(LOGO)
Hellooo, everybody! As many of you already know, writing is a very rewarding experience.
That's why we become writers. We love it, we're passionate about it. But I'd be lying if I said
the entire process was rainbows and unicorn farts. Lately, I've been receiving a lot of questions
that all hover around the same thing, and that is the anxiety associated with writing a book.
Especially if you're writing your first book. So that's what we're gonna talk about today. I'm here
to brace you for the worst moments of the writing and publishing process. And I'm not doing this
to deter you. This is by no means an attempt to steer you away from your writing destiny.
I'm telling you this to both prepare you and give you some peace of mind. A lot of people hit these
bumps in the road and get really discouraged. They think, ‘Oh shit, this problem is exclusive to me,
and I really, really suck as a writer.’ That is not true. There are some parts of the writing
process that pretty much everyone struggles with, and knowing you're not alone in these moments is
pivotal to getting past them. We're all feeling the same pain. It blows and I'm gonna tell you
just how much it blows, right now. Number One (1): The artist mood swings. This is a problem
that happens consistently, throughout the entire writing process, especially during the first few
drafts. And especially if you're working on your very first book. One moment you're killing it,
you're pumping out words, you're murdering characters, you're getting shit done. Not
only that, but you're thinking to yourself, “Wow, I'm a really good writer. This book is fantastic,
completely original. Oh my gosh, I'm going to be a bestseller.” Then the very next day,
your emotional state does a complete 180. “This manuscript is garbage. My dog has taken shits that
are more poetic than this. Oh my gosh, I am the worst writer in the world. I am the worst writer
in the world!” (Loud groan) Now if you're an accountant or a barista and you're behaving this
way, I'd recommend you seek professional help. But if you're a writer, this type of behavior is
normal. Seriously, no one's impressed. I like to call this the artist mood swings. Creative
people tend to swing between moments of absolute confidence and crippling self doubt. And given
our chosen profession, it's completely logical. Being creative means being vulnerable. Art is
about telling a story. And usually that story is something you're deeply passionate about.
And since you're passionate about it, it's going to be extremely important to you that you get it
right. It's okay to have moments of self doubt. So long as you don't wallow in it forever. Ease up on
yourself. Remind yourself that all artists feel this way at some point. And then keep writing.
Number Two (2): Editing. Have you gotten around to editing your manuscript? If not, prepared to feel
stupid. It's not uncommon for writers to reach the editing phase, read over their manuscripts,
and then say to themselves, “Oh my gosh, what was I thinking? Why is this so bad? Why is everything
so bad?” You're gonna start to lose patience with yourself. Guaranteed. And you're gonna
have the overwhelming urge to berate yourself again and again. “I'm stupid. I'm stupid. I'm
stupid.” Except you're not stupid. In fact, if you're reading over your work and noticing
room for improvement, that's probably a good thing. The more you write, the better you get,
your skills should improve over time. That means that by the time you finish your first draft,
you should be a better writer than you were when you started it. So it's only natural for
you to find faults with your earliest material. You should find fault with it because you're
reading it as a better writer. Instead of calling yourself stupid, congratulate yourself for upping
your game. Number Three (3): Beta reading. Beta readers are either gonna make you super happy,
or work you into a fiery rage. You'll have some betas who love your book. They'll gush about it,
and when they offer criticism it'll be constructive and polite. And then you'll
have the other betas. Ya need ‘em, they're helping you improve your book, but the more they talk,
the more your thoughts become murderous. Sometimes people aren't going to understand concepts that
you think are crystal clear. “You know what? I think Eve’s gonna befriend an Interloper. I could
just see them getting along really well.” Other times they're not gonna be into the story. “This
chapter was boring. Look, if no one's dying or getting their chest ripped open, I'm not
interested.” And then there will be betas who say things that are just plain awful. “Eve’s a fucking
bitch. Like okay, I get it. Your parents died, you got arrested, people threw animal entrails at you,
whatever. But I mean, ugh, get over it. Am I right?” (Stunned pause) A lot of writers
have hit me up after beta reviews and said “Oh my gosh, Jenna, my manuscript is shit.” But shitty
beta reviews are part of the process. It's gonna happen. Take comfort in the fact that any flaws
in your work are being brought to your attention now, as opposed to after it's published. But just
remember, no matter how talented you are, as a writer, you're gonna get feedback that boils
your blood. Number Four (4): The professional editor. I'm gonna start this off by reminding
you that the professional edit is absolutely necessary. But you should prepare yourself for it,
because this part of the writing process is a real ballbuster. This is the moment when you're
going to feel the most pathetic, by far. Here's the thing about professional editing, you're
essentially paying someone to point out all your flaws. “Hey there, fellow socially awkward person.
