Give your writing its rightful place!(1)
I hope life is treating you well and that you are happy and stress-free! I also hope, of course, your writing’s going great guns!
As you know, I always ask for feedback on my books, articles and reports. Mostly, when people email me, they ask about technical issues or about advance techniques for fiction writing. However, recently, a few writers have asked if I might consider going “right back to basics” for them.
So, here goes…
Question. What makes a person WANT to write?
There’s no real easy answer. Some say the urge to write is God given, some say you’re born with it. Writing courses teach the craft and then, supposedly, you can do it. But why? WHY would anyone want to write? To create, to communicate, to share… Whatever your reasons, the process of becoming a writer requires that you first make a decision. Take a few moments now to ask yourself, “Why do I want to write?” Your reasons will be personal to you and should feel like a fundamental part of what you want from your life.
Furthermore, I`ve created 10 tips to help you kick-start your writing habit. We`ll go through the first 5 of them in this post. On our meeting next Monday, we`ll talk about the rest of 5….:)
1. Take a step back.
Slightly detach yourself from your surroundings. Stop participating and begin observing. Even when you’re in social situations, try to be objective about what is actually going on. Watch people, see how they act and – more importantly – interact. Be interested in the psychology of people. Why they do what they do? What do they want to achieve? What is the effect they’re after? How do they use their emotions to express their needs? Does it work? How? Why? Why not?
Don’t pass judgment. Take it all in. See the people around you as characters in a fictional setting. See the whole of them, including their surroundings – the objects and the colors, the textures that frame the image in your mind. Carry around these tableaus so that you can draw on them later when you write.
2. Look for the details.
As you go through your day, study everything. If you’re walking down a road, stop unexpectedly and look around you. Consciously notice the buildings, what’s underfoot, how the weather is, what’s just a few feet in front of you. At home, look at something you take for granted. A kettle, for instance. Find yours and study it. Notice the contours and the materials. Think about words you might use to describe it in detail.
3. Play your role.
Whenever you’re in a situation, think about how you would describe it. It’s a simple technique. Your mother is making tea and you are chatting to her. Take a mental step back and describe what you see and what’s happening. “I watched as her delicate hand turned the tap to the right. Water gushed into the old silver kettle. The sound was hollow…”
Similarly when you’re outside, in any environment, describe it to yourself as though you were writing it down. For instance:
“Beams of sunlight pierced the overhead canopy of trees. The light was soft and warm. Multicolored parrots hopped to and from low branches, cackling like excited children.”
4. Just put the pen onto that paper. You`ll know what to do next.
Many novices are desperate to write but can’t think of anything to say. Or they agonize over looking foolish to the extent that cannot write! Don’t worry about it. Everything you write is personal. You don’t have to show it to anyone. It’s yours until you set it free.
In the mean time, just WRITE. If you’re having trouble starting, force yourself to write anything – anything at all. A shopping list. An overheard conversation. Describe your bedroom. Don’t wait for inspiration – just write!
If you can, completely switch off your conscious, logical mind and write the first thing that comes to you. It doesn’t matter how personal it is, or how trivial, just get it down! This exercise helps because it subtly adjusts the mind to realizing that this is how you want to express yourself. Do it for a few days in a row if the urge to write dissipates and you’ll soon be back on track.
5. Wake up, wake up!:)
Set your alarm clock for an hour earlier than normal. This may be difficult at first but it’s important and useful. The night before, commit yourself to getting up as soon as you hear the alarm. Promise yourself you’ll do it! When you hear that alarm, get up. Don’t get dressed, bathe or eat. Don’t even make coffee. Just get out of bed, stagger to your writing space and write the first thing that comes into your head for five to ten minutes. Get into the habit of writing nonsense for a few
minutes every morning before you start work on something more important. It works for Ray Bradbury!
So, here you have 5 of the 10 tips I`ll be sharing with you:)
I`ll talk to you next time and feel free to share your comments with me:)
See you soon!
Cristina Istrati
Discover how YOU can write a book and sell it with Cristina Istrati`s “I`ve Decided! I want to write my Own Book !”. Cristina helps you with the writing process, and demystifies the publishing trade. Read Cristina’s site and subscribe to her popular freelance writing ezine, Fab Freelance Writing Ezine.
