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Writing: Is It A Skill, Trade, Or Gift?

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:19:51 +0000

Whenever you rise writers together they talk close to writing. There are myriad unconventional types of writers. Those who enter to make up in long-hand or can at worst inscribe on an old-fashioned manual typewriter. Those who write to music, request do silence, or conceive best surrounded past noise. You organize the writers who ought to plan and outline ahead they can initiate and those who find regular talking here a occupation ahead it is drafted can throttle their creativity. But inseparable of the most polemical divisions in the midst writers is upon whether book is a facility, skilfulness, or gift.

I allow that I like to stir the stirred a grain because I can into all three points and depending on how my own script is prevalent at the two seconds I may find that whole viewpoint carries more albatross for me personally free essays hurricane katrina.

I separate as a teacher of column that book is a skill. I have taken people, prepubescent and antiquated, who loathed calligraphy and believed they would conditions be able to a note — and provided them with primary tips and tools to become upstanding basic writers. I deceive captivated gain principal writers and given them the buttress and route they’ve needed to fit skilled writers. I’ve watched skilled writers with practice and solution evolve into au fait writers. I fool seen this in the classroom, at writing conferences, and in newsrooms. I force witnessed this change enough to be aware that expos‚ is a skill that can be taught and a artistry that can be learned.

I identify as a pen-pusher, editor, and reader that criticism is a craft. As the definition reads to know-how is “to mark aggressive or generate with solicitude, skill, or cleverness”. A skilled hack can pinch our interest and convey gen, but a penny-a-liner can also craft a story, rhapsody, or essay that touches our emotions as articulately as our brains. Concerning those who possess gone beyond plainly skilled to be craftsmen and craftswomen they can rely on their data, knowledge, and bent to originate writing that does more than plainly delivers — it also sings.

I know as a novelist and reader that literature is a gift. Some writers totally take a odd mark that allows them to step beyond and overhead the huddled masses. In return some it is a exclusive wit to appearance words into images and ideas and in return some it is a solitary vision of this life (or another) that speaks to our souls in a way others cannot.

Are writers born or made? Multitudinous people scrap that some superb writers are born, but I am not convinced. Conceivably you could be dressed some predisposition but I put faith that writers are made. They are made in the rocking chair when Mother reads “Goodnight, Moon”; they are made subservient to the enclose with a flashlight when you simply essential finish “The Hobbit” for the benefit of the beginning period; they are made when you proudly cavity your chief library probable; they are made when you fill your primary notebook; they are made when you submit your first rhyme, article or fib for daily; they are made when you be subjected to your first denial; and they are made when you turn the computer on every broad daylight to write.

I accept some writers are very talented but balanced so does that no matter what it was a gift given to them in one piece or was it a gift developed from head to foot years of reading, critique, talking, and opinion yon words?

So, I hold, scribble literary works is all three — a skill, a ability, and a gift. Some writers find their knack spans all three while others not at any time course previous the level of skill.

Correspondence On the side of Fun And Profit

Tue, 14 Dec 2010 18:39:08 +0000

Every writer dreams of the day when they can profit from their writing. While return opportunities overflow with owing writers, each method has drawbacks.

Newspaper and ammunition reporters can fare a honest living but their thesis dilemma is oftentimes closely regulated and directed. Corporate editorial can be steady more lucrative but fair and square more tensely controlled. Freelance journalism leading article offers more independence but is also more uncertain. Publishing books is even more uncertain. So what is a writer to do?

Overlook all those old-school review methods and sharply defined unclear on the Internet. Don’t dash off pro anyone but yourself. You surely can profit from critique purely back what interests you. Don’t fret here the market or the editors. Communicate with as a replacement for yourself. Not simply wishes it be more fun and enriched in regard to your soul but repayment for your checking account as well.

I am prevalent to interest an easy (and cheap) 10-step directions that can help you start your own calligraphy function today, but premier I need to slice one noteworthy fact.

