On Writing

This is a short blog, because most blogs about writing are full of bullshit.

~Stephen King... sort of.

Lauren here! It's me again, but this time I'm not coming at you with a new and/or improved technizmo*, I'm coming at you with something a little more... personal.

When Justin website watched my blog, he mentioned that I was a writer... and while I wear that title loosely (but with a massive amount of pride), it is true. I'm a writer, and I greatly enjoy it. And since Jordan used her guest blogs for something she enjoyed doing, I figured I'd do the same*.

I've been asked about my writing method a few times, and - while I really don't have one - there is something that is a constant every time I write. Every story I've ever written in the past 4 years has been written with Stephen King's On Writing sitting right next to me (Everyone has a mentor, and he's mine). It's this gorgeous hard back book, looks absolutely mint, and still has its dust sleeve... which may lead you to believe I don't read it often. And that's true. I've read the book once or twice, but the lessons I've learned are very important ones, and I keep the book by me as a reminder.

Like I said, the lessons are important, and I'd like to take this time to pass them onto you:

Everyone can write.

I'm not going to say that everyone can write a best selling novel, or that everyone will be published, but everyone can write. Writing is as easy as breathing. You don't need to have a huge vocabulary, or even an imagination... because that's not what writing is about. Just like music, or art, writing is about expression. About getting your feelings out in every way you know how. You don't have to create new worlds, or new languages, or even new species... you just have to express what you feel. That's writing. The rest of it... that's just creativity.

Don't expect to be amazing.

Even Stephen King said "I'm doing what I know how to do, the best I know how to do it." Like the first lesson, this is something I feel every writer should accept. Don't set out to write a masterpiece. If you set the bar there, you'll never have fun. Instead, just tell yourself that you're doing what you know how to do, the best you know how to do it. The rest will come on its own. And I promise, the more relaxed you are, the better the writing will be.

And that's it. Seriously. If you get those two lessons in your mind, and keep them there, you'll be well on your way to becoming a writer. There are more tips I could give you all, but 1. I'm not really that amazing of a writer (I just do what I know how to do, the best I know how to do it), and 2. like the quote says above, I'm keeping this short to sift out the bullshit and get to the point. Don't let the fact that you "can't write" get in the way of you expressing yourself... because everyone can write, they just do so at different levels.

If you want to write, then do it. Just write. And who knows? Maybe you'll surprise yourself.

*That's short for "technological gizmo". You like it? I just made it up right now. That's what writers get to do... you sure you don't want to be one?

**Another made up word. See? I rest my case.