|
Author: Marg McAlister Article source: http://www.writing4success.com/. Used with author's permission.
Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored thousands of writing students. They come in all flavours: retirees who at last have time to satisfy a dream; young mothers who want a job they can do at home; bored workers who feel their creativity is being stifled by their existing careers.
Most of them start out with great enthusiasm and high expectations. Some are naturally talented and sail through the course; I know beyond doubt that if they just stick with it they will get published eventually. Others are surprised by how hard it is to actually sit down and write, day after day. They had thought writing a book would be easy - just a few pages a day. The reality is a shock. Quite a number give up after only a few assignments, and look for hobby that's more fun.
Then there are those who really, really want to be published. They may have been praised during their school years for their writing skills. They may have had people say "You write such great letters - you should have been a writer!" or "You're doing a terrific job on the club newsletter - why don't you write for magazines?"
All enthused, they enrol in a course - then reality hits. There's so much to learn! Rather than just sitting down at the computer and bashing out page after page of a gripping story, they find that they need to have some idea of where the story is going. (Plotting? Aarrgh!) And why aren't those characters coming to life on the page? They find themselves hitting the 'delete' key more than anything else. A whole day goes by and there's half a page to show for it. And what's more, they wail, "it's all junk!!"
Those who just 'have to write' usually keep going. But quite often, they go through weeks or months of depression and get very little done. They swing back and forth between "I give up. I'm never going to get published; who am I fooling?" and "I've just GOT to write. I'm going to have another shot at it!"
So what's the problem here? Is writing really that hard? Or are people's expectations set too high to start with?
A large part of the problem is that most people expect to 'master' writing in a short time. Why is this? After all, if you undertake a training course in different field you know you'll have to invest a large chunk of time. Nobody expects to become an engineer without years of study. Architects, teachers, IT specialists, nurses, journalists and top sports professionals all put in years of training and hours each week perfecting skills.
Well... why should writing be any different?
A New Principle: Writing The Kaizen Way
Perhaps what you need to do is take a different perspective on writing.
The Japanese have a concept known as Kaizen, which means "gradual continual improvements over time".
- Don't try to master everything in a course that lasts six months.
- Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by the idea of having to write an entire 100,000 word novel.
- Don't impose unrealistic time constraints ("If I can't get a novel finished and accepted in a year I'll toss it in.")
Instead, work on gradual improvements. Over the course of weeks, months and years, this will add up to a substantial level of improvement. Start with the aspect of writing that is frustrating you most, and work on it until you can see a difference.
You now have a new tool in your writer's toolkit! Then tackle the next problem.
Let's take this scenario: You have started writing a novel, but you've stopped because you have no idea what is going to come next. You know plotting is your weak point. What do you do?
Say to yourself: OK, I'm going to learn as much as I can about plotting in the next four/six/eight weeks. At the end of that time I'm going to have a workable outline for my novel.
Then sit down and work out how you're going to do it. Will you surf the internet and look for relevant advice/articles? Will you buy a couple of good books on plotting? Will you arrange to meet with other writers and find out how they plot their books?
Once you have your plan of action, stick to it. And DO make note of what you're learning. Remember, the Kaizen principle is all about gradual, continual improvements over time. Every time you learn something new, that's a small advance on where you were before.
What if it takes longer than you'd planned? Fine. Just KEEP GOING. Your aim is to master one thing, then move on to the next. When you're feeling a lot more comfortable with plotting, it's time to advance to the next challenge.
Need to know more about creating believable characters? Want to write more convincing dialogue? Work on whatever it is... add the new skill to your toolkit... then move on.
As you can see, the secret to gradual improvement is simple: effort applied consistently over time.
This will make an enormous difference to your development as a writer. Start using the "Kaizen principle" today, record every improvement, and you'll be elated at how much you've grown at the end of a year.
(c) Marg McAlister Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/
Three Network Marketing Mistakes That Destroy Down-line Growth
The NWM principle is solid and easy to use.
