Writers Write; Getting Comfy in Your Own Skin

To get comfortable in your own skin as a writer, is as an essential part of developing into a productive and effective nonfiction author as is learning the language. In some ways, this sense of naturalness can be compared to sex; it is best developed by practice, practice, and practice. When you are comfortable with yourself and as a writer, your personal writing style will flow naturally. The best way to get there is to practice your art. As we say at our publishing house, "Writers write; all others just talk."

Time and Place

In the beginning of a nonfiction writer's career, the most difficult things to adapt to are some of the most basic, such as time and place. A writer must steal time if you have a family you are committed to or a career that otherwise requires long hours. Finding time to write is always something that must be personally resolved for each writer. Personally, my writing career has required me to simply put in long, long days. I am first a wife and mommy and then a writer; so my writing time often begins in the late night hours or is stolen when my guys are at a ball game. The point is, you will have to determine where and when you are going to have the opportunity to write and you must be disciplined enough to stick with your work during those times.

Practice, Practice, Practice

There is no substitute for practice; without it you have no career or opportunity to become a published author. I once had a promising young man join my team that simply needed practice to polish his work for additional assignments. But he believed that his educational level exempted him from having to refine his efforts. At one point, he didn't talk to me at all for several weeks because he believed I had insulted him by suggesting that he practice on other writer's assignments. Unfortunately, he did not learn what he needed to learn for me to put him on assignments with confidence and I was not able to send him any work because he had not practiced his art.

If you do not have enough assignments of your own, there is no shame in borrowing someone's subject or outline and creating your own article or project as a course of practice. A writer cannot expect his or her editor or client to hold their hand and outline or define the work in detail. Most writing assignments do not happen that way at all.

Editors and clients normally post or present their subject to the nonfiction writer with the understanding that the writer will create the thesis, outline, structure, titles, and subtitles. Even if you receive an assignment that is already defined for you, you must be able to create a work from scratch in order to stay busy in this business. The best way to be prepared to create and produce a work from a simple given topic is to practice, practice, and practice. ]]>