I TRIED WRITING LIKE...MAYA ANGELOU! // a writing experiment vlog

[@CarlosPenasGrl]

I find it so funny, because I use your videos as a distraction between writing sprints. It helps to give my brain a break but keep me in the writing headspace.

[@A_Bookish_Obsession]

Same lmao I thought I was the only one.

[@alittlebrownsmurph]

I thought I was the only one two. Lol. Sometimes you need that break, but don't want to come out of that space.

[@bethanrumsey4634]

The dream: one day become an author that other people use as inspiration...

[@annjay2581]

Taking a bible, a deck of cards and a bottle of Sherry to an empty hotel room is so neat and so chaotic at the same time 😂

[@netaricker2343]

"sh-should we move on? we should move on so, are you ready to move on?" "oh i suppose" lmao idk why but that made me crack up

[@jacobit49]

You're not the only one! 😂

[@t0dd000]

Staring at the wall. One day, I had a revelation: Turn my desk around. I now face into the room with windows on the far wall looking outside. This increased my happiness greatly.

[@elizabethc7428]

I hope you'll consider writing like Stephen Sondheim. He has a quirky routine involving only writing on a yellow legal pad, writing the word cat over and over when he gets stuck, and listening to a cd of classical music multiple times through as he writes.

[@sheelachattopadhyay]

I hadn't heard of him. What genre does he write in?

[@elizabethc7428]

@@sheelachattopadhyay He writes musicals that have a lot of complex word play. His most famous musicals are probably "Into the Woods" and "Sweeney Todd".

[@elizabethc7428]

@@sheelachattopadhyay He also wrote a book about his writing process called "Finishing the Hat" :)

[@taliw7736]

That's pretty odd but seems like a nice idea to try. I find many authors say they write on paper then type it and I feel if I tried that method again I'd totally focus on my project than quickly go through it

[@april_haruko]

"It looks so good!" Shows a detergent pod. DON'T EAT IT, KATE!!! 😂

[@S3RP3NTwt]

I have been in a little bit of a writing slump recently and oh my God I don't know what it is about your videos but they always jumpstart my motivation :') Thank you so much for reawakening my love for writing

[@charlesjoseph9842]

when i was in middle school, i would always read my writing out loud to my friends and use some of their ideas later on in the story. i wish i still had that confidence 😂

[@eduardaarrais]

More importantly. Do you still have friends now? Confidence can be built, friendships are hard to find.

[@billyalarie929]

editing as you write is HIGHLY UNDERRATED as a method for drafting. zero drafting does not work for me for some reason that i can only think has to do with the fact that the ideas shy away from me COMPLETELY when i try to go fast

[@KateCavanaugh]

See, I think that's so interesting! It really goes to show how we all have different methods that work for us. I'm excited to try this one out for a while though and see if it's something I can stick to or if it's something I prefer for specific genres bahaha.

[@AuthorZaraHoffman]

I used to edit as I write and it was really good for producing good drafts but it would take me a year to finish a book. Now I don’t edit as I go and I can write and publish a book from start to finish in 3 months.

[@billyalarie929]

​@@KateCavanaugh i'm trying to get in the habit of giving my brain permission to do what its natural instinct is to do--i had a LONG period where i was reacting and trying to adhere to writing axioms that were said to be ABSOLUTELY HELD TO WITH UTMOST RIGIDITY and, like... the ironic shit is before i really got down into the shit wrt the internet's attitude of writing advice (being so prescriptive as it was in the late aughts and early-mid 10s), i KNEW THAT THERE WAS NO R E A L "correct" way to do this. then i let the internet steer me wrong. sigh. also, i'm only at the part after you were in your car (so this may have been far more apparent soon after) but i have to ask, where did you drive to!?

[@billyalarie929]

@@AuthorZaraHoffman see, i cannot understand this. i mean i GET IT, but i cannot comprehend how to make this work, for my brain, for my method.

[@AuthorZaraHoffman]

@@billyalarie929 I used to be like you and could never understand Kate's zero-drafting. But now that I've made the switch, I don't know if I could go back? So strange to have done both and loved both whole-heartedly while doing each.

[@TheDawdlingWriter]

Lol, when you hid your phone under the tissues, I immediately knew if I'd done that, I would forget it and have to come back. And then it happened!

[@TheDawdlingWriter]

I love that you try out all these different author routines. I am still experimenting and trying to find a morning routine that works for me, so I'm always excited to see you do another one of these experiment vlogs.

[@A_Bookish_Obsession]

I am eating lunch and watching this before getting back to writing.

