Becoming a Better Writer

 

"We are all apprentices in a craft where no one becomes a master."  This quote by Ernest Hemingway speaks to me as a writer. We strive for perfection, but will we ever reach that stage in our writing life? I'm guessing not, but can we come close? I think we can. 

 The five areas of writing are prewriting, drafting, revising, editing, and publishing. The prewriting may be one of the most important. It's where we find an idea, gather information or do a bit of research, and a lot of quiet thinking. Next comes putting pen to paper or fingers to keys to write the first draft. Keyword here is 'first'. Third step is revision which lets us change positions of some things, add or cut words, and more. Editing is a step that is often repeated rather than a onetime only. Last, we prepare for publishing by looking at markets, adding final bits necessary if it is a book, and submitting to a publisher. 

Those five stages are important, and the more we move through them, the better writer we will be. The apprentice carpenter may have trouble cutting boards so they are straight, but he/she will increase the ability to do so by repeating the task over and over. Writers are no different. The more we work on the five areas, or stages, named above, the better our finished piece will be. 

If you've written for a year, five years, twenty years, whatever it is, a look back at our earliest efforts might be revealing. Go through your files and read some of your beginning efforts. You might be amazed at the difference in your writing then as compared to what you do now. If we write on a continuous basis, we continue to grow, to write better than last year or the year before. That is, if....!

The big IF! We will write better as time goes on IF we take steps to continue learning our craft. Only yesterday, I watched a video on putting 'sound' into our poems and essays, or fiction. A minor detail, but it's one I'll try to be aware of as I write. I'm of a mind that we, as writers, never stop learning, if we make an effort to do so. Take a class. Watch a video, join a critique group, go to workshops and conferences. 

Don't be a sometime writer. Write on a regular basis. Wait weeks between writing something, and you might feel like you're starting at the beginning of the race again. Write a part of every day, even if it is only 15 minutes. Write in your journal. Write a letter. Do a writing exercise. Short stuff counts, too.

We don't achieve success in writing overnight. It takes time, patience, perseverance, determination and a love for the craft. Never stop learning and keep writing. 

 

What's a WRITE-A-THON?

 

My online writing group, writersandcritters, is in the midst of a WRITE-A-THON  for the full month of August. We did this last year, and it was a great success, so onward again in 2022. 

Normally, we are each committed to sending in two submissions per month and four critiques. At least, we aim for that. Life and what it delivers sometimes makes it less than that or more, depending the circumstances. But for August, we do not need to sub or crit, unless we want to. What we are doing is writing something every single day. No length requirements, no time limits. A prompt is given which can help some members get started, but it is not necessary to use.

We head each email to the group with something like Nancy's THON #11, which means it is my offereing for the 11th day of August. We shortened the full name which works just fine.

It has been interesting to read what other members have sent. Sometimes, it is a poem. It can be a paragraph, or a full page. It's whatever the writer wants to do. I've never had a problem finding a topic. 

A few have selected a theme to follow. One member is traveling through Germany with her husband and daughter, so she writes every day about their travels. Another is writing about culture differences. One is writing about how she met her husband in a continuing story. One is writing childhood memories. Some have no theme at all, something different each day. That's my category, although many of mine have been memory pieces. 

It's nice to do this with a group, but you can do it on your own, as well. You can start tomorrow on August 11 and go through September 10. A full month. Or wait until September 1st and run through that 30 day period. There are no real rules. The direction is to write something every day. Write with abandon. Write with passion. Most of all, don't worry about time limits or deadlines or commitments. The WRITE-A-THON is for you. Just write and enjoy!

I have already found a few of my daily THON offerings that could be expanded into a personal essay. I am keeping each day's writing in file folder, so that I can go back later and work on the ones that seem of interest. 

So how about it? Will any of you accept my challenge to participate in your own WRITE-A-THON? If you belong to any kind of writing group, draft the members to do this with you. If not, do it yourself. You might be surprised at how much comes from this. The pieces often start with fluff, and then the good stuff starts coming forth. 

Writing, Submitting, and You

 The following is a post that I had published at Michelle Rafter's WordCount blog several years ago. I ran across it recently so am posting today to give some tips and/or reminders.

WHY PUBLISH?

There are various reasons a person writes. A few people do it strictly for themselves, would never want the world to see what they’ve written. The mere act of writing satisfies the soul for some, and for others, a lack of self-confidence keeps them from submitting their work for publication. But the majority of writers strive for publication for various reasons, some of which overlap. 

