A Writer's Journey: Learning Your Craft

Write . . . Scrap . . . Crop

Learning Your Craft

OK, we've established that you want to be a writer (or whatever it is that you really want to be - it can be anything, but I'll focus on writers, since that's my dream). So, you call yourself a Writer, and you've made writing every day a habit. But there's much more to writing than simply typing blindly. Yes, you have a story to tell. But unless you can put that story down in such a way that others will read it and understand it, you aren't going to get very far. I want you to gather together any reference books that you have. They should all be kept in your writing space. As we've talked about before, you don't need a home office, you just need a space to call your own. It may simply be your favorite chair with a side table where you can keep your supplies if you write with a laptop, notebook, or Alphie. I find that I move around when I write, especially when I hit a block and need a change of scenery. Even if that's the case, you need a "home base." My home base is in "my" room - the spare room that I have claimed as my own. Granted, it's full of a whole bunch of other stuff (out of season clothes, comforters, holiday decorations, garage sale stuff), but it contains my desk where I keep my laptop and my resource books. What books do you have? What books do you need? Personally, I think a dictionary and thesaurus are must-have's. I also have my "owner's manuals" for the software that I use most often. Currently, I have the following on my bookshelf: Novelist's Boot Camp, Webster's dictionary, Howdunit: How Crimes are Committed and Solves, Careers for your Characters, Writer's Handbook 2001 (which I hope to update this year), Write Faster Write Better, The Wealthy Writer, Eats Shoots & Leaves, 20001 Names for Baby, How to Write & Sell Your First Novel, You Can Write a Romance, Do It! Let's Get Off Our Buts, 2006 Guide to Literary Agents, Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, Write Great Fiction: Dialogue, Give 'Em What They Want, and Roget's International Thesaurus. I didn't go out and buy all these books at once - I've been collecting them for years. The ones I use the most are the thesaurus, the baby names book, and the careers book. The other books I draw upon as I need them. If I'm stuck with a story, I may pull out the Plot & Structure book and do a couple of exercises in it, that sort of thing.

My point is this - writing is more than you and your words - writing is a craft, and you must learn your craft. Refresh yourself on spelling and grammar. Do the exercises that are provided in the books you have. You will find that as you practice writing, it will become easier for you and your drafts will become cleaner - and you will save time editting!

I'm interested in knowing what books you have on your bookshelf. Are there any you think are especially good? If so, let me know what books you recommend.

Oh - and my all-time favorite writing book, which I HIGHLY recommend is Stephen King's On Writing. Read it, absorb it, enjoy it, then read it again. By the way - the reason I didn't mention it earlier in this post is because it is always out where I can see it and pick it up. It'll do more than teach you about the craft of writing, it will inspire you.

I hope I've inspired you to spend a little time learning the craft. Learn and enjoy!

Happy reading,
Elle

Posted by Elle Robb at 7/1/2007 10:01 PM