[@shelleestories]

This was my favorite in this series so far! Your grandmother’s desk was magical. All of your finds tucked away inside of it gave me chills. And of course, there was The Circle lol

[@eduardaarrais]

Doggo looks at backpack *can I?* Kat *no* Doggo *but this bad boy can fit so many doggos in it*

[@ragdollrose2687]

I should play cards alone more often. I have a couple of very beautiful decks of playing cards but I never use them. It reminds me of my grandma who used to play very often while watching tv 😊 Also, what? Turning off the internet?! Sounds almost impossible! It's true that is quite difficult to just sit with not knowing something we're curious about nowadays when we can have the answer to almost every question just with a quick research. It's an actual achievement if I manage to sit through doing something without interrupting myself to google stuff 😅

[@craftblend]

I definitely love editing as I go. The only issue is sometimes you can get stuck on editing and the story won’t move along as best as it could. But on the other hand, rereading and editing can get me in the zone if I’m stuck, and suddenly I’ll have an epiphany and I’ll know where I want the story to go. Editing as you go has a lot of pros and cons.

[@rachelrobertson7353]

Maya Angelou is one of my favorite authors!! Very excited that you tried her writing routine. Also -- I LOVE that you watched The Circle during your break time. Such a good second season!! :-)

[@shellystar]

I love this routine, except getting up at fricken 5:30 a.m. (I'm a night owl). I like the idea of giving some time to let the work sit before editing. I'm trying to edit more as I go along so this routine is right up my ally. Thank you for doing these videos. They're fun to watch 😁

[@UselessRambling]

HOW did I get here so early, my goodness-

[@racoon2623]

i have to edit as i go because the way my brain works i have to think through everything that happens first by brain dumping generally what happens and dialogue, and then i go back to “actually write” around what i start with

[@vivianwakoff]

The only thing I do that comes close to Maya's routine is that I reread the previous scene to the one I'm about to write -- if I've written it (I write out of order, so that's not always the case). I fix little mistakes, but I don't edit it per se. I love these "I tried writing like..." videos!

[@puffpride8344]

I edit as I go. I don't usually tell people because they say I'm doing it "wrong". I write a chapter at a time then go back and edit. It works for me because I struggle to move on until I'm somewhat happy with what I've written

[@Jocrazyface]

Editing as I go is actually a habit I have to be conscious of, because I used to do it really consistently back when I used to write fanfic. Now, I tend to use it as sort of a procrastination method, where I am avoiding moving on to the next part by fixing and revising what I just wrote, so I try to do it sparingly. I recently started using dictation more and I can edit and revise my dictated text as I drop it into scrivener and find that I'm happier overall with the work I do that day. So as long as I'm not procrastinating, I find it really helpful!

[@apotheclypse]

I would absolutely LOVE going to some other place like an office, hotel, or library to write. I'll definitely have to try that when I can.

[@KaiInMotion]

Why did this video spark a reminder in my brain of that episode of the Boondocks where they try to kidnap Oprah but accidentally kidnap Maya Angelou instead 😩💀

[@Casswhyy]

This made me reconsider editing as I go along! For me, editing while drafting is usually a trap because I end up perfecting one bit and then never moving on, but this makes me wonder if I only do it in a set timeframe (like the night after) if it will work for me. 🤔

[@t0dd000]

Distraction is the enemy of us all, and it is an addiction. Markers in your text. When I was a programmer, we used XXX, TODO, and STUB as revisit markers. Several others were common as well.

[@DreamaTerraWaters]

flight boss/ doelow da pilotman on youtube has a video about playing cards and the little joker being extreme internal events and the big joker being extreme external events

[@billyalarie929]

LEEEEEEEEEEEERRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYYYYYY-- everyone: oh god fucking dammit

[@Tarkarys]

Hi, greetings from Portugal! I really like your channel and videos, so amazing! I've had this question for a loooong time, but what Macbook computer do you use? What model is it? I'm a Windows user, and wanting to start using an Apple laptop. Thank you so much and big hug from this side of the pond!

[@writative8285]

Yaaay Kate! You're killing it! I was surprised the editing was working so well, you seemed so tired. I guess the break really helps you re-energize too. What do you think of Maya Angelou's writing routine? Laying over the bed is a serious no for me. I haz belly and my back would not be happy. Do you see any overlap with your own? I think I'd like the mix of breaks and work time. I can't focus for very long so I think that would help it. What do you think of the concept of "editing as you write"? I definitely think it can work for some folks. I can do it in short stories where I pretty much know where it's going but not novels. I know beginnings and endings and my middles are just...out there somewhere. Do you think it's a rule for a reason or is there some wiggle room? I think there's always wiggle room because people are different. Who should I try writing like next?! Margaret Weis!!

