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Tips for the Writing Life

Writing in Longhand: More Clarity, Cheap Therapy

October 5, 2016 by Deena Nataf 24 Comments

Writing in longhand

Writing by hand helps me remain open to all those particular circumstances, all those little details that add up to the truth.  Amy Tam

I’ve always loved writing in longhand. I love the feel of a blank pad of lined paper and a really nice pen. They always seem to be calling to me, “Come, start writing!”

 

What I learned from writing in longhand

When I experimented with writing in longhand during the writing course I taught earlier this year, I realized how it can actually be better than using a computer – especially for a first draft. I found myself writing more honestly, and more from the heart. I was less constrained about getting my emotions on paper, and they were much rawer.

I feel freer when I write by hand. In fact, I know I do. I write at odd times. I have a notebook by the bed. A lot of things will come to me, which I’ll note down longhand.  Jhumpa Lahiri

Computers feel more formal, don’t they? They make us more inclined to perform the no-no of Writng in longhand creates clarityself-editing during the first draft. Longhand flows much more. You’ll find yourself writing without looking over your shoulder, making it about the prose instead of about you (even when you’re writing about you).

Longhand is friendlier. It feels like you’re writing to a well-loved confidant, or to some alternate self.

Many authors, such as Beverly Cleary, Henry Huggins Truman Capote, in-cold-blood Amy Tan, Joy Luck Club and Jhumpa Lahiri The Interpreter of Maladies (bonus points for her because she transcribes her drafts on an Internet-less computer) write their first drafts in longhand, so you’ll be in good company.

 

The benefits of writing in longhand

In light of my own anecdotal evidence, I wasn’t surprised to learn that many psychologists encourage their clients to journal, as it’s a great alternative to either being depressed and anxious between appointments or being forced to have daily meetups with a therapist. The more you write, the more clarity you get.

If you’ve read my recent post on Method Writing, you will recall that the purpose of daily writing – even for 15 minutes – is to get in touch with your emotions and to make sense of your experiences in order to use them in your writing. Writing by hand forces your brain to work harder and your self-investigation or character development to go deeper. Emotions  rise to the surface much quicker than when writing on the computer.

Studies show that writing by hand helps you retain what you learn better, clarify what you really want to say (despite the brain dump), and maintain your cognitive faculties as you age. Check these articles out:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/33508/4-benefits-writing-hand

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2011/nov/03/creative-writing-better-pen-longhand

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-41927258

More reasons to write in longhand

Pragmatically, I love the idea of having a spiral notebook or two and a very good pen that I can have with me all the time — it demands no power supply, no table (my knees work fine), and no coffee shop.

  • Paper doesn’t crash, turn off for no reason, run out of batteries, or break when you spill coffee on it.

    spilling coffee photo

    Photo by hackNY

  • We’re not as intimidated by a blank sheet of paper as we are by a blank screen. Therefore, there is a greater likelihood that we’ll actually write every day.
  • Writing in longhand lends itself better to doing a “brain dump,” which is what I recommend for both your daily writing exercise and your first drafts.
  • You can do it anywhere. And don’t argue with me about using a laptop in bed; it’s much more awkward and stilted than paper.

    coffee spill photo

    Photo by Johan Larsson

  • The physicality of writing longhand is much more efficient than a computer when you have writer’s block, as you’re able to release pent-up energy and get out of your own way to let your brain work.
  • The act of transferring your prose to the computer enables automatic self-editing. Welcome, instant second draft!

 

What other writers have to say about writing in longhand

Kelly Barnhill

I love walking into my office with no electronics, no distractions. Just slippers on my feet, tea on the desk, and a story in my fingers. I love the scritchy sound of the pen on the paper. I love the fact that I am forced to slow down — to breathe as my characters breathe…to unwind the story like a long, tangled thread.

Kiersten White

With nothing between myself and the page, the story finally spilled out the way it needed to. No editing, no second-guessing, and no internet. When I’m truly stuck, pen on paper always frees up words in a way a keyboard just can’t.

***

Writing in longhand is a tool with many benefits. Try adding it to your arsenal of writing aids and strategies. Can you commit to using it for your daily 15-minute writing stint?

I challenge you to write the first draft of your next article or chapter in longhand. Let me know in the comments how it felt, and whether it was helpful and why.

Happy writing – with pen, pencil, or even computer!

deenapic1

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

One Word or Two? Plus: Books I Dislike

July 26, 2016 by Deena Nataf 8 Comments

On my third date with my future husband, we went to a modern art exhibition in midtown Manhattan. All I remember from it was an installation of a gigantic eyelash. In any case, sometimes when I see modern art I want to say, “An eight-year-old child could do that!”eyelash photo

Sometimes I feel like the opposite is true with regard to literature. Take the Modern Library’s 100 best novels of all time, for instance. More than a few of the books that made it onto the list are so utterly boring and difficult, I can’t imagine anyone has ever finished them. It’s like a book’s fame is inversely related to its readability.

As promised in my last blog, I will give you a very partial list of classics I dislike. But first, let’s do a little grammar.

Today’s installment is about two words that become one, or one word that becomes two. I have some very easy hacks, so don’t fret. You’ll nail these in no time at all.

anyone vs. any one

Anyone is a pronoun such as “he,” “she,” “they,” etc. If you substitute one of these pronouns for “anyone” and it works, you need “anyone.” In fact, think of “anyone” as a non-specific pronoun.

If you cannot substitute a pronoun for “anyone” in your sentence, use “any one,” which refers to a specific person or object.

Here are some examples. In the parentheses I will substitute a pronoun for anyone/any one, so you can see for yourself how to figure out which word or words to use.

  • Would anyone like to play tennis? (substitute “he”: “Would he like to play tennis?”)tennis racket photo
  • Would any one of you like to play tennis? (substitute “she”: “Would she of you like to play tennis?”)
  • I loved the musical, Anyone Can Whistle. (“We can whistle.”)
  • You may choose any one of these candies. (“You may choose they of these candies.”)

 

awhile vs. a while

“Awhile” is an adverb (a word that modifies a verb); the “while” in “a while” is a noun, and is preceded by a preposition, usually “for” or “in.” Try substituting  another noun for “while.” If it works, use “a while.”

  • We ran around the block awhile. (Here, “awhile” is modifying the verb “ran.”)
  • We ran around the block for a while. (1. Uses the preposition “for.” 2. Substitute the noun “hour” for “while”: “We ran around the block for an hour.”)
  • Before Teresa married, she lived awhile in Boston. (The verb “lived” is modified by “awhile.”)
  • Teresa hasn’t been to Boston in a while. (1. Uses the preposition “in.” 2. Substitute a noun: “Teresa hasn’t been to Boston in a blue moon.”)

