Writing

[rdonovan1]

I was just wondering if anyone might happen to have any suggestions as to how I can improve my overall writing skills.

I have one book called 'How to Write it, a complete guide to everything that you'll ever write' and a couple of books relating to resume and cover letter writing as well some relating to writing romance and some books relating to writing copy, but at the moment I am not quite sure as whether I have the right tools to really start writing right or even as to how to really put things down on paper.

I have been learning some stuff relating to NLP, hypnosis and other related topics and it has been suggested by both my sister and another woman that I should get into writing more and at the moment I am really starting to think that they are right, but unfortunately I just don't seem to be conveying my message appropriately and in a way that other people can really understand and relate to and that is why I am looking for ways in which to improve my writing skills.

If anyone might happen to have any suggestions, then I would appreciate it you could let me know.

 

[Tariel]

The best way to improve your overall writing skills is to use them. No amount of reading can help you with the things that you can only learn by putting words on paper, throwing the paper away, and trying again. Just like anything else, you learn by doing.

Something else that will help you improve your writing skills is to read - read the types of things that you want to write, and then study them. How did the writer make it work? How did the writer fail? Why did you like it? Why did you dislike it? Note how the words flow together, and when they seem choppy; pay attention to where the meaning is unclear. I am not suggesting you try to copy anybody else's work, but once you learn to recognize good writing in other people's work it's easier to see it in your own; it's easier to tell when you're doing it right.

Reading and writing - that's all there is to it.

 

[Christianfantasy]

I agree with Tariel, and here are some additional thoughts. First, I don’t care much for how-to-write books. I received one as a gift a while ago. It was moronic, plus I had never heard of the author. I looked her up, and discovered that if she couldn’t use the F-Bomb she wouldn’t be able to write. [She used the F-word in her how-to book as well.] I know most how-to-write books aren’t like hers. Most are, however, written by authors who haven’t sold huge numbers of books. Maybe it’s just me, but why I would want advice from a semi-successful more-often-than-not-niche author? The biggest exception I know of is Stephen King. He waited until he’d sold a bajillion novels before writing his how-to-write book. I’ve only read parts of it, but those parts were GREAT! I wonder if there’s a connection?

Anyway, I’ve personally learned more from studying novels than from all the critique exchanges, publishing workshops and how-to books I’ve ever been a part of or read. I started out with the idea I would only learn from the best, and studied Pulitzer/Nobel winning authors like Mann and Faulkner. I learned a lot about the art and craft of great writing…but eventually it dawned on me that I needed to branch out. Since I’ll never be in the same league as Mann and Faulkner, I figured I should also study the novels of bestselling authors and other popular writers whose work I admire. I’m currently learning massive amounts from focusing intensively on my favorite bestselling author and several related writers. One of the first things I picked up is that all these vaunted ‘rules of good writing’ I’ve spent SO much time learning don’t count for all that much. Most extremely successful writers break the rules almost as often as they keep them, from what I’ve seen, anyway; their emphasis is more on telling dynamite stories that readers literally can’t put down than on keeping a set of writer’s workshop ‘rules.’ Learning how they do it doesn’t mean copying or mimicking their style, nor is it selling out*. It just means learning the tricks of the trade from the acknowledged pros. And what an education it is!

* Some ‘serious’ writers look with disdain on bestsellers—as I used to. But if our goal is not only to be published but also to sell more than the minimal 10,000 copies, doesn’t it stand to reason that authors who are selling books as fast as they can write them have something to teach us?

 

[Tariel]

Very good points

 

[sunstruckdream]

Write. As much as you can. I thought my first story ever, started and finished when I was 14, was golden. Now, I know it sucks. I can't even look at the manuscript. Stuff from following years gets progressively a bit less painful, and the work I'm actually proud of started coming in the past few years. I'm growing, and I'm learning, and only because I'm writing as much as I can, getting feedback and seeing what works and what doesn't. I've had practice, I've listened to some smart people, and I've read a ton more since I started this writing thing. The more I learn and practice, the better I'll get. Read, write, and thrust your work into other people's hands - the more blunt and critical the person, the better. Take opinions into serious account. Then go write something else. Don't stop, and you'll get better.