the writing journey

the writing journey

The Importance of the Writing Journey

1. The Power of Writing

Expression is one of the most powerful tools at our disposal. As humans, we must find an outlet for our creative energy, and writing serves this purpose for many of us. Through writing, we can express our inner thoughts and emotions, private fantasies, and elaborate daydreams. Effective writing can possess the power to change the world. In order for writing to possess this great power, the writer must be able to effectively express their thoughts and emotions to the reader. Rich Poirier discusses this in his essay “The Importance of the Writing Journey” when he says, “Too often, we become upset because we have a difficult time finding the exact words to put on paper what we are thinking. We become tied down with trying to find the perfect word.” This illustrates the necessary determination a writer must possess to execute effective writing. When a writer is able to find the exact words they are looking for and place them in a well-structured sentence, the result is writing that effectively conveys the writer’s thoughts to the reader. Clarity within one’s writing is essential to effectively express thoughts and emotions to a reader.

2. Overcoming Writer’s Block

Writer’s block can be a temporary paralysis caused by too much criticism of your own writing or of the writing of others. Some common patterns of interference include putting off writing until you have free time, or more energy or a better setting; avoiding writing that carries a high risk of negative evaluation; and setting impossibly high standards that you are bound to fall short of. Many of us carry in our heads a critic who repeats certain negative comments or fears. This “voice” is the source of perfectionism and self-doubt. Identify the comments and fears and in a second column write a rational response to each one. As an exercise in asserting control over the critic, carry on an imaginary dialogue with it, asking “why do you make me anxious?,” “how can I be sure of success if I lower my standard?,” or “how does it help me to get down on myself?” Writer’s block can also be a symptom of an emotional problem associated with writing, such as depression, anxiety, or anger. Translating the feeling into a specific writing problem is the first step in dealing with it. Although there is no magical “cure” for writer’s block, many writers have found strategies that are helpful. Often in working with a specific writing problem it is the general self-help strategies that effect a lasting solution.

3. Developing Effective Writing Habits

This stage is not about talent or skill, it is about habit. You need to establish a routine which allows you to reimagine and rewrite. Try to set aside time each day when you are at your most alert and creative for writing. There is no need to spend hours on it. A useful technique can be thinking through what you will write next when you are doing something else, and then devoting a snippet of time to quickly jot things down. If you are really not in the mood, don’t force it, as this will produce writing you are not satisfied with. Instead, try to figure out when you usually get most inspired, so you can better plan your writing habits. You may also find it useful to keep a notepad or journal purely for your thoughts on writing, in which you can jot down any ideas that randomly come to mind in your daily life. Many writers feel it is helpful to maintain and use an ideas notebook. It is also important to become your own critic. Don’t begrudge receiving negative feedback on your work or become disheartened by it. Instead, view constructive criticism as a tool for enhancing your skills. You can also try critically analyzing the writing of others, taking note of what does and doesn’t work, and incorporating this feedback into your own work.

4. Editing and Revising Your Work

Editing involves looking at your writing with a critical eye and making changes where they are necessary. It is a crucial part of the writing process; while it is tempting to just ‘get it over and done with’, a piece of writing that is not edited well may be unclear, repetitive and hard to read – and will not reflect you in the best light. Often writers do not edit their work as well as they could, as they feel that once the words are written the work is over. As a student or academic, the ability to edit one’s work is a valuable skill to possess – you will learn much about the construction of persuasive and well-structured arguments, and about clarity, conciseness and fluency of language. It is also worth remembering that editing is a lengthy process for professional writers. Stephen King suggests leaving an MS in a drawer for a few months, and revisiting it again later – this may be impractical for a student with a looming essay deadline, but illustrates the point that fresh eyes and a break from writing are valuable for the critical process. David Icke employs an editor to look over his writing, and Michael Caine says of his autobiography that he edited each line at least seven times. While you may not wish to go that far, it is important to thoroughly develop and refine your writing to produce your best work.

5. Sharing Your Writing with the World

Feedback Finding honest, constructive criticism can be tough. You’ll likely have friends and family read your work, and though their feedback might be biased, it can still be a good starting point. If you’re really serious about improving your work, maybe the best thing to do is to take a creative writing class; often your teacher and peers will have strong feedback for you.

Audience Recognize to whom your work could be the best fit. If you write a piece for children, maybe the best feedback you’ll get on that piece is from a child. Alternatively, if your work is intended for academia, you’ll want to seek feedback from colleagues or classmates. Knowing who your work speaks to will help you later in selecting the right feedback group or journal for submission.

Whether you write poetry, fiction, or memoir, once you’ve finished your piece, it’s time to take the next step. Sharing your piece with others helps you improve as a writer, validates the work you have done, can lead to publication, and maybe most importantly, helps others. Here are some tricks of the trade to remember when looking for feedback and publication of your work.