 

everyday vs. every day

“Everyday” is an adjective; “every day” is an adverb.

  • I dislike the song “Everyday People.” (“Everyday” is an adjective modifying the noun “People.”)
  • When I was a kid, I heard that awful song, “Everyday People,” every day. (“Every day” is an adverb modifying the verb “heard.”)
  • Why can’t I wear my everyday jeans to the wedding? (Adjectives [“everyday”] modify nouns [“jeans”].)

    blue jeans photo

    Photo by lifecreations

  • I wear my jeans every day. (The verb “wear” is modified by the adverb “every day.”)

 

everyone vs. every one

If you can substitute “everybody” for “everyone,” use “everyone.” If you can put “each and” in front of “every one,” use “every one.”

  • After my speech, everyone sent me text messages. (“After my speech, everybody sent me text messages.”)
  • Every one of my constituents sent me text messages. (“Each and every one of my constituents sent me text messages.”)
  • Everyone needs protein. (“Everybody needs protein.”)
  • You need protein in every one of your meals. (“You need protein in each and every one of your meals.”)

into vs. in to

Here’s Doozie number 1.

The word “into” is a preposition. It illustrates some sort of action, movement, or change. The term “in to” is used when “in” belongs to one word or phrase and “to” belongs to another, different word or phrase.

  • Jeremy put the coin into the charity box. (Jeremy is doing an action. So is the coin, for that matter.)
  • I will put the coin in to activate the washing machine. (“Put in” is what some people call a two-word verb, while “to activate” is an infinitive. And by the way, it is usually better to keep the verb (or adverb) phrase together: “I will put in the coin to activate the washing machine.”)
  • Debbie’s drone flew into the tree. (Forward movement. Drone goes to the tree.)
  • Debbie flew in to Denver. (“Flew in” is a standalone phrase, while “to” is a preposition attached to the object “Denver.”)
  • This blog has turned into a mammoth article. (“Turned into” shows change.)
  • What do you say we turn in to go to sleep.
  • My brother is really into reggae music. (First of all, I don’t have a brother. Secondly, I am not a big fan of people being “into” something. I suggest they be passionate about it or interested in it or involved in it.)

 

onto vs. on to

This one’s Doozie number 2.

Like “into,” “onto” also illustrates action or movement, and is a preposition. With regard to the phrase “on to,” the word “on” is part of a two-word verb and “to” is a preposition or the first part of an infinitive, much like “in to.” I personally feel that “onto” vs. “on to” is more nuanced than “into” vs. “in to,” and therefore sometimes both may be right.

  • I held onto the book so nobody would steal it. (I actively held something.)e831b10620fd053ecd0b470de7444e90fe76e6d311b2124290f5c1_150_ballet
  • I held on to my dream of becoming a ballerina. (“Held on” is a two-word verb phrase.)
  • I held on to the railing. (Some people would write “I held onto the railing.“)
  • She threw the chair onto the porch. (Can’t get any more active than that. And p.s.: If you want to learn about “anymore” vs. “any more,” see this.)
  • Don’t think you can get away with it; I’m onto you.

Some British-English purists prefer to use “on to” exclusively. See this article for an explanation.

***

As promised: books I dislike

These are taken from the Modern Library’s list.

Lolita. Okay, I haven’t read it since college, but the subject matter is so offensive that I was unable to uncover its greatness. (No pun intended.)

Lord of the Flies. I read this as an adult, and it made me sick. Such cruelty. Can someone please tell me the point of this book? And why it’s great? I’m serious; am I missing something?

Ulysses. Now hear this: If you can’t make sense, you can’t be called a brilliant writer. Who wants to read a thousand pages describing every second of one woman’s day? No, I was not an adult when I tried to read it, which might account for some of my negativity, but I don’t like Joyce’s other books either.

Portnoy’s Complaint. Yes it was funny in some parts, but remind me why it’s great. Does “innovative” and “groundbreaking” have to mean great? And I thought the ending was incredibly dumb.

Sophie’s Choice. How did this get on the list? I mean, it was entertaining and all that, but it’s no War and Peace (although War and Peace is no War and Peace).

For another list of the 50 greatest books of all time, go to http://thegreatestbooks.org/. I agree with more of the choices on this list than on the Modern Library’s list.

Your turn

I’d love to see your list of books you dislike. Let me know in the Comments, below. And please let me know how you feel about my choices. Lord of the Flies fans: In the Comments section, please give me your opinion of the book, and why it’s worth my rereading it.

 

Happy writing,

deenapic1

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

 

Filed Under: Comedy Grammar, Tips for the Writing Life

Writers, Read! My List of Good Books

July 12, 2016 by Deena Nataf 14 Comments

Hi, Everyone!

As you know, I’m a strong advocate of writers reading a lot of good books, a lot. I’ve often been asked what my favorite books are. I have decided to devote this post to some of my recommendations, along with my editorial comments.

One caveat: this is by no means an exhaustive list. By next month I’ll probably have added to it, but that’s what it’s all about: reading lists should grow and be dynamic, just like you.

 

The classicsballet photo

Just as modern dancers began with ballet and Elton John learned classical music first, you must build your reading and writing foundations with the classics in literature.

Yes, I know, they’re “boring.” (Not.) Trust me: reading for fun and edification is completely different from reading because Mrs. Johnson (name of my twelfth-grade English teacher) or some college professor made you read. And think of the Alzheimer’s prevention benefits.

If you can’t get into a book after fifty pages or so, set it aside and find another author to read. Here are a few authors I’d recommend (notice the inclination toward late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century British writers):

Dickens. Need I say more? My favorite: A Tale of Two Cities. Nothing beats it. The first paragraph alone is worth the price of the book. Great Expectations is another winner; in fact, it makes me want to use the cliché “achingly beautiful.” Sorry. In any case, get your hands on any of his books. Two other popular ones: David Copperfield and Oliver Twist.

Hardy. True confession: I am not a big Hardy fan, although I’ve read several of his books. Many people love him, and he definitely deserves to be on this list. Far from the Madding Crowd and Tess of the d’Urbervilles are the most well-known because they were turned into movies, but check out The Return of the Native, which is one of his best-known novels, and The Mayor of Casterbridge as well. If you are going to pull out all of your fingernails without anesthetic on Monday, and are going to jump off a roof on Wednesday, you might want to read Jude the Obscure on Tuesday.

Austen. I like Jane Austen. Some of her observations are hilarious, and you’ll find many of them, if quaint, right on target. I’ve read several of her books, and so far Mansfield Park is my favorite. However, she’s written so many other great novels: Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and others. Take your pick and settle in for a treat.

