Manifest your
Writing
Potentials
Some time ago, you set out on a writing adventure. And like any good adventurer, you carried a sword. It glinted in the sun. It looked impressive.
And it was sharp.You fought dragons. You beat down demons. You forged your way forwards through a brave new world. But then …
Months went by. Years went by. And that sword wasn’t glinting so brightly anymore.
Your sword got scuffed and dented and rusted. It didn’t look very impressive. Everyone else had better, brighter weapons.
And worst of all, your sword got blunted. You wanted to fight bigger dragons. You wanted more treasure. But the journey was getting harder, and harder, and harder.
You started to wonder if the adventure was over.
Your adventure is only over if you stop learning and stagnate.
Whatever stage you’re at with your writing, you need to keep honing your craft.
The Gift of Writing
Writing is a wonderful gift, and far more priceless than most any prize you could purchase from the store. Yet the half-life of something new and shiny is short when compared to the genuine feelings one person can deliver directly from their heart to another.Emotions adopt a depth of character when committed to print that they cannot possess prior to the page.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking you must be a writer by trade to be a writer in spirit. The gift of writing is a gift that can be given by anyone; the person reading your words will not care about the perfection of your prose. They will care deeply instead for the intention behind it.
For example, if you have a child, write them a story and read it to them regularly. This is a treasure that cannot be bought yet will be surely remembered forever. Tell your spouse in words how you are feeling in a way they will not be able to ever forget.
Your words don’t need binding to have value, they merely have to come from you. Of course, if you know what you would like to say, but need a little help saying it, a ghostwriter for hire such as myself would be happy to help, but it is the thought behind the words that is the most important thing of all.
I’m a writer, and spend each of my days tip-tip-tapping at the keys. Life is a lot better when you have the right words. Use a few of yours and make the next gift the gift of writing. It might be the most priceless gift you ever give.
We've heard it said before and chances are, you have probably heard it argued before as well. Some people believe writing is a gift, where others believe it is a skill. This is a highly debatable topic because if writing is indeed a gift, then that means that you are either born with it, or you're not. What hope does that leave for people who want to be writers but maybe were not born with the natural gift to write?
But then if we say writing is a skill that anyone can acquire, are we shunning those who believe they may have been born gifted with abilities that make them better capable of writing? If we look at history and some of the greatest and most notable writers, there were no books or workshops and classes on how to write back then. This evidence seems to suggest that writing is indeed, an art that some are born gifted in.
However, there is just as much evidence to show that your writing can improve when you study, learn and practice. So does this mean that writing is a skill that can be taught and developed over time? The experts will disagree and if you ask writers themselves, you'll find that they will often disagree as well.
I have a theory that writing can be both a skill and a gift. This is something that I talk about in my books often. I believe that some people are born with the gift of writing and that these writers are more easily capable of completing writing tasks and improving their writing. Many will say the quality of the writing produced is also better than those who have not been taught the same skills.
You can note the difference in yourself if you read something you wrote in school and something you wrote recently. Even just years of practice in between two pieces of writing can show a skill improvement. Ultimately, it's up to you to make your own decision about whether writing is a skill or a gift.
As for me, I believe it can be both. Sometimes one writer will have the gift and another will have skill whereas some writers have both gifted talent and skill. Anyone born with natural abilities as a writer seeking to improve should also be willing to learn new skills to help them improve upon their gift.
Someone who not born with a natural gift for writing but has the desire to be a writer can learn the skills needed for success. You may be doing so with a slightly lower advantage than those who were born with the gift, but it's still possible, especially if you really want it.
Being born with a gift for writing also doesn't promise you will be a better writer than someone else. While it often makes it easier for you to learn new skills, it can sometimes be a hindrance as well. Some gifted writers are less open to criticism and learning new techniques needed to improve their writing. Ultimately, it's all about finding the right balance to help you succeed.
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Chapter 2
When you’re just starting out, you have a lot going for you: enthusiasm, stories to tell, words that you’re burning to put down on the page.
And because of all that, most writers get to be competent. It takes time, sure, and hard work, but you can turn your raw talent into the ability to craft a good short story or a decent blog post. You might not win any awards, but you’re pretty good.
Your writing is solid. People read it. They take your message on board. And it’s easy to stop there. It’s easy to sit back and decide that you’ve finished your journey.
You haven’t.
No matter how good you get, there’s always another step to take.
.
But I also do it because it’s important for me and for my business. If I let myself stagnate, I’ll end up with a bunch of unread blog posts, a handful of unpublished novels, and a bank balance in the red.
Whether your writing is a business or a hobby, take it seriously. Keep learning. Some good ways to start are:
- Write regularly. It doesn’t have to be every day, but a good session or two once a week is important.
- Go after bigger challenges. Write a guest post for a big blog. Submit a short story to a competition. You learn and grow when you stretch yourself.
