitimate problems. We cannot grow unless we learn to tell the difference and make changes when/where necessary.

[@katek.2154]

This video could not have come on a better day. ❤️ thank you

[@jessip8654]

My first finished book caused my beta readers physical pain to read. My third book has my beta readers saying "Hey not bad!" Progress, progress. The feedback definitely helps, even when it hurts. Even when you're told the story you've spent three years pouring your heart and soul into is a pile of unreadable doo-doo.

[@Paaseliten]

I completely agree with this, especially the part about choosing the hardest route. That always makes you grow immensely. Even when it seems overwhelming and feels like it’s setting you back months compared to where you thought you were. When you come out on the other side, you’ll be glad you put yourself through it, and you suddenly see clearly the flaws in your previous work.

[@wattpadusergeek342]

There’re skills you only learn by doing! It’s so true. Writing is a skill, but it’s weird how us newbies are afraid to fail. When I started thinking of writing in the same was as learning how to play the piano, it helped. Most people suck at it (and any other skill) when they try for the first time. They say it takes 10,000 hours to master a skill and this definitely includes writing. Failure is a significant portion of those 10,000 hours.

[@ThatsJustMyBabyDaddy]

The growth mindset 101!

[@Jack51161]

Just came from harsh advice I like that you are brutally honest and got an immediate sub!

[@terriesmith8219]

Same! I prefer her harsh advice rather than the many authors on KZbin who talk nicely but didn't really give good reality butt-kicking advice.

[@SinaSkates]

I love feedback. As I've grown as a writer, I really appreciate feedback from my editors/directors. There's a part of writing that is solitary and insular. Getting the feedback is like taking the piece to a party after it's been in quarantine for a few months. 😃

[@likesunset03]

Thanks for your advice! When talking about failure people can be too vague, but this was specific enough to actually be useful when tackling failure in writing/publishing.

[@devdevlin1683]

Would you ever consider doing a book on writing? Your videos are so candid and informative.😬 There’s massive popularity with the Master Class writers.

[@hpfchamber]

I'm currently working on editing my novel (not my first, but the first I've actually edited) and I've definitely found some crutch words I use a lot. Something I've been more cognizant of now in my other WIP I'm drafting.

[@ambiencenature1379]

i could relate so much with the topic you chose to tackle today - I am into the second last chapter in my book and am planning for the ending. its been months that i have put my drafting aside in fear that i would spoil it!

[@bhsprinkle]

Handling rejection is something I need to improve on. I'm growing in this and doing better. I have been rejected in many times in my life in non-writing areas. My father, my nursing instructor, work program once. Rejection is disappointing but it isn't the end. And that is something I had to realize. It hurt but I look back and see why now. My father wasn't a good person so maybe I don't need his negativity or shouldn't care about his affection anymore. My nursing instructor was extremely bias but without that rejection I would be a nurse during a pandemic. Sort of saved me from that. All these awful experiences and people were for a reason. The negativity made me a better writer.

[@DeelightingLindsay]

This is reinforcing a few decisions I’ve made lately! Seriously you’re advice has been so helpful.

[@jensenkristyne6287]

I used to hate editing because I would, eventually, end up quitting the book. But now I love it! I still remember something you said from one of your other videos, that it's looking at it from a different perspective and it's so true!!

[@shadowspector3611]

I am too. Just putting my comment here to hear any advice possible.

[@mab_cat]

Regroup Revise Reassess Restart Great advice. You are literally the guidebook of how to conduct myself as a professional author. Thank you!

[@edenpyro4140]

Even if u write bad u just need to push yourself a little bit more to see how good your story is

[@ScullyPop]

It doesn't matter what hat you put on Alexa, she's a pro, and it takes many hats to build a platform.

[@Circletwice]

A video topic I’d really love to see you cover, is what the path to being published is - on a very basic level. I follow a lot of authortubes and you all mention agents and querying? I’m from Norway and the default procedure here is to send your manuscript directly to the publishers. Agents come later, if at all. Yet to me it sounds as though you need an agent in order to end up on the desk of a publisher for review? Can this be bypassed? Will that look a certain way? What work does these agents do to get you seen? What is the role of these agents? What exactly IS querying (and the importance/need for it)? Etc. I find it so interesting but I can’t quite get a grasp on American vs Norwegian publishing because one thing authortubes seem to have in common is that the topic is talked about as if it’s common knowledge. I’d love to get a “for idiots” version 😅 If for nothing else, then for context to a lot of videos. Thank you for your exciting content!