[@Iwasonceanonionwithnolayers]

Halp! What are 6:50 called, I've been wanting one for months! Also, what @neta ricker said

[@sionnach9946]

I have four scenes left before I finish my very first complete novel, but I've spent the past two weeks studying for finals and wistfully binging your videos. Soon I will return to writing but for now....math

[@t0dd000]

Reading aloud afterwards. I've only done that with finished drafts. And sometimes some troublesome parts mid-draft. I think it is the most powerful step in the editing process. I'll have to try the evening routine like Maya. That's a nice way to do work without completely taxing the brain.

[@iwaslikenope1070]

Used to be the edit-as-you-write type of person until I switched to just writing it all down before I edit. Lately though, I can of edit a bit again if something just "blocks the way". Goes to show that not only do people have different ways to approach writing, but even our process could change for each project! 😂 Another great video, btw!

[@multidinero]

Brandon Sanderson talked about how he normally doesn’t edit before he’s at least done the complete first draft due to it slowing the completion of the draft. However, I’ve occasionally toyed with minor edits by the end of a chapter or even a scene. Mostly cleaning up or adding words to flesh out the descriptions of people, places and things in those scenes/chapters. I like Brandon’s writing method due to my own employment situation (working eight hours in a building alone, and no bosses watching me) and I get off work at Midnight currently. I outline the major story beats but discovery write my characters. I create spaces for scenes prior to writing, but realize that they lack clutter. By clutter, I mean the things in the space that keep it from sometimes becoming “white space” as the scene continues. So I go hard in The Pyramid of Abstraction. That is usually where my chapter by chapter early edits occur. 34k words into book 2 of my current trilogy and I’m feeling good about it and those small edits. It does create cleaner drafts.

[@nerdmommy7114]

The serendipitous moment of finding out that there’s a deck of cards and a holy bible on the desk you’re working on! So awesome! Also, I thought I’m uniquely weird to write or work, while my leg is up, folded on the chair. Glad to know I’m not alone!

[@greenbird6491]

Yaaaaaaas! Been waiting for another writing experiment 😍😍😍😍

[@taliw7736]

She was very smart, talented and dedicated for real. I think writing on s different environment could be helpful for me rather than only in my room creating my story 😊

[@patrynaswritings7617]

I love Mya Angels. You know more about her than me. I'm a poet myself I like how she took a break before she edited the pages she writer earlier that day and how she read it out loud to I sometimes do that with my daughter. How awesome you had the playing cards and Bible on your grandma's desk like Mya Angelo use to have

[@BirtaAbibi]

The Asmr tingles your video gave me was indescribable!

[@sydney2802]

Instead of reading my work aloud, I make my computer read it back to me. It catches most errors because my brain doesn't fix words without me realizing (dyslexia) because the computer just reads out the letters as it sees them.

[@authorgreene]

Her routine's pretty cool. Because I write by hand, sometimes I'm able to write as I go if I make an effort to type what I've written that week. With my last book I did this. With my current WIP, I haven't been able to. Perhaps carving an hour or so in the evenings to type what I wrote that day would be good, though I'm sure I won't be doing this. I like to spend time with my wife in the evenings, and this is also where the bulk of my reading time is spent.

[@eulaliacorrigan]

How do you find the motivation to write? I'm trying to find the energy to write, but I don't think I could hit my daily word count of 1,900 words. I've hit sort of a rut in my novel by making the two main love interests fight and one of them is out of the picture for a while. I'm not sure what to do after that. Can someone give me advice?

[@AScreenwritersJourney]

I'd like to request a video which I don't think you've "done" before: "I tried writing like Alexa Donne!"

[@wordsbykasey]

i think reading your own writing back to yourself out loud is super important. Sometimes things sound better in your head than they do out loud. also, i write a lot of poetry and it's important to listen to how those words flow when spoken. 11/10 read your words back to yourself.

[@ShawnaCyrCalder]

hey! where do you get all your info on writers writing routines... do you have info on Lewis Carroll?

