It’s Writing Monday…
As you may recall, we’re discussing the myths and gloomy voices that plague writers and anyone involved in any creative process.
Gloomy Voice #4 – You Shouldn’t Write Until You’ve Learned How to Do It Better, Otherwise You’ll Just Reinforce Your Bad Writing Habits
The truth: If you wait until you can write better, then you’ll never write because everyone’s opinion of what is considered good—or great—writing differs.
Writing is like learning to ride a bike. You can read about how to do it, watch other people do it, and think yourself through it, but until you get on the bike and try it, you’ll never accomplish riding the bike.
So write whenever you feel compelled to write.
Do it right now.
Better still, do it “write” now.
Still hesitating?
Then let me be clear about something:
Allow yourself to write poorly… just don’t submit poor writing.
Write, and just get the bulk of it done. Then you go back and refine and edit.
Likewise, don’t place so much importance on the first draft. There’s a reason it’s called a draft. Let it be one.
Books are written in the 3rd, 8th or 50th revision anyway.
Thinking that you have to be perfect when you write means that you are editing and then writing, and that is the wrong sequence! First you write, then you edit.
The vision of writers taking a few deep breaths, pushing up their sleeves, and banging out fully formed and perfect passages as fast as a court reporter is best left to television.
I know a lot of well-known authors, and none of them are confident and excited about what they are writing all the time.
Another tip: Lower your expectations. Lower your standards. Allow yourself to write B- or C+ stuff. You don’t always have to be brilliant, and you don’t always have to turn in peak performance writing. Often “good” work will satisfy your ends. Plus it’s your work, so you will have a chance to revise and polish your C+ work later.
So for now, just start writing.
You can spit, polish and shine the piece later.
Next Monday: Gloomy Voice #5 – When the time is right, the schedule is clear, I win the lottery, and I feel moved, I will write.
Historical intrigue interwoven with modern-day suspense and a touch of the mysterious.
Contemporary romantic suspense.
Coming-of-age sagas.
I love the writer word image (Writer-Series2-150×150.jpg). What is the copyright on it? I would like to use it on my business card (I’m an unpublished writer – so far – but hopefully not for much longer).
Thanks,
Nina Gudiksen