STOP Trying to be a Good Writer... Harsh Writing Advice!

Do you struggle to write good prose? Do you ever catch yourself writing a sentence, then staring at it until you hate it and delete it? If so, this video is for you. Beautiful prose can be awesome - but what is more important: making your writing SOUND good? Or making your reader feel something? That's the question we're challenging in today's video. Get ready for some brutally honest writing advice.
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My name is Abbie Emmons I teach writers how to make their stories matter by harnessing the power and psychology of storytelling, transforming their ideas into a masterpiece, and creating a lifestyle that makes their author dreams come true.
Story isn’t about “what happens” - it’s about how what happens affects and transforms the characters. I believe that there is an exact science (a recipe, if you will) behind a perfect story. And if you know what ingredients you need, you can create your own perfect story with ease and confidence. That’s what we talk about every week on this channel - and if it’s something you’re into, be sure to subscribe and join this community!

[@melodid5023]

Don't eeeeever forget folks... what you read are FINISHED books. Edited and read 50 plus times! Just write your story damn it! And yes! I'm talking to myself!

[@laconsuela69]

Seriously. I have been reading Lord of the Rings and I'm overwhelmed by how good his writing is! But Tolkien was a philologist and spent 10 years writing it, on top of being one of the best fantasy authors ever

[@mathlaaalbarwani6601]

EXACTLY!!!

[@madalinanistorescu8294]

Loved this 😂

[@NC-dw1ir]

You're right though. I don't think prose should be pretty so much as memorable.

[@christopherballard6992]

😊😊😊😊😊😊​@@mathlaaalbarwani6601

[@SuperNovaJinckUFO]

There's a quote about the movie Amadeus that I think it relevant here: "Salieri wanted to be a great composer, but Mozart wanted to make music"

[@erikheen1291]

Nailed it

[@ellamagnesunedelen7557]

I really, really needed to hear that: thanks so much!🥰

[@whatamessfilms]

My creative writing teacher once told me that my writing was too flowery to the point that it was annoying. That comment made me hate my writing so much I ended up rethinking every sentence I came up with and just wrote down what I was saying in the most simplistic way. Harsh writing advice, but it was the best writing advice I've ever gotten lol

[@Thenoobestgirl]

Maybe you should try poetry

[@AuthorDarrellCScottJr]

SAME! Minus the annoying part. Lol.

[@tamikras9927]

There's nothing wrong with flowery prose per se, but it can feel like too much if it's... Well, too much.

[@OsculumTormentum]

Everyone starts out overdoing it.

[@rangarajan7843]

I will. Are we still discussing other BOOKS?

[@QuanticDreamer]

"I don't want the readers to hear my voice. I want them to hear my characters' voice" Thank you!!!

[@jacindaellison3363]

That helped me out. I recently compared two different books' opening pages to compare the protagonists' voices, rather than the authors' writing style. I was able to understand the contrast, even though both books used 1st person narration.

[@amitamridha6036]

I have the overwhelming pressure to make every sentence pretty and purposeful... this is the perfect video for me-

[@gabbiecooke2608]

I know how you feel I’ve written four chapters out of fourteen but I’ve been two days editing the first chapter it just seems like I love it but I want it to be better I’m doing more editing than writing ☹️

[@amitamridha6036]

@@gabbiecooke2608 yeah... it isn't easy! i hope you get through the drafts. four chapters is great progress though!