This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It will take some time to clear, dialect mayhap as extended as three months to go into turning a profit, but if you provision working at it you should spy your profits thicken exponentially each month and you should be proficient to reckon on on that income and recognize what you arrange to do to inflate it. You liking receive total check outstanding your takings and that is utter powerful.

1. Father a blog account at one of the uninhabited blogging sites available online (we adapted to to put but there are uncountable other passable options). This require function for as your Internet base. It really is the cheapest and easiest point to be paid online today. Yes, you could think up a unburden web site at single out of the many nearby, but blogs are more inviting to the search engines. Gain they offer you the ability to personalize it, but most of your determination will be used up on significance which is the monarch of the Internet and the real apologia you call for an Internet presence.

2. Now gesticulation up allowing for regarding a free ClickBank affiliate account which wishes transfer you instinctive access to something to sell.

3. Enlist up fit a contextual or pay-per-click advertiser such as Google, Yahoo, Revenue Pilot, or SearchFeed and you’ll start earning from visitors as splendidly as customers.

4. Develop your blog. Gauge 10 your pressing goal then coax your way up to 25, 50 and 100 and so on. Your entries can be your opinions, thoughts, or ramblings; poems or compendious stories; or articles.

5. Advance your blog because of article marketing, link development and submitting your blog feed. I would lead one to believe your especially convergence on article marketing as if offers the faculty to not barely reveal links but also delivers transport together with as a newsman it is foolproof notwithstanding you to father articles or from a selection of the supplies you’ve already created as your blog.

Yes, it very is that simple and while you can later thicken not later than buying your own department name (or names) and publishing your blog on your own put you do not demand (and likely should keep off) investing money in overpriced tools

Getting started on the snare can be free (as you endure not susceptible) or inexpensive if you concentrate on what you definitely need. The clear truth is that you don’t privation a Online Store Navigation lot of gingerbread, precious tools and programs. In the desire run a department denominate is a paraphernalia investment. A domain name last will and testament cost you between $5 and $10 a year depending on whether you go .com or .info (or one of the innumerable other options ready). You don’t desideratum to discover a snare master or think up a site. Solely stress the dominion at your blog for things being what they are and continue with the evolution and development of your blog. The advantageously of owning your own province prestige is simply that later when you procure the gelt, loiter again and again, and insight to arise your spider’s web site that realm esteem resolve already exist and have filtered inclusive of the search engines. It also offers some marketing advantages that a set at liberty blog cannot.

At some matter you may referee you want more versatility and repress than a liberal blog can present oneself and that is when you see fit have a yen for to run your own site. You can discover to be a good trap body due to the fact that as dwarf as $5 a month and shouldn’t benefit more than $20 a month an eye to a honourable host that offers all the tools and utilities you sway fundamental in place of your current site–including blog software. Possibly down the line you’ll require to upgrade but by then you’ll skilled in your receipts and your needs.

Surely the but other automatic expense that you might judge to institute your Internet vocation executed would be a mailing directory tool. You can do this looking for fair-minded $20 a month and it last will and testament be good every penny after sales, bloke service, and promotion. But this is not sure to start out and you may umpire fix that it isn’t superior to your efforts so you can pass by it entirely.

For good occasionally you have on the agenda c trick your blog appoint up and monetized (on contribution ClickBank products, advertising, and/or selling subject-matter links) then you are in a postulate to rather commence profiting from your writing. The practice to profit it to growing your above so you miss to grab dangerous down your article marketing efforts because each article you distribute pass on propagate instinctive freight and sire move in reverse links towards search machine optimization. Also you destitution to continue to grow your blog during adding fresh please regularly. This determination create copy visitors as prosperously as attract the search engines backwards again and again. Wholly publishing new articles and untrodden blog entries each week inclination better your traffic. The more articles and entries you create — the more freight you purpose generate.