The Bronte SistersThe Bronte Sisters. Lots of talent in the Bronte family. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte) is one of my favorite books; I’ve read it many times. Emily Bronte’s only book is Wuthering Heights (a three-hanky novel), and Anne Bronte’s first of only two novels is Agnes Grey. Those will give you a good start.

E. M. Forster. Another confession: I failed the AP English test with A Passage to India (in Mrs. Johnson’s class). However, I reread it recently and loved it. Forster, by the way, wrote a book on writing, Aspects of the Novel. A Room with a View is probably his most well-known work, thanks to the movie version with the gorgeous actors as well as the magnificent Dames Maggie Smith and Judi Dench. He also wrote Where Angels Fear to Tread.

Joseph Conrad. Now here’s a real man’s man. It takes me a long time to get into his books, but once in, I enjoy them. I confess I’m not always that patient, and sometimes his books are relegated to bathroom reading. Here are three to start with: Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, and The Secret Agent. Among these three, I read the latter most recently; I even reread certain parts of it, as he’s a bit wordy and my mind wandered the first time around. The most amazing thing about Conrad is that he was not a native English speaker. Nevertheless, his prose is first rate.

 

Contemporary great literature

William Broderick. Broderick is my current favorite author. I’ve read three of his novels, all part of a series, and can’t wait to read more. His prose is outstanding and his plots complex. The first in th6th lamentatione series is The Sixth Lamentation, and my favorite is The Day of the Lie. Broderick is a former Augustine friar who became a barrister, and the series’ central character is a former barrister who became a monk. The books combine history with mystery. They are incredibly human and the characters are brilliantly drawn.

 

Anna Quindlen. All of Quindlen’s novels are spectacular. Still Life with Bread Crumbs, which I’ve mentioned before, is her lightest; Black and Blue her most depressing. Her prose is simply brilliant. She is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist for the New York Times, and she has written as many non-fiction books as she has novels.

 

Sue Monk Kidd. Anything by Kidd is worth the read, but I especially liked The Secret Life of Bees, her first novel.

 

Specific books

  • Annie Proulx, The Shipping News. One of my five favorite novels of all time.the shipping news_
  • John Grisham, A Painted House. Grisham’s best. It isn’t one of his lawyer novels; this is the real deal. Serious and well-written; a good, solid novel.
  • Naguib Mahfouz, The Cairo Trilogy. Originally meant to be one gigantic novel, it was, thankfully, split into three separate books. As it was translated (beautifully) from the Arabic, I must give both the author and the translator kudos. The first, Palace Walk, is my favorite of the three.
  • Marcus Zusak, The Book Thief. Unusual in a good way. Amazing and original book and plot. An unconventional World War II story, narrated by an unlikely character.
  • Jonathan Safran Foer, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I’ve written about this book as well. It’s not structured like a typical novel, and is very well done. Idiosyncratic in a good way. Great story. In some ways, it reminded me of a 9/11 version of The Book Thief.
  • Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird. Can’t wait to read her prequel, Go Set a Watchman.

 

Kids and young adult books worth reading

These are a few of my favorite modern classics for the 12-16 crowd, but I’ve listed them so you can read them too:

 

Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved

Irene Hunt, Up a Road Slowly

Wilson Rawls, Where the Red Fern Grows

 

Good trash

And I say that with love. The following are light but well-written novels, short stories, and non-fiction. None of them contain gratuitous sex or swear words that take away from the prose.

  • Alexander McCall Smith. Smith has three series, all of which are worthwhile to read. His most well-known is The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. His other two, the Isabelle Dalhousie series and the 44 Scotland Street series, are even better. And don’t miss La’s Orchestra Saves the World. smith 2 smith 3
  • Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Conan Doyle wrote more than just Sherlock Holmes. His short stories reflect his interests in spiritualism, history, and science fiction. I especially enjoyed his historical fiction.
  • Anne Tyler. This talented writer (another Pulitzer winner) has produced almost twenty novels. Her characters are quirky in a good way, and she has been recognized for coming up with the most interesting professions for her characters. Close your eyes and pick one.
  • Helen Hanff. The late, great Helen Hanff rose to fame for her autobiography-in-letters, 84, Charing Cross Road. These were followed by The Duchess of Bloomsbury Street, Q’s Legacy, and Underfoot in Show Business. All of them focus on different periods in Hanff’s life, and they are all a joy to read. A thread of melancholy runs through all her books, as she never really made it as a top-tier writer, though certainly not for lack of talent.
  • Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I loved this book. You will not be disappointed. It’s just so good.
  • Tracy Chevalier, The Virgin Blue. Super well written. I didn’t like her Girl with a Pearl Earring, but this one’s a winner. I’m planning on reading her other novels, as historical fiction is my favorite genre.

 

There you have it; Deena’s list. Now I have a request: Please let me know in the comments what your favorite books are – I’m always interested in expanding my list, and I’m sure other readers are as well.

 

Coming soon: All the “great” novels that I hated.

 

Happy writing and reading,

deenapic1

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

 

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

Who’s the Boss?

May 17, 2016 by Deena Nataf 2 Comments

I’m currently reading The Subversive Copy Editor, by  Carol Fisher Saller, an outstanding book for editors and copy editors. This is the book’s second edition, which came out last month – what editor can resist a revision?

Besides containing updated material, this edition has a couple of new chapters, including one for writers. I highly recommend this well-written, humorous book for any writer who wants a backstage glimpse into the editing process and/or who wants to better understand the author/editor relationship.

The seminal takeaway from the book, however, which informs its every paragraph, is this:

 

“Your ultimate boss is the reader….You, your boss, and your boss’s boss all work for the same person, and you all have the same goal of making that person’s reading experience the best it can be.”

Writers, take heed.

 

Whom are you writing for?

audience photo

Photo by sk8geek

When I’m sent a manuscript to either evaluate or edit, one of the first questions I (am usually forced to) ask the author is the following:

Who is your audience?

This can include, among other factors, age, gender, and educational level. In non-fiction it can also include level of technical knowledge of the subject. Even in fiction this is important; go ahead and read a John Grisham novel and immediately afterward one by William Brodrick. Defining your audience will inform word choice, length, style, amount of explanation, complexity…in fact, it will affect almost everything.

Keep a picture of your ideal reader constantly in mind as you write. This will help you stay consistent. If you find yourself stuck with regard to, say, phrasing, or how much detail to add, ask yourself, “What does my reader need?” or “What does my reader know?”

