The Writing Life

In the 7th grade I wanted to be an architect but it turns out math is involved. Who knew? My 8th grade English teacher talked me into working on the school newspaper and I was hooked. It seemed like easy lifting compared to architecture.

This quote from newspaper columnist Russell Baker sort of sums up how I felt about writing as a career:

"The only thing I was fit for was to be a writer, and this notion rested solely on my suspicion that I would never be fit for real work, and that writing didn't require any."

Baker and I, however, soon discovered that being an adequate writer is hard work, never mind being a great writer and doing it consistently. I thought that if I could speak the mother tongue that I could be a great writer. Wrong. But thank goodness Baker and I didn't know that when we decided what we would do with our lives.

Luckily, I had a head start on the writing life. My Dad was a good example. He read all the time for pleasure, and he often read to me. My teachers drummed the fundamentals of English into me. At the time, it seemed tedious, but I now appreciate their effort. Otherwise, I would not be doing something I love and getting paid for it. Because, you see, there will always be a need for words and wordsmiths, stories and storytellers.

You have probably not been as lucky as me. How many of you routinely diagrammed sentences in grammar school English class? How many of you were drilled on the parts of speech, or on verb conjugation?

How many of you learned reading and writing through whole language instead of phonics? That's like taking a 7-year-old who has never played basketball before and putting him in a game with the UNC Tar Heels and expecting the youngster to win the game.

How many of you play sports? What sports? How did you learn how to play?

You first learned the fundamentals. In basketball, you learn to dribble, pass and shoot. You work on it in the driveway. Then, you sign up for league play and take those skills into practice where the coach begins to explain the rules of the game. Next, you play and begin to improve your skills and your understanding of the game. You practice more. You watch great players to see what they do and you try to emulate them in practice and then in games. You push yourself by playing higher caliber opponents.

The same is true of writing. Vocabulary, sentence structure and punctuation are your skills. You move into the more advanced areas by learning about conjugating verbs and parts of speech. You learn the rules, and you begin to read the works of great writers to learn from them. And that is just the beginning.

Mark Twain says: "The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them."

How many of you love to read?

Hoover's Writing Rule #1: if you don't love to read recreationally, you will never be a good writer, much less a great one.

I read religiously as a child and still do. I have to read to stay abreast of my profession and to do research for articles I am writing, but I routinely read several books a month just for pleasure.

That recreational reading helps you see the world in a different way, or make connections you would not have made otherwise. This is helpful in developing story ideas that interest someone other than yourself.

Writing is both a very public and a very private occupation. No matter what type of writing you do, you must go out and experience life before you have anything worthwhile to write about. If you are a journalist, you must be able to walk right up and talk with people you often don't know, or who have been through a tragedy. Then, you figuratively go into solitary confinement while you write. Once written, your work is placed on display for anyone to see and criticize.

So, you must understand your audience because ultimately they decide the fate of you and your writing. Writers are often more educated than their audience, but you can't let the audience know that. You must write for them, in their vernacular so that your story gets through. This is particularly true in news writing. Keep opinions and bias on the sidelines.

In feature writing, the writer gets to intrude a little more, bringing his or her personality into the story. And in fiction, you get to make up your own world.

If you love to read and love to write, then I urge you to pursue your bliss. But just remember what science fiction writer Robert Heinlein said, "writing is not necessarily something to be ashamed of ? but do it in private and wash your hands afterwards."

Harry Hoover is managing principal of Hoover ink PR. He has 26 years of experience in crafting and delivering bottom line messages that ensure success for serious businesses like Bank of Commerce, Brent Dees Financial Planning, Bray Law, Levolor, New World Mortgage, North Carolina Tourism, TeamHeidi, VELUX and Verbatim.

---

Writers Block is No Longer a Problem

"If you're like me, than I'm sure you're pretty familiar... Read More

How To Identify Your Own Style Of Writing

This article is to help identify which style, technique or... Read More

The Opportunities As A Freelance Proofreader in the UK

A UK based freelance proofreader should be able to provide... Read More

Its All About YOU!

The Hottest Word on the WebDid you know marketing people... Read More

Writers Turn to the Internet for Support, Friendship and Advice

Riding on the fumes of potential, you take pen to... Read More

The Magic of Layout in Your Story

"The Magic of Layout..."???Okay... "magic" might seem a bit over... Read More

Passionate About Writing?

I'm a writing fool! 2 book proposals, 1 user's guide,... Read More

The Power of Punctuation

Punctuation, when used creatively, is powerful. Note, however, that when... Read More

Whose Story Is It?

Whenever you sit down to plot a story (or even... Read More

Vary Your Writing Style and Win Readers

First drafts are for getting down the ideas. Anna Jacobs... Read More

The Beginners Guide to Freelance Writing

The Big IdeaOkay. So youve figured out that you would... Read More

Keeping a Love Journal

Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,... Read More

Important Points of Fiction

Fiction manuscripts receive feedback that addresses and scores:· The theme... Read More

Writing About Writing

What am I going to write about?Which topic is the... Read More

Mind Mapping Your Journal Entries

Clustering, also called Mind Mapping, is a great way to... Read More

Freelance Writing: How Many Regular Clients Should You Have?

This is a tough question for every freelance writer. For... Read More

Become an Instant Author by Playing Well with Others

You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh... Read More

Get Published: The Nuts and Bolts of English, and How to Impress a Publisher (2)

The tiniest things can be so useful when you come... Read More

Five Keys To A Successful Query Letter

Do you know what a query letter is? If so,... Read More

7 Reference Books for Your Desk

I hate to admit this, but I rarely get an... Read More

Publish Your Novel on the First Try

Rejection. This scary word plagues virtually every writer this side... Read More

I Am Biodegradable - My Writing Is Not

My dad was wrong. I just discovered that I am... Read More

You Dont Need Inspiration!

Or do you?Writers write. You shouldn't wait around for inspiration... Read More

How To Self-Publish Your Own Books, Manuals, Reports Or Newsletters

You can make a lot of money by writing and... Read More

The Dreaded Daily Word Count

Open any book on 'how to write,' and somewhere you... Read More

Documenting Everything: Your Journal is Your Logbook

Sailors had it for years. Great explorers had it as... Read More

Writing For The Web: Where To Get Article Ideas

A friend and I were talking the other day about... Read More

Good Writing

Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More

Starting a Freelance Writing Career (or Thoughts About Taking the Plunge)

Nike's ad has taken on new meaning for me of... Read More

Five Common Errors to Correct Before Submitting a Letter or Report

First impressions count in writing too! So it is always... Read More

Writing Help

Whether you are working for a small business, large corporation,... Read More

Writing Dialogue That Make Your Characters Come Alive

Characters in a good novel really carry the story along... Read More

Taking the Free Out of Freelance Writing

When you run an online agency for freelance writers, editors... Read More