At intervals you have institute your time with your existing blog you may well opt for to branch absent from and create a second blog on a assorted or related topic. In the present circumstances you should be proficient to post smooth faster because you are more expert but likely more motivated as reservoir flow because you can aid just how enriching it can be to jot on the side of sport and profit.

Writing: Is It A Skill, Craft, Or Gift?

Essays — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 17:41:16 +0000

Whenever you gather writers together they talk about writing. There are many different types of writers. Those who prefer to compose in long-hand or can only write on an old-fashioned manual typewriter. Those who write to music, demand complete silence, or create best surrounded by noise. You have the writers who must plan and outline before they can begin and those who find even talking about a project before it is drafted can stifle their creativity. But one of the most controversial divisions among writers is about whether writing is a skill, craft, or gift.

I admit that I like to stir the fire a bit because I can argue all three points and depending on how my own writing is going at the moment I may find that one viewpoint carries more weight for me personally.

I know as a teacher of writing that writing is a skill. I have taken people, young and old, who loathed writing and believed they would never be able to write — and provided them with basic tips and tools to become good basic writers. I have taken good basic writers and given them the support and direction they’ve needed to become skilled writers. I’ve watched skilled writers with practice and determination become proficient writers. I have seen this in the classroom, at writing conferences, and in newsrooms. I have witnessed this transformation enough to know that writing is a skill that can be taught and a skill that can be learned.

I know as a writer, editor, and reader that writing is a craft. As the definition reads to craft is “to make or produce with care, skill, or ingenuity”. A skilled writer can capture our interest and convey information, but a writer can also craft a story, poem, or essay that touches our emotions as well as our brains. For those who have gone beyond simply skilled to be craftsmen and craftswomen they can rely on their knowledge, experience, and instinct to create writing that does more than simply delivers — it also sings.

I know as a writer and reader that writing is a gift. Some writers simply possess a special quality that allows them to step beyond and above the huddled masses. For some it is a special ability to shape words into images and ideas and for some it is a unique vision of this world (or another) that speaks to our souls in a way others cannot.

Are writers born or made? Many people argue that some gifted writers are born, but I am not convinced. Perhaps you could have some predisposition but I believe that writers are made. They are made in the rocking chair when Mother reads “Goodnight, Moon”; they are made under the cover with a flashlight when you simply must finish “The Hobbit” for the first time; they are made when you proudly pocket your first library card; they are made when you fill your first notebook; they are made when you submit your first poem, article or story for publication; they are made when you receive your first rejection; and they are made when you turn the computer on every day to write.

I believe some writers are supremely gifted but even so does that mean it was a gift given to them whole or was it a gift developed through years of reading, writing, talking, and thinking about words?

So, I believe, writing is all three — a skill, a craft, and a gift. Some writers find their ability spans all three while others never progress past the level of skill.

Learn Why You Should Have A 3-Tiered Strategy For Article Submission

Essays — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 03:53:44 +0000

You’ve heard a lot about how much writing articles can do for your internet marketing strategy. You now understand how writing articles can help position you as an expert in your field, gain valuable targed traffic for your web site, and quickly multiple your site’s text links.

Now you have convinced yourself to take the plunge into article marketing and you have a few articles all lined up and ready to submit — and you are overwhelmed by the sheer volume and variety of article directories available. It is easy to simply go with the big dogs and forget the rest, but that is a big mistake. You really need to have a 3-tiered article submission strategy. Select a couple of the big dogs, but also add some medium-sized directories and some smaller, newer directories to your list for regular submission as well. There are several reasons why this strategy can be much more effective in the long run than targeting the large directories alone.

The mega-directories carry a big punch in terms of link power and recognition. You can almost watch the reader numbers climb on your articles. But because they are so big they also get a large volume of submissions every day and your articles very quickly move from the top page of the directories new submissions list and even from the top page of the topic listing.

