Resources for writers: your writing wish-list

December 21, 2007 · by Joanna Paterson · in

I asked you last week about the resources that would help you achieve your writing goals in 2008. And we weren’t so much talking about the practicalities here but the inner resources that you’d draw on to inspire your writing.

You might think of it as a frame of mind, or a different way of looking at things. Perhaps you are used to thinking about the state you’re in, and ways you can manage your state to live life more deliberately. It’s the qualities that we know will help us to write, to live, the way that we want to. It’s some of the things that I describe as the ingredients of confident writing – not just the art and craft of writing but the essence of what goes into it: passion, spirit, intention.

The post generated some interesting discussion about the value of setting goals, and the need to balance long-term big-picture dreams with shorter term goals. As Jim Murdoch from The Truth About Lies put it:

Short-term goals are the way to go. They boost confidence for starters.
If you have a history of small successes bigger ones don’t look so unattainable.

Following on from this the inner resource he’ll be drawing on in 2008 is realisticness. As he says, maybe not a ‘proper’ word – but we know what he means.

Jeanne Dinnini from Writer’s Notes reminded me of the quality of niceness – something to be treasured in other bloggers, and a quality that can work its way softly into our writing style, helping us to write with humanity, kindness and rapport.

I’d suggested that short, even one word answers would be fine for this particular writing challenge. Emma Bird from HowToItaly picked this up by ‘tweeting’ her reply (= microblogging entry on Twitter, with 140 character max). She mentioned:

Our own experiences. Our travel memories. All our senses

She’s right (and I recognise so much of this in her own writing). Drawing on things that we already know – things we are seeing, witnessing, experiencing, breathing in, absorbing. Working them into our writing so it absorbs us and our readers too.

There were four powerful one-word answers from Brad Shorr at Word Sell Inc, getting straight to the point. His answer sends shivers down my spine – which suggests it’s telling a powerful truth, or reminding me of something important that I need to learn or remember.

Simplicity. Honesty. Clarity. Compassion.

Mervi shared the challenge, at times, of finding the passion to write for other people, including the translating work that he does. And talked about ways of balancing this writing of other people’s words with finding the space to write his own. Two key resources emerged here: creativity, and time. As he says,

I can’t force myself to be more creative but I can try to give more time to my own writing.

Terry Heath talked about the importance of honesty in his writing:

If I could have any writer’s gift for Christmas, it would be honesty. Honesty in voice, style, and content. Honesty in the uniqueness of ideas.

I think many of us would share this wish.

There’s one other resource that I was reminded of this morning. I got a lovely e-mail from a blogging friend who talked about the importance of quiet:

When there is a quietness around, the muse needs no urging, it just flows.

So there we have it, the Christmas wish-list for confident writers.

Realisticness. Niceness. Our own experiences. Our travel memories. All our senses. Simplicity. Honesty. Clarity. Compassion. Creativity. Time. Quiet.

Of course you’ll know by know that these aren’t things we can get by wishing for. They aren’t going to magic themselves under the tree. I couldn’t put it any better than Terry when he commented:

I know if I really want that gift I’m going to have to go out and get it for myself; wishful thinking won’t deliver the goods, and I’m ready to do the work.

I know that is part of the message behind your wish list. Once we realize what we need, we can set out to get it.

So I guess that would be my Christmas gift to you. Asking yourself what inner resources will help you achieve your writing goals in 2008. Because once you realize what you need, you can set out to get it.

This is my last post before Christmas, should be back (briefly) just after Boxing Day, then normal business will resume from the 7th onwards. So it just leaves me to say congratulations to Mervi who was the lucky winner from the “inner resources” reader competition, thanks to everyone who contributed ideas, suggestions and qualities to add to our list, and to wish all of you a very happy and peaceful Christmas.