Rachel Aaron
@rachel-aaron.bsky.social
Author of a lot of books! www.rachelaaron.net
having a nice, long, written-out talk with myself is my favorite way to calm down and focus on what's actually important. I freaking love it and do it all the time. I hope it helps you too!
December 16, 2025 at 2:33 PM
having a nice, long, written-out talk with myself is my favorite way to calm down and focus on what's actually important. I freaking love it and do it all the time. I hope it helps you too!
glad you found it useful!
December 16, 2025 at 2:32 PM
glad you found it useful!
Glad I could help!
December 16, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Glad I could help!
hooray!! Glad I helped and congrats!!
December 16, 2025 at 2:07 AM
hooray!! Glad I helped and congrats!!
Glad you found it entertaining!
December 15, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Glad you found it entertaining!
Kudos for spotting the problem *before* sending it to the editor. I normally don't realize I messed up the ending until the day after I hit send T__T
December 15, 2025 at 9:12 PM
Kudos for spotting the problem *before* sending it to the editor. I normally don't realize I messed up the ending until the day after I hit send T__T
The worst mistakes are the ones that look like good ideas at the start. Unfortunately, the only way I've found to spot these snakes is to get bitten T__T Good luck with your writing!
December 15, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The worst mistakes are the ones that look like good ideas at the start. Unfortunately, the only way I've found to spot these snakes is to get bitten T__T Good luck with your writing!
"because I’d over complicated it into a corner." I FEEL SO SEEN! I do this all the time! Glad you liked the thread :D
December 15, 2025 at 6:50 PM
"because I’d over complicated it into a corner." I FEEL SO SEEN! I do this all the time! Glad you liked the thread :D
I don't know if this will work for anyone else, but the inner dialogue works both ways. Just as your inner critic can convince you not to write, you can convince your inner critic to put a sock in it by presenting a good case. Stupid but it works! I wish you all the luck in the world :D
December 15, 2025 at 6:49 PM
I don't know if this will work for anyone else, but the inner dialogue works both ways. Just as your inner critic can convince you not to write, you can convince your inner critic to put a sock in it by presenting a good case. Stupid but it works! I wish you all the luck in the world :D
It sounds super cringey when I describe it, but I'm the sort who can be convinced by a good argument, so it worked amazingly well. I got over my critic by framing all writing as practice that no one ever had to see, and eventually I wrote something that impressed even my ridiculous expectations!
December 15, 2025 at 6:47 PM
It sounds super cringey when I describe it, but I'm the sort who can be convinced by a good argument, so it worked amazingly well. I got over my critic by framing all writing as practice that no one ever had to see, and eventually I wrote something that impressed even my ridiculous expectations!
I don't know if you talk to yourself, but I find it very therapeutic. I literally made an argument before my own brain that 1) no one is good at art the first time, 2) the only way to get better is to practice, and 3) I was stopping myself from practicing.
December 15, 2025 at 6:46 PM
I don't know if you talk to yourself, but I find it very therapeutic. I literally made an argument before my own brain that 1) no one is good at art the first time, 2) the only way to get better is to practice, and 3) I was stopping myself from practicing.
I have a loud inner critic as well, and what helped me get past it was having a serious conversation with myself (no joke, I literally sat down and wrote myself a letter) letting my ego know that it was destroying both of our dreams with this "you're not good enough" nonsense.
December 15, 2025 at 6:45 PM
I have a loud inner critic as well, and what helped me get past it was having a serious conversation with myself (no joke, I literally sat down and wrote myself a letter) letting my ego know that it was destroying both of our dreams with this "you're not good enough" nonsense.
The secret is just to sit down and start getting words. The best part of writing is that it isn't a performance art. You're free to mess up as many times as you want, and no one will ever know until you decide to let them read. There is no audience, so have fun with your words and just write!