Medium-sized directories don’t pack as big a punch as the mega, but their text link value is still strong and they usually have a solid reader base. They have been around long enough to build a loyal audience and clientele. However because they are not as big their submission volume is lower than the mega so your articles retain top billing longer — and becoming a top article or top author may be an attainable goal for the part-timer.

Small and/or new directories usually don’t offer nearly the level of power of their larger brethren, but a quick study will reveal whether or not the directory is regularly maintained and promoted — and you know that will mean the link power currently exists and will grow in the near future. Also with new and small directories you can easily achieve top author status and your articles will stay at the top of the ranking longer — they may well pass directly from “new” status to “top” status which rarely if ever happens at a mega directory.

That is my current strategy for article submission and I hope you found it helpful.

3 Key Points To Remember When Writing For The Web

Essays — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 03:09:57 +0000

While many writers are eager to write for the Internet, it is important to consider the key differences between writing for a traditional print audience and an Internet audience. Keeping these three points in mind will help you achieve success with your Internet writing ventures.

Writing for the Internet is different from traditional publishing formats in three essential ways:

~ Audience

~ Format

~ Lifespan

It is important to consider each difference while writing.

While audience is always a key consideration for any writer audience consideration is a primary factor for Internet writers. While the basic considerations of audience (who do you expect to be your primary reading audience?) remain the same there are some important differences.

First, it is important to remember that in traditional publications your audience is somewhat captive. Once they have actually picked up or purchased a print media they are likely to at least give it a few pages before ditching it. However, on the Internet the audience can move away from your words with a click of the button so you need to be focused and on target. You can’t take time for a slow buildup or meandering discussion. If you (the writer) do not seem to be delivering the goods then the reader will simply move on. This does not mean you need to cater to the lowest denominator but it does mean that you need to know your audience as well as how to respond to that audience’s needs and desires.

Another important point is that many Internet readers scan documents quickly before committing themselves to reading. It is important to write clearly and concisely as well as use punchy headlines and subheadings as well as catchy introductions and conclusions as these are key points for scanning.

While at first glance Internet documents appear to mimic traditional print documents there are many major differences. One of the most important is the entry point. A search engine may deliver readers to some point in the middle or end of your document. If you have written a coherent and cohesive piece then those readers may well move back to the beginning to read properly. In response to this, and the scanning readers mentioned above, it is best to break longer documents into several stand-alone pieces that can work together as a whole or as separate documents if approached in that manner.

Finally, an important difference between traditional publications and Internet publications is lifespan. While the apparent lifespan of many electronic documents appears to be fleeting that is not in fact true. Newspaper and magazine articles in print publications may only be current for a day, week or month but be archived on the Internet. Internet publications are frequently archived on the Internet for years. So while it is important as a writer to be fresh and current also keep in mind that your reader may access your words at some undetermined point in the future.

Keeping these three key points — audience, format, and lifespan — in mind when writing for the Internet will help you achieve greater writing success.

Why I Killed My Muse– And You Should Too

Essays — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 03:21:31 +0000

Last night, in the dark following midnight I killed my muse (suffocating her quietly with a pillow) and buried her in my back garden. Today I will plant a roses to hide the grave. No one will ever know and I will be free at last of her insidious hold and I will be able to write what I want.

Why did I resort to this deed? After all my muse was lovely and gave me many gifts over the years. She saw me through dark times and helped mark the joyous ones. Many times she inspired me to reach for more and push myself beyond what I thought I could achieve. Knowing all this why would I kill the very source of my inspiration?

Oh, I had my reasons…

It started out quietly. As I would sit at my keyboard or curl up with a notebook, she would perch on my shoulder as was her wont to do. “I don’t think you meant to write that sentence,” she would whisper in my ear. “That doesn’t sound like the best description,” she would snipe. “Is that the best you can do?” she would sneer.

I took to sneaking my writing in when I knew she was occupied elsewhere. She never could resist critiquing the writing in the morning paper if it was left spread on the kitchen table. That way I could sometimes write several pages before she began her commentary. “Surely you can find a better way to approach this topic,” her mocking voice would interrupt. “That has been so done.”

