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Hellooo, everybody! Today's topic comes as a special request from one of my patrons over
on Patreon, Indie Mae Cole. (Singing) “Indie Mae, you have a motherfucking coolest name.”
Indie Mae requested a vlog all about advice for teen writers, which I think is a fantastic idea.
Now this might shock you, but I myself am not a teenager. But I once was a teenager, specifically
a teen writer, so I know the struggle. I've also come out the other side as an adult writer,
so I know how to overcome the odds. I realized that calling myself an adult writer kind of makes
it sound like I write porn, we're just gonna breeze past that. As someone who's been through
it all firsthand. I'm here to give five pieces of advice that I think all teen writers need to hear.
Number One (1): Being a teen writer is not stupid. When I was a teen writer, I got a lot of shit from
a lot of people, mostly adults. People told me I was wasting my time. I had teachers tell me I’d be
a homeless failure if I ever pursued writing. But the fact is, there is nothing wrong with being a
teen writer. And I honestly don't understand why people have such a huge problem with it. I mean,
of all hobbies to entertain, you got beef with writing? Now, most of the pushback you'll face,
especially from adults, comes from the fact that creative careers by and large are not
really respected. But at the same time creativity breeds innovation. Creative people change the
world. People are inspired by Maya Angelou, Edgar Allan Poe, Shakespeare. Have you ever heard of a
realtor inspiring the masses? What about a tax accountant? No. Why? Cuz no one gives a shit.
So when people give you crap for being passionate about writing or anything creative, just remember
that a lot of people would kill to be artistically inclined. Number Two (2): Making money as a writer
is not easy. A lot of teen writers tell me “I'm not gonna go to college. I'm just gonna write a
book and become a millionaire.” Yeah, that's not how it works. A majority of writers, specifically
novelists, can't support themselves on the writing alone. They often go to college to get some type
of degree, then work a day job, while pursuing writing at night. I'm not gonna lie to you,
this industry is tough, but that's how it is with most interesting coveted jobs. Just like a lot of
people dream of being an actor. A lot of people dream of writing a book, and with so many people
rushing to pursue the exact same dream, it can be really hard to stand out. So you have to prepare
yourself for that reality. Most likely, you're not gonna be able to start off as a full time
writer. And many writers never make the switch to full time, it's a struggle, but that doesn't mean
it's impossible. The writing industry has changed drastically over the last decade, there are way
more publishing and marketing opportunities than ever before, which means this is the best time
for writers to establish an audience and make a living. But that still doesn't mean it's easy. I
am a full time writer and vlogger and I work well over ten hours a day, every day. I am proof that
it's possible to make the switch from part time to full time, but you have to bust your ass to
get there. Don't think you can just write a book and watch the money roll in. There are a lot of
business and technical skills that go into being a successful writer. Number Three (3): Experience
matters. A lot of teen writers want to just coop themselves up at home all day and write for hours
on end, and this isn't the best idea. Don't get me wrong, you should be practicing, but you should
also be living your life. Locking yourself in your room all day isn't going to benefit your writing.
If anything that will stifle it. Experience is important when it comes to writing believable
relatable stories and characters. It's very clear to readers when the author doesn't know
what they're talking about. Love stories written by people who've never been in love. Heartbreak
by people who have never had the heartbroken. This kind of disconnect screams from the page,
so get out of your room every once in a while and hang out with friends. Go to the mall. Bask
in nature. “But Jennaaa, don't you stay at home all day and write?” Yes, but I'm 30 years old,
and writing is my career. I need money to buy food and not die. Now I'm not saying you should go out
there and find a boyfriend or girlfriend, for the sole fact of learning how it feels, so you can
translate it on paper. That's a terrible idea. I'm just saying you're doing yourself a disservice if
you close yourself off to the real world. Number Four (4): You don't have to write an epic right
now. A lot of teen writers plan big projects. I'm talking, entire universes filled with ten planets,
and multiple civilizations, and 200 plus characters—it's a lot. Now this sort of story
isn't impossible, but it's really hard to do. And most of the time when teen writers take on big
projects and then realize they've bitten off more than they can chew, they beat themselves up over
it. They feel like a terrible writer, or a massive failure. And that just isn't true. Extensive world
building and large cast of characters are hard for experienced writers to pull off, let alone
people just getting started. Plus, you're in a stage of your writing journey where your number
one priority should be honing your skills. That means you might be better off building smaller,
more manageable worlds, or crafting stories that are a bit more straightforward. Does that mean you
shouldn't give an epic a shot? Of course not. But be easy on yourself. If it doesn't work out for
you, it's no big deal. It just means you need more experience, and you're not gonna get that
experience unless you start writing again, but maybe with a simpler project. And lastly, Number
Five (5): There is no rush. I have lost track of the number of teen writers who have contacted me
saying they are super eager to get published, specifically before high school is over. Why?
I don't get it. There is absolutely no rush to publish right now. In fact, rushing at any age
is a big mistake. You wanna take your time, you wanna make sure you are putting out the best work
you can possibly create. On a similar note, many teen writers asked me if I believe it's
possible for a teenager to establish a writing career. I answer this by rephrasing the question:
Do I believe it's possible for a teenager to establish a career period? I'm sure it's some can.
But the majority just aren't there yet. There's a reason people aren't expected to embark on their
career until they're an adult. It's because it takes years to gain the knowledge, experience and
skill set in order to make that kind of job work. This is no different with a writing career. If
anything is even more intense. It's not enough to write a great story, you need to know marketing,
you have to hone a variety of business skills both general and industry specific. As an author
I employ finance, accounting, market research, web design, and a ton of other skills in order
to manage my career. I couldn't handle half of that shit when I was seventeen. I had school,
and homework, and a job. And yes, a few teens have been able to establish writing careers,
but most of them had a lot of help from their parents who happen to have some experience in the
writing industry. How convenient. You have years at your disposal in order to learn all the skills
you'll need to successfully manage a writing career in the future. So right now in this moment,
just write. Tell great stories, grow as an artist, you can worry about publishing later. So that's
all I got for you today. A huge thank you to Indie Mae Cole for requesting this topic and supporting
me over on Patreon, you're awesome. If you'd like the chance to have a vlog dedicated to you,
or you want access to tons of other rewards, check me out on Patreon. I got the link listed
below. With that said, don't forget to subscribe to my channel. I post new videos on Wednesdays.
My book is still available in ebook and paperback on Amazon right now. You can also order a signed
copy, links are listed below. And if you have any questions be sure to tweet me @JennaMoreci! Bye!