Thinking About Writing
It’s a new year,
"it’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, for me y-e-a-h." (Nina Simone, Feeling Good)
And in 2008 Unheardwords will pull together a wealth of collaborative advice to create a concise writers’ guide, designed to help you with your writing regardless of the stage you’ve reached as a writer.
Based on the conversations that flow behind the scenes it seems apparent that
–
Thinking about writing, is thinking about what you’d like to say, is thinking about who you’d like to say it to and how your writing will communicate the message, is thinking about your readers, is thinking about reading.
So Unheardwords guide will divide into five:
-Thinking About Writing
-Writing
-Producing a Manuscript
-Publishing Work and
-Building a readership
First up let’s begin with
Thinking about Writing
"Thinking about writing, is thinking about
what you’d like to say…"
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Before you become a writer you’ll think about writing. The thoughts that once never left your head may later become the words that you write. This is about preparation for writing.
You need to develop your skills as a writer, you need to write, and –read. You need to be prepared to seek constructive criticism, and usually you’ll need to be prepared to draft and re-draft your work to make it speak to people in the way you’d always intended.
First and foremost WRITE. Write little, if that fits the time available, and about any topic imaginable if this is easier - but make sure it’s often. Good practice makes perfect is one reason why ‘just writing’ is so important.
Be ready. Carry a pen and highly portable notepad (or electronic substitute) around with you. Be ever ready to capture that moment, that thought or idea that’ll change the world.
If you find yourself stuck for something to write, write what you know about; this is the easiest way to build your confidence and generate additional ideas. Reading also helps, sometimes providing the essential break from your own pre-occupation, allowing you to move on.
Review what you write, better still, welcome feedback from others. A day, a night or longer away from your first draft is always useful in allowing you to gain some perspective. Be prepared to ‘go in hard’ and take the opportunity to re-write. Consider creative writing courses or joining an effective writing group in order to get other opinions about your work and to see what else is being done creatively.
Stay determined, it’s often a lonely pursuit, think about what you want to say, how you want to say it and who you want to say it too. Keep writing, be patient.
Finally, try this activity:
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Get a blank sheet of paper (or file, open, new) and fill the page with whatever comes into your head. Re-read what you've written. Is there anything you'd like to expand on or re-write in order to make what you're saying clearer? |
© editor@unheardwords.com, 2008 (all rights reserved)
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