As writers, we too often struggle with putting the “right” words down on paper that best express our thoughts (or best express our plot or characters or whatever). It is the curse of the writer.
Fight this urge. Just write.
You’re never going to get it “right” anyway. Ta-Nehisi Coates has a great quote in an interview he gave to The Atlantic. “If you’re doing it correctly…the ideas in your head will almost always come out really badly on the page.” Accept this now. If you want to be a successful writer, accept that it will never look “right” on the page like it does in your head. It’s our curse.
Let’s kick off Author Tweets of the Week with three tweets that get right to the heart of this.
"When writing, always go with first thoughts; second thoughts are self-censoring." – Mark David Gerson #writingtips #writing #writerslife
— Lynda Filler, Author (@LyndaMFiller) February 10, 2017
https://twitter.com/crassusmedia/status/828790136573923328
Don't get it #right – get it #WRITTEN!
— Lee Child#writing #writerslife #writingprocess#Art Britschgi pic.twitter.com/KQKKg1G0Y4— Novelicious (@noveliciouss) February 9, 2017
Write my friends! Worry about whether it’s “right” (it’s not) or if it’s good (it’s not) in the editing stages. Get the heart and passion of your writing down first. Worry about making it better later.
I enjoyed this next tweet from @ManuelMangombe.
Writer problems 70…dealing with people that don't take your writing seriously. #amwriting #writing #writerslife pic.twitter.com/mPV6QyCDca
— Manuel Mangombe (@ManuelMangombe) February 7, 2017
So true! The first step is to recognize it. If you are aware of the fact that many people, even friends and family, won’t take your writing endeavors seriously, you’ll be so much better prepared to let it roll off your back when they scoff.
You love writing! Don’t let others’ ideas affect you or your love of writing. The story is ready to burst from your soul. Don’t let others stifle that.
Speaking of stories bursting from a writer’s soul.
What story is longing to burst forth from you? #author #writing #mompreneur https://t.co/ZJwcS2I0ID
— Hannah (@writing707) February 6, 2017
Write the story inside of you! (Are you noticing a theme today?)
This next quote from Robert De Niro via @_KrisMcIntryre is, well…
#writing #amwriting #writerslife #quotes pic.twitter.com/vPsEerSt3S
— KC Clarke (@AuthorKCClarke) February 9, 2017
This is terrifying; terrifying because it is scary in it’s accuracy, right down the good day.
You’ll have to indulge me for two tweets. I’m sorry. (But not really. This is a free website chock full of a ton of good information and advice, and I own it, so, sorry if you don’t like basketball, but I’m not sorry. You should like basketball.)
Anyway… I love basketball. Anyone who knows me knew this within the first day of meeting me.
These highlights of Steve Nash are fantastic. He was so amazing in his prime. Thank God that the right coach (Mike D’Antoni) got paired with him at the right moment.
For his 43rd Birthday, we count down @SteveNash's TOP 13 PLAYS with the @Suns! #NBABDAY pic.twitter.com/g9jWrYLBCR
— NBA (@NBA) February 7, 2017
For the second tweet, one of the voices of my youth.
Voice of my youth dies at 92. When few @GopherSports games were on TV, Christensen brought it all to life. #RIPRay https://t.co/aIhTQX23l0
— Dan Buri (@DanBuri777) February 6, 2017
I spent a lot of nights as a young boy leaning in close to the radio to hear Ray Christensen bring me into the world of Gophers basketball and Williams Arena. He was phenomenal. RIP.
Next is our first ever Instagram post on Author Tweets of the Week!
Wonderful advice by the mystery fashionista! Don’t waste any of your time on fear or worry, friends!
Speaking of wasting time, I found this next post comforting and I’m not entirely sure why.
Thank you for sharing, James!
Finally…
Write one good clean sentence and put a period at the end of it. Then write another one.
M.F.K. FISHER#amwriting #writing #writingadvice pic.twitter.com/F1dEjbilub— Jon Winokur (@AdviceToWriters) February 5, 2017
Ohhhhhhh!!! That's it?!? I've been doing it all wrong! I've been missing the damn period!#amwriting #writerslife https://t.co/8MzWmuWN6L
— Dan Buri (@DanBuri777) February 5, 2017
Keep writing away, my friends! Believe in yourself! Cling to your dreams!
Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter and Facebook. Have a wonderful weekend!
Find more writing and publishing tips at Nothing Any Good.
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