Lexie

Just a girl trying to write a book. Terrible at responding and worse at spelling. Burnt out “gifted child” so constantly needs validation. Commitment issues but we’re working on it

[anti-lexiclub]

Hi! My name is Lexie and I’m writing my debut novel.

I’m 20, studying English and Creative Writing, and have been trying to write a book since 4th grade.

Unfortunately, I don’t really have anyone in my life who likes to read or write, so I struggle to talk out any ideas I have or get any help. I’d love to make friends on here to talk to and collaborate with!

[an0neemouse]

Constructive criticism is for things like grammar, punctuation, continuity. It is not for preference. Preference should only be offered when asked. Contrary to popular belief, authors do not write just for you. It is your responsibility to find works that suit your preference, not the other way around.

[anti-lexiclub]

@ people who tag authors in negative reviews. Keep that opinion to yourself and your two followers💜

[anti-lexiclub]

30,000 words into my first draft and just now realizing there’s actually no plot.

Just my characters running from location to location, fueled by vibes, banter, and the will to live

Oh and they hardly ever actually use magic despite that being what makes it a fantasy

[anti-lexiclub]

For all the readers/writers out there who enjoy both, any tips on how to enjoy reading books without comparing them to the one you’re writing?

I don’t mean writing level because I’m confident in how I write and remember “don’t compare someone’s last draft to your first.” But I’m currently writing a fantasy/romance, and when I read that genre, I can’t help but feel inferior to the magic systems, plots, world building, and characters that I’m reading about. Kind of like “why would anyone read my simplified world when there’s others like this out there?”

I find it hard to enjoy well written fantasy/romance books because I’m jealous of them, which sucks cause I love them.

How do y’all balance reading and writing the same genre?

[anti-lexiclub]

How do yall keep from going back and rewriting your WIP? I just took a couple weeks off from writing because I’ve been crazy busy with the holidays, and now that I’m getting back into it, I realize that the characters/plotline could be so much better. But I don’t want to go back and rewrite everything, yet it’s hard to just keep moving forward knowing the changes I want to make.

[anti-lexiclub]

Question. So I too hate the trope in Romantic Fantasies where the FMC is too skinny for her own good and one breeze away from getting blown over, yet you give her a sword, a hot trainer, and a couple days and she’s the best fighter you’ve ever seen. I find it unrealistic and hard to relate to. This being said, in the romantasy I’m writing, my FMC was kicked out of her home and has physically been unable to find much food, since she sucks at stealing and has no real way to procure it, and because of this she is in fact starving.

I don’t describe her as skinny and fragile, but it’s evident in her movements, actions, and thoughts that she considers herself weak (rightfully so). I don’t want to focus on it too much because that’s not the point of the story, but I do want to make a point to have her go through a realistic process of recovering once she is at a stable point and can access constant food. At the beginning of the book, some of her hair is falling out, she has no endurance, and throws up most of what she can eat. She’s not going to be able to fight, at least not until towards the end, and her power is going to come from her mind and magic.

Does this beat the trope I was talking about? I don’t want to just be another book with a starving, skinny FMC, but in the story, she literally is starving because of her situation. I think if her recovery is realistic, it’s ok, right?

(I honestly just want a female character who isn’t strong and tough physically, and is more reliant on her wit and intelligence, but she slowly becomes more capable physically in a believable way)

[anti-lexiclub]

Guys I have officially (kind of) finished plotting my book and fleshing out the world/characters. (Ikr who knew that was possible?)

But I’m stuck on which POV to write in. My first attempt was first person, but I’ve seen that some people really like third, while others prefer first. I feel like with first POV, the readers will connect with my FMC more, but I also find that I’m constantly worried that she gets too annoying or boring.

She’s also an unreliable narrator, so idk which POV that would fit better with.

Which do y’all prefer and which do y’all recommend?

(Btw, it’s a fantasy book with a romantic subplot)

[anti-lexiclub]

Hey could yall like bully me into writing? Or believing my story is worthy to be written? Cause I want to write so badly and I’m still in love with the story, but self doubt is crippling and I’m constantly asking like “what’s the point?”

