Every successfully published author who has ever written about the art of writing will give some variance of the following tips in answering each question presented below:
1. Where to start? Make a practice of writing about anything, everyday. 10 minutes, 15, 20, 30 minutes. 100 words, 1,000 words a day. 50,000 in one month. No matter. This is the first step in the journey. Practice writing everyday in whatever form you can. Type a blog or in any text program. Write in a diary or journal. Write on sticky notes, napkins, and with chalk on sidewalk. Anything that feels fun in your hands - like crayons, fine point pens, or thick markers. Write teeny tiny or WAY BIG! Doodle!
2. Where do we begin to come up with ideas on what to write about? If you want to start with something really easy, write down your favorite words or quotes. Write about what is on your mind. Grocery lists, how you are feeling right then, what happened yesterday, a recent botherance you may have had recently with someone. When all that is emptied out, you will find other subtler things emerging. Listen to them. Then write about those things. Stories from your past will come up. Then, be sure to dive in a little deeper. How have you come to know yourself? Talk about the deep sense of purpose you have always carried with you. Name and describe in detail the people in your life that have been a strong influence. Which scents remind you of what events? Write about your feelings about certain topics and things. Write about what life lessons you have learned. Most importantly, write about your passions and your obsessions.
3. Read a lot. Shake it up with a variety of topics and subjects which you always or never wanted to know about but would be happy to fill your brain with.
4. Go easy on yourself. Don't worry about spelling and grammar and whether or not you ended a sentence with a preposition (like the one above). Practice hearing the inner critic and questioning it constantly with a "Is that so?" Use the objections as a challenge you know you can and will win. Gently respond, "Okay, let's see."
5. Keep up with your daily life. Look for 5 minute breaks to read or write. Sometimes those five minutes might turn into a blissful 30 minutes or 3 hours. Roll with it if you can. If not, just take a deep breath and know you will resume when next you have five minutes. Make it easy and fun to fit it into your life.
6. Reach out for resources on writing. Get a coach or mentor, a friend, or join a writing circle. Find and give support in the fields you are most interested in. See what is already out there in the areas you want to write about and find more information.
7. Write about what you would enjoy reading. Maybe there is a book you have wanted to read about and have not found it. Then it is for you to write. Some of the best books out there have been written by people who may have not known anything about a subject matter, yet did a tremendously thorough and exhaustive research, and became so impassioned in the subject, that they became an expert in it. Write about something you are already an expert in or become an expert in something you care about deeply.
8. A writer writes. Someone famous said that. Pretty deep, huh? Write, just write. Writing is about the writing. I think, therefore I write. Write what you think. Don't think, just write. Go write, right now. If you had time to read this, you have time to write. Write to us in the comments below, if you want. You got it. Just write. You will be so happy that you did.
Coaching is one of our key service offerings, and our coaches work with these topics during their sessions with our writers and authors. The big difference is that in our coaching sessions, we work with you incorporating simple and fun exercises that release creativity and help writers get into the flow of their work. Having someone with whom to bounce off your ideas and writings, and areas which need strengthening is one of the greatest gifts in which you can invest. It shortens learning and working time. It builds support arms and networks. It helps people link together and share their greatest gifts and strengths. See your progress take leaps forward with the support from one of our experienced mentors.
Remember the words of a great coach:
1. Where to start? Make a practice of writing about anything, everyday. 10 minutes, 15, 20, 30 minutes. 100 words, 1,000 words a day. 50,000 in one month. No matter. This is the first step in the journey. Practice writing everyday in whatever form you can. Type a blog or in any text program. Write in a diary or journal. Write on sticky notes, napkins, and with chalk on sidewalk. Anything that feels fun in your hands - like crayons, fine point pens, or thick markers. Write teeny tiny or WAY BIG! Doodle!
2. Where do we begin to come up with ideas on what to write about? If you want to start with something really easy, write down your favorite words or quotes. Write about what is on your mind. Grocery lists, how you are feeling right then, what happened yesterday, a recent botherance you may have had recently with someone. When all that is emptied out, you will find other subtler things emerging. Listen to them. Then write about those things. Stories from your past will come up. Then, be sure to dive in a little deeper. How have you come to know yourself? Talk about the deep sense of purpose you have always carried with you. Name and describe in detail the people in your life that have been a strong influence. Which scents remind you of what events? Write about your feelings about certain topics and things. Write about what life lessons you have learned. Most importantly, write about your passions and your obsessions.
3. Read a lot. Shake it up with a variety of topics and subjects which you always or never wanted to know about but would be happy to fill your brain with.
4. Go easy on yourself. Don't worry about spelling and grammar and whether or not you ended a sentence with a preposition (like the one above). Practice hearing the inner critic and questioning it constantly with a "Is that so?" Use the objections as a challenge you know you can and will win. Gently respond, "Okay, let's see."
5. Keep up with your daily life. Look for 5 minute breaks to read or write. Sometimes those five minutes might turn into a blissful 30 minutes or 3 hours. Roll with it if you can. If not, just take a deep breath and know you will resume when next you have five minutes. Make it easy and fun to fit it into your life.
6. Reach out for resources on writing. Get a coach or mentor, a friend, or join a writing circle. Find and give support in the fields you are most interested in. See what is already out there in the areas you want to write about and find more information.
7. Write about what you would enjoy reading. Maybe there is a book you have wanted to read about and have not found it. Then it is for you to write. Some of the best books out there have been written by people who may have not known anything about a subject matter, yet did a tremendously thorough and exhaustive research, and became so impassioned in the subject, that they became an expert in it. Write about something you are already an expert in or become an expert in something you care about deeply.
8. A writer writes. Someone famous said that. Pretty deep, huh? Write, just write. Writing is about the writing. I think, therefore I write. Write what you think. Don't think, just write. Go write, right now. If you had time to read this, you have time to write. Write to us in the comments below, if you want. You got it. Just write. You will be so happy that you did.
Coaching is one of our key service offerings, and our coaches work with these topics during their sessions with our writers and authors. The big difference is that in our coaching sessions, we work with you incorporating simple and fun exercises that release creativity and help writers get into the flow of their work. Having someone with whom to bounce off your ideas and writings, and areas which need strengthening is one of the greatest gifts in which you can invest. It shortens learning and working time. It builds support arms and networks. It helps people link together and share their greatest gifts and strengths. See your progress take leaps forward with the support from one of our experienced mentors.
Remember the words of a great coach:
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lao Tzu
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