Dreaming To Write

I’ve never met Lincoln, Dickens, or Churchill, but I’ve read their words. In that way I know them. Who knows you, who will know you years from now? This is why I’m passionate about writing, specifically writers.

I’ve written over thirty books, I love to write. More importantly, I love to encourage others to write. Everyone has knowledge that is unique, in the sense of how it arrived to them. That knowledge can help someone who doesn’t know what they do.

Before you say, anyone can do what I do, let me ask you something. Can a baby walk before someone teaches them? Just because others have done it, doesn’t mean everyone knows it.

Many people dream of writing, but they say I can’t, or I don’t know how. The truth is, we overthink a lot of things. Writing is as simple as writing a shopping list. Here’s my writing challenge for you today.

Take a subject you know, maybe it’s how to change the oil, and make a list. How do you start? What materials do you need? What steps are the ones you can’t afford to get wrong?

Don’t look now, but you’ve just written a how to guide. Yes it’s a rough draft, but all drafts have to be shaved down a bit. Most writing we call great should more accurately be referred to as great editing. Before you pass it off as trivial, there are a number of people who don’t know how to do what you just wrote.

That was exercise number one on your writing journey. November is Nanowrimo, or National Novel Writing Month. Whether you want to write a novel, your family’s story, or a how to guide, stay with me. Let me encourage you to write.

If you’ll allow me to, I would like to help you on your journey. You don’t need a critic, or a expert, you need an encourager. I encourage writers. I share ideas that help people on their writing adventure. Let me do this for you. We’ll talk more tomorrow about step two, 500 words.