I spent about the last year slaving away over this manuscript, and I was wondering if you could
maybe rip it apart and tell me how much it sucks. Please be sure to make your critiques as brutal as
possible. And while you're at it, take my money.” Receiving your manuscript after a professional
edit can be shocking. It'll knock the wind right out of ya. It doesn't matter how good you are at
handling criticism. Nothing can prepare you for seeing all that red ink. It's like blood, your
manuscript is bleeding, your baby is bleeding. (Psycho theme playing) Whether your manuscript
gets a light edit or a total overhaul, the process is going to leave you feeling at least slightly
traumatized. The best thing you can do is take a deep breath and give yourself time to process it.
This is the only part of the writing journey when I recommend taking a couple days to decompress,
and then go through all those edits meticulously and patiently. Remember that you're human,
it's okay for you to make mistakes. And remember that your editor’s human too, and you're not gonna
agree with all their edits. But understanding that this process is difficult for everyone will make
it go by so much smoother, and with at least a shred of your dignity intact. Finally, we have
Number Five (5): The reviews. Sending your book out for review is scary. You're literally asking
people to judge you. Not only that, you're telling them to plaster their judgments all over the
internet. That is horrifying. This is the part of the writing process that's going to give you the
most anxiety, by far. When Eve was first available for review, a blogger hit me up out of the blue
and said she was gonna read it, right then and there. Instantly. I was a nervous wreck. All
day. All I could think about was her damn review. And I started to really freak out. She hates it,
I can feel it. I know, I have good intuition, and I can feel her hatred. Finally at like three
in the morning, she tells me she's finished. At this point, I am literally shaking, and I am just
sitting there waiting for her to tell me how much she hated my book. But instead she told me she was
giving it five stars. She said it was entertaining throughout. She loved the characters, and she
called the writing masterful. And how did I react? I bawled my fucking eyes out. I had worked myself
up into such a knot, it didn't matter what review she gave me, I was already a mess. This
is what the review process is like. It's a giant waiting game. And most of us creative folk can't
help but assume the worst. And obviously if you get bad reviews, it's a knife to the heart. But
even if the reviews are amazing, it's still very stressful because you're dealing with the fear
of the unknown, and a very real lack of control. So what's the easiest way to deal with the review
process? Don't read the reviews. It's a mistake. Now some people, usually non-writers, will argue
that you should read the reiews. “Don't you want the constructive feedback?” But if you're waiting
for the review process for constructive feedback, you've already fucked up. That's what beta readers
and professional edit are for. The reviews are for your audience. They help sell and recommend books,
they are not for you. So do yourself a favor, don't read the reviews. Check your book’s overall
rating from time to time, and leave it at that. Your self esteem will thank you. So there you have
it, the five worst parts of the writing process. And what's the takeaway? Not that you should
quit writing, run for the hills, but that it happens to everyone. All writers go through this,
you're not alone. This is just a natural part of the journey. If I survived it, so can you. And
most importantly, none of this crap compares to the immense joy and excitement you feel when you
write and publish your own book. On that note, don't forget to subscribe to my channel. I post
new videos on Wednesdays. Eve: The Awakening is still available in ebook and paperback on Amazon
right now, so check it out. And if you have any questions or if there's something you'd like me
to talk about in my next video, be sure to tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye!
(Crying) “Wh-h-h-hyyyy.”