QMusings

Yesterday I recommended six books on writing: three books on grammar and style, three books on the craft itself.

I ended with a promise to give you my thoughts on writing.

Why would you be interested in my thoughts on writing?

If you’re a writer, want to become a better one, or would like to become one, you may find the thoughts (I’d rather write ‘thoughts’ instead of ‘advice’ as I don’t consider myself some expert writer-on-the-mount) helpful.

If you’re not a writer, you may find my thought processes (such as they are) interesting.

Why am I sharing my thoughts on writing?

I am writing this because so many people are intimidated by writing – any type of writing. Writing has a permanency and like a tattoo, they fear they will have made a bad choice and will have to live with that choice forever.

I am writing this because the ability to express yourself with words is a valuable skill and in many ways, a gift to yourself.

How many times have you ached to express a feeling or share an experience?

The more you look at the world with a writer’s eye, the richer your experience. You begin to make connections (all those similes and metaphors!) that allow others to see what you see, feel what you feel.

I’m writing this because I feel that there are bloggers out there who want to improve their writing and have no idea where to start.

I finally accepted the fact that I wanted to write and I allowed myself to write.

I am writing this to encourage all you writers out there.

The thoughts I share with you are the thoughts of a storyteller. When I write, I don’t think about key words or search engine optimization.

The Eleven Ways

1. Become a better listener. In order to become a better listener, you have to pay attention to a person. In her book, “Escaping Into The Open: The Art Of Writing True” Elizabeth Berg wrote, “You are listening for the words beneath the words.”

Listening is a way to better understand people. Listening forces you to open up and allow another’s thoughts in.

2. Become more observant. Pay attention.

Even if you’re not a writer, it pays to become more observant. It’s also very appealing: most people enjoy being paid attention to.

Paying attention enables you to learn more about people.

For example, I have this male friend and he has the ability to charm women of any age.

How does he do this?

He would look them directly in the eye and he gave them his undivided attention.

He would lean towards them just enough so that he body language was an echo of his total absorption. Sometimes he’d lightly touch their shoulder or upper arm to make a point. It was fascinating to watch. He was a bit chagrined when I broke down his methodology to him.

3. Read a lot of books and read from several genres.

I have read thrillers, romance, science fiction, fantasy, mysteries, and westerns and there is so much more I want to read and haven’t had the time to.

The more you read, the more you learn about language and pacing and why one novel makes you feel like the author has taken you somewhere and why another novel makes you feel ripped off or let down.

4. Keep a notepad (or index cards!) and pen handy to jot down any ideas that come to mind.

I carry a few index cards with me almost all the time. I will jot down an observation or an idea or an impression just so I don’t forget them.

I have a stack of these random observations, starts of writing ideas, and interesting phrases. I don’t always use these ideas but I do keep the stack of cards. Sometimes flipping through them gives me an idea.

5. Show Don’t Tell: this is my favorite bit of advice that I’ve read and I try to keep it mind whenever I write.

For example, I was reading someone’s description of her trip overseas and she wrote, “It was the cutest little street!” She included a photo and the street was cute.

But what if there wasn’t a photo? When I write for my blog, I write descriptions without a photo in mind. I hope to use a photo to enhance the text, not replace it.

Unless you’re writing a travel article, keep in mind Way 6 – a little description can go a long way.

6. Allow your readers to use their imagination.

If I get stumped on describing something or I feel I’ve gone into too much detail (yaaawwwn) I step away from the description and ask myself, “How can I let the reader fill in the blanks?”

An example of this is my Pre-Pre-Boarding post when I wanted to describe what this Korean couple was wearing. I started to write about the odd denim skirt that she wore over these white leggings and her funny flat shoes and dang, my eyeballs were rolling up in my head. I ended up writing that they were in their Early 20s and dressed in Not From Here.

We all recognize people who are from out of town. Why not let your readers use their imaginations?

Allow the reader to make the story his own. I don’t describe people in great detail. For example, when I wrote about the man from Wendy’s, I barely described him. I gave you an impression.

I wasn’t sure how successful I was at this until I asked a friend to recall the post and he replied, “I really could picture the guy – I saw the rumpled, unknotted tie, his hair…”

When I told him that I didn’t describe any of that, he was surprised.

If you allow a reader to use his imagination, he will make the story his own and that is how you can touch your reader.

7. Relax.

This is easier for me to tell you than for me to do!

Sometimes I burn with an idea and I can’t figure out a way to express it. I keep unraveling my words and knitting them up again until I end up with his bunched up mess. I’ve learned to put the work aside for a while.

Try not to fight with your writing.

• Sometimes you have to allow a piece to happen.
• Sometimes a piece isn’t ready to be written because you aren’t ready to write it.
• Sometimes you will have to give up on perfect and let a piece be what it is.

8. Take risks. Get out of your comfort zone. Experiment.

Don’t stick with what you know you’re good at or what you feel safe writing about. If you feel your strength is humorous writing, try writing something serious. If you’re best at factual or news writing, try your hand at more emotional writing.

When I first started writing, I was more formal. I had this idea that my posts had to have a single tone – all serious or all funny, a single note. Now I’ve begun to blend the bitter with the sweet, the laughter with the sigh.

9. Have fun. Write for yourself!

Allow the writing to bring you joy. I had a lot of fun writing about Spot and Rusty. A friend said, “That post was whacked.”

I wrote that just for the fun of it.

One early rainy morning I needed to capture the essence of the moment and I wrote “rain in the city”:

Shush and shush.
Murmurs.
Hush.
Snug under my covers.
Tap and tippity-tap.
Rain on my window.
Whispers in the trees.
Shush and shush.
Rubber kisses on wet cement.
Whish and swish
susurrating, soothing insinuating
my dreams.
rain in the city.
a kiss on my brow
hush.

Don’t let writing become a chore.

10. Keep writing.

All the books I’ve read about writing advise you to write regularly. If you want to improve, you have to write regularly.

11. Take a break.

I’m constantly thinking of things to write about and am lucky to have a reservoir of ideas. However, it’s tiring. I can spend all day writing and if I don’t take a break, I end up with tired writing.

11 Ways To Improve Your Writing

1. Become a better listener.
2. Become more observant. Pay attention.
3. Read a lot of books and read from several genres.
4. Keep a notepad (or index cards!) and pen handy to jot down any ideas that come to mind.
5. Show Don’t Tell.
6. Allow your readers to use their imagination.
7. Relax.
8. Take risks. Get out of your comfort zone. Experiment.
9. Have fun. Write for yourself!
10. Keep writing.
11. Take a break.

A friend thought I should write a post describing my actual writing process.

I think that would be a pretty short post – 5 easy steps, 3 involving taking a sip of red wine.

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