The Webnovel Writer's Chatgroup

Some of the authors on Webnovels were inspired to write their own stories after reading the works of famous authors. Perhaps some of them believed that they could do a better job. Some of them ran out of things to read, so they decided to write the "story" that they want to read. While others… just want to write a story that they think will be popular to the readers.

Ironically, the stories that they had written also inspired other readers to write their own stories as well. Hopefully, this cycle will never end. So that the future generations will be able to read new and exciting stories that will show them a world filled with sword, magic, cultivation, and Lo--

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Xandarx: There's a reason for them to be famous as they have their style

Zenith: lol.

Xandarx: You can see it from their work, it's true. Like their character has embedded into the book. This is what make them different I think.

Zenith: I know. But not everyone is as great as you show them to be. They learn from their previous works While we are still struggling to finish one.

Xandarx: Yeah, I know.

Zenith: They move on and get better that's where the difference lies. If you see any CN author who made it big, you can see that they had their share of experience before getting there, or for that matter, any author in the Western world.

Murakami: Not necessarily publishing houses only accept works they think will sell.

Zenith: The ones who get it big the first time are rare.

Murakami: So you might not see how they built up to their debut novel. Authors can have 15-20 scrapped novels b4 they debut, and the public don't get to read a single one.

Reili: Yikes.

Xandarx: Yeah.

Zenith: That doesn't make the author lose his experience of writing those scrapped novels that's the point I was making.

Murakami: But it also means that it's more like hit and miss.

Reili: True because they don't get the feedback from fans.

Murakami: They get limited feedback from an agent/editor who doesn't want to read their work.

Zenith: Yeah, but it surely is better than nothing.

Murakami: And they're left with a bunch of abstract and vague advice that they have no idea how to implement.

Reili: If they don't enjoy it, the feedback won't be as insightful.

Zenith: They can learn from their mistakes from reading their own works.

Reili: Well…

Zenith: If possible, from platforms.

Murakami: If they knew how to do that they'd fix it and publish it.

Reili: It would make the process easier if someone who enjoys the book to give them better feedback.

Zenith: It's called rewriting from scratch, and it takes a tonne of time if the author feels more interested in some other idea of his, he would do that.

Reili: I suppose so since the author being inspired will bring his book along.

VKBoy: If the ones giving review are professional editors, then they don't necessarily have to have read your work with immersion because their suggestions will still likely cover the basic flaws that amateurish writers usually make.

Reili: Point taken.

Zenith: Yeah.

Murakami: @VKBoy if they spot those errors they'll put down the manuscript after the first page

Reili: Then again, its a little bit like movie critics. They may hate the movie, but fans love it.

Zenith: Yeah.

Murakami: And then send a reply saying, "Don't send in another manuscript until you learn how to write properly."

Zenith: Professionals in the said field prefer not taking risks. Especially in movies

but books, you can keep trying.

VKBoy: Well, if there are errors in the first page itself, that's a whole different thing, lol.

Reili: True.

Murakami: No, but a good editor can tell the writing quality from just the first page

even if you've crafted it perfectly, they can just tell that the rest will be shit.

Reili: You have to also take into account of one punch man. The original comic looks terrible, but the redraw made it amazing.

Zenith: That's smartness of the creator.

VKBoy: Well, in one punch man's case, it got attention from the companies after it got popular in the online communities.

Reili: So a persons writing and grammar may be terrible, but with a little editing, the story itself could be amazing.

Zenith: You can let the editor do the Shi*t and focus on your story, It works.

Overlord Venus: Yeah, solo leveling is a good example. The story is bland.

Reili: But it would also help if the author re-reads the edit to make sure the essence of their story is still there.

HavenlyJeep: Essence and core backbone.

Zenith: @Reili It depends on what the author wants, and how much work he is willing to put in.

Reili: @Zenith true.

VKBoy: Of course, some editors just butcher the style of the author.

Reili: Same but honestly I just use Grammarly and the read aloud function in word to make sure the chapter makes sense.

Zenith: You can learn about writing, grammar, editing if you truly want. It is just the question of, would you?

Reili: I'm more into thinking up ideas and writing them than editing.

VKBoy: Editing is also writing, mate. Rewriting is where real writing lies.

Zenith: It's a skill in writing a story, but your choice.

Reili: Point taken.

Murakami: You can't be a writer without being an editor.

Zenith: Editing it yourself can help you keep the heart of the story.

Reili: That being said, the more I write, the better my basic grammar became.

Zenith: You will keep the feels right.

Reili: Editing is now part of the process.

Zenith: And not make it just sound or look better, you give what the story wants

And that is a great thing.

Reili: Creative freedom.

Zenith: I want to learn grammar and revise what I learned.

VKBoy: @Zenith Learning grammar will take years, so take it slow and steady. That way, memories stick with you for longer times.

Reili: I do read mtl sometimes since I can't wait for chaps, but then I find myself reading in broken English and must stop.

Murakami: I'd like to correct that statement VKBoy. Learning grammar is easy

learning "usage" is hard.

VKBoy: lol, if you read mtl, your IQ drops. Believe me, this can affect a person's writing skill in the long run.

Reili: Definitely, which is why I stopped.

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Author's Notes

I'm sure you've read this a few times in the previous chapters, but I had been reading MTL chapters for the past few years. I usually read "Completed" stories, and most of them are around 2-4k chapters each. Of course, I read the translated chapters first. After I reach the latest translated chapter, I will immediately jump to *cough* Google Translate.

Yeah~ I know. Reading chapters through Google Translate was the most…epic mistake I did in the past. I've finished World Defying Dan God, Battle Through the Heavens uhh…and a few more novels using Google Translate.

In the later years, I discovered lnmtl.com, which gave me a better translation (at least the names of the characters are not written like Cloud Che instead of Yun Che (Against the Gods).

To be perfectly honest, If I didn't start writing, I would have continued to read these machine translated chapters even now. Reading MTL works if English is not your first language.

This is something that those with English as their main language will scoff at. However, for those who just want to read. As in reading something without worrying about anything else, then they won't care even if it's a machine translated chapter. As long as they will be able to read the NEXT chapter, then it's all good.

This is also the reason why I admire translators. If not for them, these stories that we are not aware of will not be able to grace us with their presence. I would like to thank the translators of my favorite novels like Lord of Mysteries, Release that Witch, Against the Gods, Cultivation Chatgroup, Second Coming of Avarice, and so many other titles that I won't be able to list here.

To my beloved readers, if there will come a time when you feel like writing a story of your own and you're reading machine translated chapters, please stop now. I'm saying this for your own good.

I understand how you feel. Believe me I do, but for the sake of the story you're going to write in the future, heed my advice. Stop now, while you still have the chance. Learning how to write from scratch with broken English is a painful process.

Then again, if you find an editor who is a masochist, consider yourself lucky. Let them clean up your mess for you, so you can focus on writing your story, and learn the art of writing while you write.

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