Toward Better Writing

Write With RCS: Writing about writing seems to be improving my writing. Our writing does improve when we engage in certain activities.

 

 We learn to write by:

~ beginning to write and continuing to write.

~ reading for pleasure and reading about writing.

~ trying to see how your favorite writer does it.

~  studying with a good teacher.

~ forming or joining a writing group.

~ reading certain posts about writing.

 

            On this blog I will write about writing groups; more specifically, teacherless  writing groups. I also write about better writing in general. I believe that a teacherless writing group can be a very agreeable and productive way to improve our writing. My problem  is that I am living the life of a hermit in a land where my language is limited. Still, I have been reading about and thing about such a group for some time and believe that I can pass on some knowledge to you about how to benefit from such a group.

            Participating in  a writing group provides the writer with a precious commodity called feedback. A writing group is a pack of individuals wanting to better their writing and have decide to cooperate to do so. I have already begun to post on this blog about the nature of and the practices of such a group. Here I can say that members of the pack quickly learn to tell one another how they felt a bout a particular pies of writing, what they thought it was about, what they thought the writer was getting at and a great deal more

            Speaking about writing in general: When you are a writer who feels stuck to often, you are not alone. Many a good writer has felt stuck and has been stuck. Many writers consciously learn and use methods to get unstuck. One really good way is to keep writing. Another is to see your writing as a learning, growing, and maturing process. I suggest three more below in  bit more detail

For your consideration, here are three ways others have used to free themselves from being stuck:

1. Digress and wander until your mind atrophies and falls off. Let yourself be open and accepting of that which you write. Every little bit of digression, wandering and acceptance counts.

2.Don't spend a lot of time preparing to write just now. Often the most important things happen during your writing. You grow and develop as a writer as you write. You discover that you have something to say. Allow yourself to proceed without a full plan and allow yourself to depart from any plan you have.

3. Try not to let whatever you have learned about control to interfere with your writing. Freedom! You are the boss. Thinking about control can lead to stuckness. Try to do as the psychologist says, "Let go a bit." Being free to choose does not mean making a single choice, the right one. I means being you, choosing, re-choosing and choosing again.

            These methods most be adapted to who you are. Without some care, you could find yourself looking for a way to mend an atrophied mine.

            I choose to consider writing an important  personal growth process.  Growth and maturation are highly pertinent to writing. One changes as on writes. One's writing changes as one one changes.

            I am finding that if I keep alert to finding "an emergent center of gravity" as I write, I often find it. That emergent center helps me to more clearly see what I am writing about. Clarifying that which I am writing about is a big help.

Consider the following as aids to finding that center of gravity:

~ As you write along, you may come to honestly say, "Ah," now I see what I have been getting at." Pay attention.

~ Finish what you are writing about. Put it aside for a time. See useful implications as yo look it over again,

~ See that your good idea is crap. Then see that part of the crap looks less crappy. Sort out good parts from the bad. You don't have to throw the away. In fact some of it might be better than your favorite idea.

~ Your first writing may prove to be a good scaffolding for your next writing.

~ You find a powerful spark in a tiny digression. You keep the same elements of your work, but change the whole orientation for the better. 

~ As you progress in your writing be alert to an emerging focus or theme.

~ If nothing emerges, sum up what you have written, then sum it up again,

~ Push yourself a bit to keep getting some center of gravity or summing up to occur.

~ Work gradually toward moderation from extreme positions.

~ You could be holding an extreme position.

~ It is fair to explain your position and its source,

~ Keep writing. 

            When you care to share an experience, information, or understanding related to writing, you are welcome to pass it on here. Use the "comments' section below. It often says 'no comments.' Click on it anyway.

                                                                            RCS