Your writing matters more than you realise.
Your writing matters whether or not you think of yourself as a writer, have a definite idea or plan in mind or just feel like scribbling a word or two.
The most obvious way your writing matters is that if you don’t write there will be no chance for your audience to discover the depth and breadth of your thoughts and knowledge. There will be people who need exactly the kind of thing that you want to write, and they will not have the benefit of your words.
In addition, writing down what is in your head helps you to discover what you think, and to build confidence in your voice. You have the proof there in front of you. You noticed something or had a view. Many well known writers have been honest about the fact that they didn’t know what they thought until it was written down.
E M Forster, well known author of A Room with a View and other novels said “ How do I know what I think until I see what I say”. He needed to see what he had written in order to know what he thought. This should give all of us more confidence. You don’t have to search for a great idea just write down what you are thinking and feeling.
Your writing needs time and space
When we are so busy rushing from one activity to the next it can be difficult to stop and realise what is going on in our own head. Effectively we no longer listen to ourselves. And then the outer world can get too dominant. Having a practice of making time to connect with your thoughts makes a big difference.
When an exciting idea hits you it can be easy to write about it. It may not take you long to write either. The space you need for writing does not have to be extensive. There are lots of stories about songs being written very quickly – even in the middle of the night – and arriving almost fully formed. But if there is no space you may forget your ideas and they never see the light of day.
Writing helps us to notice what we notice. I noticed this beautiful tree in an unusual space in a busy town. It was the only tree in the street, and the sunlight made the autumn leaves shine brightly. The yellow-green was a perfect contrast to the blue sky. The stem looked fragile compared with the leaves and it looked to me like a friendly tree. I wrote a few words so I would remember.
Your own Treasure Chest of Ideas
In our book “Distinctive Voice – the wholehearted guide to a blog worth noticing” we recommend keeping a “treasure chest” of ideas you have noticed. They can simply be useful to help build confidence in your voice. Being ready to record your thoughts in a notebook or phone is obviously a great help when the idea or observation strikes you. You can look through these later and see if you want to build with them. They can lead to other ideas or contribute to blogs, social media, poems, plays or comedy scripts. Find out more about Distinctive Voice
After all Wordsworth famously wrote that poetry was “emotion recollected in tranquillity” “Tranquillity” implies space and time and being open to the process of noticing and recalling.
A regular time to give your writing the space it deserves
If you are not in the habit of making time to write it can be difficult to start. So this year we are again offering a regular Writers Hour for four weeks in November which we hope will help get your words into the world! The days are getting shorter which makes it feel like a natural time to write, and the year is drawing to a clos,e so it is the perfect time to inject a new impulse into your writing.
The focus is on making time and being present rather than producing a polished piece of work. However if you write regularly you may find the time valuable for getting to publication.
Your writing matters in Writer’s Hour
We meet at the same time for four weeks. You plan for it in your calendar and acknowledge it is an important time for you to connect with your ideas.
We start with a brief check in and welcome.
Then provide a prompt stimulus to give you an idea you can use if you wish. It could be a short poem, an idea, an experience.
You have a defined time to write. Usually about 50-60 minutes. Having a shorter time helps get over procrastination and just get on with it!
We meet on zoom, so we mute ourselves but can keep a camera on because there is comfort and support in knowing others are doing the same.
Once the time is up we connect with each other and talk about our own experience or just listen to others. There is also a degree of accountability so people feel encouraged about their writing and have enthusiasm to move on with their project.
What difference has Writer’s Hour made?
People have arrived with one idea and then written something completely different when it was time to write. The best advice is just to trust your instincts at the time. A lot of people have been surprised – and delighted – by what they wrote which very much ties in with the view of E M Forster that you don’t know what you are going to write until you write it.
One person who came saying that the only thing she had ever written was a list found herself writing a blog post about aspects of her business. She was extremely pleased because to her surprise it was easy, and she made some important realisations while writing.
Another response we have often had is that people found they wanted to write by hand in a notebook, rather than on a keyboard. They discovered that writing by hand made the experience more meaningful, and felt more authentic. It also probably feels less like “work” and could be more creative. There is a lot of research to say that writing by hand uses more aspects of the brain.
Whether to edit or Keep Writing?
One of the barriers to writing is if you keep double guessing whether what you write is good, and then self correct and edit as you go. Being alert for faults stops the natural flow.
It is far better to use the time to produce words without worrying whether they are good or not. Editing requires a different critical approach and while the session can be used for editing we think creating the words is the first stage.
Hearing what others have done can be very inspiring and open the door to possibility. Even a single hour given over to writing can make a big difference.
After writing the words what goals are next?
The first big step is to assemble some words. The second is to decide what to do with the words and edit them until they feel appropriate for the finished form.
Blog posts are still relevant and can stand on their own as completed pieces. They can be a way to create a book as each blog post effectively becomes a chapter. This can be a good way to build up and work on one aspect at a time.
Alternatively writing can be turned into
social media posts
longer articles and opinion pieces
poems
plays
screenplays.
Speaking the words
I, Jean, feel that the simpleast way to understand the impact of your words is to read them aloud.
This helps you to appreciate the rhythm and style of what you have written, and also to easily spot what does not work or is too clumsy. Personally whenever i write a poem I always listen to how it sounds. It is particularly relevant for poems but applies to all kinds of writing.
I feel that listening is a more dynamic way to take in a piece of writing. So if people want to read aloud as part of Writer’s Hour that is a very powerful way to express your words. Listening can also make more impact for the audience than simply reading the words themselves
Writing in support of published books
Of course more writing is needed when you are a published author to talk about different aspects of the book and to encourage readers. The writing process itself can be very interesting. and the time has been used in Writers Hour for blogs about the journey through the writing process, and the background to the characters or to the subject. Local media and libraries can welcome local writers and Writers Hour time has been spent writing press releases and contacting groups who would be interested in the subject matter.
The time at the end is valuable. We request an update on progress or thoughts but there is no pressure. Simply to witness others or be listened to oneself can be very significant.
Join us for Writer’s Hour in November!
Making the time to write is particularly important if you don’t have a practice of writing and want to establish one. Joining others is he ideal way to have a kickstart, get some accountability and continue writing to make sure that your writing matters to you.