[@gabbiecooke2608]

@@amitamridha6036 thank you so much 😊

[@silverhassium0622]

That's a beautiful (and handy) thinking. Thank you for sharing it! :)

[@silverhassium0622]

@@gabbiecooke2608 Hi Madison! A little tip: Try to entirely write the first draft of these fourteen chapters before editing. I can explain a few good reasons to do so: 1. Even if you're a plotter, there's always going to be some details you'll add while writing the first draft, and you can come back in the editing phase to properly foreshadow them! That'll make your story all tied up and readers will feel rewarded for paying attention and turning the pages. 2. You become a better writer as you write: When you finish the first draft as a whole, you'll be better than when you started, and can easily spot the things you want to change in the editing phase. If you write then edit, write then edit and so on, you'll get stuck on the same chapter forever, because each time you edit you'll have improved a little bit, and will want to change something else upon reading again. If you want to study this more in depth, Jenna Morecci is also a writing youtuber, and she has a good video on editing. Hope I could be of help! :) Ps: Sorry for any grammar mistake. English is my second language

[@glynfrans]

I LOVE pretty prose. I don't want to write it to impress people and I don't want to write it because I feel like I have to in order to be taken seriously-I simply enjoy crafting beautiful sentences. HOWEVER, when I am writing from the perspective of a character who does not care about eloquence or poetry, I intentionally "dumb it down" or make it simpler. Because portraying a character as they are is so much more important! They don't need big words to get their thoughts across, so there is absolutely no need to write their story like they've swallowed a dictionary. Pretty writing without emotion is just pretty. It doesn't move anyone, and that's what matters. Love the video! Very important advice! 👍

[@electrabarnett5892]

My thoughts exactly! I do it because I love pretty sentences 🥰 but I don’t necessarily expect that when I sit down to read a book. I don’t think one is better than the other, I just love writing it, even if it drives me crazy sometimes 😆

[@aimalisapro123]

Same, it feels so satisfying reading the sentences I craft in this way.

[@misssoso5859]

Same!

[@Casedilla73]

I always wanted to make the reader’s perception of the world and the reading experience itself as beautiful and wonderful as possible with pretty prose but that’s pretty difficult to do and when done wrong it can be pretty cringy.

[@Maryam-go3yq]

I didn't ask to be attacked personally...but I needed to be 😌

[@Seekingwildbeauty]

😂

[@YuiiPotato]

Lmao yess

[@zmbie437]

Lol

[@sadhairlineboiking4587]

Me trying to make my writing perfect, pressured, frustrated: 🥺📝 Abbie: *posts* Me: ❤👁👄👁📝

[@write-4-ever]

I know you posted this a year ago but if you still struggle with this my creative writing teacher tells me "don't get it right get it written" and this helps me alot and if you keep editing it will be harder to finish

[@thatbabybird1120]

Abbie - STOP trying to impress somebody who doesn't care! Me - :0

[@billyalarie929]

best part of the video by far

[@nhelrebolanan]

same😭🤣

[@mylitcorner]

I came here because I was feeling discouraged about my writing being too childish, and I'm leaving encouraged. You're amazing

[@TyrWesterberg]

I felt the same. Discouraged and saw no improvement. I’m happy there are people helping writers for free

[@Scilmeara]

I like beautiful writing; I find it to be more immersive. There's something about a well written sentence that almost tastes good. That being said, I've definitely enjoyed things that were written more simply as well.

[@writewithmelissa3748]

People don't have a clue what I mean when I say I can taste a story, or I want to write words that make my taste buds flutter. I feel like I finally am seen just through your use of the word taste.

[@havvaalexander9520]

Sometimes the most simplistic sentence is beautiful and captivating.

[@maxwrigley6885]

I'm starting a Creative Writing degree in September & I soooo needed this video. If I get a 1st at the end of my degree, I won't just be thanking my lecturers, I'll also be thanking you as I've been binge-watching your videos since the start of the pandemic. Much love from the UK!!!

[@Fof9892]

Hey I’m close go starting college and got very curious, what exactly is a degree? I don’t have the same school system you’ve got, but i rlly wanna go to the uk for my studies

[@thebobman1834]

@@Fof9892 You study for a set amount of years (usually three) and you get a degree that makes you more credible for work or whtever. Idk how it will be at your college but at mine there's no real learning in the uni u have to find a way to learn on ur own. Its just so that u can get the degree which usually helps students get into work easier. Depends what major you're going for, and good luck in college mate.

