School is Never Out of Session!
by Julia Temlyn, Editor-in-chief
School is back in session, and not just for the children. In fact, school is never out of session for the writer! As writers it is crucial that we always make a habit of practicing and learning in order to become the very best writers we can be! How can we learn to be better writers? The answer is simple enough—we must do our homework. (I hear the groans now. Homework? Don’t worry—this is the fun stuff!)
To be a writer one must regularly participate in two activities: Writing and Reading.
Write, and Write Often.
In the moments when you can’t think of anything to write, write anyway. Start with something as simple as, “I don’t know what to write,” over and over again… and eventually more words will make their way onto the page. (This exercise actually works… though if you find yourself filling an entire page with that phrase you may want to try some writing prompts.)
As much as we may love to write, we sometimes find ourselves lacking the desire to write. We may say “I don’t feel like writing.” It doesn’t matter whether you feel like writing or not; if you want to be a writer, you must write!
Write in your journal everyday. Challenge yourself to write a haiku, a short poem, on a daily basis. It doesn’t have to be the greatest piece ever written (and most likely, it won’t be anywhere near the greatest piece). However, practice makes perfect, and the act of writing something, even something short, every single day, can lead you to become a better writer!
Read for Your Imagination
Second, a good writer is a reader. Reading is a vital part of the writing life. Always read, whether a great novel or the back of a cereal box. Words are what we’re made of, and we need to always replenish our supply of words.
Read novels, children’s books, poetry, magazines, etc. With so many genres and styles out there, there’s something for everyone.
I can vouch for the importance of reading. I had a bad habit for several years, of reading half of a book, and then getting distracted and never finishing. I’ve always been a reader, but in recent years I’ve had to create sort of a discipline of reading in my life. I read daily, even if it’s only a few pages before I go to sleep. I find that others sharing this information were telling the truth—reading is vital for the wordsmith in my soul.
Writers Remember recommends some books that combine the writing and reading “writerly” requirements, as they’re books about writing, featuring lots of bits of information about the writing process. Check out our picks here!
Want to get in on the classroom at Writers Remember? Right now we’re working through one of the greatest “workshops” for writers, The Artist’s Way, with Julia Cameron. Join us, and inspire your creativity!
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Julia is the owner of Temlyn Writing: freelance writing & editing services, where she works diligently with clients to rescue excess apostrophes, save spliced commas, and repair injured & abused words.
In addition to Writers Remember, she is also the editor of Musical Reviewer (formerly All About Musicals) and administrator of the Houston Writers & Editors Network. She blogs at Mrs. Write Right, Word Therapist.
Julia resides outside Houston, Texas, with her amazing husband and their two goofy cats. When time and finances allow, she enjoys visiting her family in Florida and New York (both of which she grew up in). Her hobbies and enjoyable activities include singing, seeing Broadway musicals, reading, geocaching, scrapbooking, drinking tea, watching movies, and spending time with her husband and family & friends.
