Why A Writer Has To Write A LOT And Everyday, If Possible
Writing is like exercising. The more you do it, the stronger your writing muscles get. At first it can be grueling, just like when we go to the gym. But step by step, day by day, if we keep writing, we'll get better.
Write about anything. Just because you're hoping to write a best seller one day doesn't mean you have to write books or articles everyday. The art of journaling can help you find new ways of expression and getting thoughts from your head to paper.
One of the best tips I was given on writing (and it worked with copywriting too!) was "Vomit on the page…… then clean it up later." Getting the words out can make us sick if we try too hard to make it all pretty, coherent and perfect. This is why journaling is so good and taking a note of thoughts that come to our mind can help us as writers.
I write hundreds and sometimes thousands of words on my iPhone, nearly everyday, that end up being my best chapters or articles! Before…. I'd try so hard to make it all look so good. Like writing an article for a column. A book is NOT like that. When my editor cleans it up and makes it look great, I'm glad I wrote it ALL OUT. Trying to 'tidy things up' could mean we removed one of the best parts because our own 'beliefs' thought it didn't matter or wasn't important. Just dump it out.
My recent book proposal was viewed by more than 7 publishing companies. Right now we're in negotiations with one of the largest publishers in the world. I'm a no-name. Just because I've self-published books doesn't mean a thing. Yes, it's great that I sold over 45 thousand copies of my #BEMORE: 77 Secrets To Your Best Life book. It's awesome that I have over 1 million highly engaged people on social media. But the thing that really impresses a publisher (pay attention to this!) is that I LOVE to write, I'm driven to write, I can't stop writing and to be honest, I tend to write more than I even talk and I talk A LOT! A good publisher looks beyond one book proposal.
Some of you were told as kids that your writing wasn't good enough. I remember in 8th grade a teacher telling me I'd never get anywhere with my writing. Being bored in class, rather than reading the whole book, I'd read the Cliff Notes and write my report. But my decision was a dumb one, especially when I copied word for word what the Cliff Note said! YIKES!
The problem wasn't my writing, it was the stuff I was being forced to read. Let's not get into a discussion about teaching our children to do things they don't want to and so on….. let's focus on my career. I now have the opportunity to write books for a living. She was wrong. I forgave her. (You should too, whoever it was that spoke mean words to you about your writing) Reading stuff that bores me doesn't inspire me! Writing only a few times per month on topics that bore me doesn't either! Teaching classes that make millions of dollars on topics that bore me isn't going to work either! (are you laughing yet?) Writing about things that stir me, drive me and force me to grab a pen, a paper, an iPhone note pad or SOMETHING so I can get the words out, this is the key.
Write. Write everyday. Find the time of the day you love to write. Write even when you don't want to. If you're going to be a great writer and possibly even an author, write a lot!
With love,
Sandi Krakowski
