Every famous writer is asked to give advice about how to
write. They are asked to reveal their quirky personal writing habits. Their
story telling methods are compared as a way to teach people how to write. Some
people make a lot of money giving talks telling people the best way to set up
their story arc and the top three biggest mistakes new writers make.
Well I'm not famous and no one is paying me to give my opinion but I’m weighing in. I’m going to tell you what I think you
need to know to be a good writer. I will start by telling you that what most people think about writing are lies.
1.
Writing is arduous and painful.
Every art form, every creative endeavor comes from a place
of desire to make something. There is energy and enthusiasm which motivates a
person to create. A person in the depths of depression does not feel compelled
to get up and paint a masterpiece. Only a person seized by passion for an idea
wants to do that. Though there may be a touch of madness in the passion
sometimes, there is still a huge amount of vitality. That’s what makes art – vitality.
So if you think about what it is you want to write and you feel depressed,
fearful or agonized there is something wrong. Writing should make you feel like
something has been accomplished. If it doesn’t, have a look at what is standing
in the way of you feeling good about creating.
2. Only certain people qualify as ‘real writers.’
I’ve fallen prey to this lie myself. This myth is
perpetuated by the publishing industry and those who enjoy aggrandizing themselves
by comparing their accomplishments to those of others. The industry says that
if you are not already published you are not a writer. If you have not been acknowledged
by well-known writers you are not a good writer. If you don't write in a certain genre. If you don’t have a degree. If
you don’t have a set number of published works. If those works have not grossed
a certain amount. Etc, etc, etc. But the truth is if you write, you are a writer.
It is as simple as that. Grammar and spelling are pretty handy but honestly, if
you can read and write and enjoy writing, you are a writer. Whether or not
other people understand or relate to what you write is in no way a qualifier.
If you love to write, then write. And don’t stop until you don’t want to write
any more. Hopefully that never happens because I personally think everyone
should write but I’m probably biased.
3. You must write every day.
For some people this works really well. But, like all rules,
there are exceptions and for all people some things work for them and others don’t.
There is no absolute right way of doing anything in art. In fact breaking the
rules is how new art forms are created. A true fool-proof rule to adhere to in
this vein would be more along the lines of “Figure out what kind of writing
schedule works for you and your life in order to create the most consistently satisfying
results.”
Another part of the writing process is not writing. Some
people call it brainstorming. It can look like staring out the window. It can
involve doodling or going for a walk. But a writer should never forget that
this is a very important part of the writing process. Figure out what form of “not
writing” helps your process best and make it part of your routine.
4. There is no such thing as writer’s block.
I find this one of the most dehumanizing absolutes of all.
There comes a time when every creative person gets into a mental tizz for
any number of reasons and they can become paralyzed in their creative process. In
writing, people call it writer’s block. Writer’s block simply means you have
something going on mentally or emotionally that is halting you from writing
with the enjoyment and fluidity that you did before. People who say there is no
such thing are trying to say “this halt should not be used as an excuse.” Unfortunately
what is heard by people suffering under the strain of not producing the way
they want to is “what you’re going through isn’t real.”
While it is true that you shouldn’t let stumbling blocks
keep you from achieving your goals, you should also be permitted to acknowledge
that you are having a hard time with something. If you do not acknowledge this
difficulty you will likely start to beat yourself up about how you are not
accomplishing your goals and you begin to feed the dangerous monsters of self-doubt
and defeatism. Don’t do it. If you want to call it writer’s block, call it writer’s
block. If you want to call it something else, call it something else. But
whatever you do, don’t let it beat you. Take the time you need to look at those
feelings or thoughts and work them out so that you can get back to the
enjoyment of writing again.
5. You can fail.
This isn’t specifically about writing. It is about putting
yourself out there in any way and hoping for a particular result. As a writer,
you are probably hoping the manuscript you have slaved over for months and
months will be accepted by a publisher and you will see fame and fortune or at
the very least get to have a book signing one day. Or your screen play will
become a blockbuster movie. Or what have you. In any case you send your
precious creative expression out into the world looking for approval.
Many, many times the answer will come back (politely, rudely
and with silence) that the people you have approached are not interested. In these
moments, especially for writers new to putting themselves out there, it will
feel like you have failed to accomplish anything. But this simply isn’t true.
Your original goal, if you recall, was to write something. And you did that. You
can’t control what others do, say or feel. Whether or not others like what you
created is really much less important than you, yourself, feeling that you achieved
your goal. So remember, the goal is to write. So write and don’t believe the
liars who tell you you can’t.
Mostly because I told a friend I would get this recipe to her but also because I want to share this easy-peasy bread recipe with everyone. All you need is a dutch oven (a metal pot with a lid that goes in the oven) and a taste for fresh baked bread. 