Stay consistent, and tailor your prose for your ideal reader. Uneven writing, an example of which is using highfalutin’ language in one paragraph and high school vocabulary in another, will render your work unapproachable to everyone.

 

Keep it convenient

Saller further warns us not to distract, confuse, or inconvenience readers. Be consistent also with regard to technicalities such as American English versus British English, or punctuation inside quotation marks versus punctuation outside quotation marks – but don’t be so rigid that you find yourself serving the style manual instead of your reader.

In other words, don’t leave your brain at the door; if it feels wrong, it probably is.

Saller gives the example of a bibliography that lists city only and not state or country, but which includes a book published in London, Ohio. It would be foolish to simply write “London: X Publishing Co., 1985.”  In Saller’s words, “For many writers and editors, our work is all about the rules. It’s what we do – we take a chunk of writing and we grind it through the style-guide mill and we never once stop to ask whether logic and reason and the reader are served.”

Here’s another example of rigidity at the expense of your readers: In Hebrew, the name Ruth is pronounced either Root or Roos. I can’t think of anything more unsightly than those two transliterations, and besides, they make me think of plants and Australian animals.kangaroo photoHow about Rut or Rus? Would that be “rut,” as in “I’m stuck in a rut,” or a variation of the man’s name Russ? Better to leave it Ruth and call it a day, even if you’ve transliterated all the other names.

 

Don’t be a slob

As a veteran editor, I cannot emphasize this enough.

Writing that is riddled with errors not only borders on the rude, it destroys your credibility with readers. (Now I’m panicked that this post will have typos in it.) If a writer cannot take the time to make sure his or her copy is free of even the most obvious technical errors, how can the reader completely trust the information itself?

I encourage writers to make their first draft a “brain dump,” or stream of consciousness. However, the operative word here is “first”: we number drafts because there is supposed to be more than one.

Finish your piece and put it aside. Then reread, revise, and redo.

Make the dictionary your best friend.

dictionary photo

Photo by crdotx

You can find many useful things in a dictionary in addition to how to spell a word. Dictionaries give nuanced definitions and synonyms, and can be invaluable for usage. For instance, a dictionary might show you how to use the word in a sentence or tell you which preposition to pair a verb with (think “prohibition against” versus “prohibition of”). For more on this, see two earlier posts of mine, here and here.

Saller couches this in business terms:

“Reassuring and impressing readers keeps them coming back. It persuades them to believe, to invest, to buy.”

Don’t just vomit out your prose and expect others to clean up after you. Yes, editors are essential, but only after you have gone over your own piece several times, checking it for technical as well as content issues. In Saller’s words, “Inaccuracies and inconsistencies undermine a writer’s authority, distract and confuse the reader, and reflect poorly on the company.”

***

Respect your audience. Keep Ideal Reader in front of you at all times, and make friends with him or her. Do unto Ideal Reader as you would want other authors to do unto you.

 

Happy Writing!

Deena-Nataf-Bulletproof-Writing - Copy

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

Writer’s Block: Man or Myth?

May 3, 2016 by Deena Nataf 2 Comments

imagerymajestic for freedigitalphotos.net

imagerymajestic for freedigitalphotos.net

 

Imagine this scenario:

You drag yourself to the computer. You stare at the screen. You’re suddenly hungry. You’re dying to check Facebook and your inbox. Oops, forgot that coffee. And the electric bill has to be paid this very second.

In other words, you have absolutely no idea what to write about.

 

What’s your excuse?

Did the above send shivers up and down your spine, or is it just me?

Why do we writers have such trouble doing the very thing that defines us? I’ll bet your answer is one of the following:

  • writer’s block
  • procrastination
  • “all out of ideas”

Let’s take each excuse and nuke it.

 

Writer’s block

There is no such thing as writer’s block.

Huh?

I repeat: There is no such thing as writer’s block.

Does this make you feel misunderstood? Or just plain mad? Hear me out anyway.

Writer’s block is a catch-all word for any of our excuses for not writing. And yes, I’m also talking to myself. Although writing can be hard, don’t you agree that the thought of writing is even harder?

The answer is to write.

The rest of this post will give you hands-on solutions to your writing problems. In addition, here’s a wonderful article in Write to Done. (I was privileged to publish a guest post there a few weeks ago.)  The author never uses the term “writer’s block.” Instead, he gives upbeat ideas for overcoming what he calls obstacles and roadblocks.

 

Procrastination

As I discussed in a previous post, procrastination is another term for Fear – and all the “what ifs” that come with it. Here’s the solution: Promise yourself that you will write for just 6 to 10 minutes. Even if you begin by typing the lyrics to “Mary Had a Little Lamb,” your fingers will be forced down the keyboard catwalk and you’ll be on your way.File:Mary had a little lamb 2 - WW Denslow - Project Gutenberg etext 18546.jpg

Make your daily writing minimum 6 minutes only, and even if it takes a bit longer to write your piece, it will eventually get done. Every finished article or book will build your confidence, making each new project easier to complete.

You can also fake yourself out and get started by outlining your article, book, or blog. This is what Ramit Sethi calls “front-loading the work.” Outlining is powerful because it allows you to employ stream-of-consciousness, or what some people call a brain dump, which is much less stressful than “real” writing. Very often after outlining, your piece will write itself.

I wrote the outline for this post by hand because I couldn’t get access to my computer and found myself sitting around reading yet another trashy novel. I said to myself, “That’s it,” got out a yellow legal pad, and wrote at the kitchen table.

 

All out of ideas

Think you have nothing to write about? Try this: write by hand for 10 or 15 minutes about a specific event in your life. This kick-starts your creativity and ignites your senses. Describe the sounds, smells, and textures associated with the event. Eventually you will have an entire archive of experiences and emotions you can dip into when looking for ideas. You can read more about my solution, which I call “method writing,” in my most recent guest post, which went live last week on Book Baby, a website for authors who want to self-publish.

ponsulak for freedigitalphotos.net

ponsulak for freedigitalphotos.net

Another way to come up with something to write about is to have a list of prompts, which are like word associations for writers. Prompts can be as random as “my first date” or “why I like soda.” Pick one and you’re good to go. You’ll never be out of an idea again.

Because I love you so much, I am offering a free ebook called “144 Prompts: Your Daily Writing Guide,” which you can access either here, in my Book Baby guest post, or below. Your friends can get this guide, too; just click on one of the social media icons!

 

No more excuses

ID-100386210

surasakiStock for FreeDigitalPhotos.net

The problem with making a “thing” out of writer’s block is that it makes, well, a “thing” out of it. Instead, use one or more of the solutions I’ve delineated in this post. Let me know in the Comments what worked and what didn’t.