- Read about writing. This isn’t a substitute for doing the writing, but it’s a great way to develop new skills and come up with new ideas. You’re already reading Men with Pens, so you’ve got a head start here. Other great writing blogs include Copyblogger, Write to Done, and Daily Writing Tips.
- Consider a course. You might want to study for a degree, or take a less formal course – an evening class or an online one.
About the Author: For a sharper sword and a toolbox crammed with creative tools, check out Ali Hale’s Creativity Toolbox, a joint venture with Thursday Brahm. You’ll be swinging the steel in no time.
We'd be remiss if we didn't recommend one of the most highly acclaimed books for creative writers, The Artist's Way, by Julia Cameron.
It paves the path to glorious writer confidence through a comprehensive 12-week program that lets you swing your sword through blocks
Chapter 2
How to Sharpen Your Business Writing Skills
Excellent writing is a
critical skill in business professions.
Difficulty: Moderate
Instructions
1. 1
Know your goals and
purpose in writing a document before you sit down to write it. To maintain
clarity throughout the document, learn how to outline.
2. 2
Keep your writing
concise and to the point. Avoid sentences longer than ten or twelve words when
possible. Keep the sentence structure clear and simple.
3. 3
Use an
inverted-pyramid writing order: Put the most critical information first. At the
end of any document, append critical contact information if it is not included
in the rest of the document.
4. 4
Write naturally,
using "you" and "I" as you would during regular speech.
When appropriate, write as if the speaker were the whole company. Avoid using
unnecessary jargon.
5. 5
If appropriate, at
the beginnings of documents use a "hook," a sentence that draws the
reader in. In addition, get directly to the point; your first sentence should
immediately address the issue at hand. You may fill in details later.
6. 6
Eliminate qualifier
phrases such as "I believe that" or "I think that."
Eliminate all extraneous words from your writing.
7. 7
Develop and use an
office style guide in order to maintain consistency of writing. To increase
your basic writing skills, read a good grammar book such as "Eats Shoots
and Leaves." Re-read this book on a regular basis until you internalize
all its advice.
8. 8
Practice writing
good business style all the time. Instead of an informal email to your
colleague, write one just a bit more formal that incorporates everything you've
learned. Try to learn something new every day.
Six Ways To Sharpen Your Writing Skills
Samurais and ninjas take years, perhaps even decades, to develop their practice to the point where they are ready to go it alone. In the same way, new writers should constantly hone their craft to continually improve. Here are six ways to sharpen your writing skills.1. Blog
The best way to keep those ‘writing muscles’ of yours toned is to flex them through a ‘literary gym’, daily. You can do this by starting a blog. The most common forms your blog can take are journals, a column, writing reviews and general blabber. There’s a lot of blabbering in cyberspace, and a lot of it is trash. You can measure your success as a blogger by how many actually read your blog, how many posts of yours are linked to and how many interact with you and your material through commenting.2. Volunteer
The best way to learn how newsletters, blogs, magazines and columns work is by writing for some. Many publications will not give you a paying writing gig without knowing who you are, but they will give you a chance to write for free, so the best way to get involved is to volunteer. Many blogs will also give you an opportunity to do a guest post on their blog. Get in touch with the owners of your favourite blogs and email them asking if you could guest post.3. Creative writing contests
I know this is a bit ‘senior year’ but there are many blogs, magazines and newspapers that have regular creative writing contests. What’s nice about them is that they will force you out of our comfort zone and you will broaden your repertoire as a writer. The more you get involved with freelancing the more you will realize that you are expected to stretch when you write, so it’s best you have some experience.4. Journaling
This is very close to blogging, but with journaling, you can practice getting personal, digging deep and healing your emotions through writing about them. It’s like you are your own personal shrink. Now if journaling is the form of your blog, other people will become co-psychiatrists and perhaps even like a close group of friends. If you can journal successfully and get a response from your readers, you are well on your way to understanding how to approach writing novels.5. Poetry
This is one of my favourite pastimes.Good writing is often poetic. If you can write a novel like a poet, that doesn’t mean that everything should rhyme, but that your sentences should be rich with poetic structure to raise it above the mediocre. If you can write like a poet you are well on your way to being a master wordsmith; just ask Shakespeare.
6. Seek out a mentor
Mentoring is not a new concept. Find an author, a professor, or a legend in your field, and spend a lot of time with this person. The best time to do so is while they are working themselves – this is when they’re most brilliant. You get acquainted with their methods of inspiration, intricacies of their personality and work ethic. I have found one learns most by watching. And then, go apply what you have learned.Bonus: The Muse
I know, I know, corny. Can you discredit the pinnacle of inspiration among the mystical gods? The muse is almost always a person that brings out the Shakespeare in every amateur. The influence of a muse in a writer’s life can transform him from trying to break the mould of novice and catapult him into unknown horizons of utter brilliance.Practice your writing, seek out a mentor to guide you and find a muse to inspire you. In that order.
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