Ten No-Brainer Writing Choices

Oy, the life of the wannabe writer!

The ups, the downs, the in-betweens. Maybe you can relate. You come into it convinced you’ll be the next bestseller.

• Day One: You’re seated in the chair, banging away at the computer.
• Day Two: You’re slightly distracted by a good friend, who invites you to lunch.
• Day Three: You’re facing the blank screen, struggling with writer’s block.
• Day Four: You’re suddenly wondering what ever made you think you could write in the first place.
• Day Five: You decide you’d rather go to culinary school. 

Choices, Choices!

If you’re trying to figure out how to begin writing, start by making a few simple, no-brainer, choices: 

• CHOICE ONE: Keep your rear in the chair. I know, I know! It’s so tempting to get up and leave the room. To stop mid-stream. To watch TV. Don’t! Stay put. Pound your way through the writer’s block. Keep writing, even if you have to put a steady stream of S’s on the page. 
• CHOICE TWO: Find an accountability partner. Choose someone who will call you routinely and ask tough questions…questions like, “What’s your word count?” “How’s that magazine article coming?” 
• CHOICE THREE: Start with short pieces. Many writers give up early on because they tackle projects that are simply too large. 
• CHOICE FOUR: Begin your day with creative writing exercises. You’ll tease your muse and stir up your imagination in the process. 
• CHOICE FIVE: Hang out with other writers. Nothing will motivate you more than spending time with others who love the craft. If you’re writing articles, find other article writers to hang out with. If you’re a novelist, learn alongside other novelists. 
• CHOICE SIX: Start a blog or keep a journal. Doing so will keep you writing every day. Writing in a routine manner such as this will be the equivalent of pouring water from a magical flask. The more you pour, the fuller the flask. 
• CHOICE SEVEN: Consider taking a class at your local junior college or perhaps a few online writing courses. Remember, all writers are on a learning curve. Acknowledge your need to learn then do all you can to develop your skills.
• CHOICE EIGHT: Set clear, concise goals. You might not hit all of them, but you’ll come closer if you actually set them. 
• CHOICE NINE: Go to a conference but choose wisely. Some focus on fiction only. These won’t be of any help to you if you’re a magazine freelancer. 
• CHOICE TEN: Don’t give up. Think about the great writers from days gone by. If Louisa May Alcott had given up, we wouldn’t have Little Women. If Charles Dickens had given up, we couldn’t enjoy A Tale of Two Cities. If Jane Austen had given up, millions of women around the world couldn’t sigh over Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice. You get the idea. Whatever stories or articles lie inside of you will be nothing but ideas if you give up. Project ahead to those readers you’ve not yet met. Don’t deprive them of the great things they could one day read. 

That’s it for today, writers! Read over these ten choices again and make up your mind to do everything you can to stay the course. 

Download the .pdf of this lesson below.