Don’t Wait to Write Right to Start Writing!
Happy New Year! If you’re like most people who make New Year’s resolutions, I can predict a couple of things. First, you’ve probably already broken your resolution. (Let me guess, you vowed to eat healthier, exercise more, and lose weight, but you’re reading this while binge watching Virgin River from the couch while eating leftover pizza. It’s okay. I don’t judge.) Second, if your resolution is still holding, congratulations! According to research, 88% of resolutions fail within the first two weeks so, give yourself a couple of weeks.…
One resolution I hear often from people when they learn I’m a ghostwriter is something like: “I’ve always wanted to write a book! Maybe that should be my New Year’s resolution!”
Yes, maybe it should. If that’s your resolve, let me tell you how to make it happen. (Resolutions that come with an action plan are more likely to remain intact and come to fruition.)
Don't worry about getting your writing “right” in your first try.
You won't. That's not sarcasm or cynicism. Some of the best writers in the world spent half of their lives writing material and the other half revising it.
If you struggle with grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, or any other common issues that make you afraid that you won’t get it right, don’t worry.
Here’s why. I struggled with dyslexia as a child. While it no longer affects my reading, my mind reorders things differently than “normal” people. I also have slight inclination toward ADHD (or severe, if you ask my wife). I haven't been to a movie in more than a decade, because the thought of sitting still for anything longer than a Three Stooges short leaves me anxious. Given my challenges, you might think I shouldn’t be a writer.
Which is what I told myself for years. But fortunately, there are several reasons why this isn’t true.
For one, technology has come a long way, offering a plethora of tools to check grammar, spelling, and sentence structure if you struggle with those. In fact, I'm “writing” this blog as I cool down from a long run by talking into my phone. And since I mumble, it'll be full of errors. As it should be. Don’t filter yourself on your first draft. Just get your thoughts out, even if they’re jumbled at times. (Although we also recommend crafting an outline at the right time, like an architectural plan for building a home.)
Which takes me to the next point.
Plan on editing your writing.
Writers must become critical editors of their own writing. Any brilliant idea I outline and sketch out at 3 p.m. is rarely more than a loose thread when I reread it the next morning. But that thread can still contain a seed worth nurturing and expanding. Practicing critical self-assessment helps you cut out the parts of your writing that add little value.
Read your writing aloud, hearing how it sounds. You can use an AI or grammar programs to clean up or make suggestions, but your words must flow cleanly, since most readers use their inner voices when they read. If your words don’t sound right in your own ears, they’ll sound even worse to your readers. And eventually, you’ll want to reach out to a professional editor to help you.
Write.
The best way to improve your writing is to write more often and keep editing your work. Trust me, if there were shortcuts to getting better without more writing and editing, I would have found them.
And become a skilled listener. If you want to perfect the craft of writing dialogue, listen to the rhythms and patterns found in natural conversations. Read great authors from your genre. Take notes of what they employ to make their writing masterful.
Then, get back to your writing.
If you’re struggling to start, reach out to us. We’d be happy to point you in the right direction.
Happy writing!
Scott
