Seven Principles of Writing
Not to long ago I finished my physical rehab. Beginning one week after my heart attack, it lasted approximately two months. During the course of the rehab I saw some principles at work that can also apply to one's writing.
Principle #1 - GOALS
When beginning an exercise program it is never wise to have goals that are out of reach. You start with easy-to-reach goals. Best idea, have general goals, intermediate goals, and long term goals. At the beginning you are concerned with general goals.
This works in writing as well. Maybe you've never written before. Your goal would be to write that first chapter. Like a two pound weight is not much but is all a beginner can do, writing a chapter is also a lot of work for a new author.
Principle #2 - REPETITIONS
Still operating within the general goals you previously set you slowly increase the number of reps you are doing.
Perhaps you start out with ten, then move on to fifteen. After a while you move up to twenty and twenty-five. Then maybe you add another set of twenty-five reps and ten reps slowly increasing until you are doing two full sets.
Writing requires practice also. Maybe you are writing a single paragraph at the beginning. As you press onward you begin writing more until you can do several pages and eventually chapters in one sitting.
Today writers tend to use Word Count more than pages since it is more revealing and, perhaps, more controllable.
Principle #3 - CONSISTENCY
Consistency is the glue that holds everything together. This is true with physical and/or mental exercise. It is also true with writing. The more you write the more confident you become and the better you get.
That is why I recommend scheduling your writing. It can be daily, twice a week, three times a week, etc. The key is to set up a schedule and follow it the best you can. There will be times when life gets in the way, but if you have a schedule it helps you get restarted after interruptions.
How do I schedule? Basically I plan on writing daily. That writing may be different on one day than another. For example, I schedule my blog writing to occur either Monday or Tuesday. Today I not only scheduled my blog, but I focused on Blogging and writing my novel.
Principle #4 - DON'T QUIT
No one wants to be a quitter. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth. But sometimes we get discouraged and overwhelmed. What to do? I have found that when I don't feel like exercising, to exercise anyway. Perhaps something different.
Again this works for writing. Maybe I don't feel like working on my novel. There are other writing projects I can attend to. But I never quit!
Principle #5 - TESTING
When rehabbing I had a young man who would come to the house. He would check my vitals, have me do some exercises, and give me new exercises. Let me translate that: he tested me and gave me new assignments.
Once the rehab was over he no longer came, but I now know what to do every day. And by doing those same things I am able to test myself and decide on whether to use heavier weights and/or more reps.
As a writer you can also test yourself. Using Word Count you can examine a typical day's output. If you are consistently hitting one level (say 500 words per day), you may decide to strive for 550 words. This is tied into #1 - goals.
Principle #6 - IMAGINATION
If consistency is the glue then imagination is the power of writing. A writer needs an active imagination. We all hear of writer's block which I have never experienced. I think the reason is that I don't get stuck in one book.
When exercising, you often use your imagination to picture the work you are about to do or picture what you want to accomplish. As a writer, you obviously use your imagination when writing. But you it also to think of future books or projects.
In other words, sometimes take your mind off the current project and think about what you'd like to do next. You can even plan and set some things in motion.
By applying your mind and your imagination to something else you are giving yourself a shot of adrenaline. It refreshes you so that when you go back to that book, your mind is clear and ready for action.
Principle #7 - NEW GOALS
The first six principles are important, but if you are going become a more efficient and productive writer you can't stop there. Periodically you need to evaluate yourselves and set up new goals.
Principle #1 - GOALS
When beginning an exercise program it is never wise to have goals that are out of reach. You start with easy-to-reach goals. Best idea, have general goals, intermediate goals, and long term goals. At the beginning you are concerned with general goals.
This works in writing as well. Maybe you've never written before. Your goal would be to write that first chapter. Like a two pound weight is not much but is all a beginner can do, writing a chapter is also a lot of work for a new author.
Principle #2 - REPETITIONS
Still operating within the general goals you previously set you slowly increase the number of reps you are doing.
Perhaps you start out with ten, then move on to fifteen. After a while you move up to twenty and twenty-five. Then maybe you add another set of twenty-five reps and ten reps slowly increasing until you are doing two full sets.
Writing requires practice also. Maybe you are writing a single paragraph at the beginning. As you press onward you begin writing more until you can do several pages and eventually chapters in one sitting.
Today writers tend to use Word Count more than pages since it is more revealing and, perhaps, more controllable.
Principle #3 - CONSISTENCY
Consistency is the glue that holds everything together. This is true with physical and/or mental exercise. It is also true with writing. The more you write the more confident you become and the better you get.
That is why I recommend scheduling your writing. It can be daily, twice a week, three times a week, etc. The key is to set up a schedule and follow it the best you can. There will be times when life gets in the way, but if you have a schedule it helps you get restarted after interruptions.
How do I schedule? Basically I plan on writing daily. That writing may be different on one day than another. For example, I schedule my blog writing to occur either Monday or Tuesday. Today I not only scheduled my blog, but I focused on Blogging and writing my novel.
Principle #4 - DON'T QUIT
No one wants to be a quitter. It leaves a sour taste in your mouth. But sometimes we get discouraged and overwhelmed. What to do? I have found that when I don't feel like exercising, to exercise anyway. Perhaps something different.
Again this works for writing. Maybe I don't feel like working on my novel. There are other writing projects I can attend to. But I never quit!
Principle #5 - TESTING
When rehabbing I had a young man who would come to the house. He would check my vitals, have me do some exercises, and give me new exercises. Let me translate that: he tested me and gave me new assignments.
Once the rehab was over he no longer came, but I now know what to do every day. And by doing those same things I am able to test myself and decide on whether to use heavier weights and/or more reps.
As a writer you can also test yourself. Using Word Count you can examine a typical day's output. If you are consistently hitting one level (say 500 words per day), you may decide to strive for 550 words. This is tied into #1 - goals.
Principle #6 - IMAGINATION
If consistency is the glue then imagination is the power of writing. A writer needs an active imagination. We all hear of writer's block which I have never experienced. I think the reason is that I don't get stuck in one book.
When exercising, you often use your imagination to picture the work you are about to do or picture what you want to accomplish. As a writer, you obviously use your imagination when writing. But you it also to think of future books or projects.
In other words, sometimes take your mind off the current project and think about what you'd like to do next. You can even plan and set some things in motion.
By applying your mind and your imagination to something else you are giving yourself a shot of adrenaline. It refreshes you so that when you go back to that book, your mind is clear and ready for action.
Principle #7 - NEW GOALS
The first six principles are important, but if you are going become a more efficient and productive writer you can't stop there. Periodically you need to evaluate yourselves and set up new goals.
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