Write with Intention
Whether it’s writing or typing (on keyboard), I hope that you are approaching your writing with an intention in mind. All writing serves a purpose, and it’s crucial to have a clear purpose if you want your writing to improve and resonate as something truly enjoyable.
When you write with a genuine reason in mind, eg. to improve your writing in a way, how? What do you want to improve?
Dialogue? Then write down some dialogues, not funny? Try to make it funny. Want it give off more emotions? How? Research, try to go back to stories/books that captured the essence that you want. Read it and try to apply to your own characters. The more you write with intention, the process becomes more seamless, and it feels like you’re fulfilling a goal/learning something instead of just writing randomly.
This could also be applied into the motivation of your book/your writing – Why are you writing this book? Is it for enjoyment? To bring about an idea (Fiction/Non Fiction)? To help others (Self-help book)? Biography? Etc. Try to give a meaning behind your writings, if your answer is to get money through your writing, it will lack passion , readers will know. Your words will be bland, the amount of your research will feel lacking and the story might be uninteresting and when you are promoting your book, it will also feel ingenuine. So think before writing, for writing needs to be accompanied with an intention.
Even for me, I write Chinese Fantasy story, why? Because I can’t read Chinese so I would want others who are in a similar like myself to be able to enjoy Chinese Fantasy Book in English. (Why Fantasy, because I like Fiction books with slightly more imagination, depicting crazy battles, love relationship that would happen in that time period or era, myth and legends).
To sum up, here’s a writing tip/exercise to guide you in crafting intentional and purposeful writing which I hope to help another fellow writer.
Write them down on a sticky note, stick it where you often write or a reminder:-
If you goal is to learn – write down what you want to gain from the exercise.
If you aim is to complete your book – write down the elements of the book, so while writing, you won’t stray away from the subject (I find this useful as it keeps away from distracting/unnecessary plot points/scenes or dialogues).
When you find yourself lost, glance at the sticky note as a reminder of your goal.
