Has Your Writing Improved?

Ready for another rainy day!

Here in the Plains states, we are bracing for another round of thunderstorms, some possibly severe. We're pretty waterlogged already with some areas dealing with flooding and the aftermath of tornadic activity. The umbrellas in today's photos might be of use once again.

I have read at least three articles by writers recently that speak about the embarrassment some of their earliest writings have brought them. They each wondered how they could have written the pieces that had been published by websites and blogs that were content driven. Those editors needed something to publish daily and were wont to accept less than perfect offerings. 

The writers then went on to tell of how much their writing had improved, that they were selling far more now than ever. Isn't that as it should be? Aren't we suppose to get better at whatever it is we do as we continue on our journey? I would certainly not want to tell people that my writing has become worse and worse over the years. Not the way it should work, is it?

Athletes, artists, carpenters--all of these people most likely get better at what they do as they ply their profession or trade. Why? It's as simple as the fact that we learn as we work at what we do. We pick up little things that, when applied, make a difference. We become aware of the errors made and work to correct them.

One way we learn as writers is by reading what others have written. The more we read, the better writer we should become. As we read, our subconscious gathers bits and pieces about the method of writing, then stores them away. Sometimes, while reading, we have a very conscious 'aha!' moment when we note a device the author has used that impressed us.

What if you're a beginning or newbie writer? Is what you're writing now the highest level you can achieve? I hope not. It may be alright, even good at times, but we always need to strive to continue to improve as writers. 

As a beginning writer, I know that, while my content may have been quite alright, my mechanics were not always the best. I used cliches. I relied too much on passive verbs. I felt like adverbs had to be added to dialogue tags. I repeated words too often. These 'mechanical errors' were minor, but as I learned to correct them, my overall rating as a writer increased. 

Hopefully, you write with more depth as you continue your writing career. That, too, makes you a better writer. Beginning writers might only skim the surface of a topic or of a character. The longer you write, the better you become at reaching farther.

Don't judge yourself as a writer on your earliest efforts. Instead, look at what you've achieved, how you've improved. Have you reached the pinnacle of your writing journey? I would hope not, but that you continue to write better and better. As for those early attempts in your writing life, don't be a bit embarrassed. Instead, be pleased that you have made a significant improvement over the years.