Writers Fear Their Work Will Be Messy

“I have a story idea for a psychological drama I have been working on, and I wrote out a passage from the outline. I'm very insecure because I haven't written anything since school, and I'm not a reader. This is all just for fun. I have no serious intention of doing anything with it beyond seeing if I am capable of writing good prose and in-character voice. The story itself is beside the point. Anyways. I sat down, wrote a passage, and would appreciate some feedback on it. Thanks. Her”

“Completely finished with my first first draft. I had the idea around June, started writing in August, finished a couple days ago. I wrote 99% of it on my phone, and I’d guess most of it at night on the couch while my wife watched TV or in bed when I should’ve been asleep instead. I’m trying really hard to leave it alone for a week or so before reading it through and starting the editing process, which admittedly, feels incredibly daunting. Anyway,🍻 FD: I had an old account, it got shadowbanned”

“First time writing since middle school, (I’m 30 now) my prose are crap but loving my story and characters. It just feels so good to put pen to page and get my ideas down! I just started back up this week, why did I wait so long! I’m gonna try my best to write something everyday, even if it’s just a sentence. Gotta keep this going! submitted by /u/SherlockLamora [link] [comments]”

“I’m working on the epilogue for my first book. I’ve taken notes along the way, highlighting where a plot point doesn’t make sense, a sentence sounds whack, or more dialogue or scene descriptions are needed. And wow, I have a lot of notes. There are at least two major plot threads that need serious attention. I have two characters who don’t even have names yet. I refer to them as [insert name] in the book. Prose is lumpy. It sounds great in some sections and flat in others. The draft is also way”

“This is the first chapter of my second draft. This is my first novel, and I am very tentative to share here but I also really would like to avoid staying in my little silo/bubble without getting any sort of gut check. Theres a couple of minor typos but alas.... saving that for third draft and trying to just keep moving forward. It's not very long, with intention. My first draft had farrrrr too long of chapters early on and I learned that it was better to shorten, but hopefully not too much!”

“A lit bit of context. I am not a native English speaker and tenses still cause confusion for me to this day but I am doing the best I can one step at a time. And the second thing is that I mostly write my other works in first person. Marking this, not my first time but my first time in a while where I return to third person. And I want to write third person past tense because I like reading that and it will help me when dealing with the multiple viewpoints this novel has. VERSION ONE - Dated som”

DM me to give any feedback submitted by /u/SylveonImran [link] [comments]

“hi! im a uni student who has a paper due in 48 hours that i haven’t started and i have been having so much trouble starting. would someone be able to help me please 😭 i think i just need someone to read over what i have!! // edit submitted by /u/Specialist-Talk-6928 [link] [comments]”

“I’m internally suffering because of this. I’ve so far written 3 first drafts of my 3 separate novels in the past year, and every time I try to start my editing and rewriting I get nerves and terrible anxiety over it that I keep delaying. But the more I delay the terrible I feel. I’ve tried reading things in between giving it time hoping this would go away but no. When motivated enough I try to focus and map out a few changes I’d like, but again I’m just staring at the first page when it comes to”

“Hi. A couple of notes before I start. First ever post, so the formatting may be all over the place. English is not my first language, I did my best but some of this could still be a confusing mess. I write in my native italian, so this post does not reflect how i write and commenting on its structure and style would not, I think, be relevant to the discussion. The post is on the long side, so I provided a T.L.D.R in the last paragraph (though I'd appreciate it if you read the whole thing) I&”

submitted by /u/Both-Act-544 [link] [comments]

“This is the first draft of something I am working on, and I am hoping for feedback on whether or not it makes sense (everything excluding the music part). Also, the Dunning-Kruger of it is intentional. - The cops don’t know what to do with me. People need the security of their expectations. Not beliefs. Expectations. Something toward which their unconscious minds can gravitate. People don’t listen to classical music anymore because the basic harmonic progressions of popular music have conditione”

“Hello all. I'm currently working on my first novel after not properly writing for about 10 years or so. I'm working through my plan and writing the first draft but I can't help but doubt what I'm writing. I think my concept is good, but I'm worried either the structure or my prose just sucks. I know the first draft should be rough but... How rough is too rough? submitted by /u/Latefallen [link] [comments]”

“I am a new writer, always had an interest but never actually sat down and got “pen to paper” until now. With that in mind, I was hoping some more experienced folks could see how this reads to a stranger? It is the first couple of paragraphs of what I am working on. It’s difficult for me to understand where I am going right or wrong when I read it myself I am blind to my issues. Could anyone give me pointers potentially? I’d love to continue trying to tell my story. submitted by /u/Th”