And for 144 ways to overcome a writing slump be sure to download my free ebook, “144 Prompts.”

 

Happy writing!

Deena-Nataf-Bulletproof-Writing - Copy

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

The Gift of Rejection

March 22, 2016 by Deena Nataf 11 Comments

​You’ve spent hours writing the perfect article or pitch. You’ve read the submission guidelines fourteen times, and you’ve checked and double-checked to make sure you’ve followed the rules to a T.

You’ve geared the tone of your article to that of the publication you’re submitting to. You made sure you spelled the editor’s name correctly, and you have definitely read and reread the piece at least six times. There is not one typo or misspelled word.

You push Send.

You eat a cup of pretzels or a bag of potato chips, and then force yourself to forget about your submission for the next ten days or so.


 

Dear Deena,

Thank you for submitting your article.

Unfortunately…


​

In the past six weeks, I’ve had four articles and a bid for speaking at an industry conference rejected.

What an awful, awful feeling that is.

​

The Stories We Tell Ourselves

Have you ever said any (or all) of the following to yourself after a rejection?

“I’ll never succeed.”

“I’m a loser.”

“I’m a nothing.”photostock for FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“I can’t write to save my life.”

“I have no talent.”

“I’m a bad person.”

Conventional wisdom says rejection stinks, be it social or professional. It makes us feel so bad about ourselves. We begin to question our judgment, our taste, our personality, our abilities. We get depressed. We cry. We rant and rave.

 

Adding Salt to Our Wounds

Then we’re forced to hear every bromide and cliché from friends, family, and colleagues who are trying to “comfort” us:

  • “Better luck next time.”
  • “It wasn’t meant to be.”
  • “You should have tried harder.”
  • “That’s life.”

And my personal favorite:

  • “It’s their loss, not yours.”

Do any of these sound familiar? And have any of them ever made you feel better?

You’re in Great Company

The following books and authors were rejected multiple times. Thanks to LitRejections.com and OnlineCollege.org for this information:

  • Agatha Christie: 5 years of rejections until her first book was accepted.
  • Dr. Seuss: “Too different from other juveniles on the market to warrant its selling.”
  • Chicken Soup for the Soul: 140 rejections; “anthologies don’t sell.”
  • The Catcher in the Rye: “We feel that we don’t know the central character well enough.” Salinger does a rewrite, and the rest is history.
  • Gone with the Wind: 38 rejections.​
  • A Wrinkle in Time: 26 rejections.
  • Little Women: “Stick to teaching.”
  • John le Carré: “He hasn’t got any future.”
  • Zen & the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: 121 rejections.
  • Willliam Saroyan: 7,000 rejections until he sold his first story.
  • The Diary of Anne Frank: 15 rejections.
  • J.K. Rowling: first Harry Potter book rejected 12 times.

 

Making Choices

I’ve done a lot of soul-searching during the past few weeks, and I’ve come to the conclusion that while rejection can hurt, and hurt badly, it’s also a choice to feel this way. Let me explain.

What we think (input) becomes what we feel (output). In other words, if we tell ourselves “I’m no good,” we’re not going to feel so good. If we tell ourselves that we’re bad, we’re going to feel bad.

After the last rejection, I allowed myself to indulge in a little self-pity, which was accompanied by chocolate, carbohydrates, and a trashy novel. Notice the words I just used: I allowed myself. In other words, I made a choice.

A few days later, when I was feeling somewhat better, I sat myself down and thought back to the time I was rejected for a teaching position at a small women’s seminary. I don’t know what possessed me, but a few hours later I called the principal back and asked her what the problem was and what I needed to do in order to teach at her place. She was super helpful and gave me some actionable advice.

But the most important part was that as we schmoozed, she saw there was more to me than my resumé, and by the end of the conversation she said, “You know what, now that we’ve spoken, I really think you’d be a good fit for my school.”

True story.

 

Entering the Lion’s Mouth pixabay.com​

Calling that principal was hard; I felt that I was entering the lion’s mouth (in a manner of speaking; she’s a really nice person), risking more rejection a la: “My decision is final; leave me alone.”

I discovered instead that most people want to see you succeed.

With this in mind, I went over the four article and pitch rejections. This is how I broke it down:

  1. Didn’t respond. While it would have been great to have been published on this site, I had already sensed an edge to the owner through her writing that I wasn’t comfortable with. Moreover, her submission process was a bit over-the-top (you had to “swear” you read the guidelines – is that normal?), and there is nowhere on the site to “Contact Us”; everything goes through a contact form. None of this is my cup of tea, so why did I want to write for this publication in the first place; because it’s popular? So are a hundred others. It is not humanly possible to be a good fit for every single publication in the world. Now that this door is closed, I can open a window somewhere else.
  2. Said my writing style wasn’t appropriate for her blog. I have a tiny relationship with this blog owner, as I had exchanged a couple of emails with her previously. She was 100 percent right; my style is totally not in sync with hers. And that’s okay, too. I thanked her for her time and told her how much I look forward to her future blogs, which is the truth.
  3. Gave me feedback and urged me to reread her stuff. I have a friendly relationship with the editor of this e-publication, and I thanked her for her truly valuable feedback. She told me what type of article I would need to come up with in order for it to be considered for publication. I’ll try again with her, and I’ll work hard to make sure my next pitch is more in line with what she wants.
  4. Said they liked my subject, but the pitch was all wrong. The editor gave me feedback with regard to what I’d need to do in order for them to reconsider the pitch. I then reached out to her, asking  specific questions with regard to the problems with my pitch and what they wanted instead. I reread several articles of theirs, and of course I reread the guidelines another 14 times. Success! My new pitch was accepted! And you’ll be the first to know when it goes live.

Win-Win     Stuart Miles for FreeDigitalPhotos.net​

As far as I’m concerned, this was win-win – for both me and me.

My “I’m a loser” side dug a little deeper and discovered that I’m not such a loser; not being a good fit for one or two publications is not a moral issue. Do I like every single magazine or website I’ve ever read? Goodness, no. Would I have really and truly been a good fit for publications number 1 and 2? Probably not. Does every single person in the world have to like me, and I them? Certainly not. So what’s the big deal?

My “I’m a successful person” side was happy because I moved on from the publications that in any case were not good fits, leaving me time and head space to pursue other possibilities whose doors were still open. I got good feedback. I used the rejections to learn a ton about pitching and writing for e-publications, and in the end I got a gig. I chose to remain positive and gracious with the editors, and burned no bridges.

***

Ultimately, rejection is about defining who you are. Once you do that, you can answer the other questions in your life: Which type of man or woman do you want to date or marry? Which college would be the best fit for you? What types of publications are you most suited to write for? Which genre?

