5 “W’s” OF WRITING

Ek'abo Ebi! (Welcome Family!)

Since I’ve begun writing, I’ve discovered what I believe are the five “W’s” of writing.  LOL! They are Will, Wisdom, Wit, Worry and Wishes.

WILL:

Do you have the will of fire?  A fire within that burns to create, develop and execute a book of literature?  Does the fire continue to burn even when you question (in the smallest part of your subconscious; the only place that you would ever admit it to yourself) if this is really what you want to do? Even when the “negatives” (you know those people, the ones that never have anything positive to say) imply that you may want to rethink your choices.  How do you keep your will of fire burning?

At the beginning of my journey, the will within me, my fire, burned bright.  There wasn’t anything that was going to stop me from reaching my goal.  I was full of energy and I believed that the end of the tunnel was just within my grasp.  As time progressed and the bigger picture began to materialize, my goal and expectations were a bit more realistic.  The more knowledge I gained about the writing process, the more I came to realize how much work (another W word LOL) and time it would take to reach the end of my tunnel. Sometimes reality throws a wrench in your plans and turns your inferno of will and energy into embers just struggling to survive.  But once I finished my book I could feel my embers revive once again.  I found myself following a new course. One that will lead me to publication and the will and determination to see it done.

WISDOM:

What wisdom have you gained during your writing journey?  As I mentioned above I soon realized how much work truly went into the creation of a book.  I’m not sure what your experiences were like when you were a new writer, but I must say that I had no idea that months would turn into years before my book was finally finished.  During that time I learned that writing the book was just the beginning.  There’s marketing (websites, blogs, word of mouth etc.).  There’s communication with editors, agents and publishers. The personal effect writing has on your person and those around you.  The list goes on and on.  And at this point of the game, I am still learning.  Wisdom especially in the world of publishing is never ending.

WIT:

As serious as the writing process can be, the last thing you want to do is lose your wit or lose the ability to create or see the amusement or pleasure you gain while writing your story. When writing becomes a task or a means to an end; when it loses its flavor, its joie de vivre, its zest, its enjoyment, you my friend have a problem.  You are now standing at a crossroads.  Do you step back from writing until the embers of your will have ignited once more?  Or do you admit to yourself that this may not be for you.  If you’ve been writing for years, that is a hell of a thing to admit to.  But writing should be something you enjoy.

I understand that the writing of some non-fiction stories require the telling of a serious tale.  And wit, amusement or comedy has no place in it.  For some, writing is like a purge, a writer’s therapy if you will.  But afterwards, you may once again discover writing for the joy of it.

WORRY:

You have finished your book, received your share of “don’t give up’s” and rejections and you are looking at three years since you wrote the last period at the end of the last paragraph of your book. Worry has now set in.  So much so, that you have yet to start writing your next book.  So much so, that doubt has returned in an attempt to douse the will of fire that you have worked so hard to cultivate.  So much so, that you are not sure which direction to turn at the crossroads.

Thankfully I have not reached such a point in my writing but there are those out there who have.  My suggestion to you . . . Start That New Book; even if it’s just brainstorming or developing an outline.  Get out of that rut that you’ve found yourself in.  Create those new characters, discover those faraway places, and re-discover the joy that you get from starting anew.  Shake off that doubt (easier said than done, I know) but do it anyway.  The doubt will only hinder you and stop you from moving forward.

WISHES:

You all know where I’m going with this.  I wish that publisher would call me.  If only that agent would reach out to me. If only I was on the New York Times bestseller list! I wish I could win the lottery so I can freely dedicate my time to writing! LOL!

The number of wishes we send out to the universe could fill millions of books.  But I believe that, the universe will not help you if you don’t help yourself. There are things that we have no control over and others that we do.  I believe that putting your best work forward will get you one step closer to “getting that call”.  Even with the rejections I’ve received so far, I still believe that. Sure there’s a possibility that an agent or publisher may ask you to make some changes to your story (to help you reach out to a certain audience or make your story even tighter) but isn’t that expected?  It’s hard to relinquish control of your “baby” to another.  But if your wish has come true, then the agent or publisher of your book, will share in your vision.

What are your 5 “W’s” of writing?  Drop me a line or two. I would love to hear about them! 

Mari e laipe!

See you soon!

 

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Thanks for visiting ‘Amachi is Hope.’ If you were inspired or felt a connection with today’s blog (or any of my previous entries) please leave a comment. J