[@hollyA.04]

Thank you so much for this video. This is a topic that needs to be talked about, more than it is. Thank you so much, God bless you!!!!!!👏👏👏❤

[@gaz0428]

I hate editing so much. It really hard for me to sit down and read my own work (it's hard for me to read anything really) but I have forced myself to do this for my own work. no one is going to care about my story more than me.

[@TheGeminiJournalist]

The Gemini Journalist was here!🤗

[@adrianteixeira3958]

I love your videos! All of this is really helpful to me. I feel that I'm very critical with my work, even with the stories I am "supposedly" writing just for fun. I can get to the end of my books because everything seems so messed up even though I have all the scenes sketched in my mind. I'll stick around.

[@theunwantedbookclub8823]

Failing...finally, something I'm good at.

[@mischarowe]

For a long time I let my failures get the better of me. I didn't give up on writing. I gave up on myself. It can be dehumanising (depression, anxiety) and you need to pull yourself up and out of it if you're going to get back into it. Great video, Alexa. :)

[@coreysimmons2374]

Good evening Alexa Donne. I have had setbacks, many setbacks. The story has continued to be rewritten. I lost the storyboard years ago. What a lost, an original illustrated outline of stick figure magic, gone. I now write notes, read, watch television, Netflix and KZbin, listen to podcasts, and glance at Twitter. The story has a beginning, nearly transparent middle, and ending. I'm hoping to fill in the blanks using the motivational cues that I have just realized aren't there. I still feel that this story tugs at my heart. I will try everything including failure to finish it. By the way, I'm songwriting too, lol! Thank you for your time and preparation of this v-log. I will put your videos to good use.

[@exsanguinehart9897]

I'm not trad publishing, and I'm not writing novels but I binge watch your videos anyways. (I plan to self pub my horror poetry and no one is going to buy it, especially since I'm not well known. Even more discouraging is that most libraries don't even carry Bram Stoker Award winning trad published authors.)

[@ImaginaryMdA]

I failed too late. The first time I failed, I completely fell apart. I'd never learned how to get back on my feet.

[@hollyriordan2186]

Thank you for this! Needed it!

[@beckysbookshelf5081]

as a (very) newbie writer this is definitely an important video for me to watch, wise words as always!

[@espy77]

I’m stressing out right now because I’m writing this book that I really want to keep writing and finish but it’s failing horribly.

[@rayepenber6446]

Thank you for these great insights.

[@MazMedazzaland]

I do feel you have to be careful in regards to doing things the 'hard' way just so you feel like you're progressing, if that makes sense?

[@Paaseliten]

By the way, if you were to ballpark it, what percentage of books do you think are rejected due to bad/immature writing as opposed to external factors such as the market or an agent’s personal preferences? Because I feel that the latter reasons are always mentioned, but I would assume that the first reason is by far the most common one.

[@AlexaDonne]

Most of them. I have a video on your writing competition where I lay it out. Honestly MOST writers who think they can write just aren't great at actual writing. At best their work is clunky and boring, at worst it's actively bad. 99.9% of the time my advice would be to look to the writing itself. Stellar writing can overcome a bad market, and even create your own luck (some agents will sign stellar writing even if the premise is iffy).

[@Paaseliten]

Alexa Donne 100% agree.

[@SysterYster]

lol, I even invited a person to "bash" my writing. She was almost too good at it. D: :P But I feel like, in general, I'm already fairly resistant to negative feedback. If I get angry, I just don't look at it, and I don't reply for a day or two. Then I am usually calm enough to see if they were right or not and reply nicely. :P And of course, also fix the problem if I agree it is a problem.

[@johannamcc96]

Have you read My Dark Vanessa? If so, could you consider reviewing it?

[@urorazbojnik5678]

After three years of writing I still ahve the fear of writing the first sentence every single day haha

[@rayepenber6446]

Same. Will there ever be a point where that fear is significantly reduced? :(

[@coldnymph]

your eye shadow tho

[@MsShabriaGxo]

❤️❤️❤️

[@rinwillows1869]

I want to be a writer so badly but multiple things make me question If I even can be one, like Im not a reader at all. However I love proof reading and Im good and making up plots and character designs. Im excited but also nervous at starting the path to being an experienced writer because I know for sure Im an amateur rn.