December 15, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The secret is just to sit down and start getting words. The best part of writing is that it isn't a performance art. You're free to mess up as many times as you want, and no one will ever know until you decide to let them read. There is no audience, so have fun with your words and just write!
thanks! Glad my procrastination went to a good cause :D
December 15, 2025 at 5:27 PM
thanks! Glad my procrastination went to a good cause :D
For me currently, it's "actually" and "definitely." I actually have a frequency check I run to look for specifically for these and I still probably overuse them T_T
December 15, 2025 at 5:27 PM
For me currently, it's "actually" and "definitely." I actually have a frequency check I run to look for specifically for these and I still probably overuse them T_T
Thank you for coming to my TED talk. I'm going to go rewrite a book from word 1 now. Wish me luck! #amwriting
a man with a beard says " deep sigh " in front of some ferns
ALT: a man with a beard says " deep sigh " in front of some ferns
media.tenor.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Thank you for coming to my TED talk. I'm going to go rewrite a book from word 1 now. Wish me luck! #amwriting
All of this is a long-winded way of saying I have to start over and I don't waaant to. But I will. I've rewritten whole books before and I'm sure I'll do it again. But just know that if you're having these problems, you are not alone. We all mess up. The key is to keep going until you get it right.
December 15, 2025 at 3:57 PM
All of this is a long-winded way of saying I have to start over and I don't waaant to. But I will. I've rewritten whole books before and I'm sure I'll do it again. But just know that if you're having these problems, you are not alone. We all mess up. The key is to keep going until you get it right.
Yes, this is a ton of work. Yes, it's going to make the book late (not Bex 5, don't worry!). But it is always always ALWAYS better to take the time to do it right. A book might be late for six months, but it's bad forever, and I'd rather quit writing forever than release a book I'm not proud of.
December 15, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Yes, this is a ton of work. Yes, it's going to make the book late (not Bex 5, don't worry!). But it is always always ALWAYS better to take the time to do it right. A book might be late for six months, but it's bad forever, and I'd rather quit writing forever than release a book I'm not proud of.
For example, I no longer waste time trying to save sinking ships. I *have* managed it. It *can* be done, but it's almost always less work (and much more satisfying) to just go back to where the problem started and rewrite from scratch.
That's what I'm doing right now. Starting over from chapter 1.
That's what I'm doing right now. Starting over from chapter 1.
December 15, 2025 at 3:53 PM
For example, I no longer waste time trying to save sinking ships. I *have* managed it. It *can* be done, but it's almost always less work (and much more satisfying) to just go back to where the problem started and rewrite from scratch.
That's what I'm doing right now. Starting over from chapter 1.
That's what I'm doing right now. Starting over from chapter 1.
At this point, I don't think there's any amount of practice that will let me spot these problems ahead of time. They're always made with the best of intentions, but the Law of Unintended Consequences hits double when you're writing.
The one thing I have gotten better at is FIXING these problems.
The one thing I have gotten better at is FIXING these problems.
December 15, 2025 at 3:51 PM
At this point, I don't think there's any amount of practice that will let me spot these problems ahead of time. They're always made with the best of intentions, but the Law of Unintended Consequences hits double when you're writing.
The one thing I have gotten better at is FIXING these problems.
The one thing I have gotten better at is FIXING these problems.
It didn't seem like an issue at the time. I wasn't even planning to use that plot point again! But the IMPLICATIONS of how I solved that problem freed my character from the dire consequences of other, plot-important actions. No threat = no tension = book stops working.
December 15, 2025 at 3:49 PM
It didn't seem like an issue at the time. I wasn't even planning to use that plot point again! But the IMPLICATIONS of how I solved that problem freed my character from the dire consequences of other, plot-important actions. No threat = no tension = book stops working.
In this current case, I brought in a more powerful character to fix a problem for my MC in chapter 1. I did this because dealing with the problem right then would've caused problems, but in fixing one problem, I inadvertently kicked out the the supports that held up everything else.
December 15, 2025 at 3:45 PM
In this current case, I brought in a more powerful character to fix a problem for my MC in chapter 1. I did this because dealing with the problem right then would've caused problems, but in fixing one problem, I inadvertently kicked out the the supports that held up everything else.
It's as invisible as the wind I used in my last metaphor. Unlike wind, though, tension is entirely under your control as an author, which unfortunately means you can break it. Usually by not making stakes high enough or by solving a problem too early. Those are my typical sins, at least.
December 15, 2025 at 3:43 PM
It's as invisible as the wind I used in my last metaphor. Unlike wind, though, tension is entirely under your control as an author, which unfortunately means you can break it. Usually by not making stakes high enough or by solving a problem too early. Those are my typical sins, at least.