Author: Deborah DeArmond

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Craft Essentials

You May Be Done, But You’re Not Finished

Craft Essentials

“Rewriting is the essence of writing well; it’s where the game is won or lost. That idea is hard to accept.”

William Zinsser

Little in the writer’s life is as exhilarating as typing the words, “The End.”

If a celebration was ever in order, this would be our moment.

  • We’ve fought through the brain drain aka writer’s block.
  • Stayed at the keyboard till the wee hours of the night.
  • Surrendered free time to the fickle writing muse.
  • Missed parties, events, and time with friends and family.

But now, greatness is found in those two brief words that conclude the saga. The End. The skeptics, the critics, and those who predicted you’d never finish the book will be eating crow.

Bursting with a sudden rush of energy, (along with some well-deserved pride) you share the final product with a friend, your mom, or a writing buddy. You expect the standard oohs and aahs that attend the birth of greatness. Then somebody (clearly someone uninformed) says, “I don’t get the ending.” Or “I didn’t understand why the hero never showed up.”

The feedback is synonymous with calling your baby ugly.

You rationalize their response with the “I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since they know nothing about writing,” brand of generosity.

Could They Be Right?

An essential component of writing well is the willingness to consider there might be a few valid points in their assessment. Some authors may not dismiss the critique entirely. They shop for additional feedback with an industry professional or pitch it to a publisher at a writer’s conference.

That can be the hard thump.

“It’s a good first draft,” says the pro. “Interesting storyline. I’d suggest you work with a coach or find a good editor to strengthen the plot and help develop your writing style. You have a promising start. Good luck with the second draft.”

If you believed the work was complete, this is a tough moment. A second draft, maybe even a third might be required. Adding more words is not the typical remedy. Killing off your darlings or discarding the overwrought half-page descriptions of the magnolias in full bloom in the moonlit night might be your road to success.

“We all have an emotional equity in our first draft; we can’t believe that it wasn’t born perfect. But the odds are close to 100 percent that it wasn’t.”

William Zinsser

The completion of a first draft is an epic accomplishment. In that finished work is evidence you have what it takes to be a writer – if you are willing to suck up the disappointment and dive in to refine and rewrite your work.

Don’t let the start stop you. You are not starting from scratch. But you do need to take a long look at your book baby with a more critical eye. The rewrite is inevitable as we learn the craft of writing. Every successful writer knows the first draft is seldom – if ever – the final.

Where Should You Start?

  • Consider the advice of the industry professional. If the feedback is general in nature, ask for specific insight for both strengths and opportunities for improvement in the work. For every “no thanks” to my first book – ten rejections – I asked for feedback that helped strengthen the work. I know their input and my willingness to incorporate it has helped me gain contracts for a total of six published to date.
  • Seek assistance from someone who has a successful track record to help move you forward. A certified writing coach or industry professional can help you accelerate your knowledge and build new skills.
  • Take a course – many are available online or through regional writing groups in your area.
  • Purchase and read books on the craft. The patron saint of this column’s book On Writing Well is a classic.
  • Attend a writing conference and select courses specific to your need.

Above all, refuse to throw in the towel (or throw a tantrum) and remember, you may be done, but you’re not finished!

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond is a certified writing coach and award-winning author of five books. Her books often focus on family and marriage, covering relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her most recent wok is We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished (2021).

Deb’s published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, for Lifeway Magazine. 200+ print and online articles published.

Deb helps writing clients achieve success using inquiry, humor, and a straightforward approach. Her clients describe Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at helping “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Website: debdearmod.com

Facebook Author Deb DeArmond

Categories
Craft Essentials

You May Be Done, But You’re Not Finished

Craft Essentials

“Rewriting is the essence of writing well; it’s where the game is won or lost. That idea is hard to accept.”

William Zinsser

Little in the writer’s life is as exhilarating as typing the words, “The End.”

If a celebration was ever in order, this would be our moment.

