Overcome Your Fear of Writing

All forms of communication are important but the virtual world we now all inhabit has turned the spotlight on the written word as the key form of getting your message across. However, this is easier said than done for some as, for whatever reason, they can't or won't write.

Pianists practice at the piano. Tennis players practice at the net. Athletes practice at the track. They all recognise that skills need to be developed and honed if they are to be maintained.

There is actually no simpler process than writing. I know you will find that hard to believe but all writers do is to take their ideas and translate them into squiggles on paper, or a computer screen. The challenge for anyone wanting to write is to distinguish between thoughts that could be useful and thoughts which are just the background noise created by life.

Good writing is clear, concise and fit for the purpose. Most writing needs to be planned, possibly even researched, depending on the subject matter and the existing knowledge of the writer.

It is very tempting for a writer to throw himself into a new project without planning or researching his theme. Indeed this is a method followed by a number of successful writers but it is not one that is necessarily to be recommended as it leads to numerous rewrites and wasted effort. At the other end of the spectrum are the writers who spend far too long researching and planning to the extent that it becomes a form of procrastination.

It is because all writers have their own distinctive style that as a species we are blessed with such a rich literary background. New writers are sometimes tempted to emulate the style of a successful writer and whilst I can understand this, I would encourage everyone to have confidence in their own uniqueness.

My definition of good writing is something that makes me think and question any previously held views I may have had on the subject. It is writing that elicits a response in me. I want to have reason to stop and think about the words I am reading. I want the words to tell me something I didn't already know or to provide me with a new angle on my existing experiences.

It saddens me when I come across web content in particular which is there for the sake of being there. It provides nothing. No interest, no entertainment and certainly no value. It leaves me feeling cheated and breaks trust with the author.

We've touched on planning, researching and writing but that is not the end of the matter. A finished piece that a reader will value needs further attention from the much talked about blue pencil. Work that has been edited is always easy to spot simply because the quality is so much higher.

Editing is a different animal from proof reading. The latter is an exercise to spot errors in spelling, punctuation, grammar, syntax and the plain old typo. Editing is the process by which a raggle-taggle collection of words is pummelled and pounded until it becomes clear prose that is a joy to read.

As a lifelong reader and writer I so want to see others enjoy writing. At the very least I would like to remove the fear so many seem to hold about the process of writing. My wish for you is that you find some inspiration here that encourages you to pick up your pen once again. Write for the sheer fun of it. Write simply because you can.

About the Author

Jessica R Hartley provides a free online writing course and writers forum to encourage everyone who yearns to become a writer. An experienced writer she is enthusiastic about encouraging writing skills in others.

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