[@Fof9892]

@@thebobman1834 gee thanks! Strangely more helpful than what google told me

[@tinahall3730]

I’ve just finished my first year in my creative writing degree. I’m absolutely lovin’ it. It is so nice to be with like-minded people. I have learnt so much within such a short time.

[@DeeBlaregold]

I love the idea of raw, simple writing that makes me feel something; or makes me take a second thought about a scene or situation. Thank you, pretty lady!

[@ColDoy-pb4hr]

My thoughts exactly

[@Ellemaebooks]

Comparing ourselves to other writers is going to be the downfall of us. It can be great to learn from those you admire but readers come FOR YOU, not for the other writers so you should show them who you are and your story in the most authentic way possible. Love this Abbie! Thanks for always making videos we didn't know we needed!

[@michaelcolt4369]

I really appreciate it when one, simple sentence can reach into my soul and plant itself there and draw out emotions I can't even explain. Now that is impressive.

[@jackgaffney8468]

Is it bad if my writing isn’t ‘pretty’? Like I don’t even try to make it that way, my vocabulary is limited and I know it but idc, I don’t want to be a writer, I just want to tell a story.

[@geniusgameram9100]

Me too bro, All I want to tell this world is my story, not how it is written

[@jackgaffney8468]

I guess my fear is that if someone doesn’t know what a word means, to the point where they need to look it up (or they do it even out of curiosity), it breaks their trance and detaches them from the story. That’s a genuine fear of mine, because frankly if that happens enough to a reader, then I bet they will lose interest in the book.

[@Kailandra29]

@@jackgaffney8468 I think if it came off pretentious, your fear in your last comment is valid. But remember that reading is how many people, especially those who don't have other opportunities to do so, develop good vocabularies. So I think purposefully "dumbing down" your work because you believe that a) your readers won't understand the words or b) your readers don't want to learn new words or c) your readers will be annoyed overall by new words does a great disservice to your potential readers. ETA: That said, if you naturally write simply, or prefer to, that's not a problem. But be careful about making assumptions about what your readers are or aren't willing to do/accept in terms of vocabulary, and making decisions based on those assumptions. It's definitely possible to have a range of vocabulary levels within a work and not come off as pretentious/forced.

[@Thenoobestgirl]

@@Kailandra29 I fully agree with that. I love learning new words through books, even if I have to stop and Google what they mean. In fact, I have a list of new and unusual words that I would like to remember and use in the future. These are currently the words I have: Guffaw Mirth Swindle Ire Bursar Tablature Luster frivolous Mallow Expunged Vice Warren Thoroughfare Atrium Frenetic Dilapidated Sedition Effulgent Pompous

[@MrsSukre07]

I feel like being hit by a huge thunder right now *weeping Thanks Abbie for this video.. definitely a wake up call that I need..

[@petrajorova3407]

I’ve just sit down for my writing and check KZbin for fast motivation and it showed me this new video posted two minutes ago! That’s awesome!❤️

[@kilhahstfort5118]

the way i dropped everything once the notification popped up 😅

[@OkOk-wq1kw]

Same lmao

[@Victoria-vf3gt]

Woah 😳 this advice hit me so hard. I've always loved creative writing, but everytime I've tried really getting into it (drafting a decent manuscript, creating a writing life, etc) I've found the excitement sputters out and leaves me only drained. Why? I've never been able to figure out how I could end up hating something I loved, but it's because my goal when I got serious was to craft something "beautiful." Ooof. Thank you! Sometimes a lil tough love is what it takes.

