Sunday, November 6, 2011

Put yourself on a schedule

There are three good ways to improve your writing.
1. Observe.
2. Read.
3. Write.
Be a curious observer of the world around you. Always have a notebook handy to write down some of your observations. I know a fellow who whistles constantly and he's good at it. He can whistle recognizable tunes. It occurred to me that people who whistle are happier than people who don't. Or, put another way, I've never seen or heard an unhappy whistler. I had all of these thoughts from one observation of a man whistling. I might write about a whistler some day.
Reading is essential if you want to improve your writing. It is a way of recognizing and appreciating good writing and learning what to do - and not to do - in your own writing.
Writers must write just like jugglers must juggle and dieters must diet. Put yourself on a reasonable schedule. You'll be amazed at your results. If you commit to writing for a half-hour each day, by the end of one year you will have written for more than 180 hours. Find a comfortable place to write and a time of day that works better for you. (I'm an early morning person).
And if you have to snack, get something other than Cheetos!

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