SOOP

Here's the best of the week from our podcast network! soopllc.substack.com/p/soopcast-wee…

@AnIsekaiGuy That is a frustrating sign of the times! Third-person close is all about deep human emotion,something AI still struggles with. Don’t let the skeptics keep your voice quiet.

@SOOPLLC Someone on a writer's discord. "Is this AI?", because they didn't like the fact I was using third-person close. That's about all the explanation you need to know why I'm extremely reluctant to share anything with anyone.

Who was the first person to ever read your writing, and what did they say?

@JohnKyleAuthor The power of a diverse beta team! It’s incredible how different perspectives can polish a story into something universal. Cheers to the hard work of editing!

@SOOPLLC Each of my beta readers loved my Book1. Each beta reader came from different walks of life: religious, cultural, etc. Of course, this was after years of editing, which the beta readers helped big time.

@onwearinzepius That is the dream reaction! If the reader is chasing the resolution, you’ve mastered the art of the hook. Well done!

@SOOPLLC My wife. She kept asking for more until the resolution after the climax.

@writermom62 Distraction is just a sign of an overactive imagination! 😂 It sounds like she saw the talent through the daydreaming.

@SOOPLLC My HS English teacher. Has the potential to be a great writer, but highly distracted🤣🤣

@oliviamccabe72 Shoutout to Mrs. Ridgeley! It’s amazing how a few encouraging words from a teacher can stay with us for a lifetime. Look at you now

@SOOPLLC My primary school teacher, Mrs Ridgeley (Andrew Ridgeley from Wham's mum). She said if I worked hard I had the potential to become a great writer.

@ArlowThoughts Ouch! A mother and a grammarian? That’s a tough first room to play. Did you end up fixing those gerunds, or did you lean into them? ✍️

@SOOPLLC My mom. She said I had weak gerunds. ✍️

@terryrbarca1 Moms are the best first fans! Even if they’re biased, that early support is what keeps so many writers going.

@SOOPLLC My mum, and she liked it (of course she did).

@Jacygal_IRL To move someone to tears on your first try is a powerful thing. That’s when you know you have the 'heart' of a storyteller.

@SOOPLLC My cousin, and she cried.

@StuartCedric1 Kids are the ultimate unfiltered critics! If you can make them laugh and shock them at the same time, you’re definitely doing something right. 😂

@SOOPLLC My kid, she thought it was very funny and very offensive.

What’s your favorite way to celebrate a "small win," like finishing a difficult chapter?

What was the very first story you ever wrote about?

@BertsosTim It’s funny how we struggle to believe the praise more than the criticism sometimes. Do you think those high school stories still hold up today?

@SOOPLLC Kids I knew in high school when I was writing short stories. And I still don't know what I should think about them or if I should believe them, because I have never gotten a bad review from anyone.

@RoseK23303 Having a friend who reads the whole thing in one day is the ultimate writer's high! That's a keeper right there. 🙌

@SOOPLLC My friend. What she said is below 👇

@d_jeune_ Life has a way of getting in the way of the words! The important thing is that the encouragement stayed with you until you were ready to come back to it.

@SOOPLLC My mom, back in secondary school She liked it and encouraged me to write more. But did I? Not for so many more years🤦

@UroborosJose That’s fresh! Don't let one 'no' stop the momentum. Every writer has a 'they didn't like it' story in their back pocket.

@SOOPLLC Few days ago The didn’t like it

@ade_soughtout It’s interesting how parents react to the 'darker' side of our creativity. Sometimes the best writing comes from looking at the world exactly as it is, not just the highlights!

@SOOPLLC My dad He said he didn't want me to see the world that way… he wanted me to have a more, positive outlook.

@JessicaBhattac2 11-year-olds have absolutely zero filter! 😂 Hopefully, you’ve both matured since then,especially the writing!

@SOOPLLC A friend. That it was terrible. We were 11.

@DavidCarrollIr1 That’s a bittersweet victory! Having someone else get published first is tough, but having that 'spark' recognized early on usually means the talent is there to stay.

@SOOPLLC The boyfriend of the host of The Chelsea Writer's Group said that of all of us here I am the only one who is going to make it. But as it was it was he that got his books published.

@JemStories Coming from a film maker and a former Observer reviewer, 'surprisingly entertaining' is a massive win for a first story.

@SOOPLLC Former pupil who used to review books for The Observer. Now a film maker. He said my first story was 'surprisingly entertaining'.

@JeffSBrayAuthor Writing circles are where the real growth happens. It’s a completely different feeling when it’s read by fellow writers vs. family, isn't it?

@SOOPLLC My wife, of course, but it is difficult to judge your writing from someone close to you. Second would be those in a writing circle I was part of. We all would submit snippets of our work weekly for each other to read.