“This is a loosely edited first draft of a novel I'm working on. I am not a professional writer, but I do want to improve my writing and narrative skills. I want to know how this story reads. Curious about themes you're picking up on, character(s) you like/dislike, etc. General. I am inspired by writers like Shirley Jackson, M. John Harrison, Jorge Luis Borges, and Kazuo Ishiguro. This the first chapter. Re-re-upload as image for ease of reading. Feedback appreciated. submitted by &”

“This is an edited first draft of a novel I'm working on. I am not a professional writer, and have no real desire to publish, but I do want to improve my writing and narrative skills. I want to know how this story reads. Is it interesting? Room for improvement? Absolute garbage? Do you want to keep reading? Themes you're picking up on, character(s) you like/dislike, etc. General. I am inspired by writers like Shirley Jackson, M. John Harrison, Jorge Luis Borges, and Kazuo Ishiguro. I Last”

“This is not my first projet, but it is the only one which made it to paper. This is extract is [2,050] words long, CONTAINS THEMES OF DEATH AND BLOOD / FEAR. Looking for advice, idk if i went overboard with emotions in this part. © [HISTORICAL-FROYO3574] 2026 – Do not copy, repost, or use without permission. Shared for feedback only. Sophie awoke with her heart still racing, the taste of fear sharp at the back of her throat. Sunlight crept through the curtains, but the shadows in the corners loo”

“I have been in a huge writer's block for close to a year now, and have been unable to get anything on paper. In an attempt to get back into it, I wrote this short drabble and would love your feedback on it on what I could improve. "Please...I need some water, only a little..." Audrey raised her head, straightening her slightly slouched body. The arm around her body tightened immediately, forcing her back into her previous position. Her teeth pierced yet another cut on her lips. The”

“🎉🥳 After about two months of editing to fix my head hopping issue...I wrote a flimsy, rushed ending but I don't care because I can fix it in the next draft. Celebrate 82k words and almost three years with me! 🥂 submitted by /u/eunicemothman [link] [comments]”

“So I started writing properly earlier this year and have been loving it. I believe this is exactly what I needed for my creativity but I have some issues: I have four book ideas on the go and I know I should focus on just one but how do you deal with writing consistently while having other ideas pulling you in? All ij all I have writen around 80k words in around 9 months but spread across the four books. What's your goal and do you set yourself a deadline? I tried words per day and week whic”

“so i've finished my first draft a couple weeks back. had a deadline to hit and it took months to reach it. a lot of that time spent toiling, avoiding and, well you know. anyway, i finished. it's my first feature draft. but i submitted it to two fellowships, sent it to my managers and a script consultant i had one last session with. after finishing and delivering that script i was on a high for about a week to week and a half... until it was time to get notes. and of course i was complete”

“Ignore the numbers at the bottom, it's my bad formatting skills. submitted by /u/SaltGoat7120 [link] [comments]”

“Any feedback on this prologue? For context, I’ve already written far more of this story. I’m just wondering if this is a captivating hook. I tend to have some very rough first drafts, so it’s certainly not my best work. https://preview.redd.it/2q94g6l3ghth1.png?width=1640&format=png&auto=webp&s=47200ecfe4970913b3cede8927c93ad683532d34 submitted by /u/Automatic-Detail-553 [link] [comments]”

“I need to intentionally make this poetry worse because it's supposed to be written by a character that isn't a particularly skilled writer. I myself only write as a hobby, and I don't usually write poems so it might just be "bad" enough, I honestly do not have the skills to even judge what a good or a bad poem is so I would love some feedback or ideas. The author character is an adult, fairly intelligent but not somebody who has ever been interested in literature. The story”

“Three months of writing between work and school. It is just for fun and to tell a story I’ve always wanted to read. No aspirations of publishing. I can make it as long as I’d like! That being said I’d like to refine it enough to be able to confidently print a few copies for family and friends. Thank you to this sub for inspiration to keep writing! submitted by /u/October_Surprise56 [link] [comments]”

“From a slightly discouraged writer: This may be an FAQ type of thing, and if this post isn’t suitable for the subreddit I’m so sorry (very new to actually using reddit regularly, not entirely familiar with all retiquette). So! Here’s some background on me for context, because I feel like this question requires some nuance: I’ve been writing, mainly poetry, since seventh grade. When I say mainly poetry, I mean entirely poetry except for the odd ball one-page short story/blurb and scholarly works.”

submitted by /u/babyarrrms [link] [comments]

“Please give your feedback, fellow writers submitted by /u/Immediate_Grand_7432 [link] [comments]”

“I once read an advice that said "Finish your entire story as a draft, then edit it and polish it to a point you are satisfied with" I thought it was brilliant, because truly, there are some things you can't see unless you see the whole picture. But since the story I'm writing is turning out to be a bit long, I can't help but wonder if I got the meaning of "draft"right. Like, a draft is supposed to be a unpolished, "just write it down", "John used ro”

