What I Know About Writing…

Writing does not come naturally to anyone…if they tell you otherwise…they are lying.

Writing well is a confrontation with your mind similar to gladiators going to battle.

When you are able to make some meaning out of the jumble of ideas rolling around in your head, you are the gladiator who is still standing in a bloody clash with the nebulous thoughts in your overactive imagination.

Writing is an act of self indulgence.

Writing well requires the ability to appreciate delayed, often very delayed gratification.

Writers are never satisfied with their work; There is always room for a rewrite.

The best word to use is the one you cannot think of.

The rules of grammar rarely make sense and are sometimes hard to remember but punctuation is a must!

Writing is a curiosity as you never know what will come of it.

When you can string several interesting words together that form a beautiful cohesive thought, you have created something astonishing because, like seeing an endangered animal in the jungle, it rarely happens.

Similar to a teenager’s bedroom, writing is a messy process only with words strew about instead of dirty clothes.

Edit, revise, edit, revise, edit, revise, edit, revise, edit, revise, edit, revise, etc…

Writing requires calluses, in order to keep doing it, you must be hardened against your critics.

If it has been said before, you are probably writing about it again. Don’t do that…if you can help it.

Think, think and think again.

Plan, plan and plan some more.

A first draft is never a last draft.

When you’re stuck, walk away and come back later. It’s amazing what a quiet mind is capable of.

Keep at it, because eventually, you will figure out what you intended to convey and this is a moment of pure unadulterated joy and well worth the struggle to get there.