Carpenters may carry their tools in plain sight but writers keep theirs hidden away deep within themselves. Go to a book signing or a lecture by an author and you won't see that person's writing tools in a bag next to them.
Some writing tools we either have or want to acquire are:
1. Good sentence structure
2. Use of action verbs more often than passive
3. Organized thoughts
4. Transitions between paragraphs when needed
5. Clarity
6. Memorable phrases
7. Use of sensory details
8. Showing time and place
9. Good dialogue
10. Emotion
11. Development of characters
You can't run to Home Depot to purchase these tools. You can't borrow them from a next-door neighbor. You can't rub the magic lamp and ask for a full set from a genie. A writer acquires this set of tools little by little.
How?
1. By reading books on writing
2. By reading books by other writers
3. By writing on a regular basis
4. By doing writing exercises
5. By having writing critiqued by others and paying attention to what they say
6. By attending workshops and classes on writing
It is evident that a writer does not acqure a full set of tools for his/her trade in a short space of time. Instead, a writer gathers these tools little by little.
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