[@MG.dreamgirl]

You're like my writing coach, Abbie. And this video saved me from a lot of negativity today. I love it so much. I can't thank you enough. Because I needed it ☺

[@takethra334]

I'm a huge fan of both flowery and straightforward prose! I prefer a mix of both in every book, of course... Flowery, descriptive prose highlight dramatic moments, and straightforward prose work well for the mundane. But I also love the converse: an intentionally pain-staking over-description of the ordinary - and when something Incredible/Horrific/Beatific/Cataclysmic or otherwise awe-inspiring happens, and is described in just three simple words...

[@Amy_Mi6]

Somewhat related, but that is why I love John Mayer’s FIRST album (Room for Squares). He did that so well with all those songs. He didn’t get flowery with anything. He just used every day, common language to paint pictures in your mind that you just felt. Like there’s a line in “83” where he’s talking about revisiting his childhood home and he says “You can paint that house a rainbow of colors, rip out the floorboards, replace the shutters but, that’s my plastic in the dirt.” I felt that.

[@stephanieo7700]

I just got nostalgia so hard reading this comment. Great album.

[@hagarhassan8679]

What I love the most about your videos is that it feels like you know exactly what goes on in my mind

[@schuylervanalen8161]

I'm editing my first novel (yay!) and this is exactly the video I needed! I caught myself being overly flowery with my words, and obscuring the actual content in an attempt to be a ~good writer~. The point about "who are you trying to impress" hit really hard, definitely something I'm going to be keeping in mind as I continue forward!! :)

[@SOmayaTheOverlord]

YES! thanks you abbie. I was reading my favorite books because I literally forgot how to write. (Thanks prose) I found the simple writing was the one that got me hooked and made me read it over and over. I CAN WRITE AGAIN!!!!

[@remnants9974]

I don't tend to like very flowery prose, but I feel like where I live, the "trend" is to write as plainly (as in no frills) as possible, and I think that can get boring as well as there isn't so much personality in that. But I do like when I can say a lot with a few words. My main concern when writing is being repetitive.

[@cosmic-fortytwo]

My favorite quote about writing is, "Plot is a verb! If it is not moving your story is dead." Also, Dean Koontz says writing is, "Action, action, action." Flowery and long-wided prose slows things down.

[@laconsuela69]

I completely agree! I mean, Harry Potter is the most popular series ever and it's not known for its wonderful prose but it's compelling story and characters. That being said, good prose guided by a solid story is one of the things I love most about writing and reading. Works by Cicero, Stephen Mitchell's translation of the Odyssey, Shakespeare, and Lord of the Rings have left me gushing many times at the prose which so perfectly crafts the tone of the story. Of course, the stories here are also incredible and I wouldn't be interested in the prose alone! One thing Brandon Sanderson said was that his first drafts are all about making a good story to make sure it works, then he makes it sound better later. I think this is a great way to do it. Story/characters first, prose later.

[@lindagutierrez5409]

I’ve been writing almost every day for the last year. The good news for anyone that writes, is that our beautifully designed supercomputer, automatically will make us a better writer, just from using it. I’m so much better than I was before, it’s wonderful. Thanks Abbie, for all your advice, I now have a novel that matters and is fun to read.

[@_Rafay]

The best example of a writer with not as ostentatious writing as others yet still being good is Brandon Sanderson's writing , his writing is loved for the plot , characters , world building imo he is the best writer of our time putting out bangers after bangers.

[@Amy_Mi6]

I was a complete bobblehead through this entire vid. SO much good stuff, Abbie! I am with you on keeping it as simple as possible to evoke the most emotion. Great advise (side note: glad to see you didn’t give your jacket away, lol - love your style 💜 #LinenEverything)

[@joanasoares8674]

i always write what i feel, i dont care about the writing and then i go back and i perfect it! you shoukd step into the story and you cant do that if you are distracted with the word you should use

[@aletheiannablack]

Awesome video! So true! We gotta be real with ourselves. Write the story inside of you, and when it comes out, people will see the passion you have behind it, they will feel the depth of the story. But don't try to make your story perfect for everyone, because if you do, you'll feel like a failure.

