Learning The Craft

LEARNING THE CRAFT

The craft is everything that helps us to effectively tell our story or get our message across. If we’re just writing for ourselves, it doesn’t matter because we know what we mean no matter how we write it down. If we are writing for others or to get published, we have to learn the craft. We have to make our writing clear, persuasive, and compelling.

Craft is important. Only the exceptional genius or the extremely lucky will be published if they lack the skills to put together an effective offering that meets the dictates of the publisher. Work that confuses or tires the reader is not going to get accepted.

Authors spend a lifetime learning their craft. Expect to do that. Do not be too anxious. Focus on the basics first. Books like THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE and THE WRITER’S RULES should be read and kept at hand as part of your basic writing reference library. For each publisher, get their writers’ guidelines and make sure your work conforms to them before making any submissions.

Many writers work too hard on craft. Beyond the basics, relax. Consider it a success if from each book, web site, conference, class, or blog, you pick up one useful tip, insight, or inspiration.

The priority is to write from your passion, love, and burning drive. Write! Write! Right now!

From THE WRITER’S RULES: The Power of Positive Prose -- How to Create it and Get it Published. HELEN GURLEY BROWN: “If you want to be a writer, write. Write something. Write again and again. If nobody sees your output for a while, that’s okay; write for you until it’s time to write for others.”