  • We’ve fought through the brain drain aka writer’s block.
  • Stayed at the keyboard till the wee hours of the night.
  • Surrendered free time to the fickle writing muse.
  • Missed parties, events, and time with friends and family.

But now, greatness is found in those two brief words that conclude the saga. The End. The skeptics, the critics, and those who predicted you’d never finish the book will be eating crow.

Bursting with a sudden rush of energy, (along with some well-deserved pride) you share the final product with a friend, your mom, or a writing buddy. You expect the standard oohs and aahs that attend the birth of greatness. Then somebody (clearly someone uninformed) says, “I don’t get the ending.” Or “I didn’t understand why the hero never showed up.”

The feedback is synonymous with calling your baby ugly.

You rationalize their response with the “I’ll give them the benefit of the doubt since they know nothing about writing,” brand of generosity.

Could They Be Right?

An essential component of writing well is the willingness to consider there might be a few valid points in their assessment. Some authors may not dismiss the critique entirely. They shop for additional feedback with an industry professional or pitch it to a publisher at a writer’s conference.

That can be the hard thump.

“It’s a good first draft,” says the pro. “Interesting storyline. I’d suggest you work with a coach or find a good editor to strengthen the plot and help develop your writing style. You have a promising start. Good luck with the second draft.”

If you believed the work was complete, this is a tough moment. A second draft, maybe even a third might be required. Adding more words is not the typical remedy. Killing off your darlings or discarding the overwrought half-page descriptions of the magnolias in full bloom in the moonlit night might be your road to success.

“We all have an emotional equity in our first draft; we can’t believe that it wasn’t born perfect. But the odds are close to 100 percent that it wasn’t.”

William Zinsser

The completion of a first draft is an epic accomplishment. In that finished work is evidence you have what it takes to be a writer – if you are willing to suck up the disappointment and dive in to refine and rewrite your work.

Don’t let the start stop you. You are not starting from scratch. But you do need to take a long look at your book baby with a more critical eye. The rewrite is inevitable as we learn the craft of writing. Every successful writer knows the first draft is seldom – if ever – the final.

Where Should You Start?

  • Consider the advice of the industry professional. If the feedback is general in nature, ask for specific insight for both strengths and opportunities for improvement in the work. For every “no thanks” to my first book – ten rejections – I asked for feedback that helped strengthen the work. I know their input and my willingness to incorporate it has helped me gain contracts for a total of six published to date.
  • Seek assistance from someone who has a successful track record to help move you forward. A certified writing coach or industry professional can help you accelerate your knowledge and build new skills.
  • Take a course – many are available online or through regional writing groups in your area.
  • Purchase and read books on the craft. The patron saint of this column’s book On Writing Well is a classic.
  • Attend a writing conference and select courses specific to your need.

Above all, refuse to throw in the towel (or throw a tantrum) and remember, you may be done, but you’re not finished!

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond Deb is a certified writing coach and award-winning author of five books. Her books often focus on family and marriage, covering relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her most recent wok is We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished (2021).

Deb’s published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, for Lifeway Magazine. 200+ print and online articles published.

Deb helps writing clients achieve success using inquiry, humor, and a straightforward approach. Her clients describe Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at helping “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Website: debdearmod.com Facebook Author Deb DeArmond

Categories
Craft Essentials

Are You Talking to Me?

Craft Essentials

“Don’t try to visualize the great mass audience. There is no such audience – every reader is a different person.”

William Zinsser

It’s a noisy world out there.

If every reader is a different person, the tendency to shout may be tempting. But if you’re going to be heard, you can’t just talk louder. Whether you’re writing or speaking, you’ve got to set yourself apart, by demonstrating you have something unique to say, in your own unique way.

  • Do you know your “voice?” What makes it younique?
  • Do you know how to discover it?
  • Why is it important?

And perhaps the most important item to address is to ask yourself: “To whom am I speaking?”