[@sjbenson5618]

Please help me I need to discuss my story to you 🤗

[@Tilian-Tine]

I have a creative writing degree that I graduated with 2 years ago... I'm homeless and unemployed and haven't came up with even a short story since graduating... But I plan on writing a sci-fi story... And it's being written by hand... Because I'm too broke to afford a laptop... FML

[@pipitameruje]

You sound like a Stephen King in the making This feels naive from the comfort of my own rented ceiling, but I heard this in a video months ago and it just stuck with me: "Throw your heart over the fence, the rest will follow"

[@DalCecilRuno]

Alexa: "visual writing. Can you push yourself on show don't tell?" Me: well, that was discouraging a.f. I'm blind...visuals? What are visuals? OK. I think it's time to start a pizza parlour business. Lol 😂

[@Kelly-ib1hf]

I bet you can describe sounds and smells like nobody's business, though! I would LOVE to read a book that uses these other senses to give a feeling of reality to scenes!

[@nelsonatthehelm]

I would love to read a book from the perspective of a blind person! I think it would be fascinating. Have you ever written a blind main character?

[@bobbobington2268]

If you read a lot, I reckon you could write gorgeous imagery, because a lot of that is how the words sound. 'Sunlight cascaded from the canopy, and formed golden pools on the forest floor' is describing the same sight as 'sunlight seeped through the leaves, dripped to the forest floor, then sat in stagnant pools among the leaflitter.' However, these tell the reader completely different things about the scene, and the emotions in it, which are far more important than specific visual details.

[@DalCecilRuno]

@@Kelly-ib1hf I can't smell... Sounds maybe. Thank you.

[@DalCecilRuno]

@@nelsonatthehelm All the time. I had a short story published. Blind narrator, first person. Not well received because I don't overdo the other senses like people expect. So... Pizza parlour! 😂

[@RibbonVintageGirl]

Alexa is too obsessed with shelving books. It's discouraging for me and I haven't even finished the first draft of my novel

[@terriesmith8219]

If you ask most successful authors, you'll realised that they have many stories they've shelved.

[@annmurry8589]

Honestly I'm leaving things to simmer until I see how this hulabaloo pans out. I can't really concentrate anyway so I found another hobby - one that allows me to keep an ear to the ground and be almost constantly distracted.

[@otterpoppin]

I'll be honest, it's really bothering me (and several of my friends who watch you) that you haven't spoken out against the recent violence/discrimination against black people on your channel. You said you would but haven't, and it's just...uncomfortable. Silence speaks volumes right now and I really hope you post something soon. I don't think I'll feel comfortable watching your book/publishing related content until you do, because there's just this massive elephant in the room. I'm aware that you've also been mourning your mother, and as someone who also lost a parent in the last two years, I understand how emotionally draining it can be. That said, what's going on is bigger than any of us, and those with a platform should really be speaking out, especially those in an industry that is so incredibly white-dominated, and where there's such massive gap in pay between white and black authors. Recent videos from black booktubers/authortubers (including one of my faves, The Bookish Realm) have touched on how this has affected them personally regarding how their content is received, and that the silence from so many big, mostly white booktubers has been disheartening. This issue is deeply ingrained in the community and I hope the near-complete silence on your end has been a result of planning and organizing with black booktubers.

[@angelaking9619]

I'll second that. Alexa is an important voice in authortube and I think a response in some way is necessary, even if it's short. Hopefully she's working on it!

[@AlexaDonne]

Thank you so much for reaching out. I’ve been thinking a lot about this actually, and I’m working on some content that I hope addresses those concerns. I’ve wanted to really respond thoughtfully so have been putting time into preparing something, including some collabs. Two videos have been filmed, but the editing process had to be put on hold for my copy edits, which I'm turning in this evening. In the short term though I’ve been reflecting on my own reading choices (especially in the adult thriller space), thought processes, the emotional labor that's asked of Black authors and creators, how I benefit from white supremacy, etc. As a white person I want to be especially proactive in amplifying Black creators and voices. Racism is so disgustingly pervasive, particularly in the publishing industry. I appreciate you reaching out. Look out for that content starting this week. Take care.

[@angelaking9619]

@@AlexaDonne Personally, you being thoughtful is why I watch your videos! I'll wait. This video was so useful to me right now. Thanks for all your hard work.