[@Tori-vz5er]

editing as you go is more about getting comfortable with killing your darlings than having a perfect plan (or near perfect)

[@Rec426]

I didn’t realise I hadn’t finished watching this video 😅 and your one of my fav authortubers Kate so I don’t know why that slipped by me.. anyway, 2 months late isn’t a big deal 😅 I’m actually watching this for inspiration cos I’ve decided to give it a shot in getting published myself. I’m currently in between searching for a job and I’ll be starting my last year of uni soon (so I’ll have to set some time aside for dissertation research 😰) but atm I’m a bit in limbo I guess so I thought I’d make it count. The idea does scare me a little but I think I need to just think about it one step at a time and not overthink it like my brain likes to do >_< love these video ideas and loved this one! I was quite inspired by Maya Angelou when learning about her and am wanting to try out her routine since she seems to be a morning person like me. I need to see it more like a job. Will be watching more of your current videos soon Kate 😅 :)

[@harveythepooka]

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but you're just not that great at concentrating. I don't mean this as an insult at all, we all work differently, and you have a short attention span, that's just how you're wired. Embrace it instead of thinking you can "build up" to concentrating better. Maybe when you're 50, that might change, but I don't know that there's any way to get yourself to concentrate better, if there is, then do an experiment on that. It would be interesting to see.

[@jandoolan3970]

I like to listen to my computer read my story aloud while I follow it on the screen. It's surprising how many mistakes I spot doing it this way.

[@brittneysbookshelf9491]

i swear the "I cannot fit you Buffy" was my favorite part lol. I loved all of it, but she really looked like she wanted to go

[@BlackLion56982]

Yes you should try writing like where you imitate the style. Sarah j. Maas and also routine.

[@tolusobande3512]

working on a vampire story! starting chapter 8 today!

[@KateCavanaugh]

Ooooh, I love vampires!! Good luck and enjoy!

[@lexluthalutha8767]

Am I tripping in thinking you had done this experiment before and that this is actually a redo? Or is this not my dimension?

[@abbiepancakeeater52]

ok but you should make a coffee recipes video haha. your coffee always looks so good.

[@DaveMcE]

Do Ray Bradbury's writing routine next.

[@staceycoates1418]

I do love the concept of going to a hotel. But if you are only going to go for a 'few hours' during the day you could see if any of your local hotels have deals for that kind of concept. Or you could get an Air BNB. I think those tend to be cheaper over all than a hotel (though I could be wrong, I have not looked into this before). But if they are cheaper than a hotel you could rent one (or even a room in one) for a day at a time or even for a week and extend that part out. Just some ideas if you want to try to do a follow up. I also think the idea of you editing what you wrote that day, especially those phrases you could not google other ideas of or search for the correct term, would be best by editing later that day because you have it fresh in your mind what you were really thinking of.

[@ThenameisAntti]

Now try Hunter S. Thompson's routine.🤣😈

[@rainsmom]

This one was especially interesting to me. It's not how I normally write, but it actually appeals to me. I am a morning writer, and I do edit as I go. The biggest issue is that I work fulltime and couldn't work around this.

[@mpsensha]

Reading a text out loud and recording it isn't so bad. Listening to myself is... 😩

[@opchild]

I’ve been editing so much lately! I’m halfway through a book I wrote in 2015. Because of its sequels it became very special to me, and I want it I to my current standard of writing

[@barbeskilson6132]

Happy to see another video like this. They’re so interesting.

[@tgrebnesor]

I did a presentation on Maya Angelou in elementary school where I had to research her life and it might've been the first time I fully understood that there were real people out there writing stories

[@CatalleyaStorm]

Clicked so fast. Please let me know when the captions are added.

[@KateCavanaugh]

I will!!!

[@lauramonaghan8719]

Aw, I’m so glad you did Maya Angelou! She’s my inspiration and I respect her so much.

[@alittlebrownsmurph]

I recently got that Complete Collected Poems book too! It's so great.

[@twistedrose9014]

I sort of edit as i go i write by hand when i finish writing a chapter i type it and make changes as i type it

[@Pierrecroft6320]

3:41 your dog is soo cuuuutttteeee!!!! 🥰 such a love

[@starrynightfall00]

3:48 Woah that's some great editing 👍👍

[@booksnnails]

Really enjoyed the video, but I have to say that is a beautiful desk!

[@Lee-rn9mz]

I use that name generator all the time if I’m stuck on a name.

[@Neverrgreen]

From what I've read Tamora Pierce does something similar with reading out what shes written that day in the afternoon.

[@kxrimgh]

YESSS I LOVE THIS SERIES

[@KateCavanaugh]

YAY!!!

[@heartmommyinpa]

How do you make cold brew? We have some but don’t know how to make it

[@Kelly-ib1hf]

Writing routine? Never heard of her

[@samanthabledsoe7129]

Someone recommended Agatha Christie on another video. I'd love to see you try her routine. I read about her routine, but I can't remember what it was now lol.

