THE FIRST INGREDIENT IN WRITING

By Susan Reichert, Editor-in-Chief for Southern Writers Magazine 

“Read, read, read. Read everything - trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.”  William Faulkner

I ran across the above quote not long ago and it struck me how many times I have heard, “I don’t like to read.”

Yet that person is trying to write a short story/book. I am not sure why or how they think this business is done, but if they don’t like to read, chances are they may tire and give up on writing. The two basically go hand in hand.

To me, only a reader can understand the depths a writer goes to create a new world with different characters walking around, living day to day lives in this imaginary creation.

Jeff Goins, https://goinswriter.com/good-writers-read/ who is an author, blogger and speaker said, “Writers need to read. A lot. Magazines. Books. Periodicals. And so on. They need to grasp the art of language, to appreciate the finer points of words. As they read, they should jot down ideas and capture thoughts as they come.”

When we read a book, it is like being in a one-on-one relationship with the author who is showing you how they write, their style, character development, scenes, plots, and dialogue.

You will see things pop up that make an impression on you. Ask yourself, why did that make an impression? Jot it down. I agree with Jeff, write down the ideas and thoughts as they come to you and think about it when you have completed the book. What did you like about it? What didn’t you like?

Seeing how other authors write is like getting a free class in writing. Pay attention. Nothing is more motivating to me. There are even some books I read I think to myself, I could have written that.

One thing I notice as a reader, my vocabulary jumps higher, words fall out of my mouth and onto the pages faster.

When was the last time you read a book and found yourself intrigued? Learning? Story ideas popping?

As writers, we can enlarge our worlds by reading so we can aspire to greater written works.

You’re A Writer. Pick Yourself

By Lorna Faith

Five years ago, I was desperate to start something that I’d longed to do since I was little.

I wanted to be a writer.

I saw writers producing a new book every year, with scads of articles in between. Words seemed to drip from their fingers. Maybe this writing thing won’t be so hard after all. Yeah, right. That theory turned out to be wrong on so many levels.

Writing was hard work, at least for me.

From the first words I put on the blank screen in front of me, until I finished my first novel five years later, every single day I struggled to get the story on page. Sure, some days were easier than others were, but every time I saw the empty void looming in front of me, I was consumed with intimidation and fear of failure. Fear of rejection showed up in my writing days resulting in perfectionism and procrastination that slowed me down.

Questions of self-doubt filled my mind. What if I’m the only one that thinks I could be a good writer? What if I suck at this and end up failing?

Insecurity and anguish mocked me, their condemning words echoing in my ears.

At the time, I didn’t realize that the truth, which I was struggling to accept, was that at the core of me I already was a writer.

I didn’t understand that before I could really find my voice as a writer, I needed to own that identity. Activity would follow.

I was in the process of becoming what some part of me realized I was.

It was during the last year of writing and editing my book when I discovered Jeff Goins’ new book You Are A Writer. My biggest aha moment came when I read his words: Don’t wait for someone to pick you. Pick yourself.

A light bulb switched on in my head. At last, I realized that all these years of struggle had been about me waiting for permission. Somewhere in my subconscious mind, I let those negative voices evolve into something much bigger. It dawned on me that I had been waiting for that unknown someone, to pick me and confirm that I was a writer.

Pick yourself. I let those words sink in and I relished in the truth. No big publishing house contract, literary agent or editor needed to affirm what I already knew.

I was a writer. It was time for me to act like one.

That moment was the starting point. I took those mind-shifting words to heart and welcomed the gift I’d been given with open arms.

Now after many years of waiting, this tiny seed is beginning to sprout.

Since that point, I’ve come out of my self-imposed cave of fear and embraced the freedom of who I am.

I hope you too will let yourself become what you already are.

Go ahead. Pick Yourself.

You are a writer.

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Lorna Faith grew up in Northern B.C., Canada, the youngest child of 11 children. Her dad and mom were pioneers that Homesteaded in 3 separate Provinces in their lifetime. Her dad was the 1st child in their family of 15 children that was born in Canada of Volga German immigrants from Russia. Inspired by stories her dad told of their adventures in Russia and their immigration to Canada, Lorna wrote her debut book, Answering Annaveta (Russia to Canada Trilogy). From the age of 5years old, Lorna's love for music had her playing and singing in different festivals and travelling with many singing groups to halls and churches. Her 1st music CD "As I Walk" is music that has been called "magical light ballad sounds" to inspire the soul. For a sample of her songs listen to this tribute she wrote in honor of her dad's life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9rnXNbF-fE Lorna Faith’s social media contacts; http://lornafaith.com/wordpress http://rawstorylife.com https://twitter.com/lornafaith  https://www.facebook.com/lornafaithauthor