Everyday Canvas

In Writing, My Way

Perfectionism is idealism, plus a distorted form of it. I am, therefore, not a perfectionist, and with or without wanting to, do not write perfectly. So what I do when I write may not be the perfect solution for anyone else, but what I do seems to work for me. When I say seems to work, I don't mean it brings me wealth and fame, which I don't care for too much anyway, but it does bring me satisfaction.

Now that I have written my disclaimer, I can make a list of what I do that is practical for me, since we in Blog City have all become used to making lists.

1. Read every day, any time, anything.

2. Be present and open to the world and experiences, even if they feel unsavory. All experiences carry the requirement of respect and sometimes awe. This way of looking at them turns them into write-able subjects.

3. Write every day. We bloggers are already doing that. I used to have a 500-words-a-day group here a few years ago to instill everyday-writing in other writers. It didn't seem to work well, probably because each one of us has her or his own nervous system to work with. So my tip now is, if you see, or are in, an interesting situation, ask yourself how you would put that in words or in a fictional story. If you don't have a means to write it down, think it inside your head. Even if you forget it, it will re-surface when you need it. Prompts sometimes help this re-surfacing.

4. Each writer owes it to himself or herself to learn the basics of grammar, punctuation, and how to do stuff in relation to writing. Having done that, don't worry about the mistakes while you write, and even after you have edited and someone else shows you the mistake. This happens to all of us. It is a normal, common writer's affliction.

5. Don't take mistakes too seriously, but correct them if they are shown to you and you respect the reviewer's know-how and agree with the suggestions. In this site, colors don't mean anything. A black case may know and understand the tricks of the trade much better than a purple or blue. Higher colors here may mean that the writers have been in this site longer and are not necessarily any better.

6. Learn and write the way fiction, non-fiction, and poetry are constructed and acceptable in our time. For example, we all learn a lot from reading Dickens and other writers of much older times; however, if you try to write like them or try to emulate their style, your work will sound archaic and out-of-touch. For example, authors of yesteryear didn't mind pushing themselves into the work by addressing the reader as, "Dear reader, our story continues with...." Nowadays, this is taboo.

7. Other things you might consider doing that help me are: taking notes on how to write stuff and other usable information; making lists; writing some little phrases and sentences that pop up in my head in a note-book even if I forget them and do not refer to them; thinking or writing down the main point I want to make before I write the first sentence. The idea is when we write things down, they somehow become etched in our subconscious minds and we will know where to look for them almost like magic.

8. And most important of all, train yourself to write anywhere under any conditions. I am still working very hard on this, as I like total quiet and solitude when I write, which I usually lack.

--------------------

Prompt: Everyone has practical tips they feel make it easier to write, let's compare notes. Maybe we can help each other be more efficient. What rituals do you have that keep you focused and on track with your writing?