Chief among them is cash, either needed or desired. Let’s be honest. There must be very few writers who wouldn’t welcome a check in exchange for words written. That old adage “Time is money” holds true for writers. They deserve compensation for the great amount of time it takes to ponder over an idea, to write, and then revise a piece. They offer knowledge and/or entertainment in exchange for money. 

For others, the byline is important. Seeing your name on a story that is available for the world to read gives one a sense of pride and a feeling of accomplishment. I once knew an obstetrician who claimed he received a thrill with every baby he delivered. Writers might feel the same with every new story, essay or article created. Each one comes close to the joy that the doctor experienced with every newborn he held in his skilled hands. 

Publication provides a way of touching the lives of others with the words written and printed in a magazine, newspaper, or ezine. A writer can derive satisfaction in the hope that she has made a difference in someone’s life. The sad part is that the writer seldom knows who, or how many, her words have touched. Occasionally, a reader will respond with a letter, phone call, or comment via a website to tell the author how her words have made a difference, how they taught a lesson or perhaps touched a heart. What could be a better inspiration to continue writing? 

Perhaps some write to fill a need to produce something worthwhile. They hope to leave something personal, a legacy of a kind. Long after a writer dies, her words can still be read by and touch succeeding generations. Even writers who don’t achieve great fame and fortune can be reasonably assured that their work will be passed down through the family for generations to come. 

THE SUBMISSION PROCESS

There is one great truth in writing for publication. You will not be published if you don’t submit your work. Submitting is step one. Sounds easy, doesn’t it, but in reality, a writer must have a few items in her internal tote bag to help in the process. 

First and foremost, she’ll need the courage to send her work to an editor. And don’t kid yourself--it does take courage to send your baby out into the publishing sea. The waters are deep, and the sharks numerous. Other authors have sent their precious words to the same editor. Which one is going to survive? There’s no way to tell, but if you don’t submit, you’ll never know if your words will be the ones to swim right into the publication process. Take a chance and send your work along with whatever is required in the writers’ guidelines. The rejections may outweigh the acceptances, but that’s what this business is all about. Statistics tell us that writers receive more rejections than acceptances, so toughen your hide and send your work to an appropriate publication. If it comes back, send it to another publication. 

The best way to match your story, essay, or article with the right magazine, newspaper, or ezine is to study market guides. There are several guides published annually that offer complete information about hundreds of publications. They list address, phone numbers, editors’ names, requirements, payment, and sometimes list current needs. Guides exist for novel writers, magazines, playwrights, poets, and song lyric writers. It is to the writer’s advantage to study the guide that pertains to her particular type of work. Most library reference sections have copies of the market guides. A writer can spend hours in the library taking notes, but he/she can also go online to find market guides or websites of specific publications, or visit a bookstore and purchase a copy. Keep in mind that they become outdated in a hurry. 

It’s also possible to use an internet search engine for writers’ guidelines. Use keywords to narrow the search. If you have written an article about building a backyard pond, look for garden magazines or How-To publications. If there is a particular magazine that interests you, put the name in a search engine, and look for the guidelines. Ask yourself if your article, story, or essay would be a good fit. It’s a waste of time to submit to them if you feel your work is way off base for that publication. 

Offering guidelines allows editors to reduce the number of unusable submissions sent to them. Guidelines provide a step by step guide for the writer. For instance, a writer can learn if single or double spacing is asked for, if paragraphs are to be indented or not, if there are certain items to be listed at the top of the entry (ie. name, address, phone, e-mail, word count, rights offered). Guidelines might specify that only unpublished work is accepted, or they might say that reprints are welcome. The information is there to help and is meant to be followed carefully. If the writer disregards the information, the submission will end up being tossed, so it is to his/her benefit to follow the guidelines carefully. 

If a cover letter is included with the submission, keep it short and professional. If at all possible, learn the editor’s name and use it--Dear Mr. Brooks rather than Dear Dan. If a writer has never been published, there is no need to point it out. If published, he/she should give a short resume of where his/her work might be found. 

Send the cover letter, the submission, and a SASE (self-addressed stamped envelope) if you are submitting through postal mail. Don’t add cutesy things to any of the above. Be professional at all times. If indicated that submissions are accepted via e-mail, so much the better. No postage, no SASE to be included. Pay careful attention to the guidelines as to whether the editor prefers attachments or to have the submission copied and pasted into the body of the e-mail. (NOTE: many editors use Submittable now as the only way to submit to them)

Set up a record-keeping system of some kind. It may be a series of index cards, a notebook with a page for each piece you’ve written, or a more complex spreadsheet on the computer. How it’s done is a personal choice, but do it. 

