10 Things I Know About Writing

I began dreaming of being a writer almost as soon as I could read. From my first book, Put Me in the Zoo (at right), which I excitedly opened when it arrived in the mail from my elementary school book club, to Beverly Cleary’s young-adult fiction in middle school and later to literary giants like Kurt Vonnegut, John Steinbeck and Philip Roth, I got so much pleasure from reading that I wanted to give the same experience to others.

I admit I also thought being a writer was just a cool thing to be.

I became a writer for newspapers, magazines and marketing/public relations firms. Along the way I’ve learned a few things, starting with the fact that while it's cool to say you're a writer, actually being a writer is about as cool as ditch digging (and can be just as sweaty when you’re on deadline).

Here’s what I know after my first 40 years in the business of trying to put words together so they make sense:

It’s both art and craft.

Even at its most commercial, all good writing has emotional resonance, which makes it a kind of art. But even abstract painters have rules and techniques they adhere to. You must master the craft before you can call yourself an artist.

That means it can be learned.

Read the work of literary giants and grab any advice you can find from those who are successful.

You can teach yourself.

Writing classes and webinars are useful resources that you should use, but to truly absorb their lessons you have to just sit down and – write. You are your own best teacher (and often your worst critic).

But it takes practice.

Write every day, even if it’s just a journal entry. Few, if any, masterpieces are the first work of their creator. Stephen King only seemed to burst onto the literary scene with Carrie; to get there, he toiled for years mastering his craft in pulp fiction magazines and other minor markets.

Grammar and punctuation do matter.

They exist to help your reader understand what you’re saying. You can deviate after you become e.e. cummings.

But message matters more.

Are you making your point clearly? Does your structure make sense? Work first on the what and why of your story and then worry about the technical language details.

There’s no right or wrong to it.

There are rules of grammar and punctuation, not to mention plagiarism and libel. Otherwise, we mostly abide by best practices and what works in each individual piece of writing. If it makes your point clearly, go for it. 

Use expert advice – if it makes sense.

If not, do what works for you. Just don’t be too quick to discard what has obviously worked for those sharing their expertise.

Writing is hard. Good writing is even harder.

Few things are as lonely as sitting before a blank page or computer screen, trying to assemble your jumble of thoughts into coherent ideas.

But it’s so worth the effort.

If it weren’t, what am I doing here?