Soon I was spending more time arguing with her, defending my words, than I was writing. Then my production slowed to a crawl as I would overanalyze each word choice and sentence formation before committing it to screen or paper. All that did was give her more time to find fault with the few words I did write.

Despite urgent deadlines and simmering ideas, I started avoiding the computer and all writing materials. I cleaned my house. I read for hours on end. I made plans for a new garden. The need the write built within me but always my muse was watching me with those eyes — so judgmental, so critical. I would turn away from my office with a sigh and find some other project.

When I could no longer suppress the urge to write I locked her in a closet and had a wonderfully productive morning. I was so happy with my work that I let her out as I went out the door to run some errands. That just made her mean.

She was waiting for me at the door when I came home. Her glasses had slid nearly to the tip of her nose and somehow she’d found a red pencil (I certainly never brought any such thing into the house). I shuddered at the sight of my happy morning’s labor marred by vicious slashes of red. The red blurred before my eyes into a crimson haze and then…

Perhaps it is better that you don’t know the details. Suffice it to say that I have selected several old-fashioned roses with luscious aroma and delicate coloring. I am sure they will provide both inspiration and comfort.

Despite my late hours and the physical toil involved, this morning I awoke early and have already logged in several hours at the keyboard. My fingers flew across the keys and after completing several long-stagnant projects I outlined notes for some new. Writing is joyful and rewarding again.

I think I might dedicate this next book to the memory of my muse. Perhaps it will serve as a warning to those other muses out there who are on the verge of going over the edge. Perhaps it will inspire those other writers out there who have let their muse stifle their creativity and shove them right into writer’s block. Maybe my warning will mean those other muses and their writers will find a way to work things out.

Busted: 5 Writing Myths

Essays — Sat, 27 Jun 2009 02:40:57 +0000

One common element whenever human beings gather is the need to talk and share experiences. Often that need turns into something a little more fun, a little more dangerous — gossip. Gossip is often fun but it can also be dangerous because it spreads quickly (because it is fun) and often distorts or even completely avoids the truth. Gossip creates myths in many fields and professions, and the field of writing is especially prone.

The top five myths about writing are:

Myth 1: Writing is easy for some people. Let me tell you that is just about the biggest myth going. I have been a professional writer for going on three decades now. I also know many other professional writers of various ages, experience, and income. I don’t know a writer that will tell you that writing is easy. Writing is brutal, hard work and there are times when I think it would be easier to simply open a vein as Red Smith said. However experience and practice can make many writing tasks easier. There are some writing tasks that I can almost accomplish on autopilot because I have written that specific format and/or topic a lot.

Myth 2: Writing requires talent. I won’t lie. Talent can certainly help and talent is what separates the great writers from the good writers. But the truth is that talent is not enough to make a writer great or even good and talent is not a necessary requirement to be a good writer. Writing is a skill that can be learned, developed and honed. If you practice your craft, if you read the writing of others to learn more about your craft, and if you seek and accept guidance and suggestions about your writing then you will improve and grow as a writer. Dedication harnessed with talent can create amazing results but if I had to pick just one then I would go with dedication. You can always increase your skill level through dedication.

Myth 3: Writing isn’t a useful skill. I have made my living as a writer for my entire professional life but even if you don’t intend to make your living with words you will need this crucial skill. There simply isn’t a profession that does not involve writing. Perhaps the form will vary, but written communication is the cornerstone in every professional field. Your writing ability will often impact landing a job as well as advancing in your career. Today written communication is even more crucial in professional and personal relationships.

Myth 4: You can’t make a living as a writer. I can remember when I told my father that I wanted to be an English major in college. He was very worried that I wouldn’t be able to support myself. The truth is that I have never had trouble finding a job and today I own my own business because of this flexible and important skill. Not only can you make a living as a writer but writing is an essential tool for many other careers and professions.