(Don’t be like too mean, I do have depression after all)

[rosegoldenatlas]

Babygirl look at me. Hey look at me *jingles keys in front of you* every story is worth writing just for the act of writing it in itself and the feeling of- hey I know this sounds cliche listen to me *puts on subway surfers gameplay behind the text* -the feeling of having those words in real life instead of in your head will make it so much better even if its just bullet points of plot and character traits in the notes app on your phone. I've been there and it sucks but the only way to get out of the slump is to- hey this is getting kinda emotional *plays a few funny clips* -anyways the only way to get out of the slump is to try really hard to just put a few sentences out and find someone to rant to about it. I for one *jingles keys again* -I for one would love to hear about your story. Yes I'm serious. Feel free to dm or send an ask explaining it all to me. I need motivation for my own story and hearing others' helps a lot.

[anti-lexiclub]

No this is actually amazing and kept me wildly engaged,making me slightly question if I have a sprinkle of ADHD too

[bambistjames]

non-writers will never understand the mental illness of writing an entire conversation in your head while doing dishes and then forgetting every word the second you open a blank doc

[anti-lexiclub]

I need advice.

I’ve posted about how much I hate worldbuilding because I’m not good at it (I severely lack creativity no matter how hard I try) and it’s actually preventing me from making any progress in my story. It’s a fantasy world that’s divided into territories, each with their own magics and ways of living. They are very separate and don’t communicate much because of reasons. But do they all have the same information?

I question everything - how does my character even know their inner anatomy? How do they know what a brain is or that it needs oxygen? Does she know about gravity and how so? What about different concepts that I know of in this world, but they really have no way of knowing in theirs?

Then there’s the question of how much of the real world is a part of my fantasy world? What references can I make that make sense within this setting? I keep finding myself wanting to reference things that are kind of impossible to know in this world. A part of me just wants to make it a dystopian world, that used to be like ours, but then I’m just rewriting the plot of The 100 (one of my fav shows).

So, ultimately, I just want to write my characters, their powers, and the plot, yet I’m tripping over the world and logistics at every turn and I need help.

[anti-lexiclub]

Hey could yall like bully me into writing? Or believing my story is worthy to be written? Cause I want to write so badly and I’m still in love with the story, but self doubt is crippling and I’m constantly asking like “what’s the point?”

(Don’t be like too mean, I do have depression after all)

[anti-lexiclub]

Am I the only one who hates writing world building? I’m writing a fantasy story but only care about the magic and powers incorporated. I’m not the most creative person and I find it so hard to world build, especially when I find it even harder to care about the world building.

I have my characters who I’m in love with and their journeys, I have a plot and the barest hints of an outline, but I struggle so much with little things like new expressions or curse words or environments where I have to make it up myself.

Maybe the work is dystopian? So I can play off of how the world used to be and not have to start from scratch? Idk maybe I’m insane but I’m much more character focused than world focused and it makes writing my characters in THEIR WORLD difficult. What do yall think

[anti-lexiclub]

Pls convince me to keep my main character’s name: Thea. I love it and nothing else really suits her, but it sounds like the Spanish word Tia and it kills the vibe.

(Her full name is Althea)

[anti-lexiclub]

Ok yall delivered I fell back in love with it.

Now my MMC? His name is currently Rydell (goes by Ry/Rye)

Pls convince me to either adore it or trash it

(I am so serious about names it becomes an obsession)

[anti-lexiclub]

Pls convince me to keep my main character’s name: Thea. I love it and nothing else really suits her, but it sounds like the Spanish word Tia and it kills the vibe.

(Her full name is Althea)

[anti-lexiclub]

GUYS I DONT KNOW HOW TO WRITE MY MMC.

IS HE SERIOUS OR FUNNY OR CARELESS OR STOIC OR SARCASTIC OR ANNOYING OR ARROGANT OR QUIET OR PLAYFUL OR DEFENSIVE

My FMC is quiet, reserved, wants nothing to do with him if that helps

(It’s a fantasy romance)

[anti-lexiclub]

That moment when your seven chapters and 20k words deep in your book and need to go back and rewrite an entire character (aka, all but two chapters)

On the bright side, I figured out why he feels so dull and flat…so there’s that.

Yayyyy

[anti-lexiclub]

Does anyone have advice on how to get back into their own characters?

I’ve found myself really struggling to write the MMC in my book and I’m not sure why. My FMC feels like a real person while he feels like…just there. I know what I want his character and personality to be, I’m just really struggling to achieve it through my writing.

The romance between him and my FMC also just seems dull. How could two fictional characters have no chemistry? Idk but I made it possible.

Does anyone have any advice, tips, or tricks to get back into liking my character?