In last month’s column we addressed a common failure: lack of clarity as to whom we are  specifically writing. When I ask an aspiring writer who their target audience is and receive the (sometimes breathless) response, “Oh, it’s everyone. I know everybody will love this book,”

I must be certain the eye roll doesn’t accompany my response.

Finding Your People

The same principle is essential in understanding and using our voice. Writing well requires us to address a clearly identified reader. If you don’t know who you’re talking to how on earth will you know what examples to use, the tone, and the opportunity to speak into their issues? And when you write in a manner that tells them who you are, they find you.

I don’t write for Classic Auto magazine, or the Five-Minute Cuisine quarterly. I’ve never been invited to pen a feature column for Engineering Daily – and most likely, I shouldn’t hold my breath waiting for their call.

Why? They’re not my “people.” I don’t speak any of those languages.

I write on topics of interest to women 50-plus: marriage, empty nest syndrome and all things family related: , dealing with adult children, family feuds (conflict), aging well (don’t buy that rocking chair), second careers, and more.

Why? These are my people. I ARE one! I can relate because I’m in many of the same situations.

When we try to sound writerly, which is a foreign language to most people, we distance ourselves from the reader. We do it to sound more professional, more knowledgeable—more like a real writer.

It comes at a cost.

What’s the Value of Your Voice?

When we take a tone and speak in a formal manner that is foreign or unclear to our audience, we do it for ourselves, not the reader. At some point they figure that out. Trust is broken and the book is set aside. Rather than building a readership, we’re tossing them overboard.

In reviews for my first book, this belief was solidified. A few of the remarks included.

  • “The writing was down to earth – helpful and practical, with humor, too.”
  • “Not preachy, but a solid, biblically-based resource.”
  • “The author writes in an approachable tone.”

This is my voice. My readers recognize me. Those that enjoy my approach will seek me out again. I won’t be everyone’s favorite; I don’t need to be. There are other voices, perhaps yours, which will draw them in and speak to them in a way that I can’t.

How Do You Discover Your Authentic Voice?

Let’s take a look at seven tips to help you write as the authentic individual you are.

  1. Describe yourself in three adjectives. Example transparent, goofy, and loyal.
  2. Imagine your ideal reader – who is he/she? We customize our voice for our audience every day – policeman who stops you for rolling the red gets a different approach than the teenager who rolls his eyes at you. To whom do you write? Describe him/her in detail including personality, hopes, needs, style, perhaps even culture, and age if you think it matters.
  • Let your personal style shine. Clarity about who you are makes it easier to communicate the genuine article about you. What sets you apart for the reader? What do you have to offer?
  • Leave the formal tone at work. We all live with a set of expectations and cultural norms that dictate what we say and how we say it – now more than ever before. Think about that last email you carefully crafted to the boss or the politically correct response you gave instead of going all in. Try writing it the way you felt it in the moment. Go commando and compare the two. Is it more the real you? Can you express it without being offensive or damaging the relationship?
  • Ask your friends and family: “How would you describe me? What do I sound like? What are the words, phrases, or style that is consistent when I speak?” Ask for three adjectives. Then compare and identify patterns.
  • Read, read, and then, read. How would you describe the style of your favorite authors? How consistent are they? What pulls you toward their work? Don’t copy the style, but know we often are drawn to those most similar to ourselves. Is that true for you?
  • Write! And then read what you wrote. Be honest with yourself: “Is this something I would read and enjoy? Would I subscribe to this blog or buy this author’s book?” Have you curtailed trying to sound writerly?

“Don’t alter your voice to fit your subject! Develop one voice that readers will recognize when they hear it on the page, a voice that’s enjoyable not only in its musical line but in its avoidance of sounds that would cheapen it’s tone.“

William Zinsser
Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond Deb is a certified writing coach and award-winning author of five books. Her books often focus on family and marriage, covering relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her most recent wok is We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished (2021).