“This is my first time ever writing something. I have dabbled with the idea for a while. So I figured I would maybe follow through with some. This is just a rough draft names and things be changed but for now I just wanted to drop out some thoughts. This is not the final so names and more things will be changed. Please all Feed back welcomed. Also would you want to read it ? submitted by /u/positive_garden_96 [link] [comments]”

“I'm trying to work on my first draft but ever sentence my mind turn to critic mode every time. Has anyone had any tips on how to push that away and continue my writing? submitted by /u/warl200 [link] [comments]”

“My writing is terrible. My grammar and punctuation are atrocious. But I just pantsed my way through a romance story that took just over four months. I love the structure and the characters (at least as they appear in my mind anyways) and I want to polish this into life. And I know that's going to be incredibly hard. But for now, I'm just excited that I've jumped over the first hurdle. I haven't told anyone I'm attempting to write a book. I'm not a writer. This is my first”

“Last night around Midnight I finished my line editing pass. It is worth a celebration. Of all parts of writing, line editing is the only one I hate. Outlining is fun. Writing is a trip through another world. I can throw away a whole chapter with far less pain than I can spend hours analyzing cadence, whether I am repeating, am I telling and not showing, fixing echoes, cleaning up intensifier abuse, etc. The novel is a Fantasy Military procedural. I had the idea last Thanksgiving weekend. The out”

“A draft of a book I want to write just a taste or vibe of it please share your thoughts it's short but it's readable. submitted by /u/NeighborhoodHuge3299 [link] [comments]”

“Hello all, I’m writing my first novel and finally in the revision stage before I’ll be handing it out to beta readers. However, I’ve got the opportunity to present 30k words from my book and a 500 word synopsis to a publisher. I’ve found plenty of info on how to write one online but I’ve found it to be quick and easy and that has me believing I’m doing it entirely wrong. So far I have my two main characters and where the story starts in the first 5 lines. I also have the inciting incident and ho”

“Im simply looking for peoples opinions, and im trying to find out if the pacing and way this is written so far, is either compelling, sweet, and cutely romantic. Or, if it's weird, awkward, cringey fan fiction type of writing that doesn't feel romantic. The story is supposed to be a tragic young love romance, and is about how young love can spark and blossom fast, but tragedy can tear it all down just as fast. I also based the chemistry/characters off of how me and my wife met, flirted,”

“The biggest question I want answered is: Would you want to keep reading? I have about 120 pages of my manuscript complete, but I find myself coming back to work on this from time to time because I feel strongly that if my intro isn't captivating and high level, especially after 20+ revisits and rewrites, that I won't be capable of doing much better in other scenes. Don't get me wrong, I know there's no such thing as "perfect" when it comes to writing, but with that bein”

“I have about 3 unfinished drafts at this point. I decided out of frustration that I'll write my first book to be easy to write rather than making it the best thing ever, but I lack imagination. Its similar to mood to The Fifth Season, but I've not read it. Infact, I've read really less books of the SFF genre, the one I wish to write in. What do I do first then, read or write? submitted by /u/SillyPotato9853 [link] [comments]”

“so as the title says i finished my first ever book's first draft. story wise i finished it. but i think i have to proof read it. looking for some plot holes to fix. grammatic errors or some sorts of things like that. at least thats where i stand at for context. my book is the first book of a series that im planning to write. and i want it to be published traditionally. ( am i being delusional to think that my debut book as a fantasy writer can be published internationally? ) i did some resea”

“I used a prompt to practice copywriting. This is my first attempt so please tell me what I did right and things I can improve one. Also it's a little silly because i was trying to be a little imaginative with it Prompt: Write an ad for a new line of bedsheets that experts have unanimously decided are the softest sheets of all time. Subject line : Want another excuse to call out of work? If hot summer nights have been leaving you restless, try our newly released, soft and cozy AutumnBreeze be”

“For some time I've been wanting to try and get into writing, while I've made some ideas, I realized that my writing skills and vocabulary are TERRIBLE, I need help. submitted by /u/Firm-Implement5013 [link] [comments]”

“(This is a piece I wrote a few days ago, I’d like to know what people think of it as well as any feedback. Thank you for reading.) I am not a Writer. I write words on paper and screens, but that doesn’t make me a Writer. I enjoy writing, but I am not a Writer. I tell stories through writing, but I am not a Writer. Writing is one of my strongest outlets for internal turmoils, but that doesn’t mean I’m a Writer. I relate to Writers in their plights, fears, and joys; but I am not a Writer. I strive”