I believe that if we can change the way we look at rejection we will come to see it as an opportunity instead of a disaster. You are allowed to to feel bad. But once you get the pain out of your system, use rejection to discover more about yourself and what you’re really meant to be doing.

How do you deal with rejection? I really want to hear how you handle it. Do you agree with what I said? Why or why not? Let me know what you think in the Comments.

Extra credit: Take a piece of prose that was rejected. Look it over and revise as necessary. Then send it to a new publication. Let me know what happens.

Happy writing,

Deena-Nataf-Bulletproof-Writing

Deena Nataf

www.BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

How Doing Research Will Get You from Paris to Tehran Faster

February 23, 2016 by Deena Nataf 4 Comments

Hi, everyone!

Here’s some news: I’ve had my website redesigned! Same cool green theme, but a bit less hyper. Check it out here, and let me know what you think.

Here’s today’s post, on the importance of research.

I spent twelve years as senior editor at an indie publishing house (meaning independent, not Indianapolis, where, incidentally, I lived from 1991 to 1995). I saw many howlers in the novels submitted by semi-professional writers. My two favorites:

1) “Mr. Eiffel” committed suicide by jumping off his tower.france-and-the-eiffel-tower-100210159

2) In order to get to Tehran from Paris you have to fly over the Atlantic ocean. (In the map below, black shows Paris to Tehran via the Atlantic; red shows a slightly more direct route.)

But why always Paris?

In any case, if you want to be thought of as a serious writer, you must do your research!

Don’t know where to start? The following are some tips to help you begin.

Father Google

By far the most popular research tool in the world today is Google. I recommend it with many reservations, the first being that it is full of misinformation being circulated throughout cyberspace, eventually ending up as The Truth. Be skeptical during your Google searches, and try to find reputable sources for the information you seek.

Here are some Google search tips and tools. Special thanks to my friends and colleagues Avishai Magence and Ita Olesker.

1. It’s better to search an exact phrase. In order to do this, put the phrase in quotation marks. For instance, if you search “What a Piece of Work Is Man” you will get 152,000 results with that exact wording; if you search What a Piece of Work Is Man, without the quotes, you will get 217,000,000 results of all kinds with the words piece, work, and man in them. You will also get plenty of results with the words Hamlet and Shakespeare.

2. To search for books, use Google Books. You might be able to get the full text of a book, which is great when you need to quote a source. Click on Books  (in the line under the Google search box). You can also Google Advanced Book Search, which allows you to refine your search. For example, you can search for books published by a specific publisher. (Thanks to my friend Debbie for this tip.)

3. To search for scholarly works, journal articles, etc., use Google Scholar (type Google Scholar into the search box). This is also good for finding the exact, accurate, scientific name for something.

4. To narrow or limit a search, you can use the minus sign. For example, if you search for jaguar speed (intending the large cat), you will get a lot of results about the car also. If you type in jaguar speed -car (with no space after the minus sign), you will eliminate all the results with the word car in them, and get only (or primarily) cats. To limit the search even further, you would type in jaguar +cat -car, which should find all the sites that include the words jaguar and cat but do not include the word car.

5. Search in Google Advanced Search by typing Advanced Search into the search box. As with Advanced Book Search, it enables you perform a more refined search.

6. Safe search setting. For those of you who love the internet but hate the filth, click on the gear button, top right of screen, and then click on Turn on SafeSearch. Or, click on Option in the gear button, and then click on Search on the left side of the new screen, and go in from there. This will  give you the option to Lock SafeSearch. Theoretically, this will cut down on undesirable images. (You can set YouTube on safe mode too. At the bottom of the YouTube page, click on the button that says Restricted Mode and set it to “on.”)

7. Wildcards. Use an asterisk as a fill-in-the-blank.
Example: search for “see this email * below” (note that the phrase must be inside of quotation marks). This will give you results that say: see this email correspondence below;  see this email screen capture below; see this email in your inbox below; see this email exchange below, etc.

8. Searching for a particular subject on a specific site. Use the characters site: in the search box. For example, Jacqueline Kennedy site: New York Times will show you the places where Jacqueline Kennedy is mentioned in the New York Times before it lists any other sources.

9. Incognito search. Hit control-shift-n and you will be able to log on anonymously. Among other advantages, your search will not be recorded in the Google history (and don’t tell anyone, but you can read unlimited articles on the New York Times website, which usually limits non-member viewing to ten articles per month).

10. Searching for Images. Enter the name of what you want into the search box, using some of the above methods, and click on Images  (in the line under the search box). Then click on Search Tools (also in the line under the search box), and specify size, color, etc. Click on Usage Rights on that same line, and choose the appropriate platform (noncommercial, commercial, etc.).

Proper Usage

I count usage under research. It is essential that your spelling and grammar are correct, as well as your diction. Remember: whether you are writing articles, writing a book, or writing just about anything really, you will look unprofessional (and, unfortunately, you will be unprofessional) if you haven’t gotten the nuts and bolts of the language down. For example:

  • Is there a clear cut distinction between Hillary and Bernie, or is it a clear-cut distinction? Or perhaps it’s clearcut. The dictionary is your best friend. You should never be without it. It should sit right next to your computer, or a site such as Merriam-Webster should be open at all times.
  • Would you say: “Former President Charles de Gaulle was once heard to remark, ‘How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?'” or would you say: “Former president Charles de Gaulle was once heard to remark, ‘How can you govern a country which has 246 varieties of cheese?'” Put aside the weighty issue of governing such a country (Paris, again) and go to The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition, chapter 8, sections 18 and 20. This is another tool you cannot afford to be without. If you prefer it online, it costs $35 per year.
  • Prophecy or prophesy? Stationary or stationery? Who or whom? Then or than? For words such as these it’s usually back to the dictionary or Chicago. Make sure you are using your words correctly, as it could be a life-or-death matter. Here’s an example:
“I’m going to prescribe penicillin,” said Dr. Google.
“I’m going to proscribe penicillin,” said Dr. Google.
In the first sentence, you would take your medicine and feel better in the morning. In the second, if you took the medicine you would end up in the hospital.

What Do the Experts Say?

When writing an article, you might need either a quote from someone in the field about which you are writing or simply some background information in order to make your piece credible. Go to the experts.

Stay with me, writers of novels. This one’s for you, too.

You probably know – or know someone who knows – experts in a variety of fields. And if you don’t, writers’ forums and listserves are fabulous resources. On the writers’ forum I belong to, not a day goes by where someone doesn’t ask to speak with “fathers of special needs children” or “women who went through a divorce.”