[@rajat5988]

Writing help me for fighting my lonilesness. I write because it fulfills my emotional side which I needed from someone else 🙏🏾

[@jent4105]

I think I'm more of a raw writer, but sometimes get caught in the trap of thinking I"m not writing beautiful enough prose. I'm on my first draft of a novel and have to keep reminding myself to just write. I've written about 100K words and have done most of it pantsing. It has given me a clearer insight into my character's POV. Thanks for all the great advice, Abbie!

[@delaneyvelvet9827]

As a writer who is super critical of themselves in not just writing but all aspects of life, this rlly helped me 😭 Thx abbie

[@rudemence5721]

I’d love to do a period piece sometime. A flowery literary fiction that baffled people, however, I myself have more fun writing easy-to-read fantasy and science fiction. Almost every book has its place 😊

[@johnpauldagondong2720]

i keep on procrastinating because i think my writing is sooo juvenile. i am addicted to beautiful prose because i wanna win an award (Pulitzer to be specific) hahaha

[@justblah6162]

Oh my goodness, the thing she said about Writers voice being flexible to the characters??? MIND BLOWN THAT IS SO TRUE

[@dilraising1007]

Yay! Your advice is so encouraging and helpful. Thank you Abbie, for your quality packed videos! I learned so much from your channel! I agree! Simple yet precise prose is amazing! Thanks to you, I made my writing more impactful than flowery!

[@amystreasure1685]

Oh... I've just begun to watch it but spending 40 minutes on a sentence already sounds way too familiar to me!!! Abbie, thank you sooo much for this video; it's pure gold!

[@starwarsnewsandmemes8289]

So to summarize: It's generally best to make your characters sound like real people. Is this correct?

[@lightquest2]

This is exactly what i’m dealing with right now 🥺 i’ve been trying to write in a way that would appease others because of how critical I am about my writing style

[@Rosiilinee_]

I’m not a native English speaker, but I loved writing and illustrating for my books as a teenager and didn’t care about how my English sounded when writing. But now I’ve become so self conscious about my writing because I’ve been reading books with such wonderful descriptions and wow words, and I love them a lot but I’m sad that I can’t write like that. It just sounds so boring and plain compared to the books I read, but hopefully I’ll get over that and my writers block

[@Queennumen]

I didn’t know prose was a thing until people talked about it in a GC. It was a struggle to find my writing style and hard to compare. So true, Abbie. A lot of my writing style change i noticed with different books of mine. It’s a little different.

[@tseritykat404]

Hey Abbie! I've been re-reading my writing over and over again waiting to find that one thing wrong. This video was a life saver and very helpful! Thank you so much for making this, I needed to be personally attacked for my weird sounding prologue

[@sarahf1353]

In addition to make readers "feel", it is also important to provoke their "thinking", add a new perspective to their point of view

[@tenderw1lderness]

I spend so much time trying to think up clever, pretty ways to say stuff that I actually don't end up with ANYTHING on the page. I find the only time I can get anything decent done is when I'm being raw and unchecked, so this lines up with me nicely.

[@chidubememma-ugwuoke9660]

I’ve recently thought that I’m not enough as a writer but now that I’ve seen this, I’ve realized that I’m much better than I thought

[@st6614]

This is a really important topic for writers to understand. If your book is from a first-person perspective, it should sound like your character is writing a journal entry or speaking to someone. If your story is about a kid who gets bad grades in writing, don't make the book include a ton of big words or fancy phrases. Thank you for making this video and showing aspiring authors that they don't need to live up to someone else, but instead, focus on their work and their characters.

