On Writing 

by Becky Ellisor

Why keep Writing?

For yourself, the most important of all reasons. That’s why. If writing feels like it’s what you are supposed to be doing, then it is. It’s true. Maybe you will never publish anything. You for sure won’t if you don’t write anything.

When you write for your own gratification, you are learning. There is no better way to spend your time. Unless it’s teaching others what you have learned. Maybe no one but a friend or relative will read it. What’s wrong with that? If someone somewhere reads what you have written and learns something, maybe they will share it, and the whole world will be better off. You might not get the credit, but that’s not why you crave to write. Is it?

When you write out of love for the craft, it is you who gets the most out of what you have written. For that reason alone, you should continue writing. Learn about yourself by writing and become not only a better writer but a better person.

What better way to know thyself?

When to write?

Spend some time figuring out when you feel like writing. Morning, Afternoon, Middle of the night, when it’s super Quiet or when there’s lots of Noise going on around you, With your computer in your lap, or Hunched over a desk, Writing by hand with a pencil, using an old style typewriter, or a sleek computer, on a keyboard with no connection to the internet. Keep a record of where you are, the time, and how much you wrote in an hour. The place, time, and equipment where you did the best is where and when you need to do your writing.

Set a deadline each and every time you write. Stick to it. Don’t write for a longer time or stop before the time is up.

If you don’t have the time to write every day, try three days a week or even once a week. Some time is better than no time.

Why a deadline?

Nothing is easier to put off than writing. If you have no due date in mind, you will never finish anything you write. If you are writing to fill your quota for practice, always keep writing until the time is up. If necessary, write the same word over and over again. Believe me, you won’t do that for long before a great idea pops into your head. Writers are always looking for new ideas, aren’t they?

My deadline is up, so I guess I will finish this next month.

Keep Writing…