How to Become a Better Writer
Hammertime!
Hi there!
Mrs. Jalopy and I are back home after a fantastic weekend in the Welsh Countryside watching our friends Paul and Geraldine get married. It was a beautiful ceremony and a fun party.
And it’s good to be back home.
This week is going to be fun because my twin brother is visiting from San Francisco. Maybe I’ll try to get him in front of the man cave webcam so you can marvel at genetic cloning in the flesh…
How to Become a Better Writer
Earlier today I was reading a post on the Copyblogger website called 73 Ways to Become a Better Writer.
It’s an excellent list of suggestions, but I thought I’d come up with some of my own.
- Write a little every day.
- Tell people that you’re A Writer. Harness the power of identity.
- Read your writing aloud. Rework anything that sounds clunky.
- Carry a notebook around. Even if you don’t write anything in it, having it will make you feel Writerly.
- Take time each day to drink tea and ponder. Wear corduroy pants for extra bonus points.
- Read www.jjjalopy.com everyday, even if I haven’t bothered to post anything in a while.
- Rework old writing to make it better.
- Rewrite other people’s writing in your own voice. (Don’t publish it though. That’s called plagiarism.)
- Blog. Consistently.
- Edit out all the unnecessary stuff. Except if it’s really funny. Or it features MC Hammer (big on Twitter), legendary white rapper Vanilla Ice (used to date Madonna) or Kriss Kross (the teenage rap duo famous for wearing their clothes backwards.)
- Be authentic. Unless you’re really dull, in which case you might want to pretend to be interesting for a while.
- Review your own writing critically.
- Ask for feedback and listen to it.
- And above all… keep writing.
Have fun!
JJ Jalopy.
Comment by Anthony Lemme
28 July 2009
As a writer (wow it does work. I feel writerly just saying that!) I agree with your points. I think the main one is to write and keep on writing.
Glad to hear the wedding and party were fun. But as your health nazi, not too much fun!
Anthony
http://www.anthonylemme.com
Anthony Lemme´s last blog ..Suffering is a Choice
Comment by Lynn Lane
28 July 2009
JJ,
Thanks so much for the points of insight. I will make note and use them to help me on my writing journey.
BTW ” Can’t Touch This”
Lynn Lane
Success Strategies For Life
Success Today
Lynn Lane´s last blog ..Confidence Or Arrogance
Comment by Lisa McLellan
29 July 2009
When my children write essays or stories or anything like that for school, I always tell them to read it out loud. If they stumble over a phrase or sentence then they probably need to change it. When you read silently to yourself, your brain will sometimes fill in the blanks, skim over the bumpy stuff, or fix the errors automatically. Unfortunately, I didn’t learn that trick until college!
Lisa McLellan
Babysitting Tips, Babysitting Services – Babysitters, Nannies, and Au-pairs
Comment by Philip Graves
29 July 2009
Excellent tips JJ. I totally endorse the ‘write every day’ and ‘tell people you’re a writer’ points.
Your editing tips are well judged too, although if you plan on writing a book I’d say only deploy them once you’ve writtent the first draft in its entirety. The critical mindset demanded by the editing process isn’t, in my view, compatible with the constructive creativity demanded by the writing part. Keep those potential adversaries apart for as long as possible!
Philip Graves
Consumer Behaviour Research
author of “The Secret of Selling: How to Sell to Your Customer’s Unconscious Mind”
Comment by Philip
29 July 2009
Very useful tips, JJ. Thanks a lot! I’ll be sure to use these now I’m the editor of my Scientology learning-group newsletter.
Comment by Avery
29 July 2009
Rock on, Uncle!
Comment by Darryl Pace
29 July 2009
JJ,
Nice list of tips. Thanks for those! I’ll use them.
Health, Fitness — Darryl Pace
Fitness Product Review
Darryl Pace´s last blog ..Never Give In!
Comment by JJ Jalopy
29 July 2009
@Lynn – Haha… I can see you doing the dance! What I enjoy most about this article is the hypocrisy. It’s a badly written article about how to write better!!
@Anthony – You ARE a writer. I’m on spinach and quinoa only now. No red wine in sight. Honest. Well it’s kind of a special day…
Comment by JJ Jalopy
29 July 2009
@Phil – Excellent advice. I actually semi-edit as I write. I find it difficult to forget about the niggles I have with the last paragraph and move onto the next. But I’m weird. I know most people don’t work like this.
@Lisa – Yup. Makes a massive difference doesn’t it?!!
@Philip – Thanks Thetanboy. Say Hi to Tom and Katie from me.
@Avery – Yo Dawg.
Comment by JJ Jalopy
29 July 2009
@Darryl – Thanks bro!
Comment by Duane Cunningham
30 July 2009
Hi JJ,
As always superb advice on being successful and its the simple daily actions that make the difference, not just once in a while but doing them everyday, whether you feel like it or not, thats what creates greatness in any field!
Duane
Discover Secret Persuading Skills that Work Like Magic by Tapping Into the Psychology of the Mind with The Worlds Leading Persuasion Expert Duane Cunningham!
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Comment by JJ Jalopy
31 July 2009
@Duane – Thanks bro. You’re right. Consistency is exceptionally important.
Comment by John Ho
1 August 2009
Hi JJ,
With these tips from you & you reading CopyBlogger’s newsletters, no wonder you are not in Kevin Hogan’s Writer Course
)
What Phil says is right. Kevin says the same thing. Write 1st, then edit last.
John Ho
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
Numerology Expert Birthday Numeroscope
Numerology Expert Helps Understanding Personality for Better Influence & Persuasion
John Ho´s last blog .."Numerology Expert Says Determined to Strive for Perfection for Those Born on 31st July"
Comment by JJ Jalopy
2 August 2009
@John – Yes. Obsessive editing can really stifle creativity. I edit a little when I write. I find it difficult to move on if I don’t tidy up a little bit as I go!