Not to mention my charm.
And did I inform you of my humble nature?
No? Well then, I think we better skip that for another time and I'll just tell you the same basic tip you will hear from every single writer.
You. Must. Absolutely. Always. Forever. Without fail...
Write All The Time
Or WATT for short.
How important is WATT?
It's the difference between wanting to be published and being published. It's the difference between writing stories that you hope no one ever sees and stories you want everyone to read.
Even if it's only ten minutes before you go to bed or a page on your lunch break, it's vital to learning your craft.
You can learn all the rules of grammar and carry around a thesaurus like a loaded weapon but if you're not writing you won't refine your technique.
You won't find your voice.
Now its time for my big confession....insert intense movie score here...sometimes I have to make myself write.
Seriously. And everyone who knows me can stop laughing now because they all know I like to write as much as I talk. Alot. Constantly. Without end.
But sometimes when my muse has forgotten that if she drinks a triple shot coffee drink thingy, they call a depth charge at the local coffee shop, that while the words will flow quickly and efficiently for a few hours...
That suddenly and without warning her musing will be in peril and down she goes.
Caffeine crash. Urghh.
But this does not matter. You must write.
WATT.
It will become your new four letter word but your writing will improve. So to help with this I'm including five helpful hints.
1. Turn off your television. Throw it out. Give it away. At least limit yourself. Because you will survive the water cooler sessions if you don't know who was kicked off Dancing with the Stars or American Idol.
2. Start a journal or diary. But don't write, "dear diary, I had a blueberry muffin today." Really? Instead write about the quaint little coffee shop you purchased it from. Write about the characters that hang out at the coffee shop. Paint a picture.
3. Start writing down entire dialogues that you hear. Go to a coffee shop or restaurant and write down exactly word for word what is being spoken. Be discrete and don't use it for blackmail. That's rude. Use it to study patterns and rhythms of people's speech.
4. Need a starter. Try one of these sentences and write a few pages.
A. Fred was of average height with nondescript features and a handshake that could...
B. If the cat hadn't stepped out into the road at that very moment I decided to throw the ball then...
C. Kelly O'Reilly pushed the cold, stiff body of her husband into the...
5. Clone yourself. Then you can write while the other you goes to work...If that's not an option, then commit to 30 days. Without fail. Because after that it's a habit and it will be easier to stick with it.
So there you have it. WATT. The one writing tip you will hear every time from nearly every writer. Why?
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