![]() Over the last 20 years I have taught writing to people from the age of 12 on up, and one thing that novice writers have in common is a true desire to become better writers. One of the things I appreciate so much about new writers is their drive to improve their abilities. We can all learn a little more and become better writers if we are willing to follow the formula. How do Writers Improve? The formula for improving one’s writing is surprisingly simple. First, read every day. Next, write every day. Finally, open yourself to change. That may come across as an oversimplification of a revered profession, but for anyone who wants to be a better writer, these are the steps. “Just write every day of your life. Read intensely. Then see what happens. Most of my friends who are put on that diet have very pleasant careers.” Ray Bradbury “Be ruthless about protecting writing days, i.e., do not cave in to endless requests to have “essential” and “long overdue” meetings on those days. The funny thing is that, although writing has been my actual job for several years now, I still seem to have to fight for time in which to do it.” J.K. Rowling “If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.” Stephen King Yes, the process to improving our writing is simple. We need to spend time reading, we need to write, and we need to be open to change. This list brings up some common questions. Should writers read specific books? Should writers read books in their genre? Should writers read books about the writing practice? Pondering what decisions to make can feel overwhelming, because novice writers have a strong drive to become professional writers. Writing is their passion, their dream, and their chosen path. It can feel like one wrong step and the dream will be destroyed, but happily, that is not the case. As new writers move through the steps by increasing their reading and writing times and open themselves up to change, they activate their own sense of self-reflection, which allows them to hone their practices into a more efficient and personalized experience. Should writers read specific books? |
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January 2021
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