Keys to Good Writing

There are thousands of books on writing and nobody has a preferred position on it. I have some favorites that suit my style (both my cognitive style and my writing style), but different books provide different things because different people need different things. In this piece, I thought I would provide some ideas off the top of my head, expand upon them in the next few posts, and then follow up with a revision. That is, after all, how I write and I thought that allowing you to see the underlying evolving thought processes might be useful. Here are the keys to good writing in no particular order:

1) Curiosity - You need something to write about, and something that interests you may very well interest others.

2) Reading - Hearing the voice of others will help you craft your own voice as well as giving you ideas on useful techniques.

3) Need for Expression - Once you have figured something out or created something, you must have a desire to share it with others.

4) Writing Practice - Just like learning to play a musical instrument takes a lot of practice, learning to write takes a lot of practice as well. Nobody ever just picked up a saxophone and played hot jazz without years of practice. And nobody every just picked up a pen and wrote the great American novel.

5) Writing for a Target - Different kinds of writing require different styles. You have to know who you are writing for and tailor your writing for that target.

6) Determination - You have to stick with it way longer than you would ever imagine. And if that is daunting, you might want to consider something else.

This is my working outline. Over the next several posts I will elaborate on these and we will see where this little writing exercise goes.