Essentials for a Writer

"It's possible, in a poem or short story, to write about commonplace things and objects using commonplace but precise language, and to endow those things—a chair, a window curtain, a fork, a stone, a woman's earring—with immense, even startling power."

― Raymond Carver.

Do you have the urge to write but have yet to learn what?

And so, you sit there at your desk staring at a blank page.

Let's see.

First, you don't need to worry about the competition. You know already that about four million books are published every year. So, forget about them and do your work well, which should suffice.

Writers don't want to speak a stench, as Kafka said. So, I think you better have a clear idea about what you will write. The blank page is there for a reason. It helps you organize your mind so that only the essential remains.

Always carry a diary where you write your thoughts and ideas as they come. You can polish them later. Write some phrases that may become immortal, and many will quote you in the future when you are no longer in this world.

Talk to yourself. Listen to yourself. Then, write to everybody.

Always take the temperature of your writing. Is it hot, warm, cold? Think of your readers.

Ask yourself about your feelings about your writing. Do this for whatever you write: fiction, non-fiction, historical fiction, content writing, copy, or whether you are a corporate storyteller.

You are the subject matter expert. Behave accordingly in your writing with a professional hand/mind.

Keep your characters/actions on a leach. Guide them in the direction you want them to go; in turn, they, your characters, will guide the readers.

No, no, no, and no! Don't tell: "The conflict between the brothers has continued for years," without showing what the conflict is about. Let the brothers show us their conflict and why it is still there. Let your characters guide the readers. Lead the readers. Surprise readers with twists in the plot.

Do not transform your protagonist into a superman (superwoman) just to force some spice into the plot. If the magic is not there, it is not there. Many books, movies, and TV series fall into this trap and lose the audience's interest. A Rambo kind of character, for example. One Rambo is enough. You got the idea.

Show the conflict/conflicts arising/flowing through the story. There MUST be a conflict.

Try to see beyond what other people see. It's magic. You knew that already. So, go ahead and make the effort.

Be perceptive of changes in nature, science, society, and your neighbours. You, as a writer, must notice those fluctuations.

If you stop and think and mull over your answers, you will know your current stage. Based on your information, you will work to improve, for you will understand what hinders you from reaching the desired level.

Remember that writers are artists, so writing is a craft that requires energy, intellect, imagination, and power. It's not a routine job.

Good luck to all in your journey.