A young girl in the blog once asked me ...... 'what can you tell me about writing?'
She apparently loves to write, as one could easily see in her blog. Big talent with writing, that I could see and so did others who came to view her blog. But she wanted more. And she was feeling downhearted as she hoped for bigger attention in the blog.
I said....
There isn't much I could say that you don't already know and perhaps may even know more than I do on some stuff. But if you must ask then allow me to humbly share a few things which I have learned though the writing years.
1. Write from the heart --- When the heart is in the writing it comes out real and true. Let your heart speak. Sometimes the mind puts in a lot of things into the writing, things which you don't necessarily have to or need. Shed the ego. When the heart speaks, the thoughts come clearer.
2. Make it simple --- Simplicity is beauty. No need to gild the lily, so to speak. Simplicity stands on its own strength and beauty. Write that even a seven-year old kid can understand you. No unnecessary frills. No big words to boggle the mind. If there is a simpler way to say it, then use it.
3. Write because you love to write --- Whether you get dozens of readers in your blog or fewer, don't let that influence your writing. The writing must continue because you just love doing it.
4. Write about what you know --- How can you write about roses when you haven't stepped foot in a rose garden at all? Welcome experience. Read books. Talk to people. Make regular deposits to your knowledge bank. Learn... and keep learning. Make mistakes but learn some more.
5. Writing is a gift --- Just like other gifts which a wonderful God has so generously bestowed on everyone. Appreciate it; thank God for it. Nurture it. Build dreams with it. Breathe life into it.
These aren't all. I still have much to learn... to grow... to write more. And I intend to do that until my fingers drop. :-)
To encourage her further, I found these lovely inspiring images on the internet and thought to post it here along with this piece. Keep at it, girl; just keep writing because you LOVE to write. God bless you!
All the five points are essential for good writing but may not be sufficient for great writing.A good style and a good command over language are great advantages.
ReplyDeleteTalent is already there; the young girl had potential. And surely a good writer, to start with, would be proficient in his or her chosen language of writing to be outstanding. Otherwise its absence would rate him simply amongst the mediocre or so-called run of the mill. And people can and would easily notice that. As the popular saying goes.... 'most people know good (or bad) when they see it'. Like my mom would say... 'it's a no brainer -- I know a good one when I see one. Sometimes best to do away with unnecessary frills.' That principle works not only in writing but in the other areas of life and living, as I have so learned from mom.
DeleteThank you for coming by and for your comment. Always looking forward to your sharing of wisdom and insights. Truly appreciate it.
Blessings to you and your family.
Ellen,
ReplyDeleteRead 2 posts. I agree to what you say in these. Unless we learn to reach out how are we going to survive. Unfortunately days have come when one does not even know those staying in the next apartment. Please do let me have url of this young girl so I can visit her blogs.
Take care