Three steps to becoming a better writer.
As it is, I write most every day. Typically what I write can be found on here. With that, I have always enjoyed writing. I headed the blog for my previous business for quite a while and through my years of schooling, writing was one subject I always took seriously. For me, it’s an easy outlet for my thoughts, questions and dreams. No, seriously, check out this post. On top of that, writing is simply fun. I love telling stories. I love connecting with people through words. I just love it. Got it? Good.
Throughout my time scribbling with a pen and pad or lying my fingers on a keyboard, I have learned how important the process is. Like anything else, outsiders look at writing as a simplistic event. You know, it’s like walking, just take on step and then another and wa-la, you’ve written something. To a degree this is true just as it applies to making a video or riding a bike. To get started you just do it. The key part, however, is what comes next. In writing, I have found to get started it is this simple but to keep going and to get better, well that requires a process. For me the process isn’t complex but it works well.
- Just start writing. In the movie, Finding Forester there is a scene where Sean Connery, playing the well accomplished yet never understood writer named William Forester, is mentoring an extremely talented kid, Jamal, who is working to fine tune his skills. In the scene I am referring to, William and Jamal start a writing session by sitting down at a type writer. William starts typing and directs Jamal to do the same. As you can imagine, William is putting ink to paper with ease where Jamal is somewhat lost; he doesn’t know what to do or how to start. I love this scene. It’s simple but powerful. From my perspective, it’s a great way to look at most any task in life. Start by doing. Don’t worry about editing, refining or whether you are doing it right. Just. Start. In writing, the editing and fine tuning comes later. The important part is to have something to edit first! For me, this allows for a much more creative and uninterrupted flow. The end results typically reflect this as well.
- Eliminate distractions. Text messages, phone calls, Snaps, Tweets, Facebook, IG, etc… All of these create a minute by minute distraction to our lives. When it comes to writing, there is nothing that stops my train of thought more than looking at my phone. Turn it off, set it to airplane mode, move it across the room or do whatever it takes but escape it. There is nothing worse than letting others thoughts get in the way of yours! The second piece, which is harder to escape, is family. I have human daughter and two dog daughters. The human needs attention, affection, food, a clean diaper and supervision. My dogs, well they need the same (minus the diapers). When trying to juggle these three beings and their needs with mine, things get murky, I become frustrated and we all lose. Instead of trying to give both 50%, I lock them in a dog kennel and focus 100% on my writing. Just kidding. Nap time and momma-daughter time create the best platform for me to get busy. Trying to do two things at once or flip flop back and forth, well that’s just not a good way to write.
- Delete your work. Is what you are writing starting to sound blah? Good, keep going. No matter the struggle, don’t give into the temptation of starting over- at least not yet. Finish the entire post, finish your thoughts, finish whatever it is you are writing (barring a novel) then delete it. For me, typing an entire post, highlighting the entire f*ing thing and clicking delete creates an unmatched feeling in the writing process. It’s euphoric. At first, there will be hesitation. There will be anxiety. But the freedom that follows seeing a new, blank screen is oh-so undescribeable. It’s what I imagine a caged animal feels when the latch is finally released. Free and ready to run! Clearly, this isn’t something I practice with everything I write or nothing would be here to read. However, there are things that happen less frequently, such as the Cubs winning a world series. Ok, bad example. The point is, for me, this has become something of a regular occurance.
In the end, a lot goes into any process when you are looking to grow from bad to mediocere, from mediocre to good and from good to great. I am not certain where I am on this spectrum but I do know I have grown. from starting and not stopping. For most everyone who writes well, just as for most anyone who does anything well, a process can be found. These are things we develop over time from just doing. Trying to create a process before trying to create something is backwards. First do, then refine, then redo, then repeat. For me, these three things have helped infinitely. I love them. Perhaps they will work for you too!
If you enjoyed this post and found it beneficial, please let me know by clicking the heart! If you thought it stunk, perhaps something else I wrote would better suit you. No matter your perspective, please leave a comment below about literally anything!
