RULES OF WRITING
1)Your writing is YOURS!
I know I am about to list of a whole series of ‘rules,’ but really they are more like guidelines. When it comes down to the wire, your writing is your creation; do what feels right even if it goes against what you’ve been told.
2)Write what you know, but don’t be afraid to learn something new
It’s okay to write things you are comfortable with, things you can discuss in confidence. That being said, there is always an opportunity to expand your horizons and find something new. Pursue it, Google it, ask people who know, build your own knowledge until you are confident enough to write it.
3)Don’t be afraid to walk away…
Writing can be really hard, and sometimes you will hit writers block like an SUV traveling 80 mph straight at a three foot thick concrete wall. And let’s be honest, if you survive that kind of crash, you would need a recovery period before you got back behind the wheel.
4)…But be willing to come back
Even though a serious wreck requires some time away, you shouldn’t let it scare you away from the road forever. Learn, grow, and try again.
5)Your friends are, well, your friends
Don’t be afraid to be that friend who asks “hey, can you read my paper?” Whether your friends are grammar gurus, theory nuts, or no nothing about writing at all, it always helps to get another opinion. At the very least, read your paper to them. Even if they aren’t listening, just hearing your writing out loud can help you make decisions about it.
6)Get everything out first, then revise
Don’t get too caught up in what you’ve already written. It can be a rabbit hole of constantly revising the beginning and never writing the end. So write out all your ideas first, even if they are scattered or incomplete. Once everything is down on the page it will be much easier to reconstruct your paper.
7)Read your old work
Cringe-worthy, simplistic, lacking, or obviously novice, read your old work. Sometimes it can feel like you are never making any progress and your writing isn’t getting any better. Reading your old work can show you how far you’ve come. Besides, you never know when you might find a hidden treasure you forgot you buried!
8)Have fun!
Academic or personal, creative or analytic, writing is fun. Let loose a little bit and find the joy in the words!
I know I am about to list of a whole series of ‘rules,’ but really they are more like guidelines. When it comes down to the wire, your writing is your creation; do what feels right even if it goes against what you’ve been told.
2)Write what you know, but don’t be afraid to learn something new
It’s okay to write things you are comfortable with, things you can discuss in confidence. That being said, there is always an opportunity to expand your horizons and find something new. Pursue it, Google it, ask people who know, build your own knowledge until you are confident enough to write it.
3)Don’t be afraid to walk away…
Writing can be really hard, and sometimes you will hit writers block like an SUV traveling 80 mph straight at a three foot thick concrete wall. And let’s be honest, if you survive that kind of crash, you would need a recovery period before you got back behind the wheel.
4)…But be willing to come back
Even though a serious wreck requires some time away, you shouldn’t let it scare you away from the road forever. Learn, grow, and try again.
5)Your friends are, well, your friends
Don’t be afraid to be that friend who asks “hey, can you read my paper?” Whether your friends are grammar gurus, theory nuts, or no nothing about writing at all, it always helps to get another opinion. At the very least, read your paper to them. Even if they aren’t listening, just hearing your writing out loud can help you make decisions about it.
6)Get everything out first, then revise
Don’t get too caught up in what you’ve already written. It can be a rabbit hole of constantly revising the beginning and never writing the end. So write out all your ideas first, even if they are scattered or incomplete. Once everything is down on the page it will be much easier to reconstruct your paper.
7)Read your old work
Cringe-worthy, simplistic, lacking, or obviously novice, read your old work. Sometimes it can feel like you are never making any progress and your writing isn’t getting any better. Reading your old work can show you how far you’ve come. Besides, you never know when you might find a hidden treasure you forgot you buried!
8)Have fun!
Academic or personal, creative or analytic, writing is fun. Let loose a little bit and find the joy in the words!