How Do You Write?

There's no one way.

Last week, I did my first reading in years at Lexington’s Bodley-Bullock House. A fun evening was had by all and it was good to get my toes wet before my new book comes out later this year. (More news on that further down so keep reading!)

Photo by "My Life Through A Lens" on Unsplash

A couple of conversations I had that evening and a few others I’ve had recently got me thinking. One writer whose work was absolutely beautiful mentioned casually, “Of course, I’m not a writer so I don’t do it properly.” Someone else had said to me a month or so ago, “When I become a proper writer….” There was that word again.

So what is a PROPER writer?

Is there a PROPER way to write or to be a writer?

There’s always that old advice: If you write, you are a writer. Well yes, but…. Does writing a shopping list make me a writer? Does writing a legal brief make one a writer?

Somehow what I imagined being a writer would be like.

Is it about being published? I know lots of excellent writers who aren’t published. And what does published even mean in terms of reputation and validity? There are some fabulous works that have been self-published while I’ve read some absolute dross put out by the Big 5 simply because they are attached to a famous name.

I would describe myself as a writer, but my income from writing is lower than ever this year and there are definitely days when I struggle to consider myself a writer because part of my brain still tells me that means I must be a published novelist. Note, not even just a novelist, a PUBLISHED novelist. As if the magazines, websites, non-fiction books, and encyclopedias are somehow less valid!

What being a writer is really like some days.

Then there’s the question of HOW to write. The writer who had told me she didn’t do it like a proper writer had been telling me how bits and pieces of stories came at different times and that she wrote them down and put them in order later. In that case, I am definitely not doing it properly either. In my fiction manuscripts, I start in one spot but then when I start to burn out I may hop to a different character or a different part of the story, going back to fill in the middle bits at a later date. Just this week, I’ve been looking at what I’ve written figuring out what order to put it in. There are others who might sit down and write absolutely linearly from beginning to end. Both are writing. Both are proper.

Some plot religiously before writing, creating an outline so detailed they just have to sit and the words flow. Others may know where their story ends and where it begins. I’ve spoken before about how I often have the beginning of a story but don’t know where it ends. I try to plot as much as I can - it suits my methodical brain - but at some point I have to just give up, hop around, and see what develops. Others write with no plan at all. They are the pantsers, who hear a character talking to them and go with it. Each method is valid if it gets the words down on the page. Each method is proper.

I guess what I’m saying is that it is for you to decide how to define yourself as a writer. Writers are plotters, they are pantsers, or something in-between. Some have MFAs, others didn’t finish high school. Some studied it, others just decided to give it a go. They are poets, novelists, journalists, and more. They are published, seeking publication, self-publishing, or completely uncaring about whether anyone else ever sees their words in print. Some write for money. Some write for joy.

And however you write, if it works for you, it’s the right way for you. And if that right way changes next week, that’s ok too.

EDIT: Just after I published this, the following quote landed in my inbox:

Write. The only thing that matters is getting words on paper. It doesn’t matter if you write the book in a straight line, if you use an outline, if you write it in little pieces and glue them together. Even backward. Writing is the only way you’ll discover what works for you.

Diana Gabaldon

Other snippets…

So my writing challenge has hit a bit of a snag lately. Or perhaps it’s not a snag as much as a change of direction, as in I can’t know what else there is to write on either of my works-in-progress until I’ve done some deep reorganization and editing to see where the gaps are. So over the next few weeks, I’ll be focusing less on word count and more on restructuring. That’s proving tricky since one story covers several generations and is told from several points of view. I see lots of index cards being shuffled around in my future!

A few weeks ago, I mentioned running into some editing hiccups with a forthcoming book. I am pleased to announce that they are sorted, and I have the final proofs plus the cover design in my inbox waiting for my approval.

Over at Wandering Fi, I wrapped up my series of articles about my trip to Portugal with a recap of the country’s food and drink. We then recaptured a little of that Portuguese magic on Sunday evening with plates of crusty bread, peppers, and some of the canned sardines I brought back with me.

Meanwhile at British Food and Travel, I’ve been writing about ideas for free family days out in Scotland. I’m also planning my trip later this summer and have discovered a witches heritage trail in Essex which I may just have to explore. It ticks so many boxes: walking, history, coastline, witches, and a hint of quirky.

Photo by Ksenia Yakovleva on Unsplash