I have been writing for a number of years now. By writing I mean, writing semi-professionally ( infact, my first pay-check was from freelancing for a local English newspaper in Bangalore, India) and I continue to keep up this hobby/passion; though with not as much energy as I used to, in my 20s.
I still remember the joy and exhilaration, at winning my first ever essay competition in middle-school. The school principal congratulated me in front of everyone. That recognition and glory spurred me on, for several months and I ended up producing some half-decent essays on the state of the world, among other things.
Age, other priorities and laziness have taken a toll it seems. I am not writing as much as I would like to, or as much as an aspiring writer should be.
But I have taken a vow to slay the dragons of laziness and lethargy and become a better ( and more consistent writer). I seek inspiration.
And inspiration comes from strange sources. Sometimes, I get ideas as I am having discussions or debates with friends. At other times, ideas come in the form of "wouldn't it be cool if..." scenarios.
But often, I get my best ideas when I am reflecting on some issue and a creative thought hits me. Prayer or sleep are great reservoirs of ideas, personally.
Here are some things I have discovered about being a consistent writer and improving one's "game" one day at a time.
1. Write regularly: Even if it is crap. Hemingway said it :" For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can"
2. Write a lot : I have come to realize that one should write a lot to arrive at material which is at least half-decent. As one writes and exercises those writing muscles in the brain, the stuff coming out of you gets better. Not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of voice. The biggest challenge any writer has it to find one's voice - to be able to speak with authority, and clearly on the given subject. To articulate it like no one else can - or rather give it a unique flavor and character that is very YOU.
3. Read widely : If working out makes better athletes, then reading a lot makes better writers. There is no other way to becoming a good writer. If you want to be a great writer, read other good writers.
4. Be disciplined : I remember the summer of 2011, when I attempted my first novel ( which I am editing and revising). It was all about having a strong idea for the novel and also putting in an average of 4-5 hours every day for about four months. I set myself a target of at least a 1000 words a day ( it took me nearly 100 days to write the 90,000 word novel). I diligently followed this schedule, setting aside good chunks of my day for this purpose.
At the end of the exercise, I not only felt a sense of accomplishment, but also could see the difference between my writing at the beginning and end. There was a huge qualitative shift. Its those writing muscles, you see. The more you exercise them, the better they get !
5. Be fearless : The one thing that holds back writers is not having enough confidence. I believe that all of us can write. We are all at different levels of writing, and can improve our game - provided we are disciplined, creative and willing to take intellectual risks. The question is : are we willing to give it a try ?
It is good to think of writing as a marathon, and not a sprint. Even if it is a 500 word blog post or opinion piece, keeping at it consistently gives one the confidence, sharpness and clarity of mind that is essential to be a great writer.
I still remember the joy and exhilaration, at winning my first ever essay competition in middle-school. The school principal congratulated me in front of everyone. That recognition and glory spurred me on, for several months and I ended up producing some half-decent essays on the state of the world, among other things.
Age, other priorities and laziness have taken a toll it seems. I am not writing as much as I would like to, or as much as an aspiring writer should be.
But I have taken a vow to slay the dragons of laziness and lethargy and become a better ( and more consistent writer). I seek inspiration.
And inspiration comes from strange sources. Sometimes, I get ideas as I am having discussions or debates with friends. At other times, ideas come in the form of "wouldn't it be cool if..." scenarios.
But often, I get my best ideas when I am reflecting on some issue and a creative thought hits me. Prayer or sleep are great reservoirs of ideas, personally.
Here are some things I have discovered about being a consistent writer and improving one's "game" one day at a time.
1. Write regularly: Even if it is crap. Hemingway said it :" For a long time now I have tried simply to write the best I can. Sometimes I have good luck and write better than I can"
2. Write a lot : I have come to realize that one should write a lot to arrive at material which is at least half-decent. As one writes and exercises those writing muscles in the brain, the stuff coming out of you gets better. Not only in terms of quality, but also in terms of voice. The biggest challenge any writer has it to find one's voice - to be able to speak with authority, and clearly on the given subject. To articulate it like no one else can - or rather give it a unique flavor and character that is very YOU.
3. Read widely : If working out makes better athletes, then reading a lot makes better writers. There is no other way to becoming a good writer. If you want to be a great writer, read other good writers.
4. Be disciplined : I remember the summer of 2011, when I attempted my first novel ( which I am editing and revising). It was all about having a strong idea for the novel and also putting in an average of 4-5 hours every day for about four months. I set myself a target of at least a 1000 words a day ( it took me nearly 100 days to write the 90,000 word novel). I diligently followed this schedule, setting aside good chunks of my day for this purpose.
At the end of the exercise, I not only felt a sense of accomplishment, but also could see the difference between my writing at the beginning and end. There was a huge qualitative shift. Its those writing muscles, you see. The more you exercise them, the better they get !
5. Be fearless : The one thing that holds back writers is not having enough confidence. I believe that all of us can write. We are all at different levels of writing, and can improve our game - provided we are disciplined, creative and willing to take intellectual risks. The question is : are we willing to give it a try ?
It is good to think of writing as a marathon, and not a sprint. Even if it is a 500 word blog post or opinion piece, keeping at it consistently gives one the confidence, sharpness and clarity of mind that is essential to be a great writer.
