Training...

Hi writingforums community!

I haven't been on here in a really long while! This used to be my number one procrastination outlet i.e. my favourite way to avoid actual writing whilst still pretending I'm doing something productive.

I never used to write much. I'd slave over a short project and then give up because I believed it was terrible. I'd put writing down for months at a time because it was just too stressful. I basically poured my whole heart and soul into the idea of it, thinking that once I became a 'writer', it would define me and I'd finally be happy.

Hehe. I'm sure you all know that didn't, and never will, happen.

The good news is: I am doing so, so much better! Back in November, I created a document to write on everyday, thinking: just like every other writing project, this is going to go nowhere. But then I figured, doing nothing also leads to nowhere. So I might as well try.

Since November, I've written almost 80 000 words, which, wow, is such a big achievement for me. A year ago, I would slave over writing 500 words, before re-reading them obsessively, deciding it was terrible, and then abandoning writing for months. That was my thing with writing: I thought everything I produced had to be good. But now, because I've written enough, it doesn't matter if a paragraph here or a sentence there isn't that great, because it just gets lost in this sea of words.

I'm not gonna lie to you guys, I don't really like any of the stuff I've written. But I know I will one day. Through a combination of practice and self-confidence. And even if all of it is terrible, I've created. That's what matters to me.

I don't want to stay at this level of writing forever, though. I'm here today because I was wondering if just writing is enough practice. I pour out thousands of words, but I haven't really stopped to dissect my technique, or revise things, or to pick apart what I like and don't like. I've just been this word factory for a few months, which, honestly, I think I needed, mainly just to loosen up my writing muscles.

But is that enough? Do you guys have any advice for improving writing? I'm willing to put real time and effort in. I want to reach a stage where the vision in my mind becomes even roughly congruent to the work I put on paper. I want to develop the skill to express myself in the way I want. How do I do that?!?!!

Please let me know your thoughts

 

I think you are making a big mistake. A volume of words without purpose, is just that.

You see hundreds of real life stories around you every day. I remember writing a story about a guy at the gas station standing over the trash barrel throwing away his losing lottery tickets. Tucked under his arm was a can of Monster Energy drink, his front pocket a pack of cigarettes and a Slim Jim, breakfast for this 20 something year old guy. Everything about this guy screamed loser. It was a brief snapshot of life for his guy, it was enough to trigger a story, here was a real character.

There should be a point in your writing, the ability to see and explain a feeling, a time and place and some action is a real skill. Typing out words without a beginning, middle or end will never build the skills you need as a writer and storyteller.

The next time you are out, pick a person you randomly see and capture their life in your observations. Pm me the results, I am looking forward to them.

 

I don't entirely agree with you on this. I partially do, when it comes to story, but before you worry about story you need to write a lot. I make a distinction between the two.

Writing can mean any kind of writing. Just get familiar with putting words down in sequence. It uses spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax, all the basic stuff. You need to develop a lot of facility with that, and you can only do it by writing a lot.

Now I do agree there should be some kind of purpose behind the writing. For me it's just writing about anything that fascinates me or drives my curiosity, or that I like. Any of these will keep you writing a lot more than just doing it as practice will. You need something to pull you through, so you don't have to push yourself, Fascination or interest or desire will do that. It's like the carrot dangling in front of the horse, making it want to move forward, rather than the whip striking from behind that only pisses it off.

Then there's story, which is a different matter. It's about people—characters—doing things, interacting with each other etc. And ultimately they must interact in meaningful ways that move a reader. There are all kinds of tricks for this, and techniques and structures to make it work. Those can be learned later.

Of course the best is when the carrot you use to pull yourself forward is a story you really like. That's when you're hitting on all cylinders. But working on either part is definitely helpful, Write about anything you like to write about, Maybe as you move forward you can start to bring characters in and eventually something like a little story now and then. Just something simple. They can get bigger as you move forward and get more comfortable writing.

