Storytellers are some of the most important thinkers in the world. Do you have a story to tell? Here are three tips for the aspiring writer:
1) Maintain a balanced life.
“Stream of consciousness” type thinking is exhilarating but has risks. Writers often get amped about their endeavor when they finally find their flow and forget to respect their creaturely needs. Basic virtues of self-control aren’t meant to be sent flying once you hit the jackpot of ideas. Many a soul has fallen apart unnecessarily because of the grandiosity of their thinking. A published author once told me: “Drink wine while you are writing. Drink coffee while you are editing.” Perhaps a recipe for staying grounded; for not taking yourself too seriously.
2) Be taken by the mystery of creativity.
Manuscripts undergo many alterations, stories go sideways as you write them, and the precious outline is shattered anew. The great Irish poet John O’Donohue once said that when you are engaged in the creative, you are on holy ground. All Holy things are mysterious. Honor it. Attachments must be snipped, for one to soar to the heights. This means ten thousand words may need to be cut out. It was the means to get to the end; that one captivating paragraph which strikes a chord; the perfect tension to propel the story forward. The creative "process" is not a process at all. It is life, love, and beauty breaking through the veil of the great beyond.
3) Stammer, Grammar, Grammarly
Grammar is a challenge for more writers than one might imagine. Getting it right is important, but on the first pass, it is more important to capture creativity on the pages. If you are stammering because of subpar grammar skills, don’t worry. Deal with your grammar problems later. A well-developed voice and wordsmith will still need editing. On the second pass, a writer should attempt to sharpen their craft by manually correcting errors and referencing grammar books when necessary. It is wise for the final manuscript to be run through a formal grammar service such as Grammarly. This will find errors previously impervious to the writer’s eyes. Then, you are ready to submit to a professional editor. The order here is important. You do not want to lose your creative essence. You do not want to be hindered from growth as a writer. You do not want to make grammatical errors. When using this order, the chances of creating soulful, authentic, palatable literature are magnified.
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