[@Neil-writer-author]

I love Maya

[@SydneyFaithAuthor]

I love these videos so much! When I'm drafting I usually work in two chunks as well, but mine are more like write from late morning to late afternoon, long break in late afternoon, more work into the night (total night owl here!) I haven't found editing as I go to work for me, but I'm really interested to try this method of reading it aloud, it seems like something that could really help. 💕 Thanks for making these, they're really awesome to watch and learn about other writers' processes!

[@oddeyes9413]

Sometimes as a writer🖋... I desire alcohol🍺... and I don't drink. 🍶 I do drink a lot of tea during the day and soda sometimes. 🍵🥤

[@jillswan9654]

So good! I love Maya Angelou’s routine and feel like if I ever became a career author, I’d like to borrow her hotel stay method. I am a devout “edit-as-I-go” type of writer. I find that when I do that, I usually only need 2-3 drafts to complete something. That’s because I can’t hold an entire novel in my head at once so I need to be able to see the most up-to-date thing as I work on it. Danielle Steel also had an awesome routine (hunt: she types on a typewriter for up to 30 hours in one go). Lotsa love Kate ❤️

[@terencejohnson4502]

So I'm a pantser, I love to write the story discovering the tale as I write. Currently working on an Alt Victorian England novel, 52K in. Still, no idea how the rest goes. It's blank. As for editing as you go? I nip back and put in things I've just thought of, or the story now needs and tend to re-read what I've written post writing. This will lead to correcting obvious mistakes. But I keep pushing my mind to concentrate on the next part because I want to find out how it ends. Endings/middles and starts are subject to change post first draft.

[@yhurimach]

Can I get recommendations on more channels like this? I found it yesterday and it's really helping me getting into writing process and not procastinating. Twitch streams are also helping a lot. If anyone could point me out to some content like this, I'd appreciate a lot!

[@BayleyMae]

I love these videos! One day I'd love to try writing for a few days at a hotel to see how productive I can be! Also, I LOVE The Circle! I just finished the second season! SO good!!

[@FeeBee3001]

So happy to see another writing like vidoes. Wish I had time to try other peoples schedules to see if anything works for me. Always looks like so much fun.

[@moirasoma2863]

This was my favourite of all of your "I tried writing like..." series. I think you are just getting so good with the camera and editing! Very interesting that you found out that you like editing your writing the same day, as that is my big downfall. I write a page, and then I revise and edit, and usually end up with only a few sentances (and often not even that...) I have worked on the same novel for six years because of this. I have like 40 pages. I dont feel like I will ever get it done. But your writing sprints give me some hope, though, let them last forever!

[@DanicaGray]

ooh I love reading work aloud! I find it so helpful to figure out the words, but I think that's partially because I'm a super auditory person. I recently have kind of been trying editing as I go, and I kind of love it too?! there's something about ending the day with a product you feel proud of that really makes it better :) loved this continuation of the I Tried Writing Like series!!!

[@AbiofPellinor]

I'm so glad that this turned out well for you!! It's one of those ideas that sounds fantastic in theory but will only work in practice for some. I'm happy you're someone it's worked for!

[@natashiabahnhansen6733]

I love this series of yours. it's so inspiring! I actually always edit as I go. In the beginning I thought this was something evverybody did, but my beta readers told me otherwise, who knew. I love revisiting the work immediately, because it is such a great feeling to finish everyday with a paragraph that is so much better than it was. It's motivating to see the work improve - also I love line editing. :)

[@mayalemaire]

Saving this to watch later! My mom loves Maya Angelou and said my name was partly inspired by her so this will be so fun to watch!!

[@saahibaalimzafir598]

I thought I was weird for "editing on the go" but I feel a bit more secure knowing there are other writers who like to perfect their craft in this way. thank you for sharing.

[@nannasskrivehjrne9494]

Yay! Love these videos, and so happy you found something in her routine that works for you! Honestly, I don't think I could edit as I go haha, too afraid to have wasted my time "polishing" something that'll get cut later. I also just loooove fast drafting too much to slow down to edit 😅

[@marias8007]

I literally have just finished reading the complete collected poems by Maya!

[@LaceyOnHerWay]

A good KC is exactly what I needed today! I’ve been a little stuck in my new novel and I’m excited to give a couple of these a try!

[@leonardoives674]

I've been waiting for this one TURN IT UP

[@jacobit49]

😂 its so funny that how I've been writing recently is so much like this routine.

[@CharlieeWriter]

that is such a gorgeous desk! I am with you when it comes to editing. I love editing old work buttt... I will fall into this huge edit process that will make me forget about finishing the actual draft lol

[@marias8007]

Oh my yes! I'm bingeing on Maya Angelou right now!

[@SSAPAC]

THE CIRCLE! Love this show, this season was wild.