The last step in the submission process is not to sit back and wait for an answer. A response may not arrive for weeks, perhaps even months, occasionally never. The final step is to begin to work on a new story, article, or essay and start the submission process all over again. Keep a Ferris wheel of submissions going at all times.

Writing the First Words of a Story

Yesterday's post highlighted developing your writer's eye. It helps you see stories everywhere, but seeing and writing them can be quite different. 

Beatrix Potter's quote--There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you.--is one that can especially apply to those writers who classify themself as a 'panster,' meaning one who writes by the seat of their pants. No detailed outline made before beginning. They do have an idea, but these writers are ones who write those first words and then sail with them. 

I am that kind of writer. When I wrote the first draft of my juvenile novel, I had an idea of where to begin, but I didn't have a clue as to what was going to happen to my protagonist, Will. I wrote chapter after chapter allowing Will and his best friend, Emily, to lead me through the rest of the story. When I was in the middle of the book, I had no idea how the story would end, but I found the ending with their help.

Some writers cannot write those 'delicious' beginning words until they have an outline, character sketch charts, and more finished. I do understand that this is an excellent approach with many complicated, detailed novels, but I wonder if these writers also make an outline when they write a short story. Comments would be welcome. If it is what works for them, then it's fine.

Ms. Potter's quote shows us that we need to find some pleasure in those first words in a story. It's a beginning to something new. It is often not known where those words will take you. I sense, too, that she was a woman who found joy in her writing. Do you? It's no fun to trudge through a story and not like what you're doing. I think you have to like your story for the characters to come to life for the reader. 

The opening line of Beatrix Potter's famous children's story is “Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits, and their names were – Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter….” Did the author know which rabbit would get in trouble? Did she already know what the problem would be? Or did Peter lead her straight into Mr. MacGregor's garden? Whatever the case was, she no doubt enjoyed writing that opening, what to her were 'delicious' words. 

How about you? Do you have some delicious words to write today?

The Writer Who Has A Way With Words

Letters and Words

Have you ever heard someone say She/He has a way with words? Maybe you've read that sentence in a book review. What do they mean by a way with words? To me, it says this writer is one to make us sit up and take notice. She/He doesn't give us information using only the basics, or the necessities to get the thought across.

Instead, they treat us to words and phrases that bring an image to mind, or allows us to hear, feel, touch and taste what the writer is showing us. They don't use a  passel of passive verbs. Those writers who have a way with words offer us poetic prose that we will remember much longer than the words the get it on the page and move on writer does. 

Simple word choices can make a difference. If you want to tell us someone was too serious, perhaps you could say that he was 'mirthless' which is far more interesting than 'too serious.' These writers use interesting words, not ones you've never heard of before, but ones you'll enjoy reading. Whether consciously or subconsciously does not matter. These writers work at increasing their vocabulary.

Those who have a way with words use similes and metaphors to illustrate rather than only basics to let the reader know a piece of information. They employ emotion in their writing which drifts right across the page to the reader.

The has a way with words writer works to pull the reader in and holds on until the final sentence of whatever he/she is writing. 

Do you want to be known as a basic writer or one that has a way with words?

Encourage The Love of Writing

I completely forgot I Love to Write Day on November 15th--last Friday. So, here is a post I wrote in 2012 about this national day of recognition for those who love to write, and even those who do not. 

Two things I saw on facebook this morning triggered my thoughts for this post. One was Save the Date and the other one that jumped out for me was I Love To Write Day.

November 15, 2012 will be the tenth annual I Love To Write Day. I usually feature it in my post on that mid-November day. It's the one day of the year that everyone is encouraged to write. Doesn't matter what it is--just write! A thank you note qualifies, but so does a poem, a story, a two-paragraph description or memory piece. So, mark your calendars now. Save that date!

Personally, I celebrate this day every day because writing is something that satisfies me like nothing else. I'm willing to bet that my blood pressure evens out to normal whenever I write. It pleases me to string words together in hopes that they will touch the heart and soul of at least a few people who read them. Maybe my words will provide pertinent information or entertain someone. When I finish a writing project, no matter how long or short, I have a sense of accomplishment greater than when I do anything else.

I like words. I like putting words together. I like creating stories and poems from those many words. I enjoy doing crossword puzzles because they are filled with words, unlike those sudoko puzzles that irritate me to no end. Some people love them. Must depend on whether you're a number person or one addicted to the beauty of words. There is no doubt which category I fall into.

