Overcome Your Fear of Writing | Writing

By JessicaRHartley
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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.

When we first get into a car to learn to drive, everything is alien and difficult. Yet, within a very short time we find ourselves driving without conscious thought. Learning to write is a similar process - it is something that needs to be practised.

When we write we are simply translating our thoughts into a more tangible format. Those ideas that float in and out of our minds are captured and recorded. It really is as simple as that. The difficulty comes in discerning which thoughts to capture and which to ignore. If your mind is anything like mine, you will possibly not even be aware of many of ideas that flit around your head.

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.

I know a number of writers who are so keen to start the writing process they skip the planning and preparation stage which, almost without exception, makes their job much harder in the long run. Having said that, it is important to get on with the process of writing and not get so bogged down in the thinking, research and planning that the piece never quite makes it on to paper.

When starting to write be courageous and develop your own style. If every writer wrote in the same way, readers would quickly become bored. Some formal or business writing will dictate a style and perhaps a layout, but this does not prevent a writer from embellishing the work with their own personality.

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.

Making time to read is a big investment - we are all busy and could fill every hour at least three times over. It is disappointing therefore to feel let down when we allocate our most scarce resource, time, and then feel we have wasted it. For this reason whatever you write needs to provide value.

Once the planning and writing has taken place, the writer's job is still not complete. Clear and concise written pieces are not the result of the author simply writing. There is at least one other stage in the process. Outstanding pieces of written work are the result of tough, unsentimental editing.

Some confuse editing with proofreading when in reality they are two different processes. A proof reader looks for errors. An editor looks for opportunities to improve the text by shortening sentences, removing adverbs and adjectives and removing ambiguities. Editing is the process which turns a manuscript into a masterpiece.

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 complementary online writing course and writers forum to support anyone who wants to write. An experienced writer she is passionate about encouraging writing skills in others.

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