Start Writing Today
Do you have a story to tell but wonder what type of writer you are? Do you even know if you are the writerly type? Well, I assure you that if you have the desire to write then you have something worthwhile to say.
There are way too many books out there claiming they can teach you how to write – with way too few containing actual information that you do not already know. If you allow yourself to just write you will find that you know a lot more than you think you know.
Sure, you can read about – or take a classes in - story structure, rules of particular genres and formats, and any other topic that strikes your fancy. It can absolutely inform and inspire you. Just keep in mind that as long as you are able to read what I have written in this article you have everything you need to start writing TODAY! Sorry, but somebody had to break that news to you. So, stop worrying and just do it – today!
The number one issue that holds people back from writing is the fear of writing crap. We get frustrated and disappointed when the first words down on paper do not seem as brilliant as we thought they were in our head. But I will let you in on a little secret… Even the most accomplished authors are sometimes unhappy with their initial drafts.
The first draft is all about not editing our thoughts. It is about going with our instincts, our impulses. And if we can just write without thinking too much about it, the best things come out without our even knowing they have been written.
Hmm… Maybe then it is the control issue that keeps us from writing at times. Perhaps it is the fact that we cannot always plan out the right words before they flow from our head… sometimes they just appear … that keeps us from writing.
Or, maybe it is just that the dishes need to be washed and the car needs an oil change and the laundry is really piling up.
Whatever the case, it does not take all that long to sit down and write what is on your mind. And once you do, it will be out there and you can move on with your day. And you will have written.
© 2006 Laura Modlin. All Rights Reserved.
