The Three Big Keys to Being a Writer
" If you want to
change the world, pick up your pen and write."
- Martin Luther
(1483-1546)
Religious Reformer
Once you
have a book published a remarkable thing happens, people from everywhere want
you to tell them how they can become a writer.
Some of these people have "tried" to write a book, but for
some reason think that to be a writer you must first have a publisher. Some come for advice thinking that you can
get your publisher (if you have one) to publish their book too. Some really do have a book in them waiting to
come out and just need a bit of a push.
I want to share with you three
keys that are absolutely essential to writing a book. Without them you will do nothing more than
dream and wish. With them, you will
enjoy the great satisfaction of seeing your thoughts in the form of the printed
word.
Big Key #1. Write
Some of the best advice I ever
heard on being a writer came from Dr. John Maxwell at a seminar I
attended. During the Q&A he was
asked, "How do you become a writer?"
Maxwell simply said, "You write." When I am asked that question, the first
thing I ask them is, "Are you writing?" 99.5% of the time the answer is,
"No." Writers write. It is that simple and that important. If you do not have a passion to sit down at
the computer, typewriter or with a pen and paper and put your heart onto the
paper, you are not, not will you be, a writer.
Big Key #2. Write
Writing is hard work. Many who desire to be a writer think of some
romantic idea that writing is easy and you enjoy the fame and money more than
you do the process. Writing - good
writing - takes a long time, is very difficult to find the right words to
express what you need to say and, in truth, have very little in the way of
rewards. If the process was easy
everyone would do it. It is not, again,
it is hard work. But for the one who
truly is a writer, it is all you every want to do. All the effort of writing melts away one you
see the finished product. I love the
words of writer, Dorothy Parker who said, "I hate writing but I love
having written."
Big Key #3. Write
Writing is a discipline and a
habit. A writer needs to write every
day. Even if it is just a few pages, it
will establish a writing habit, hone your skills as a writer and allow you to
build on your passion as a writer.
Writing is a craft that improves with the more you do it. You do not write to be published or to gain
fame and fortune (truth is, most writers get none of those things). You write because you have something to say
and writing is the best way you can say it.
In short, writers write. If you do not write, you are not a
writer. That is okay. Not everyone is meant to be a writer. However, if writing is your passion, your
dream and something you must do, then do it.
No one can stop you from writing.
All the rest is just details.
Comments
Post a Comment