“Hello everyone! I decided to pick up writing as I felt like needed a creative hobby. I already put my first try here before but it had some glaring formatting issues. I also rewrote some of the opening to make it less observational as someone suggested I hope I was able to fix these issues. I'm mostly looking for feedback on the story, the dialogue, the pacing and on how to imporve my prose/writing in general. CHAPTER 1 - Fracture I was made to be a security guard, tall and considerably more”

“Do you normally have a story mostly mapped out in your head or do you just start writing and whatever comes out comes out? First time writing anything more than a high school essay. submitted by /u/bored-n-searching [link] [comments]”

“Hi guys, recently I have been trying to improve my writing and have been struggling with writing prose. My prose feels undecipherable, but whenever I simplify it just seems boring. Any advice and criticism would be much appreciated. If I ever were to feel a sense of urgency, in which my previous manner of movement would not best accompany me, an immediate exit from the situation would be warranted. Accompaniment in such a situation might say, when it is safe and a respectable amount of time has”

“I've wanted to try writing for the better half of the year but never jotted down any of my ideas. One random day I decided to just write whatever. So I would really appreciate it if you guys can critique the content and the writing, since I definitely have a lot to learn and improve! Thank you. submitted by /u/Star_nightshade [link] [comments]”

“I'm now onto the final chapter for the first draft of the first one out of my book concepts I have planned, and in between doing the final chapter it's hit me how much the storyline content of the end draft is going to differ from everything I've done in the first one. Basically, this book I'm trying to bring to life involves a race of aliens in the late 22nd century with an aesthetic and advancement level of 1980s Earth, like the 60s aesthetic of the future setting in the Fallou”

“I Am writing a web novel for the first time but I am new to Writing entirely I love writing I find it fun but I don't know grammar or punctuation at all as I was never taught it and I don't really know where my story is going I mean like I have a base Idea of what I want but no reference or anything on how to grow the small idea into a plot like for example let's say isekai story I know I want magic swordsmanship and academy stuff Or regression I know I want a loner who's a gamer”

“Just want to know how the first page of my first work is. Thanks in advance! submitted by /u/Tricky-Menu-5183 [link] [comments]”

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“I am on the last stretch of a first draft, a vomit draft to be specific. Its a mess, specially as it went on, but I really needed to figure out the characters, some events and world bulding. As I wrote it. Some things only became clear I needed to think and figure until I wrote this draft. Currently I am following the approach of First create it, then make it pretty. I cant say for sure how long it is, I have some notes in it about itself on it, but its 120 k words, 32 Chapters and 370 pages mor”

“Hi! This is my first time sharing on this sub. so I don't really know how things go around here. Buuut im sharing my poem here and I'd love to hear some feedback about it (and sorry for my wording. English is not my first language). Hell The room had veiled its perfect darkness around me. I could see not what was in front and not what was in the back. I kept going forward. I saw shapes and beings that were not of this world. I could hear their faint conversations amidst the deafening sil”

“I began writing this on my phone in bed last night. I’d say most of what you see here was done in my notes app in about 15 minutes or so. I began revising and adding more in a couple of free hours I had to myself this afternoon. Curious to know when you all feel like you are done, as I plan on finishing this sometime this week and giving it out to some readers before figuring out what can be done with it. Feedback very much encouraged (please excuse the formatting). Thanks. LEO My brother was th”

“Hi!! I’m a ‘somewhat’ beginner at writing and this is one of my first drafts. I hope you all enjoy it and possibly help me out with any mistakes I’ve made or how I can improve on it! Yes I know. I will be rewriting it a bunch but some feedback might steer me into the right direction! submitted by /u/ReferenceNo8038 [link] [comments]”

“Hey folks! Just got my reviewer and editor comments back on my first ever solo-authored manuscript. And all in all, the process was tough but helpful, constructive and felt like there was genuine interest and excitement for my work. Particularly reviewer 2 (Gasp!) and reviewer 3! Got a request for major revisions and resubmit. But the general reviewer consensus was the argument was well constructed, novel and interesting, though needs a more refined scope with expanded engagement with particular”

“Exactly what the title says. I finished the first draft of my story by the end of August and started publishing chapters after proofreading them. I've posted 18 chapters plus the prologue so far, and I need someone to give me blunt feedback on what the story is lacking. Do you find the characters, powers, fantasy elements, or politics weak? The deadline is September 27th, and I try to upload 2-3 chapters daily. I really appreciate every like and comment, as the website relies heavily on view”

“Why did I do this to myself. submitted by /u/PillarsOfRuin998 [link] [comments]”

“Hey guys. I am 40k words into my first real project and some things have been nagging at me. I have some obvious issues with plot continuity in the early chapters that have kind-of started to come together in later chapters. I think I am beginning to find the direction this story is taking, but those early chapters really need to be reworked for it to flow better and set a tone earlier. Would you go back now, or just keep moving and do that in the second draft? Just looking for tips that you guy”

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