Rejuvenation

It’s been awhile since I did any of this blogging lark, mainly due to a new job and other commitments rather than just being lazy – I won’t substantiate this with details, you’ll just have to take my word. However, I have been writing a lot more! Two pieces written, a third and fourth begun and my addiction to the hobby/craft has been reignited. Joyous news, no? 

What has stirred these sadly-stilled sentiments? A fair question, and one that the answer to may assist those authors who are struggling to find time, inspiration or motivation to write with all three of those troubles. I have a surprisingly large number of talented and aspiring writers in my friendship group and, having broached the idea tentatively, we have begun meeting every week to workshop, present and discuss our projects. 

I wouldn’t call it a terrifying experience, per se, but the first week was certainly nerve wracking for me. We have decided that each attendee must present five hundred words in the form of a –preferably dramatic – reading and then the other members give feedback. I can’t remember the last time I told a story out loud but it was definitely an intimidating experience to do it the first couple of weeks.

I will admit to my apprehension; I rushed my words, stammered through my own grammar and stumbled at some of my mistakes which were highlighted by reading it aloud rather than to myself. But we are all friends as well as writers, so the feedback has been overwhelmingly helpful and supportive – no, obviously my work is not perfect and refusing to edit or redraft my work before bringing it along has meant I have some small reputation for eclectic and frenetic use of commas amongst other punctuation, but every comment I have received has either been in the form of constructive criticism or constructive praise. Both are very welcome and, I hope, gracefully received.

Yes, some people are better, more practiced, possessing greater talent for writing than others but our group is far from elitist. If anything, the more experienced writers are more encouraging of newer members or new writers – perhaps this is only an increased expression of vocal support, as they realise writing is viewed as a difficult task by a good percentage of people, but it is inspiring to see and hear nonetheless. We do not tell people their writing is bad; we tell people how it could be improved. What works, what doesn’t, what we like and what we don’t about someone’s work. Grammar is only highlighted in an editing manner – while it is an important element of writing, to be sure, it is not what makes great writing. You must catch and skin your prey before you even begin to cook it, let alone eat it.

So what gems of wisdom and nuggets of writing advice have we given so far? Firstly, when faced with an empty page and having an idea in your head one should definitely write it down. It might be clumsy, the words might not be close to perfect and you may use anywhere between a million punctuation marks to none, but write it down. Once the idea is there you can play with it, hone and perfect it. This is catching your meal, your food, your prey. A less violent metaphor would be that this is the stage that you put paint on your pallet. It may be just blobs of colour that form a loosely patterned mess at this stage, but later it will be what you create your masterpiece with.

After that, keep writing. Don’t stop; you can come back to it at the end of your short story, your chapter, whatever part of your story you’re currently writing. It does not have to be perfect, and it’s highly doubtful that it ever will be when you first scratch it out. Then don’t be afraid to show it to people and get their opinions – you never know, you might find that you have budding writers among your own friends who are simply too nervous or unsure of themselves to risk committing their ideas to physical form lest they be judged wanting. 

There are many mediocre books that have been published, and a number of terrible ones. I won’t name any of them but I fear we have entered the twilight of an age as far as literature is concerned, so there are plenty of shades of grey as far is quality is concerned in published material and storytelling in what has become known as the modern novel. No, I’m not published or successful as an author (yet) but that does detract from my ability for form a critical analysis of something. And if some of the collections of words being advertised as books are being bought by the public, then there is a good chance that as long as you finish something it will be bought as well. 

So our biggest piece of advice to writers is write. Refine it later, just write it first. This echoes my previous message – don’t worry about the quality, simply having a story on paper or typed up is more than most people do with their time. And remember; you’re a writer as long as you’re actually writing.