Dear Reader
I recently stumbled upon a gem of a website called BetterWritingHabits.com, and I found an article that had me cringing in embarrassment. The article in question relayed the top seven excuses writers use not to write. The excuses include busyness, writers' block, lack of confidence, being too tired and procrastination (among others). Sound familiar?
In my last editorial I spoke about resolutions for 2012. Since then I know I've strayed a bit from my resolution to hang on to the "happier, sunnier and positive January spirit" and have since found myself anxious over things I can't control and procrastinating because I've trained myself to work best under pressure - basically using all seven excuses on any given day. But that's me. What about you?
If you're having trouble applying bum to chair, or you've lost some confidence in your writing, know that you're not alone. Every writer feels inadequate at times. If you've lost the lustre, think about why you started pursuing your dream of being a writer in the first place. Either you, or someone close to you, must have believed that you could do it.
Remember, "the wastebasket is a writer's best friend" (according to Isaac Bashevis). No-one needs to see your first draft but you, so just start writing. Forget about how good your content is and just let your thoughts flow freely. Read some of the blogs I've listed below and put their words into practice (because practice always comes before perfection). James Michener had the right idea here:
I'm not a very good writer, but I'm an excellent rewriter.
Write that down.
Sam
P.S. Here's some food for thought, writer to writer:
Is Your Busyness Your Fault?
Procrastinating Writers: guidance for writers who struggle to get started
50 Ideas to Immediately Combat Writer's Block
SAMANTHA MOOLMAN (Editor of The Writers' College News, fellow writer, blogger and part-time journalism lecturer)
Message from the Principal
I had to chuckle when I recently read Winston Churchill's definition of success: "Success is the ability to go from one failure to another without losing enthusiasm."
How right he is, and yet, how often don't we shy away from failure, hide mistakes and rejections in the dark recesses of our minds, and focus instead on the dangling carrot of success.
In the film Meet the Robinsons, Wilbur Robinson's family break into a joyful ditty every time one of the Robinsons' inventions don't work out. Now that's embracing failure with enthusiasm.
The problem with a success-orientated approach is that, after one or two failures, we think we need to give up. Imagine if all great inventors, artists and athletes used that approach? We'd have none of the amazing feats and artworks man has produced.
It's the same with writing. The successful writer is the one who perseveres, who hands in the assignments, who keeps going despite 'failures' like bad writing days and rejection letters.
So the trick is, instead of being 'success-obsessed', to become devotees of Failure. Let's write up a storm this year, enter competitions, submit stories for publication, and bravely face the rejection letters if and when they come. That way we know we're truly playing the game of being real writers.
Nichola (Principal of The Writers' College)
CONTACT US:
Principal: NICHOLA MEYER E-mail Nichola
Student queries and applications: KOOS TURENHOUT E-mail Koos |