[@catofthenorth4104]

I've struggled with comparing myself to other writers, and for a while, I thought the constant loop of hating my writing and trying to change it to be more like someone else's was. . . . well. . . normal. But I think the biggest hurdle in a writer's life--in fact, probably their career--is coming to terms that they won't have a perfect book, won't have a perfect story. Do I like that? No, absolutely not. No one does. But our writing is like a fingerprint. Different and unique in so many ways, and that's OKAY! Abbie, thank you so much for braving the waters and giving us this *harsh* writing advance. You really are a star 🌟

[@kaysharenee]

You have helped me so much!! I love that you tell it how it is. I came across you about a month ago, and since then I have written my first chapter. The first chapter on the book that has been an idea in my head for 5 years. You are very clear with what you say which makes it so easy to learn from you. Thank you!

[@KittyBGaming]

Honestly, I don’t write more than I used to. I take care of myself more than I used to 😊 Impressing? Career? Nah nah, I just want to share the stories I’ve had ever since I played with toys as a kid XD

[@itaintEZbeingCHEEZY]

This is amazing advice. I feel like my writting is so elementary compared to other authors. It's that imposter syndrom feeling. But, like most things you must keep practicing your craft and the rest will fall into place. I think this video gave me alot to think about. The old saying less is more. I think that is the case with a lot of heavy scenes in movies, where there is a big reveal and then the other participants say one word responses. That one word, usually contains so much meaning. I love your channel and am binge watching all your videos! :)

[@Schmunzelfee]

From my experience when I read a new book I sometimes don't like the writing style but after 40+ pages I am in the story and if the author makes me feel what the character is feeling, I don't mind the writing style in the end. What stays with me is the great story I've witnessed and that I was a part of.

[@priestmeans1898]

You hit on the head. I read other people’s writing until I feel diminished. I when I force myself it gets wordy and tedious, not only to write but to read😩

[@trevormackay4664]

I REALLY needed to hear this. Thank you for this brain slap, Abbie!

[@A_WeirdGrl_09]

Thanks Abbie for stopping me before I start, lol seriously though, thanks! Great videos! It is so true that the most beautiful part about writing (any kind) is making your readers care, and making them feel things.

[@pinkpoison6474]

I was always scared of writing but now I can’t stop all thanks to Abbie

[@MG.dreamgirl]

That's great to hear! ☺

[@munafausta327]

I think you once said this Abbie, 'Your writing is either great or is making you great.' That alone has been my amour to keep writing since then

[@amrutak4945]

Raw, simple writing works for me. That’s my style too! Thanks Abbie for this amazing video❤

[@MCUnicorn]

I've been binging all your videos, Abbie, and they are helping me SO MUCH. This one made me realize I was trying to make my stories sound good instead of get my readers to feel for the characters. Thank you so much!

[@juliaherkel8051]

This totally makes sense! I enjoy dramatic writing (that's just my style, I suppose) but words are the lens that readers see the world through a character's mind, so it's more important to make sure it sounds like a character than be pretty. Great video, Abbie! 😃

[@jamesSmith-fl5wv]

I just started writing my first fiction novel and I'm not feeling the pressure to be anyone or knock anything out of the park. I'm just writing because I'm inspired and I'm having fun!

[@maria-uy6wy]

I needed this video so much! I want to write because I love to do it but I’ve been comparing myself so much to other people that I’ve come to hate my writing and It’s like I’m paralyzed and cannot write at all. This video was godsend, thank you!

[@MG.dreamgirl]

I totally get where you're coming from. Believe me, you're not alone on this. I also know you can overcome it. Just don't be too hard on yourself ☺

[@maria-uy6wy]

@@MG.dreamgirl thank you so much ♥️

[@MG.dreamgirl]

❤

[@laurenflack9892]

honestly, I was returning to my second draft, and this video was perfect for me. I feel the advice here was 100% obtainable and vital.