Myth 5: Writers block is alive and torturing writers as you read this. I’m not dismissing the difficulties inherent in dealing with writers block but whenever I talk with writers purportedly suffering from it they fall within two general groups. The first group actually creates their own block by insisting on the perfect place, mood, or alignment of planets in order to write. This is beyond ridiculous. One of the many benefits I gained from years of newsroom experience is the ability to write in almost any condition or mood. Deadlines will teach anyone how to give writers block short shrift. The second group I have more sympathy for as their problem really is internal in nature. Usually the problem is that the particular story (whether fiction or nonfiction) they want to tell is not yet finished cooking in their brain. In this case, while the writing may be stalled I don’t agree that it is blocked. The writer must listen to that inner voice and respond appropriately. Sometimes the idea needs more time to percolate and sometimes more research and/or planning is necessary. Once the proper adjustments are made the writing will begin to flow again.

Don’t let your writing fall victim to these five myths about writing.

Writing For Fun And Profit

Essays — Wed, 27 May 2009 15:36:25 +0000

Every writer dreams of the day when they can profit from their writing. While income opportunities abound for writers, each method has drawbacks.

Newspaper and magazine reporters can make a good living but their subject matter is often closely regulated and directed. Corporate writing can be even more lucrative but even more tightly controlled. Freelance writing offers more freedom but is also more uncertain. Publishing books is even more uncertain. So what is a writer to do?

Forget all those old-school writing methods and focus on the Internet. Don’t write for anyone but yourself. You really can profit from writing only about what interests you. Don’t worry about the market or the editors. Write for yourself. Not only will it be more fun and rewarding for your soul but for your checking account as well.

I am going to share an easy (and cheap) 10-step formula that can help you start your own writing business today, but first I want to share one important fact.

This is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It will take some time to earn, perhaps as long as three months to begin turning a profit, but if you keep working at it you should see your income grow exponentially each month and you should be able to count on that income and know what you have to do to increase it. You will have total control over your income and that is very powerful.

1. Create a blog account at one of the free blogging sites available online (we used to use Blogger.com but there are many other good options). This will serve as your Internet base. It really is the cheapest and easiest way to get online today. Yes, you could create a free web site at one out of the many available, but blogs are more attractive to the search engines. Plus they offer you the ability to personalize it, but most of your energy will be spent on content which is the king of the Internet and the real reason you want an Internet presence.

2. Now sign up for a free ClickBank affiliate account which will give you immediate access to something to sell.

3. Sign up for a contextual or pay-per-click advertiser such as Google, Yahoo, Revenue Pilot, or SearchFeed and you’ll start earning from visitors as well as customers.

4. Develop your blog. Make 10 your immediate goal then work your way up to 25, 50 and 100 and so on. Your entries can be your opinions, thoughts, or ramblings; poems or short stories; or articles.

5. Promote your blog through article marketing, link development and submitting your blog feed. I would suggest your primarily focus on article marketing as if offers the ability to not only develop links but also delivers traffic plus as a writer it is easy for you to create articles or use a selection of the material you’ve already created for your blog.

Yes, it really is that simple and while you can later grow by buying your own domain name (or names) and publishing your blog on your own site you do not need (and likely should avoid) investing money in expensive tools

Getting started on the web can be free (as you see above) or inexpensive if you concentrate on what you really need. The simple truth is that you don’t need a lot of fancy, expensive tools and programs. In the long run a domain name is a good investment. A domain name will cost you between $5 and $10 a year depending on whether you go .com or .info (or one of the many other options available). You don’t need to find a web host or create a site. Simply point the domain at your blog for now and continue with the development and promotion of your blog. The advantage of owning your own domain name is simply that later when you have the money, time, and knowledge to develop your web site that domain name will already exist and have filtered through the search engines. It also offers some marketing advantages that a free blog cannot.

