Stretch Those Writing Muscles

 

By Andrea Merrell

Do you remember when your mother told you to eat your vegetables so you would grow up strong and heathy?

And what about all the advice we received while growing up? Advice such as brush and floss your teeth every day (or twice a day). Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Use sunscreen. Don’t strain your eyes. Bend your knees so you won’t strain your back. Stretch before running or doing strenuous exercise.

This are all great tips, but seldom heeded by the younger generation. Seems like when we’re young, we think we’re invincible, and all this information is only relevant to older folks. I can plead guilty to ignoring much of this advice—and I can tell you I have paid a price for not listening.

I’m sure by now you’re wondering where I’m going with this. Well … let’s go back to the stretching.

After talking to multitudes of aspiring writers over the years, I’ve learned that many are not willing to take the time and effort to stretch their writing muscles. I’ve met with a few who had produced bookmarks, flyers, and a marketing campaign that would put most of us to shame. But their manuscripts—the very products they were willing and anxious to promote—were not even close to being ready.

The writing journey is exciting, and we all want to leave the starting line in a sprint— impress our favorite agent, immediately sign a contract, and see our name on the Amazon best-sellers’ list. But when we dash off without stretching, we can end up discouraged and ready to leave the race.

As an editor, I’ve seen many manuscripts that were not even ready for the editing process, let alone publication. When I began writing (a little over twenty years ago), I knew how to get the words on paper, just not what to do with them after that. I possessed a good working knowledge of spelling, punctuation, and grammar but had no clue about using techniques such as using a good hook to draw in the reader. How to use POV (point of view correctly). Showing my story instead of simply telling it. Writing tight without being repetitious and wordy. The best way to create memorable characters and create good, down-to-earth dialogue using speaker tags and beats.

In other words, I had a lot to learn. With the first harsh critique or rejection letter, I could have packed up my computer and called it a day. But when God calls you and gives you a passion for something, you can’t get away from it, no matter how hard you try. The good news is that God does not call the equipped; He equips the called. He gives us the tools and opportunities we need to learn and grow. He connects us with the right people and leads us to the right places where we can gain the skills we need and then sharpen them.

If you’ve been writing for a while, this is old news to you. But if you’re just starting out on your journey, be encouraged. Stretch those muscles. Start small. The Bible tells us not to “despise these small beginnings” (Zechariah 4:10 NLT). If all the rules and guidelines are new to you, begin with a devotion, a short article, or even a blog post before diving into a novel. Create a bio. Write reviews for your favorite authors. Stretch yourself out of that comfort zone.

If you’re not part of a critique group—or at least have a writing buddy—this is a great way to get solid advice on your writing. Attend writing conferences and workshops. Many are offered online. Enter contests where you get valuable feedback. Work with a professional editor. There are so many ways to learn how to produce words that shine.

Whatever you do, don’t stop running toward your goal. Just make sure you stretch those writing muscles.

(Photo courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net, Stuart Miles, and Ambro.)

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Writer, don’t ever stop running toward your goal. Just be sure to stretch those writing muscles. Via @AndreaMerrell (Click to tweet.)