 

Read, and read a lot. I read more than I write and I think this is important for a writer. The other thing is you might want to think of taking a writing course. I knew I could write, but my fiction wasn't at the level I wanted it to be at. Taking a Gotham course literally changed my life. I took an online course that was 8 or 10 weeks. By the end of it there was such a noticeable difference in my abilities. I hadn't expected it to make the difference it did, but the effect it had was really amazing. Their classes aren't cheap, but the way I look at it is that it's an investment in yourself. I've done other writing courses both online and in person. Gotham surpassed my expectations and the progress came quickly. Just something to think about or look into. Feel free to message me if you want to ask any questions about it. Good luck!

 

Keep flexing those writing muscles. I think you've got the right approach - let the words flow, and worry about editing later. I feel like the sort of writers who agonize over a few sentences are more likely to block and give up. Don't sweat each paragraph, keep on going. You will probably be blown away by how much you've improved after writing a few hundred thousand words. Once you've found your voice and know what you're doing, then you can start digging into it a bit more. Congrats on the great production over the past couple of months. You are writing - you are a writer.

 

You've got some very solid advice in the replies above, things that will certainly move you on. What I find also works is perhaps the most daunting proposition for any writer and that's putting it out for others to read, get feedback and learn what's working and what's not. As said, that can be daunting and each of us decides when we're ready, but the workshop here can be very educational, though I'd not start with a post of 80k words! What I also find is the more you do it, the less you want people to tell you you're great but to cast a properly critical eye over what you present and give honest appraisal. Keep at it and your skin gets thicker. Good feedback can both energise and deflate, sometimes simultaneously, but will inform you about how your efforts might be received.

 

I'm with you on this. For my first writing year I was lost and I didn't know what to do, I wrote some things but it was just word soup. For my second year, I actually wrote a lot with the aim of trying to make it good at least. For my third year, I tried the same, but I started suspecting that being my own judge was unlikely to lead me anywhere.

I came here to ask a question and ended up staying because I saw opportunity. By contributing in various places of the forum, I noticed that everything I was practicing in my previous years of writing was sort of coming together because I could answer various threads with my experience/observations in writing and see what was valid and what wasn't. On top of this, being in the workshop and doing critiques but also posting and receiving them was a good way to refine my writing. All of this massively helped to build on my confidence so I didn't feel like an imposter all the time.

I'm in my fourth year now and what I've been doing is putting my writing to the test by participating in the contests here. I did this because I had the confidence, but unfortunately, I haven't won (or even received more than 1 vote) yet. Still, I learn a lot by understanding and comparing my story to the winning one to grasp why it was that I lost. What was the weak point of my writing? Why didn't people choose my story? What put them off?

I'm working towards that now and hopefully by 2024, I'll have myself a medal, and if I do, it means that I have improved. I'm not sure what I'll do after that but this is the goal right now, and that's what matters.

So, given my experience, I want to say that you being a 'word factory' is far from wasteful, and it'll help build you some experience. By just writing, you're bound to notice and act on some things, so I'd say you're good to do that. That said, do trust your instincts. If you think you're doing something wrong, say with the way you write dialogue, then trust yourself. You're smarter than you think.

Then whenever you feel ready, do try to test your writing somehow, either by workshopping it here like B.E said or showing to someone... whatever. As long as you take a next step at some point. Acting like a word factory might be fine to build you confidence and some level of skill but this alone won't give you solid writing skills unless maybe you're an extremely good self-judge and you're able to act swiftly on it to improve. But most people aren't like that, which is why outside input is an important element to them. Others telling you what they didn't like is very, very valuable data on what is wrong with your writing that you're unlikely to gather by being just with yourself.

A writing forum, writing classes, writing groups, agent feedback, all can be sources of outside input. I know you at least have found this forum so if you have nothing else, I'd say try taking advantage of it somehow. It has much utility to it and is not just a place to procrastinate, you just have to take advantage to it.

Good luck!