Don’t be afraid to contact experts, or even just someone who has information you don’t have. Most will be happy to help. People love to be consulted; don’t you? (One of my favorite moments last year was when my daughter called me up and said, “I need your advice.” I almost dropped the phone.)

By the way, for many of the people you consult it will be a win-win situation if you include their website or mention a few books or articles they’ve written.

Fiction writers ahoy! In order to avoid those unmentionable situations where you are just about to give your character a cesarean section but don’t know where to make the first cut, speak to an OB, for crying out loud. You don’t want to be sued for literary malpractice.

Writing Isn’t Only about Writing

Rigorous research makes you and your writing credible. It  fleshes out and enhances your work, making it sparkle and giving it the realistic feel all writing needs.

Getting the details right allows your writing to rise to the top of the gatekeeper’s inbox like cream separating from raw milk.

Don’t be left with the dregs on the bottom of the pail.

***

What other resources have been helpful to you when researching a subject for your writing? Let us know in the comments here, or shoot me an email.

Happy writing!
Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com
Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Writing Techniques, Tips for the Writing Life

Those First Six Minutes

December 29, 2015 by Deena Nataf 8 Comments

I’ve been running on and off (more on than off) for the past three and a half years; as I say on my About page, I’m a half-marathon wannabe. Yet even though I have managed to complete two 10Ks in a city with one of the most difficult routes in the world, I am still neither totally used to nor comfortable with my chosen form of exercise. But I do it anyway.

About a year or so into my running, I noticed that no matter how I’m feeling, no matter what the weather, and no matter what time it is, the first six minutes of my run are the hardest and when I am most likely to quit. My muscles and lungs are kicking and screaming. I’m bored. I can’t imagine how I’ll survive the next twenty (or sixty or seventy-five) minutes.

And then I’m okay. After those first six minutes I get into zone, and even if it’s hard, I finish the run. Even when my mp3 is broken, I can do it. Even when the six minutes seem like six hours, I can do it.

Eventually I wondered whether the six minute rule applied to other things. It does. Here are a few:

  1. Lawyers: most bill out in six-minute increments
  2. Online courses: “6 Minutes to Success,” “6 Minutes to Skinny”
  3. Programs: the BBC’s “6 Minute English” (learn and practise useful English), “6 Minutes for Safety” (a tool created for and by fire personnel)
  4. Books: The Six Minute Solution, The First Six Minutes Book
  5. Medicine: The Six Minute Walk Test (6MWT)
  6. Website: Six Minutes (a public speaking and presentation skills website)
  7. Fitness: this New York Times blog, this video, and this workout
  8. Another six-minute activity… (see The Undomestic Goddess, by Sophie Kinsella)

How does this apply to writing? you ask. Tell me if this sounds familiar to you:

You sit down at the computer and stare at the white Word template on your screen. You are rapidly getting the willies. You’d rather be doing just about anything instead of staring into this grand nothingness. Suddenly there’s the phone call you have to make, the book you must order on Amazon, the dishes begging to be washed this very second.

I experience the very same thing. However, if I go deeper into why I can’t keep my tush glued to the chair and my fingers nimbly typing away at the keyboard, I come face to face with worries. Here are mine:

  • Being able to fill up the page(s) without fluff
  • Having enough solid material to write about
  • Having so much to write that I’ll never finish
  • Taking too much time away from other essential tasks
  • Writing valueless nonsense
  • Having to do research

If I tried really hard, I’m sure I’d be able to come up with more. Heck, I’ll be so busy inventing worries that I won’t have to start writing.

But what is really going on here?

I think it’s fear.

I’ve been doing a lot of contemplating since I started this blog, and if I’m honest with myself, I know that all my discomfort with starting a new venture, learning new technology, and coming up with consistently valuable posts is just plain Fear with a capital F: What if I can’t make this a viable business? What if my goals for this blog aren’t realized? What if it takes too long?

Think about your own writing fears:

  • Will I get published?
  • Will I make money from my writing?
  • Will anyone read my writing?

And the big daddy of writers’ fears:

Am I really good enough?

Okay, Deena, very nice. Now that you’ve gotten me all worked up, can you please tell me what to do?

What if you applied my six minute rule to writing?

I’ve started doing this recently, and the results have been amazing. I sit down knowing full well that the first six minutes are going to be hell. And as painful as they might be, I write through them. I tell myself that I only have six, or four, or three minutes to go, and then I know I’m going to get into zone.

If you want, set a timer for six minutes, and see how well this works. Personally, I feel so much calmer knowing that after the first six minutes I’ll get into the rhythm of the thing and the words will flow. Or not. But I’ll be involved enough that I won’t stop. If there are a lot of bad sentences and mistakes, I can always revise. The important thing is to keep going and get it all down on paper, even if it’s lame and even if there’s a lot of stream-of-consciousness in my first draft.

By the way, this works particularly well for those of us who have schedules, or even semi-schedules. Knowing that you are going to write at, say, 10:00 a.m. will psyche you up and sit you down. And knowing that by 10:06 you’ll be on automatic pilot, as it were, will keep you there.

For those of us who write by the seat of our pants (difficult to glue them to a chair), knowing that all you need are six minutes until you can’t imagine ever getting up from the computer will give you the incentive you need to sit down and start typing in the first place.

So no matter whether you are a Type A personality or a Type B personality — or even a Type Q — there’s really no excuse now.

A promise: Your fear will take care of itself. You will face down your fear by writing. You will disarm it in six minutes flat.

There was a short sentence in an ebook I read recently which had a lot of impact on me. In fact, I actually wrote it down and taped it to the back of my computer desk so I can see it frequently:

Fear is a liar.

Fear, and its offspring anxiety, are a bunch of “what ifs.” But you’ll never know the answer to any of your “what ifs” if you don’t just go for it.

Remember: Even if your worst writing fears are realized, you’re no worse off than you were before you sat down and started to write, because not going for it at all — letting that liar win — will automatically make your doubts and anxieties come true. In other words, you can’t get published, make money from your writing, have anyone read your writing, or be a good enough writer…if you don’t write. You’ll never know the answers to these questions.

Do me, and yourself, a favor: Sit down and write for six minutes. Then examine how you feel. And then keep writing!

And let me know in the comments below how this worked out for you.

Happy writing!

Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com
Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

On Not Being a Hypocrite: The Rewards of Jet Lag

November 13, 2015 by Deena Nataf Leave a Comment

Hi, everyone! I’m back home and happy to be on solid ground again.