[@liviareim6654]

Loved the video! Totally agree with the clear window metaphor, personally I have struggled for years with the ideia that my writing should be “pretty” and have felt really bad when it sounded “simple”. It was only after I read King’s “On writing” where he talks about writing a book in 3 months (and his books are huuuge) that it hit me: I bet that he is not obsessing over pretty prose when he is writing, he’s just doing it! And that honestly freed me in so many ways! ✨✨

[@camrynhinkle4279]

I’m always frustrated to make my novel perfect and this help me to just not write like other Authors

[@ginatober6752]

This is some of the best writing advice I've heard lately. I've been through the whole trying hard to be a fancy writer and in the end, what I'm writing stops making sense, and I wonder if anyone reading it won't understand what is going on. I end up re-writing it in a more practical way. I also agree with the notion that the POV character at that time should probably dictate how things are worded. Thank you!

[@RosetheBookDragon]

What if I write for me first? As for my own writing prose and everything, I usually reread what I wrote. If it doesn't make sense to me, I'm pretty sure it won't make sense to my future readers.

[@fossilia2341]

Simply put: Your readers want the story, not the pretty prose. Every single word you write should ultimately contribute to the story.

[@rileytuawai7241]

baahahaa omg not even a minute into it and already feeling like I need to take some serious notes :D thanks Abbie !

[@Pancake3225]

As the great Hemingway said, “Big words does not equate to big feelings.” Hemingway’s style might be simple and not flashy, but the man knew how to make readers invested in the characters. His dialogue felt like real people having real conversations. He wrote what mattered. His work is still being studied decades after they were first published, I’ll take his word for it.

[@Cherri_Pop]

A good way to write good books is to make your sentences poetic yet meaningful. Use similes and metaphors to convey character and emotion. An example from my book that I absolutely love is “She held herself high like an iron statue” this shows the reader that this character is bold and serious and tough and strong both physically and mentally

[@thebobman1834]

I strongly agree, achieving that emotional oomf in a story is why I love writing them so much. The first short story I wrote has an ending that people said was really emotionally resonant. I think I'm already on good terms with myself when it comes to worrying about impressing others. It's still interesting to watch ur videos as it helps me remember what matters most, thank you for all these videos they helped me a lot.

[@josephedmondson1969]

I'm writing scripts for a series I'm creating. And I struggled with pretty prose, and my editor was like "keep it simple". And the best advice she ever gave..."just write the s#*t". Because the first draft can be polished.

[@HiddenBlessingTechnique]

I am so glad I found your channel, it's so helpful for someone who wants to write a story! However, I find that it's hard to bring it all together. I would like to suggest making a single video tutorial that creates a small story from beginning to end. I find all the tips are really helpful but 1 example from the beginning all the way to the final product would help me see how it's all brought together. Even a 1000-word short story that uses all your tips would really help me :) Thanks!

[@sabershenanigans]

Yes, this would be really helpful to see!

[@Thenoobestgirl]

The "Shatter Me" series has most exaggerated prose and metaphors but they're so beautiful to me as well 🌺

[@Queennumen]

I always want my readers and myself to feel something when writing. I want to be a good writer these days but I also wanna make people connect deeply.

[@angelartamesia2]

Your first words hit me so hard. I was like that once, I still kinda am, but I'm getting better.

[@ArtemHahauz-nm7bk]

Personally, when I used to write in Russian (my mother tongue), I tried using the most stunning words I've ever known. I did that even though those paragraphs and sentences were just wordy. I loved writing just to write, not to convey something, and now, I realize what a fool I was. Thank you for this video! Best regards from an Ukrainian. Now, in English my writing style is pretty simple, yet my goal is to tell a relatable story.

[@sunnygem7301]

I don’t find this “advice” as something meant for the whole of writers. Some writers can naturally write poetically & lyrically. I am an imperfect writer but have been writing poetry since I was 7. I’ve been able to naturally implement this into my fictional novel. Writing is never easy! But every writer also has to find their own style & I find much that’s published these days to be quite vanilla. Beauty in writing is a dying art but maybe this video will be helpful for others.

