This writer’s writing lessons for writers

Happy New Year,

Yes, I know, it’s not the 1^st of January 2022, but it is close to that time of the month…

Nope, I am not talking about the menstruation cycle, and nope I do not have anything against men, even though most women’s problems and men’s problems begin with men… such as MENopause, MENingitis, MENingioma, MENorrhagia… I know, MENtal right…

Oh! Okay…

I hear you indeed. I better go and find myself a MENtor…

Okay, where was I? Yes, Happy New Year, at least it is close to the Chinese New Year. Happy Year of the meow… sorry I mean, Happy Year of the snarl… yes, we have entered the dragon. Ooo, I don’t know it just sounded nice thinking about Bruce Lee just now, alright, Happy Year of the Tiger.

I will quit bumbling around.

I have collected tons of questions I have received over the last three years and figured it’s time to nail all your questions about writing by creating some posts on this writer’s writing lessons for writers.

These are the questions I will ask you, sometimes this writer’s writing lessons was to just arrive at these questions until she found the answer. The writing journey is specific to each person.

What are you planning to write?

• Are you planning to write an article?
• Are you planning to start a blog?
• Are you planning to write a short story?

Are you planning to write a non-fiction book? What sort of book?

a) Self-help

b) Biography

c) Creative writing and non-fiction novel

d) Children’s book

–        Are you planning to write a fiction book? What sort of book?

a) Novel

b) Children’s book

–       Other

 

Before you answer the above questions it is most important to ask yourself WHY?

Why will you be writing about what you are thinking of writing?

 

In this writer’s writing lessons for writers, I will be bringing in some clarity around your considerations, depending on what you are choosing to write.

• On the main reason why behind writing the story or article, I’d say don’t follow the crowd on the idea you have or if you feel phased about it. These ideas and thoughts have come to you for reasons unclear in the beginning, perhaps, and if they have been a nag then this is a very clear sign to continue in this direction. As you continue taking one step at a time in the direction of your thoughts and ideas things will become clear.

 

• Start jotting everything down on your notepad, your computer or tablet. If you do not have one or do not know how to use it start jotting your notes down via pen and paper. It would be good if you can start learning how to use a tablet or a computer slowly, especially MS word so that you can gain speed in writing and use other features on MS word to make it faster.

 

• While jotting down all your ideas don’t worry too much about the order of it, the spelling, grammar, whether you should remove the sentence or keep it there, basically this process is the process of a brain dump until you look at it properly.

 

• Don’t pressure yourself if nothing comes for a while or if everything comes to mind all at once. If everything comes all at once, get ready to spend hours, days, and even weeks on what is coming through. If you are writing a novel, then more will come out by expanding on the thoughts that have come through on the initial brain dump on your notepad.

 

• If you find yourself spending weeks on this brain dump, I’d say you’re onto something.

 

• No need to be perfect at this stage of writing, or at least no need to seek perfection at this stage of the writing process.

 

• Just a thought, would you use a pen name? Would you use your name? Bear in mind that there is racism even when it comes to writing in the English language and that BAME writers (Black, Asian, Minority and Ethnic) are still very real classifications in our world, BAME writers have very few publishing opportunities.

 

• Are you going to send your manuscript to a publisher?

 

• Note publishers work with lists and no one really knows what sort of stories are on a lookout by publishers through these lists. Until you hit up their submissions page, it won’t matter, even if you are a first-time, excellent debut writer, just some advice from this writer’s writing lessons for writers. Celebrities usually do not have difficulties in receiving publishing contracts.

 

• Approach agents who work with publishing houses if you are looking to publish a book.

 

• If you are not too concerned about when you would like to get published if you wish to publish a book then you will possibly be relieved to hear that writing a book still allows one to raise kids, look after your family and can be taken up on any free occasion you may have to do a hobby for example.

 

• If you are writing a blog post, the same could be applied in terms of a brain dump, but you would also need to research your topic depending on whether your post will be informative or educational.

 

• Stay tuned to more posts where I will go in-depth into blogging, content creation and writing novels.

Writing a book takes fine-tuning writing skills

A take from this writer’s writing lessons for writers, shall I say that in the year 2009 I was great at poetry, with 11 years of poetry and even 12 songs written by myself, and the biggest illusion was…

…that I could write a novel… piece of cake. Oh! Boy! Was this the first of all this writing lessons to learn (if you had this same belief then you have been saved by all the writing bears in the Swiss mountains)! Luckily, I spent a couple of years as a private English teacher after earning a TEFL but even 12 years later I was still studying the English language as I wrote The South African: True Colours; The South African: Roamer and Light.

It took daily practice to write a story just as it took daily practice to become a poet, however, there is a big difference between writing a novel to writing a self-help book, it is a question of imagination. Talking about imagination, I read recently this amazing quote, “Worry is a waste of imagination,” by Walt Disney.

When I talk about the brain dump, I literally spent 4 hours a day for my first month of writing The South African: True Colours, Sunday to Sunday, yes literally 4 weeks and I had the draft of my first book. One needed to have a plan with just a laptop, 90 francs to last 90 days, sitting in a very tiny village at a very high altitude around some cows with bells, and sheep. All it took was an organised schedule and being headstrong especially when there was a lot of criticism.

What is required of you to succeed as a writer or a content writer coming from a writer’s lessons?

Just like any entrepreneur, or successful businessman would put it.

• Do you have a passion to do this? How important is this for you?
• Plan your schedule
• Wake up early
• Exercise
• Your why should be stronger than your will
• Consistency
• Don’t ever give up
• Beware of burnout

So, what did you think about this topic? Was there too much wri, wri, wri wri wri? No, I am not referring to Rihanna, after all rah, rah, ah ah ah was taken by Lady Gaga.

In the next article, we will dive into choosing your narrative when writing.

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You can also have a look at This writer’s writing lessons for writers video.

Yours sincerely,

T. Dench Patel