Writing - To persevere or give up

 Writing is one of those pursuits that either excites some people or fills others with dread. I met a brilliant person ages ago. She spent six years studying for a PhD in a subject in the Arts. However, after those six years of study, she did not leave university with that piece of paper that should have validated her expertise in her area of study. She stopped along the last mile of the way. She did not write her thesis. Why? She convinced herself that she couldn't write. What gave her that idea? Did somebody criticise her writing and she took that criticism to heart? The answers to those questions will continue to reside with that person who was adamant that she couldn't write. She didn't display any regret for having given up on six years of her life. This attitude should not be the norm for reluctant writers.

It is true that writing poses some challenges, even for the seasoned writer. Writer's block is one of the most pervasive challenges that writers will face. In an article I wrote titled, Keeping Up With The Joneses Of Writing, I wrote about the challenges of capturing my thoughts in writing and wished to be like a colleague who quickly produces brilliant bits of writing 'on the fly', it seems. However, my experience of writing has taught me that I should trust my process and just write because practice does make perfect, as the saying goes. The more pieces you write, you will realise that each subsequent piece gets better and better. The process doesn't have to be quick; just make it consistent.

Your Writing Process

If you have difficulty coming up with ideas to write about, listen to Marrietta Grant-Silvera, a commenter on that post referenced above. She says: "If you immediately jot down the idea, title, paragraph or phrase [that comes to mind], it becomes a catalyst for later when you sit down to write". This is sound advice. You will be developing a bank of writing prompts from which to draw when you are ready to write.

I had a student who was an excellent writer in terms of her use of English and her treatment of whatever she was given to write. She wanted to be a writer. She knew that writing was her calling but, outside of classes, she did not know what to write about. She was young at the time. The years may have seasoned her and she may have found her writing niche.

If you want to be a writer and you are like that student, you need to find your genre of interest, decide what aspect of it you really want to write about and just write. Don't question anything. Do not stop to correct anything. Write until you are all 'written out'. Write until you have captured everything you want to say about your topic. After you have satisfied yourself that you have written everything you need to write, take a break. This break may be a few minutes, an hour, a couple of hours, a day…

After you have rested, go back to those words that you have written—the words you thought you wanted to write. You will need to do the following to get your project right for your readers:

• Read those words to determine if you really said what you set out to say.
• Structure your writing. Decide which idea should go into a first paragraph, second paragraph and so on.
• Structure each paragraph. Cut ideas from where you have determined that they don't belong and paste them where you think they belong.
• Don't be afraid to delete bits of your writing that do not serve the purpose of your project. You may choose to put the deleted bits into a folder on your computer. They may come in handy one day.
• Correct grammar, spelling and punctuation.
• Ask yourself: Have I communicated the idea that I set out to communicate? Remember, if you are confused by what you write, your reader will be confused as well.

You will edit your work several times before you share it with the world. At the end of these rounds of editing, you may find that the project has taken on a different shape from that which you originally intended, but better than you anticipated. Kudos to you!

Now, move on to the final edit. You may elicit the help of an editor if you have doubts about your competence to produce a document with streamlined error-free content. Note, though, that even the best writer needs an editor because he/she tends to overlook glaring errors. It is their work. They read what they think they have written instead of what they actually write. So, getting an outside perspective is a good idea.

That editor is someone versed in the mechanics of the language, knows how to structure content and knows how to guide you to produce your best content. That editor could be either a teacher of English, or a teacher of the language in which you write, or somebody who has a good grasp of the language in which you write, or a professional editor. That editor will present you with your document of streamlined ideas, ready to share with your audience.

You are professionals trying to enhance yourselves and your job prospects. One of the ways to do this is by communicating. And one of the ways that you communicate is by writing. So, no matter how much or how little you think you know about writing, the door of knowledge is open for you to learn more. You just need to walk through it, grab the necessary tools to help you improve your writing and use them.

As Sophocles, one of the ancient great writers of Tragedies tells us:

A man, though wise, should never be ashamed of learning more, and must unbend his mind.

And,

One learns by doing a thing; for though you think you know it, you have no certainty until you try.

So, whether you are filled with excitement at the prospect of writing and you know you write well, or you are someone who has much to say but struggle to write it, there is much to learn about the process of writing and it is wise of you to do so to hone your craft.

Try to write what you want to write. Write a bit each day—one hundred words, two hundred words, three hundred words, four hundred words… Write as many words or as few words as you choose each day. It is only by practising this craft of writing that you will get better at it.

Don't ever accept the view that you can't write. You can write if you learn about writing and allow yourself to write. So, get started!

About the Author

Janette B. Fuller is a ghost writer and author of four books. 

When you are ready to write your story and/or after you have written your story, make contact with her at writingwisdomtree@gmail.com. She'll help you write your best story by helping you arrange your thoughts and/or edit your work. Check out her books here.