I've heard far too many people say they hate writing. They offer a number of reasons, but one I hear frequently is that it is because of a teacher (or teachers) who made it a chore instead of pleasure or who ridiculed the results of an assigned essay. Sad that they who should be the greatest proponents of writing for enjoyment sometimes end up being the biggest discouragers. Maybe part of it is because we were often assigned the topic, not left to create our own subject. On the other hand, when the teacher said to write on anything of your choice, we sometimes sat there with a blank slate in our mind.

I hope that teachers and parents will encourage children to write. We push reading at all levels today, which is wonderful. But I'd like to see more emphasis placed on writing. Mary Lane Kamberg, a Kansas author, has a fine book of tips for young people who want to write. She includes exercises in The I Love To Write Book--Tips and Ideas for Young People.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, I hope you will do what you can to promote the joy of writing to the young people you know today. There's plenty of time before November 15th to plan an event or project to celebrate I Love To Write Day

Ways We Write

If you're a writer, you do a lot of writing without typing (or pushing a pencil across paper). At least, you should be. 

I find that, while doing many tasks that don't require full brain power, I am mentally considering my writing. I've been working on a poem for about a week. The first two lines came to me when I went out early one morning to retrieve our newspaper. I heard a flock of geese but could not see them. I stood on the driveway listening and thinking about the message they brought. Bingo! Two lines but no more. I was writing but not typing.

I went into the house and read the paper, did the usual early morning tasks and then sat down at the computer. I wrote the two lines on a notepad but went on to other things. I had a lunch date and then a meeting to go to later in the day so the two lines were left looking lonely. As I drove home later that day, I started thinking about the poem again. What did I want to convey? And how? How long or short did I want the poem to be? I was writing but not typing.

Two days went by, but the image of that early morning encounter kept popping into my head. So, I pushed everything else aside and grabbed that notepad. I read those two lines I'd written earlier and started to write the next line and the next until I had 2 full verses and one partial one. The dryer buzzed so I left the poem and began to fold the warm clothes. Mid-way through pairing sox, the final two lines came to me. I was writing, just not typing. 

Some scientific study could probably come up with the ratio of time spent thinking about writing to time actually writing. I think we'd find the two to be closer than we might have guessed at first. 

A writer can be writing in their head while on a morning commuter train or bus. Or waiting for a concert to begin. Or in the shower. Or while emptying the dishwasher. What is amusing to me is that anyone looking at you during any one of these activities would have no idea that you were writing in your head, just not typing. 

How Will You Celebrate I Love To Write Day?

(NOTE: This is a revised post)

November 15, 2018 will be the 16th annual I Love To Write Day. I usually feature it in my post on that mid-November day but am giving you advance notice. It's the one day of the year that everyone is encouraged to write. Doesn't matter what it is--just write! A thank you note qualifies, but so does a poem, a story, a two paragraph description or memory piece. So, mark your calendars now. Save that date!

Personally, I celebrate this day every day because writing is something that satisfies me like nothing else. I'm willing to bet that my blood pressure evens out to normal whenever I write. It pleases me to string words together in hopes that they will touch the heart and soul of at least a few people who read them. Maybe my words will provide pertinent information or entertain someone. When I finish a writing project, no matter how long or short, I have a sense of accomplishment greater than when I do anything else. 

I like words. I like putting words together. I like creating stories and poems from those many words. I enjoy doing crossword puzzles because they are filled with words, unlike those Sudoku puzzles that irritate me to no end. Some people love them. Must depend on whether you're a number person or one addicted to the beauty of words. There is no doubt which category I fall into. I have committed a cardinal sin in the writing world because I used words five times in this paragraph. It's to be excused for this day only!

I've heard far too many people say they hate writing. They offer a number of reasons, but one I hear frequently is that it is because of a teacher (or teachers) who made it a chore instead of pleasure or who ridiculed the results of an assigned essay. Sad that they who should be the greatest proponents of writing for enjoyment sometimes end up being the biggest discouragers. Maybe part of it is because we were often assigned the topic, not left to create our own subject. On the other hand, when the teacher said to write on anything of your choice, we sometimes sat there with a blank slate in our mind. 

I hope that teachers and parents will encourage children to write. We push reading at all levels today, which is wonderful. But I'd like to see more emphasis placed on writing. Mary Lane Kamberg, a Kansas author, has a fine book of tips for young people who want to write. She includes exercises in The I Love To Write Book--Tips and Ideas for Young People.

