Advice From The Ark: 5 Tips For Writers
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The Story Ark is a place for stories that warm the heart, ignite the imagination, and cultivate connection. But in order for stories to be enjoyed, they need to be written. I love to champion writers in their craft because as a writer myself, I know how important it is for encouragement. When you have individuals that genuinely want you to create, can offer critique to develop your craft, and challenge you to keep going, this helps to sustain you as you write long-term.
I’ve been writing from an early age. Poetry, short stories, and screenplays captivated my interest in my youth. Journalling and blogging took off in my late teens and early twenties. Social media growth and trying to ‘prove’ myself as a professional writer of articles had a hold on me for most of my twenties. I won an award, had work experience at a newspaper and magazine, achieved my first regular freelance gigs, had several articles published, invested in writing masterclasses, and kept up blogging. Now, in my mid-thirties, with a whole lot more life experience under my belt, I am returning to the simple joy of just writing. I can’t not write. Maybe if you’re a writer, you can relate. It’s this longevity that I hope to encourage in you as well.
Here are some tips as you continue on your own writing journey. It doesn’t matter if you have not been published. It doesn’t matter if you haven’t picked up a pen or typed for a while. It doesn’t matter if you think you’re no good (all writers live in that tension somewhere). It doesn’t matter if you’re on a bestseller list or have your name regularly in a by-line somewhere. What matters is we all need to be encouraged to keep going with our craft.
Put Your Blinders On.
Some horses have blinders on the sides of their eyes to force them to focus on what is directly in front of them. It stops them from getting distracted, focuses their attention, and stops debris from getting in their eyes. We need to put on our blinders. For writers, comparison is one of the biggest distractions which can hinder your own work and can hurt you deeply — much like a piece of dirt in the eye. This is one that I continue to struggle with. Hence this is being hammered home from the outset. But in the words of Shakira in the World Cup song Waka Waka (This Time For Africa), “pick yourself up and dust yourself off, get back in the saddle”. I am a slow learner when it comes to comparison, but I am back on the horse. But rather than racing to the finish in a competition, I am freely galloping in the meadows of my creative mind.
Read everything.
This is the advice I see repeated time and again for writers. Writers need to be readers. It informs your writing. It provides inspiration. It connects you with others, past and present. As a home educator, I encourage my children to read menus, road signs, cereal boxes, as well as books. Where there are words, there is an opportunity to engage with writing. If you are seasoned with your phonics and your early-readers, which I am presuming you are, then read a bit of everything else. Not just online. Fiction, magazines, articles, non-fiction, poetry, classics, song lyrics, instructions, and more. Soak it all in.
Learn From Others.
Read books about the craft of writing. Watch interviews with authors. Study a story that you really enjoyed and figure out what it was that kept you hooked. Join a community of writers in person or online. Get feedback from others. Make sure others spend time looking at your work who can offer honest feedback. You are often too close to it to see the errors that they will see. Be humble and gracious.
Find Your Voice.
I believe this comes from writing over time. You start to sound more like you the more you write. You’re not trying to write like that person (remember to put your blinders on!). It also doesn’t mean that you do not adhere to clear writing guidelines given by publishers. But it does mean you have your own voice to bring to the table within those parameters. Your words will be edited and they should be edited. That can be painful, but it usually sharpens it and results in better writing. However, do not try to write like someone else. Hold onto your voice. It will inevitably change as you change, it will be refined as your words are refined, perhaps it will feel like it’s deepened unrecognisably, like a boy’s voice box distinctly dropping. But, it’s still your voice. And if you do lose your voice, and it can happen, maybe just rest for a little while. Before you know it, you’ll be back up and singing. Just don’t give in.
Keep Writing.
There have been many moments where I have felt like giving it all up. Life circumstances have almost crippled my creative spirit. And yet, one of the best pieces of advice was given to me from a fellow writer. Part of their message said: “Keep writing Ruth. I don't really know what else to say other than that. Keep writing. There's power in words when written by those who love them. For real writers, writing itself - regardless of being read - is survival. Just keep writing. Don't quit. Write through it. Keep writing. We need real writers to write. I oddly think it still changes the world even if real writers aren't really read. Writing is a defiant act of creation.” I saved those words because they have saved me more than once. So I share it here too, hoping that it will spur you on with your own writing endeavours.
Keep on writing.
