Nurture Your Writing

When we forget to nurture our writing, it’s easy to let life impede our goals. Make time for you and your writing to ensure you don’t lose your confidence or motivation.

Read

One of the most enjoyable ways to improve your writing is to read. Read fiction in and out of your genre, read craft books to develop a deeper understanding, read the classics you ignored in school, and read contemporary work so you know what’s selling.

“Read a thousand books, and your words will flow like a river.” ― Lisa See

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” ― Stephen King

Write

Writing is a skill, and the only way to develop a skill is to practice. Fiction, poetry, articles, journals, songs—all of them will help you learn, stretch, and grow.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it. That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.” ― Octavia E. Butler

“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.” ― Maya Angelou

“A professional writer is an amateur who didn’t quit.” — Richard Bach

“This is how you do it: you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard.” — Neil Gaiman

Critique

It can be scary when you first share your writing—blogs, short stories, poetry, a draft of your novel. No one wants the stress of being judged or criticised. But constructive feedback helps us develop and improve. The good news is the more you ask for feedback, the easier it gets to receive it!

“Mistakes should be examined, learned from, and discarded; not dwelled upon and stored.” — Tim Fargo

“Strive for continuous improvement, instead of perfection.” — Kim Collins

“When we make progress and get better at something, it is inherently motivating. In order for people to make progress, they have to get feedback and information on how they’re doing.” — Daniel H. Pink

Courses, Podcasts, Workshops, and Conferences

You will strengthen your writing when you allow yourself time to learn and grow. Because there is no one right way to write, taking courses and workshops, listening to podcasts, and attending conferences will expose you to new ideas or deepen your understanding of story, craft, and the business side of writing. In-person events will also provide networking opportunities so you can nurture your relationships with other writers, too.

“If you haven’t taken a writing class, take a writing class. I took every class that was available in my area. I went to conferences inside and outside my area to network with people. That’s how I got my agent. I found my agent through another agent who was at a conference.” — Kimberly Willis Holt

“I was a ‘learn by doing’ writer – I never took any formal writing classes. So it took a long time to figure things out and find my voice.” — Sara Zarr

“A creative writing class may be one of the last places you can go where your life still matters.” Richard Hugo

Your thoughts and opinions—your words—are a gift to the world, so let nothing stop you. How do you nurture your writing?

Header Photo by Noah Buscher on Unsplash