The #1 thing that made me a better writer
In four years of an English Education degree, this was the most valuable lesson
Hey writers! There are now over 250 of us in this little community, and it is incredible to see the connections that are being made! I’m so excited to see what God does here. If you haven’t introduced yourself yet, go back to this post and leave a comment. And if you want to really dive into this community, go back and respond to the introductions of your fellow writers. You never know what you’ll find in common with someone!
The first creative writing class I took in college surprised me. As an English Education major, I was used to long lectures on Shakespeare, long lectures on best practices in the classroom, long lectures on… well, everything.
But while this professor did some lecturing, he devoted much of our time to simply writing. He would read us something—a snippet of an essay, a poem, an album review—and we would put pencil to paper.
Over time, I have realized that my favorite professors facilitated learning in a way that helped us become one with the material, the practice, the discipline. The best professors did less lecturing and more immersion. This is because they knew the secret to becoming a good writer.
You have to write.
A lot.
Natalie Goldberg writes that “people often begin writing from a poverty mentality. They are empty and they run to teachers and classes to learn about writing. We learn writing by doing it. That simple.”1
I think a lot of us like to go to writing courses and read writing books more than we like to actually write—we like the idea of writing, but writing itself can sometimes be hard or frustrating. Keeping ourselves in the writing chair can be torture some days because it takes effort and brain space.
When you want to get better at lifting weights, you lift weights. When you want to get better at your instrument, you play. So if you want to learn how to write, write. Yes, get feedback. Yes, read books. Yes, take classes if you so choose. But the #1 thing that will make you a better writer is to practice writing. So, dear writer, just write.
Writing Prompt
This week, just write. Set a five minute timer every day, sit down with a notebook and a pencil, and put words—any words—down. Don’t put pressure on yourself. Just write.
Cultivating Community
Since writing is a mostly solitary activity, let’s create some connections. Join me in the comments and tell us:
Do you feel like you’re writing from a “poverty mentality”? What would change if you realized you already have everything you need to start?
What is your favorite genre to write (poetry, fiction, nonfiction, etc.)?
What is your favorite line from the poem “Digging” by Seamus Heaney, and why? I’ll share mine in the comments, too.
Do you have questions for me? Ask away in the comments! Do you want to request a topic for this newsletter? Tell me in the comments!
In case you missed it…
The Writer’s Cottage posts so far!
Dear Christian writer: Maybe this is what you're longing for.
When I signed my first book deal, I knew no one in the industry. I hadn’t begun writing publicly on any platform of my own, and I didn’t know any Christian writers in real life. It felt… lonely.
Goldberg, Natalie. Writing Down the Bones. Shambhala Publications, 1986, p. 32.
To answer one of the questions:
My favorite line in "Digging" is the last one. "I'll dig with it" conveys a sense of purpose, of hard work even in a "softer" vocation, of determination and finality. IT GETS ME EVERY SINGLE TIME!!!!!
I love that last line, "I'll dig with it." Writing is hard work, but with determination it produces something tangible that we can be proud of.
I was just telling my husband this morning that even though this has been a week without rhythm due to the winter storm, I was going to spend time writing because that's what I do on Fridays and my writing muscles need the reps. I can't decide if I was serious when I said this or not, but I wanted to be. I also told him I was tired of my current writing project and I wanted to do something fresh and exciting, but at the same time I still feel compelled to record that story. Finishing things is another muscle that needs the exercise. Then, I read this post. Now I'm feeling content with the fact that my current project is not only a great story and whether people keep reading to the end or not, it's good practice for me.