[@RoxzRay]

yeah, i agree! If the story is good I will still enjoy the book, but I definitely appreciate beautiful writing (IF done with meaning, for a purpose, and makes sense for the character) I actually think there is a good way and bad way to write 'flowery' but it can definitely be done in a good way! And when it's good, it's very captivating! That's just my opinion. I've shown different people my writing, some loved it and some said they thought it was too flowery, but it works for the novel and character voice, I tried a more basic approach going on that advice too, but imo, it sucks the personality out of it, feels like a different character voice actually! I think we all have to do what suits our novel! :) i do also agree that books can be really vanilla these days!

[@curtismmichaels]

I like reading a story that makes me care about the characters and what they're going through. I like writing prose that is concise, makes the point, and sets the context in a few sentences. If I'm gonna write a good novel, and there are quite a few I want to write, I need to use my preferred writing to make a few select points in my final draft, and focus most of my energy on making readers, who will, fall in love with my characters.

[@fulstaak]

❤ Thank you. That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm writing my first book now. This is very reassuring to know I was on point with this.

[@gabyperami5618]

"... stop writing pretty prose in attempts to impress somebody who doesn't care..." Ok, I needed that.

[@chelseyoliver941]

Thank you. I've been trying to write like James Dashner, you just taught me how to wright, without trying to hard. Thank you!

[@trutrustories5223]

During this video novel Flowers for Algernon instantly came to my mind. I remember how much trouble i had to get past first half of the book, but I never felt more emotionaly invested into fiction THAT much. And I cried like baby at the end. So yeah, I would say that Flowers for Algernon definitely proves your point and you are absolutely right. It's still hard to ignore that reflex trying to make every damn sentence beautiful and perfect though. My daily strugle xD

[@execute5541]

Abbie you are the best. Your videos keep correcting my perspective

[@cookiebear1330]

I've had the opposite issue, where I transferred over to writing in novel form from writing poetry a lot. And I find myself sometimes thinking "maybe I need to dumb down my writing", just make it easier to read and understand. Most of what I've read lately seems to kind of push that. Don't really ever describe too much, just allow the reader to create their own picture, and give just a skeleton structure.

[@robertarmenta503]

I just discovered your channel. I did a youtube search for how to write flashbacks and your video came up. I have to say my writing is getting better thanks to channels like yours.

[@maryqueenievillamor941]

thank you for this! i tend to overwrite and immerse myself with beautiful words and sentences that i forget about how my readers will feel. this realization hits so hard. i might edit them all once im finished with the second draft ( im halfway through )

[@Whimsy3692]

You were able to capture what I see so often in many young authors today. Thank you for mentioning this. They need to hear this.

[@tylerreed7615]

I feel like flowery writing doesn't do much for your story, it's not bad in small quantities but ultimately the raw emotional writing is best.

[@jermainegrundyyoutubechann7650]

I hate reading and I’ve started to stop writing in the first place, idk why but I physically forgot why I started writing in the first place why it became my dream and when I even started I don’t actually remember and that’s the problem the more I write for myself and for others the more I feel pressured to do it, I feel like I’ve lost my creative spark and I hate That feeling because I know how creative I can actually be so for now I’n taking my time and waiting for an idea to come and when it does I won’t rush it and try to make it perfect I will take my time and work hard on it so thank you abby for this video and no I will never stop writing I won’t even try I just know my brain needs a break and a refresh of amazing ideas and because of this video I know that now ❤❤❤

[@kcandon1]

Good points made in this video. I agree that the most important thing a writer is trying to do is make the reader feel something. Not write a book of beautiful words.

[@noneother5900]

My God did I need this, you dragged me the whole time but I NEEDED to hear this! Thank you!

[@xiaothelibrarian]

I just wanted to tell you how much you've helped me improve my writing over a few months, Thank you so much Abbie

[@danastorino9247]

I needed this episode. I’m writing an adult romance and I was comparing my writing to some of NY times bestsellers. I need to chill and just write-my way.