I’ve made a commitment to send out a post every two weeks, and today’s the day. I wanted very badly to cop out and pull the covers over my head and barf out some excuse as to why you won’t get a blog today…

But then it was 3:00 a.m. and I couldn’t get back to sleep. And I remembered my last blog, which discussed writing even when you don’t feel like it. So instead of cursing my jet lag, I decided to use it to my advantage and get this blog out! How smug is that?

But first I had to have coffee, and then I had to skim (not scan, which means to read thoroughly) just the most important emails I’ve been ignoring for the past two weeks while I was on the West Coast. And write a few emails. And read that 99-cent short story I bought on Amazon for my new Kindle toy. And look something up for my daughter-in-law on BedBathandBeyond.com.

In short, my excitement with the rewards of jet lag dissolved when I suddenly realized that it was 6:30 and I was passing out from exhaustion.

Oops.

But it’s still Thursday all over the world (except in Australia; sorry, guys), and I can still make it. As I said in a guest post that will be published later this month, never, ever give up. As long as the candle is still burning (or in this case, the sun is still shining), you can correct your course.

How does this apply to us writers?

It is normal to fail sometimes. You will feel as if you cannot write another word, much less sentence. Perhaps you will even miss a deadline – which, by the way, I do not recommend. But write as if your life depended on it, and you will succeed and meet your commitments whether they are personal or dictated by a publisher.

One suggestion: give yourself an internal deadline. For instance, I must finish this blog and hit “Publish” in thirty-five minutes. You’d be surprised how well you can focus when the pressure is on.

Another positive outcome of today’s publish-on-Thursday-by-the-seat-of-my-pants commitment: I’ve decided to move my blogs up to Tuesday! I’d much rather you see my bi-weekly posts earlier in the week, so from now on I am committing to Tuesdays instead of Thursdays. You have it in black and white, folks.

In the next few weeks I’m going to be experimenting with creating and adhering to a daily and/or weekly schedule, and I’ll report my findings on the blog. And I’d love to hear from you! Do you have a schedule?
Do you stick to it? How did you figure it all out? Is it daily or weekly? Is it only a writing schedule or is it a life schedule?

If I hear from you by Tuesday I’ll print some of the replies on my Writer’s Clinic page.

And stay tuned for this Tuesday’s Comedy Grammar installment: The Apostrophe Catastrophe.

Happy writing,

Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting.com[/fusion_text]

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

Glue Your Tush to the Chair, and Other Ways to “Stick” with the Writing Habit

October 30, 2015 by Deena Nataf Leave a Comment

super-glue-e1303385571573-320x280

Hi, everyone! Right now I’m in L.A. for my father’s 90th birthday. I don’t “feel” like writing, nor am I “inspired” to spend my first morning here writing a blog post. Have you ever felt like this?

 

Like most editors, I’ve been asked for writing advice more times than I can count: “What does it take to be a writer?” “What should I do to improve to improve my writing skills?” “What tools do I need to write?”

 

Here are the three things I tell them:

 

Glue your tush to the chair

To be a writer you have to write. And you must write on a schedule. Choose either a daily word quota or a daily time quota, and stick with it.

“If the sun rises today, I will write.” (Judy Walnoha)

Have nothing to say? Write down what’s going through your head. Remember Dumbledore’s Pensieve?

 

Think process, not product.

Does this sound impossible, or just weird? Let me ask you something: Do you have to be inspired in order to brush your teeth? Do you have to be in the mood to breathe? Same with writing. I personally don’t believe in all that passion stuff. Get into the trenches and write!

 

Read

This is the second most important element of being a writer. You must read, and you must read good books. If you read my blogs regularly, you will begin to understand what makes good books good. Divide your reading time between

 

  1. The classics: Dickens, Hardy, Austen, Dreiser, James, Conrad, Bronte, O. Henry…the list is endless, and there’s something for everyone; I promise. I myself am not a big fan of Hardy, and I generally dislike the Americans except for Dreiser and O. Henry. Check out the library (pun intended), or go explore a used bookstore, and commit to reading one classic every six weeks. It could even be your bathroom reading. Study writing techniques, and examples of superlative writing will pop out at you from the pages of the books you read.
  2. Outstanding modern literature: For starters, try one of Kate Atkinson’s novels, Naguib Mahfouz’s Cairo Trilogy, or anything by Sue Monk Kidd, Anna Quindlen, or William Brodrick. And since you’re so nice, I’ll let you in on a little secret: John Grisham has a great novel called A Painted House, which is one of the best modern books I’ve ever read. It’s not one of his lawyer books which, while fun, are in the category of “good trash.” And I say that with love, as I’ve read all of them.  As above, you will not like all of these authors, but you will find some either on this list or elsewhere whose books are to your taste, well-written, and worthy of your time. Try to read one or two of these a month.
  3. Books on writing: My picks? The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White of Stuart Little fame, On Writing Well by William Zinsser (it’s ostensibly for nonfiction writing but in my opinion it’s invaluable for fiction as well), and On Writing by His Majesty of Horror himself, Stephen King.

 

Take grammar seriously

Seriously, folks. You can’t be a good writer unless and until you have the tools. Grammar is so important to good writing that I will be dedicating almost half of my blogs to it. (See my first grammar post here.) It’s so embarrassing to read prose that’s riddled with mistakes, and it’s well nigh impossible to get a book contract if you write like 90 percent of the “writers” in the world.

 

I hope this post has given you food for thought. I’d like to hear from you now: do you agree with what I wrote here? If not, why not? What other things do you think are essential to becoming a writer? Which other authors exemplify great writing? What kind of a writing schedule do you have or are you going to create?

Let me know what you think in the Comments section below.

 

Until next time, happy reading and writing!


Deena Nataf
www.BulletproofWriting
Deena@BulletproofWriting.com

 

 

Filed Under: Tips for the Writing Life

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Hi, I’m Deena Nataf

BulletproofWriting.comI’m a book and journal editor with thirty years of experience in the field. If you write to publish, I want to help you get that first draft written, that manuscript finished, and that book out the door. If you write for yourself, I’ll give you the tools you need to write clearly, write regularly, and write in your own voice. But no matter why you write, I’m passionate about helping you make your mark on the world.

You can see more about me here.

What Can I Help You With?

  • Writing Techniques
  • Comedy Grammar
  • Tips for the Writing Life
  • Uncategorized

Recent Posts

  • The Importance of a Great Title (and other important writing and grammar stuff) November 20, 2020
  • Get Ready (Fast) for NaNoWriMo 2020! October 30, 2020
  • Creating Subject-Specific Metaphors (plus news, discounts, and other fun stuff) September 3, 2020
  • Reading Ideas (and More!) for the Duration April 2, 2020
  • Keep Sane and Keep Writing During Lockdown March 24, 2020

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