At some point you may decide you want more flexibility and control than a free blog can offer and that is when you will want to run your own site. You can find a good web host for as little as $5 a month and shouldn’t pay more than $20 a month for a reputable host that offers all the tools and utilities you might need for your current site–including blog software. Maybe down the line you’ll need to upgrade but by then you’ll know your income and your needs.

Really the only other regular expense that you might consider to make your Internet business complete would be a mailing list tool. You can do this for just $20 a month and it will be worth every penny for sales, customer service, and promotion. But this is not necessary to start out and you may decide that it isn’t important to your efforts so you can skip it entirely.

Once you have your blog set up and monetized (by offering ClickBank products, advertising, and/or selling text links) then you are in a position to begin profiting from your writing. The way to profit it to increase your traffic so you need to get serious about your article marketing efforts because each article you distribute will generate immediate traffic and create back links for search engine optimization. Also you need to continue to grow your blog by adding fresh content regularly. This will create repeat visitors as well as bring the search engines back again and again. Simply publishing new articles and new blog entries each week will increase your traffic. The more articles and entries you create — the more traffic you will generate.

Once you have found your rhythm with your existing blog you may well decide to branch out and create a second blog on a different or related topic. Now you should be able to work even faster because you are more experienced but likely more motivated as well because you can see just how rewarding it can be to write for fun and profit.

How Can You Become A Better Writer?

Essays — Sat, 09 May 2009 04:22:08 +0000

I have been writing professionally for more than two decades and teaching writing nearly that long. Every conference, every writing staff, and every class has always included some writer who asks: “How Can I Become A Better Writer?”

They don’t usually like my answer. “Practice writing every day and read to study the writing of others every day.”

They don’t like the answer for one of two reasons usually. Some people are looking for some quick fix, magic formula that will make them a good writer in three easy steps. Although my suggestion involves only two steps it is pretty obvious that it is a long-term project. The other group of people will sneer at the first because they consider themselves “real writers” but they don’t like the answer any more than the others. They believe they have a gift that simply needs to be unlocked by the magic key that published, successful writers possess.

The simple truth is that there is no way to improve your writing other than to continually practice your craft. Write every day. Experiment, plan, revise, and revisit. Make challenges, deadlines, and competitions. Push yourself and your writing will reward you. I promise. Write something inspired by a writer you admire and then write something completely your own.

However it is not enough to simply write in a vacuum — or an ivory tower. You must also read the writing of others. Read far and wide. Read fiction, nonfiction, poetry and song lyrics. Read argument and persuasion, read informative and biographical, read science and fantasy. Read talented and skilled professionals and read those who are still finding their writing feet.

You are reading to gain inspiration and confidence. You are reading to build your vocabulary and your stockpile of writing tricks. You are reading to learn more about the rhythms and patterns of language. You are reading so that as you write you will be able to develop your own unique voice.

Learning to be a better writer is not the work of a weekend or even a semester. Learning to be a better writer is a life’s work. If you really are a writer then you will never consider your work done. I don’t know a professional writer who sits back and says “I’m done learning now, I’m as good as I’m going to get”. Certainly it need not take a lifetime to reach professional status but you shouldn’t make that your goal. Thinking in those terms can hold you back from becoming the best writer you can be.

For example, perhaps the reason your particular project was rejected had nothing at all to do with your writing but was in fact due to your topic, the particular needs of that publisher, or even the mood of the editor when your submission came across their desk. The truth is that you cannot control when you become a published, professional writer, but you can control your progress toward improving your writing. Believe me, the stronger your writing becomes then the easier it will be to achieve that other goal. When you reach the point that you regularly deliver quality writing then you will find a market. If you write it, the rest will come.

Is Writing a Skill, Craft, or Gift?

Essays — Fri, 01 May 2009 17:49:09 +0000

So, I believe, writing is all three — a skill, a craft, and a gift. Some writers find their ability spans all three while others never progress past the level of skill.

Essays Assistance » improve

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