How I’m growing as a writer

Growing as a writer, or even as a human being isn’t always easy. I’ve been in a funk. It’s easy to blame it on the health pandemic, a cultural shift from military life to civilian, a move halfway cross country or etc…etc… etc… Falling victim to the circumstances occasionally feels like the only option. But it’s not.

As an introvert and a writer, one might think stay-at-home orders and social distancing are heaven on earth for me. The reality is that at times it feels more like Groundhog Day.

Here’s a crash course on the movie:

Growth takes time. For those of us stuck at home, it’s the one commodity (well, that and toilet paper) we have plenty of.  

The question becomes, “how will we use our days?”  

Creating better habits

In the book, Atomic Habits James Clear writes, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.”

There is no better time than now to look at the habits, the systems we rely on daily. Continued, will they take us to our goals?

A continuous goal for me is to become a better writer. It doesn’t have a clear destination. Sure, I’m always looking for an agent, thinking up new ideas, and writing daily. But what systems can I implement to improve my craft? What can I do today that will add value to the page tomorrow?

Writing began as a hobby and quickly morphed into my full-time job. While I’ve dabbled in editing and blurb writing since 2000, labeling myself a writer was a difficult first step. My first book, Finding Joy, was published in 2015. By 2017, I’d discovered the world of freelancing and dove in to copy and content writing.

Growing as a writer (content, fiction, and non-fiction)

Growing as a writer requires dedication to the craft. Here are a few of the steps I take weekly, and sometimes daily. Thanks to technology, these habits have not decreased.

• Meet regularly with other writers (thank goodness for zoom and email)
• Read books in the genre you are writing (just finished Calypso by David Sedaris)
• Read books and articles about the art of writing (currently reading Writing the Other, A Practical Approach)  
• Take a MasterClass and read everything you can get your hands on by the instructor (currently taking David Sedaris on Storytelling and Humor)
• Learn something new that has nothing to do with writing (photography, yoga, scrapbooking, anything that allows you to step away for a few moments)

In his class, Growing as a Writer, David Sedaris offers several other suggestions. The one he lands on the most is that we each must remember to be generous of our time and celebrate others and their accomplishments. Simply being kind, sending thank you notes to bookstores that have hosted you, and acknowledging fans who have taken the time to come to your signings will go a long way.  

One of Sedaris’ suggestions is to go to other’s readings and pay attention to what works and what doesn’t. This isn’t as difficult as it may sound. More and more artists are performing across social media. If you can’t find any, you can always schedule your own open mic night and amplify the voices of your writer friends.

Pay attention

The world around us is changing quickly. Writers sit in a unique position to empathize, record, and tell the events as they occur. This is where Spider-Man wisdom comes into play, “With great power comes great responsibility.”

Words hold power.

How we use those words is important.

Copyhackers recently published a case study on the language used to spread information regarding Covid-19. It is an analysis of the words and phrases that spread viral content.

Here are a few of the takeaways with my added side notes:

Humans are predictable. We tend to go first to the organizations that carry authority on the subject in question.

Side note: 
This is why it is so crucial for businesses to establish authority through content online in the first place. When there are changes within your industry, you want your target market to turn to you for the answers. You should continuously be working to build trust and transparency with your audience.

When the reader is uncertain about what lays ahead, the language patterns used provide clues. Short sentence structures, active verbs, and direct language are vital. The simpler something is to understand; the more confident the reader is about the message.

Side note: 
There has been much discussion over the dumbing down of online language. However, the more precise, concise, and direct the language is, the more authority it lends to the one presenting the information. This is also why online text needs to be scannable. Don’t make the audience work for the answer. 

Every reader wants the message to be clear and a specific action outlined for them to take. Emotionally charged language can amplify the reach, but a mix of fear followed by hope is more powerful than fear alone.

Side note: 
Establish both the problem and the solution. Once you’ve identified the problem, make sure you give the reader a next step, also known as a call to action (CTA). 

Emotion sells. It doesn’t take a Sherlock to figure that out. Ultimately though, it is the ethical responsibility of the presenter to communicate truth.

This responsibility is something I carry into every aspect of my writing. Whether I am ghostwriting, crafting a sermon, putting together a blog post, or a few product lines, truth-telling is essential.

How will we use our days?

I’m using this time to adjust the systems I have in place. I’m studying more and paying attention to the cultural shifts around me. Language and behavior are changing rapidly in 2020, and growing as a writer demands I pay attention.

Here’s the next step I’m giving you, the CTA. Grab a book outside of your comfort zone. Schedule an online class to up your expertise level. Take responsibility for the words you use and how you wield them. And above all, as David Sedaris says, be kind.

* Featured photo by David Travis on Unsplash