Whether you are a teacher, a parent, or a grandparent, I hope you will do what you can to promote the joy of writing to the young people you know today. There's plenty of time before November 15th to plan an event or project to celebrate I Love To Write Day.  

John Riddle, a Delaware-based writer, is responsible for giving us this one day of the year to celebrate writing. Read about the history of this day here. You have close to a week to think about what you will do to celebrate I Love to Write Day. You can do it on your own or encourage others to write that day, as well. 

Scratch That Itch

I haven't written any new stories or essays for longer than I'd like to admit but that itch of literature cited in today's poster arrived this morning. 

All of a sudden, I had ideas for two different personal essays swirling in my head like a whirlpool in a rushing brook. I'd been pondering about writing something for a Chicken Soup for the Soul book for several weeks but hadn't been able to come up with a credible topic. As I was reading an essay in a newsletter earlier today, a flash went off, or maybe it was my muse kicking me in the head saying Wake up, Honey! The subject was mine if I wanted to pursue it. And I do!

A few days ago, a younger cousin passed away after a difficult battle with numerous health issues. Something I read in her obituary notice triggered thoughts that would be worth pursuing in a personal essay. A couple of sentences that I might use flitted through the video screen in my mind. I knew I needed to write them down somewhere or they'd be lost. I didn't do it and now, I'm struggling to find them. I think, once I begin writing, that they will come back to me. 

Triggers of this kind create that itch of literature, just as the quote above tells us, the only cure is to write. I do love the phrase nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen. Obviously, we don't write as much with a pen now, although some writers still swear they write better in longhand than typing on a keyboard. The majority of us tap, tap away instead of writing with a pen. Even now, the pen is ballpoint and doesn't scratch like those old 'dip in the inkwell' kind. 

That just triggered a memory of grade school desks with inkwells in them where a bottle of ink was placed so that students could easily dip their pens and write with them. We usually wrote with a lead pencil in grade school but occasionally we were given the pens and ink bottles to write something special. I don't think it was often but I do remember the 'scratching' of the pen. A nice sound.

That itch of literature comes over us when we least expect it. When it does, we'd best pay attention and act upon it as soon as possible. Wait a day or two, or more, and it's gone. Sounds so easy but you and I know that life gets in the way of our best intentions. It's up to us to figure out how to work it in. You can do it if you're passionate about your writing. Go ahead and scratch that itch!

Sometimes Inspiration Finds Writers, Not The Other Way Around

 This morning, when I opened the blinds in our bedroom, I was startled to see dense fog and icy crystals on the grass. I continued opening the rest of the blinds and went into the living room to read the morning paper. Bad move!  I should have written a poem instead. The fog and the heavy dew were perfect subjects for a winter poem. Sometimes story ideas surround us but we are blind to them. In this case, I definitely did not use my writer's eye as I viewed the early morning scene. 

Jack London's quote says we sometimes have to go after inspiration with a club. In this case, someone should have used a club on me to awaken me to the great possibility spread out before me. Yes, I could work on the poem now, trying to bring back what I saw but I don't think it would be nearly as good as one that was written at the moment of inspiration. 

When inspiration hits, act on it as quickly as you can. Many writers do so. They're the ones who have lots of everyday chores left undone because they answered the call of their craft instead of cleaning fingermarks or doggie nose prints off the sliding glass doors. If you're serious about your writing life, that's quite alright. The fingerprints will be there waiting for you tomorrow but the inspiration may have flown out the window. Like all things, there's a fine line between what is alright and what is overkill so we do need to be wary of that. 

It seems to be that when you are busiest, inspiration pops up out of nowhere. This holiday season is a perfect example. So many times during a Christmas concert or seeing a special window display or attending a children's program, I am inspired to write a story or a poem. It's when that notebook we should all keep with us comes in handy. If you can even write the bones during that inspirational moment, it's a big help. Wait until you get home to do it and the magic moment may be gone. The emotion you feel when true inspiration hits fades quickly when time intervenes. Yes, you can write it later but I don't think it will be quite the same unless you have the ability to recreate the scene in your mind with all details involved. 

I remember an old movie of long, long ago when a man in a cocktail lounge in New York City wrote the lyrics to a song on a paper napkin. The song became one of the greatest hits (of course!). What if he had waited a day or two to act on his idea? Might have been a more mediocre song that was soon forgotten. The act upon it now message was not lost on me. I don't remember the name of the movie or the person it was about but I do remember that scene vividly. 

You may have many instances where inspiration hits you instead of you chasing it with that big club. When it happens, grab it with both hands and start writing. Sometimes, inspiration finds writers, not the other way around.