Mastering Google AdWords Marketing - Negative Keywords
Want to save money with your Google AdWords account? Want your Google ads to have a higher position without paying a higher CPC? Use negative keywords in all ...
Evaluating Your Associations (Part One)
If you were to evaluate the major influences in your life that have shaped the kind of person you are, this has to be high on the list: the people and thoughts ...
Cumulative Gains in Innovation
There is much focus on radical shifts and disruptive technology, but in fact the vast majority of radical shifts result from incremental improvements. This is s...
Instant Success - Yeh Right.
Join our affiliate-program and make your fortune overnight.
Depression: Based on a True Story
Have you ever felt life was not worth living? Have you wished you were dead? Have you had any thoughts of taking your own life?
Being Rubbed Up – The Right Way! - The Therapeutic Wonders of Massage
Achieve a healthier body, system and rested mind through the regular use of therapeutic massage.
Whats a Professional Sales Manager?
I was in the depths of a major depression. As a third year salesperson with a good company, I was doing well, and was on my way to becoming the top salesperson ...
Five Snake Care Tips for Beginners
Snakes can make for fascinating, low-maintenance pets. Find out how to avoid some common mistakes that people make when embarking on this unusual hobby.
Letting Events Control Your Life ... Dropping The Negatives And Moving On!
Align your life in the direction you desire, drop the negatives, and begin moving forward. Soon enough, you'll be moving too fast for anything negative to catch...
Why Wont My Child Do as I Say?
Parents frequently say: "My child won't listen to me!!" Repeated attempts in trying to get a child to co-operate often lands on deaf ears and leaves prents fee...
Confession and Convenience
If there's one thing that never fails to amaze me over the Catholic controversy, it's the argument over confession. Perhaps each person has their own theories a...
Cranberries - Not Just For Thanksgiving!
The cranberry is an amazing fruit--nutritious and delicious. Add it to your daily diet!
Publishing Your Poetry
The publicity of poetry seems to be an enigmatic task. The truth is that vanity publishers are the most prolific publishers of poetry. With that thought in mi...
Health Insurance And Insurance Brokers
Using a health insurance broker is an unnecessary and potentially costly extra step in the application approval process. Please read on for a personal testimony...
Hunger Free Eating - How To Eat Less And Not Feel Hungry
Eating fewer calories is easy if you eat the right foods more slowly. Becoming overweight is not just eating the wrong food but eating too fast. There are many ...
21 Questions to Ask Any List Service Before You Sign on With Them
If you publish an e-mail newsletter, or "e-zine," you'll need to sign on with a list service (or "listserve") to manage your subscriber list. There are many typ...
Mobile Gaming Leads the Way
The state of online gambling may have just found another highly lucrative ally. The new world offered up by the mobile gaming industry can be highly rewarding f...
Should Farmers Plant GM Terminator Seeds?
If a farmer plants the same crop three seasons in a row he might like to have the non-terminating, but if he plants winter wheat and regular wheat he gets paid ...
Our Feelings and Attitudes Around Happily Ever After
Our feelings and attitudes have a huge impact on our ability to achieve 'happily ever after.' Are feelings and attitudes the same thing or different? Does one...
Managing Dickheads
Super performers are rare entity who produces results. But along with them they bring their ego, self- centered view of everything, fanatical about excellence. ...
Is That Free Stuff Like An iPod Or Desktop Computer Really Free?
You may have heard of or visited web sites like www.freestuf.com and seen offers for free top-brand electronics like Apple's iPod, or Microsoft's Xbox360. While...
Water, Water Everywhere on the Waterfront
Waterfront living is among the most desirable of locations. However, all this joy is not without some special concerns. America's Happy Home Inspector, Wally C...
Dont Put Up With Junk PR
In public relations, "junk" is more about attitude and lack of understanding than a measure of quality.
|
Print this page