Stand Out Among Other Writers

 

Yesterday, I told you about our prediction of 3-8 inches of snow overnight. I tiptoed to the window when I woke this morning and looked out, expecting to see a white world and snow still falling. Instead, I found that we'd had only a dusting! There was a light covering of snow on the driveway, and now, even that has disappeared. Many closings for today were announced last night. The Kansas State University campus is closed today. The students must be cheering for the unexpected day off. Farther north of us, they did get more measurable snow. 

On to our photo for today. I loved this coffee mug that says 'Be a flamingo in a flock of pigeons.' What does that mean in our writing world? That we should work towards being the writer who stands out among all the other writers. The flamingo stands out when in the midst of a flock of pigeions because it is taller and more brilliant in color. 

How are you going to stand out from many, many other writers? Size and color don't matter a twit. But your ability to write so that readers sit up and pay attention does. How can you achieve that? 

There is no one way, to write on a daily basis is a step in a process. The more you write, the better writer you can become. 

Another is to make the best use of words possible. Do away with passive verbs; work at using as many action verbs as you can. Work at using descriptive phrases, at finding the best adjectives but not overusing them, at giving a distinct sense of place. 

One important way is to find your voice and use it to make your writing unique, to make what you write different from what others write. Your voice is your style of writing, the way in which you tell a story. It's the way your personality shines through and the way you put sentences together and your word choice. When you read the novels of a prolific author, don't you notice a sameness in the way he/she writes? The stories are different, but the author's voice is quite the same. Have you ever heard a reader say "I love the way he writes!" What they love is the voice the writer has developed.

Some writers do something to their physical appearance when they are at an event to make themselves noticeable. They might dress in outlandish clothing, or vintage clothing only, or revealing costumes. They might color their hair a color no one else has so they stand out in the crowd, and they become known for rainbow striped hair or whatever. They're trying to be the flamingo in the crowd, but their physical appearance is far less important than their writing ability. 

We all know that writing is hard work. To be that flamingo who stands out in the flock of writers, you'll need to work especially hard every day. Outstanding writers do not just happen. They are created by determination, diligence, and passion for the writing craft.