Your tier system unlocked something I've been struggling to name about why the best romance novels work. The premise "woman has to work alongside the man who humiliated her in front of the whole kingdom" isn't a topic. It's a Tier 2 idea that makes you reorganize your entire sense of what desire costs. Do you think genre fiction has a structural advantage here, since the whole form is already built on a tension readers know they want resolved?
I've never written fiction seriously, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. But the idea of tier one ideas making characters maybe relatable, where a tier two idea would recontextualize what the reader thinks they know about the story. Maybe there's something there? You'd be more of an expert on that than me.
Hugely helpful, Taylin, thank you! I immediately thought of several drafts I have that could benefit from this shift—and felt the fear of what writing with more tension actually means (e.g., taking a stronger stance, being even more honest with my opinions, no more hiding in the shadows, etc.). I've definitely got some work to do!
WOW! Literally just found you today. This piece is so timely for what I'm working on and I'm subscribing because I need to learn more about how to cultivate ideas toake my work undeniable and compelling. Great job and thank you!❤️
Well, I'm not sure how well you're doing at it right now, but if you truly seek to improve and iterate and look for room to improve every single day, then I think it's unlikely that you don't gain some traction over a long enough time horizon.
Finally breaking down what a "big idea" really is. Epic piece dude.
Took me about $30k and a few thousand drafts to figure it out.
Your tier system unlocked something I've been struggling to name about why the best romance novels work. The premise "woman has to work alongside the man who humiliated her in front of the whole kingdom" isn't a topic. It's a Tier 2 idea that makes you reorganize your entire sense of what desire costs. Do you think genre fiction has a structural advantage here, since the whole form is already built on a tension readers know they want resolved?
I've never written fiction seriously, so take everything I say with a grain of salt. But the idea of tier one ideas making characters maybe relatable, where a tier two idea would recontextualize what the reader thinks they know about the story. Maybe there's something there? You'd be more of an expert on that than me.
This content is gold, wish I subscribed to your newsletter earlier. Now I understand why my previous pieces weren't doing as well.
Thanks man. It really means a lot and I’m glad it resonated.
Language does before it means.
They don’t teach you that at writing 101.
In a world anesthetized to feeling people may be turning to reading to learn how to feel again.
Totally agree with ya. They rarely teach the part where an idea grabs someone by the collar.
I liked this:
"The test is simple. Say it out loud at dinner. If your friends nod, it’s a topic. If they lean in—”wait, is that true?”—it’s an idea."
Dinner conversation might be the most underrated writing workshop.
current idea testers would be my 5 and 7 year old, but hey a children's book is always an option!
You've seen it happen Taylin!
Somebody writes something average.
Grammar's off.
Structure's weird.
But you can't stop reading.
And then you read something beautifully created...
And you're bored by the third paragraph.
That's the truth nobody wants to admit.
Your writing skills aren't the problem.
The idea you chose is.
You can spend years getting better at sentences.
But if you start with a boring idea?
Your writing gets no where.
Meanwhile...
Someone with an electric idea and mediocre writing is getting thousands of subscribers.
The painful part is realizing how many evenings were spent polishing when the idea itself was asleep.
Or maybe...
The idea was sitting dormant at the back of our brains lol
This is so good it shouldn’t be allowed to be free.
Careful the paid wall might hear you.
😂
This! Thank you for putting to words something i subconsciously knew but couldn’t articulate (and therefore could not replicate)
Totally feel ya. The frustrating part is when you feel the pattern but can’t describe it yet.
Hugely helpful, Taylin, thank you! I immediately thought of several drafts I have that could benefit from this shift—and felt the fear of what writing with more tension actually means (e.g., taking a stronger stance, being even more honest with my opinions, no more hiding in the shadows, etc.). I've definitely got some work to do!
Let’s gooo man. Welcome to the dangerous part of writing. The moment where the idea asks you to be a little more honest than planned.
Ooo I like that!!
Mmmm. Ok. Yep.
Does that resonate with you, too?
This is so deep and insightful. top tier!
WOW! Literally just found you today. This piece is so timely for what I'm working on and I'm subscribing because I need to learn more about how to cultivate ideas toake my work undeniable and compelling. Great job and thank you!❤️
Well, I'm not sure how well you're doing at it right now, but if you truly seek to improve and iterate and look for room to improve every single day, then I think it's unlikely that you don't gain some traction over a long enough time horizon.