Well, I had to see what all of the fuss is about. And now I have a lot of thoughts. https://charlottedonlon.substack.com/p/nine-things-i-learned-from-12-hours

I signed up for the free writing workshop she's doing w/ Donald Miller this morning which is most definitely a pitch to get people to sign up for their paid writing workshop. I signed up for research purposes. It starts in 6 minutes. I can't decide if I should watch. :/

I’m doing it. I’m going in... And it’s a Zoom call so people are going to see my name. :/ Yikes.

She grew up doing theater. (Theatre?) This is not a shocker at all.

And I don’t think people can see my name!

He just asked her if she thinks like a therapist while she’s writing her books. Um. How can one think like a therapist if she’s not trained as a therapist?

She is talking about craft a bit which is super-interesting to me. (See my piece about my opinion of her “craft of writing.”)

She says her writing is primarily storytelling. And she does tell stories. I will say a few sentences of Girl, Was Your Face made me laugh. But the “girl, XYZ” “sister, XYZ” is the worst.

She says she’s seeing scenes in her nonfiction while she writes. Seeing scenes and writing scenes are different things. Now I have to go read her fiction. She’s saying “show don’t tell.” I don’t recall good scenes in Girl, Wash Your Face. And I read it yesterday. For research.

She says writers have to read. Truth.

She’s talking about boring dialogue. I don’t remember any good dialogue in Girl, Wash Your Face. Maybe she’s talking about her fiction?

She just said she’s afraid of accidentally plagiarizing so she won’t read nonfiction while she’s writing nonfiction! @KatelynBeaty

Donald Miller is saying some good things about writing, by the way.

She says the theme of everything she writes is “You can do it!”

I’m having trouble getting this next tweet right.

Oh God. She’s writing a new book in only a month. Lord. It’s in response to the quarantine situation. It’s coming out in the fall. (Is it possible to write a good book in a month?) It’s about trauma. Because, of course, she’s trained in trauma therapy.

Donald Miller said what she’s saying is fascinating.

They’re talking about the connections between humor in stories. She writes humor to keep her readers’ attention. She disperses it through the hard things so people don’t stop reading. So she thinks we have to laugh to explore hard things. Hmm. Maybe?

Her best advice for writers is to allow your first draft to be awful and never re-read the first draft until it’s complete. So her best is advice is something a lot of people say. And something a lot of really good authors ignore.

This will not be surprising to anyone who has read her nonfiction, but her time and whatnot are very much “what works for me is definitely what will work for you.” No recognition that other things might be options.

Omg. She just admitted she sends her *first draft* to her editor because she’s really busy and needs that person to help her “craft something beautiful.” She does no revision on her own without feedback. This is not my method. Do others do this???

Donald Miller just said: “You can have bad writing and someone will say it’s great.” I think he’s talking about the value of an editor.

Now she’s talking about writing with vulnerability. Her advice: Never share vulnerability for entertainment. Don’t put things out there for the wrong reasons.

She’s saying some good things about writing about family stories from her perspective and not telling others’ stories with regard to those family experiences, etc.

She says writing is the best therapy. I disagree. It helps. But real therapy with a great therapist is the best therapy.

She knows Oprah. Damn. Now my jealousy is showing. I wish I had posted a photo of me in a bikini with stretch marks in 2015.

She’s talking about something great that Oprah said.

Donald Miller is telling a story about encouraging someone to write a book that’s actually really sweet.

She’s talking about imposter syndrome (Without saying that term) and how it strikes at the 25,000-word mark when she’s writing her books.

She’s writing a screenplay. A comedy. Miller: “ThTs going to blow up!”

*That’s

They’re pitching her online RISE Live conference that’s in May. Now they’re pitching an online class that Donald Miller is doing. (His writing course might be a decent course.)

The free workshops are all about the paid things. And they’re capitalizing on one another’s platforms and fans. People with power and influence helping other people with power and influence. That’s the way the world usually works, am I right?

She’s talking about how writing nonfiction books helps her write business copy for her audience of primarily working moms.

Donald Miller is giving some fantastic advice that all writers should memorize poems.

She’s saying StoryBrand is so great. (See previous tweet about people with power and influence helping people with power and influence.)

They’re agreeing that if you market well people/audience/customers will forgive bad writing. (Um, her nonfiction books do kind of come across as marketing campaigns so maybe this is true for her readers.)

She just said that some days she writes 10,000 words a day. Lol.

They agree that writing early in the morning is a good thing.

Another pitch for their online workshops and conferences. Donald Miller has a lot of freebies and a VIP bonus. And if you register for his thing RIGHT NOW you get a free IG post lesson guidebook thing.

That’s all. Thanks for playing. (I wonder how many people muted me?)