Advice for Would-Be Writers

Yesterday I discussed the similarities of saying you wanted to do something, versus actually doing it. For instance when people say, I would love to write… I just can’t (insert excuse here). 

Are you sure you’d love to write? Because I think if you really wanted to do it. You just would.

Here’s the thing you really need to know about writing.

It doesn’t just happen because you will it too. You can’t just wait for inspiration to strike like a bolt of lightning, and you certainly can’t just wait for there to be ‘time’ in your life for writing. Make time.

If Not Now, When? 

I think there’s this idea of I want to be a writer, but I’ll wait till I’m older or more experienced or I’ve done this or that… why? Why does your ability to write now depend on your age? I began writing when I was 12 years old. Was I the best 12 year old writer? Probably not, but you gain experience and practice. The more you write the better you get.

Maybe if I read more… 

I won’t deny reading is terribly important, I love doing it and I wish more people would… that said, you don’t just become a writer by reading a lot. Writing isn’t a transferable skill. It isn’t like a cold you can’t just catch writing. Even if you’ve read a thousand books, that doesn’t necessarily means you will make a good writer. You still actually have to sit down and do the work. Writers perpetuate this idea that if you want to be a good writer you need to read more than you write, and maybe that’s mostly true, but I think if you want to be a good writer, as with anything you need to practice. Artists can look at every single beautiful piece of art in the world and that won’t make them any better. Believe me, I’ve seen a lot of beautiful art and that so far hasn’t made me able to paint or draw worth shit.

What if I’m not talented enough? 

I’ve always maintained that a lot of talent is born, everybody has a talent and maybe writing isn’t yours… however if you don’t try you’ll never know… and because art is so subjective there’s a fairly good chance that just because one person doesn’t like your writing doesn’t mean others won’t. I personally don’t find E.L. James, Stephanie Meyer or even John Grisham all that talented, but a lot of people love all three of those authors so… I think the great thing about art is that there’s a market for everyone. It may not be a huge market and so self publishing might be your best bet, but there’s still a market and that’s what you have to think about. Not everyone’s going to like you no matter what you do. You could be a scientist who finds a cure for every incurable disease and there will still be people who hate you. It’s just a fact of life.

I don’t have the drive.

Well then you clearly don’t want this. I would apologize for sounding harsh but someone has to be honest with you. You don’t just get things handed to you. You have to go for them. If you don’t have the drive to write (which really all your doing is sitting at a computer or at a desk with pen and paper it’s not like your expounding great amount of energy… believe me if this burned calories, I would probably weigh like 120lbs versus (CENSORED)lbs that I actually weigh.

You didn’t think I’d actually share that did you? (not that I’m brave enough to step onto a scale these days).

My point here… is that when you really really want something, be it something to do with losing weight or writing a novel, you’ll do what it takes to get it done. Remember, J.K.Rowling was a full time teacher and a single mother of a infant, living on government assistance in the U.K. and she still managed to write two books.

No excuses. If you want it, you’ll find a way. And I sincerely hope you do. I’d hate to think that maybe possibly the world was out another great novel just because you didn’t have the drive or the ‘time’ to write it.