Write Like a Writer

Editor’s note: Each month, the CCW blog features one of our members. This month, Stephanie Buckwalter reflects on writing.

By Stephanie Buckwalter

 

So, what does it really take to be a writer? These days there are a lot of things that go into being a successful, money-making writer, but it all starts with one thing. Want to know the secret? [Wait for it, wait for it…] Writers write.

I know, you’re probably thinking, “Well, duh.” But a lot of people who want to write miss that simple first step. Successful writers write. A lot. And they tend to write on a schedule. Here are some examples:

• Jack London wrote 1,000 words a day, even while traveling or entertaining guests at his ranch. The result? He published more than 50 books in the last 16 years of his life.
• Mary Higgins Clark, widowed mother of five, wrote her first novel at the kitchen table while her kids slept, rising at 5 a.m. and writing until the kids got up. She has since written 42 bestsellers.
• In an interview with Wallace Stroby, Stephen King said he writes about four hours a day every day, and produces about 2,000 words during that time. In his book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, when he was significantly younger, he wrote ten pages a day, seven days a week.

What about you? Have you committed to a writing schedule yet? What do you think you could produce if you wrote for even one hour a day? A good way to discipline yourself to do this might be to start blogging.

Writing for a Blog

Blogging is recommended for building an audience, a platform, a tribe or whatever you’d like to call it. When blogging, you will manage two different schedules: a writing schedule and a publishing schedule. Your publishing schedule is how often you post to your blog. You can write your blog posts weeks or even months in advance, and then use scheduling software to publish it at the desired time and date. Going on vacation? Write everything in advance and no one will even know you’re gone. Don’t forget to check for comments and respond, even while you are away. If you have a regular writing schedule, you can use one day to write for your blog. Write several posts at once and then schedule them to appear according to your schedule. Spend the rest of the week working on your other writing projects.

Blogs are fun and a good discipline. Use your blog as command central for meeting others and sharing your ideas. The keys to a great blog are:

• Be consistent in how often you publish.
• Give good information on topics you are passionate about and that people want to read.
• Respond to comments graciously and thoughtfully.

My challenge for you: commit to a writing schedule and tell us what it is below. One month from now, edit your comment to tell us the results.

Recommended Websites

Copyblogger.com – Solid advice on blogging.

Seth Godin – Founder of Squidoo, interesting thinker, author of Tribes, We Need You to Lead Us.

Jeff Goins – A writer’s writer.

Michael Hyatt – former CEO of Thomas Nelson Publishing, teaches how to build a platform.