4 Keys to Opening Your Writing World

 

I heard a children's sermon yesterday that talked about the keys to Heaven, and as I listened, my thoughts turned to the keys in our writing world. 

What are the keys that open up our writing world? There are several. No one key will work. You will need a set of keys to do so. 

Key #1:  You'll need a set of writing tools which includes a great many items. One is knowledge of grammar, spelling, and punctuation. No matter how great your story is, if you don't do well with these three bits of help, you'll never see your work published. Another is knowing how to use sensory details. Being able to write with emotion so that the reader feels the same is a most helpful tool. The art of good, and not overdone, description is another. This set of tools is the mechanical part of your writing world.

Key #2:  Patience. I wrote a blog post very recently about the patience a writer needs to find success. It's the ones who are not willing to take the time to write on a daily basis, to practice writing with exercises, and who get frustrated at having to wait for an answer to a submission who give up and walk away. Often far too soon. Making it in the writing world takes more time than non-writers would ever realize. 

Key #3:  Perseverance. This goes hand in hand with #2. It's difficult to have one without the other. Giving up too soon is all too common. If you want to be a writer, you must work diligently for a very long time. When those rejections knock you down, you need to stand up and start all over again.

Key #4:  Passion. Namby-pamby writers aren't going to get very far. Writers need to have a passion for writing. If you've heard the expression "Write from the heart," there's wisdom in those words. We have to be able to feel the desire to write. I know writers, including myself, who say "I can't not write!"