Deb’s published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, for Lifeway Magazine. 200+ print and online articles published.

Deb helps writing clients achieve success using inquiry, humor, and a straightforward approach. Her clients describe Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at helping “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Website: debdearmod.com

Pinterest Deb DeArmond

Facebook Author Deb DeArmond

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Craft Essentials

Procrastination: A New Take on the Topic

Craft Essentials

“A writer will do anything to avoid the act of writing.”

William Zinsser

Every writer or published author has dabbled or delayed in their quest to finish a writing project. This truth may comfort you. It happens to all creatives at one time or another: the flow is interrupted and the words disappear.

The malady has a name: procrastination. Synonyms include deferring action, stalling, hesitating, and my personal favorite—dithering. It’s not a character assessment – you’re not a weak person if you’ve dabbled with delay. But you may have developed a bad habit, one that may prevent (or at least postpone) achievement of your writing goals.

You’re not alone. Statistics reveal that 95% of the population procrastinates at times, with 26% of the population identified as chronic procrastinators.[1] The trend today continues to rise.

The cost of procrastination as a writer is significant:

  • Missed deadlines
  • Missed opportunities (often related to previous missed deadlines)
  • Stress and pressure to get something on the page when you are not “in the flow”
  • Damage to your reputation and reliability when work is late or poorly completed because you put if off until the last minute

Is it possible to change the behavior?

It is.

Dr. Tim Pychyl, author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle, has done a tremendous job of research on the topic. He identified a set of triggers that make a task seem more averse – also defined as daunting, overwhelming, or unpleasant.[2] And when tasks create that sense of dread or overwhelm it’s easy to see why we put them off. Perfection and procrastination are partners in crime.

So let’s experiment with a quick exercise. Bring to mind something you’re currently struggling with in your writing. You’ll probably find the task that comes to mind includes some, if not all, of the characteristics that Pychyl discovered that make a task procrastination worthy.    

Here are his top five examples and how they sound:[3]

  1. Fear of the Unknown – “I don’t know how to get started.”
  2. The Task is Difficult – “I can’t do this. It’s too hard.”
  3. The Task is Boring – “I thought writing was a creative process. It’s not fun!!”
  4. The Task is Ambiguous – “I’m totally confused – every expert says something different.”
  5. Task is Unstructured / Feels Overwhelming – “Who am I kidding? I’m not a writer.”

Why is how it sounds important? It’s vital – these assessments are what we’re telling ourselves about ourselves. And it’s damaging self-talk that can convince us to quit. If you believe you are called to write, this can be devastating.

These five procrastination traps are common, but not necessarily the most common, especially among creatives – including writers. The most common trap among this group is often believed to be perfectionism!

How do we address it? What can we do when it strikes?

Maybe you had a mom like mine who taught me “anything worth doing is worth doing well.” And while that has served me often, it’s also caused me to be hyper-hard on myself if it’s not perfect in the moment. Perfectionism lobbies for it all to be perfect now – and limits the definition of success to an unrealistic standard.

“Clear thinking becomes clear writing; one can’t exist without the other.”

William Zinsser

How does your awareness of “clear thinking” equip you to write when perfection isn’t present on the page? Acknowledge you’re stuck, distracted, or discouraged. Recognize when procrastination badgers you to do it tomorrow, go shopping, or clean out your closet. Think clearly and redirect your efforts to more manageable or appealing activities that still support your writing!

Stop staring at the blank screen. Don’t rewrite that opening paragraph ten times and trash it.  Turn your attention to other tasks:

  • Research material for your book or article.
  • Work on the proposal: research comps, select a format.
  • Read a chapter in Writing Well by William Zinsser that will fill a knowledge gap.
  • Edit work completed previously.
  • Listen to a podcast on writing that will advance your knowledge.
  • Brainstorm with a writing buddy. Don’t have one? Find one!
  • OR . . . WRITE—and disconnect from the procrastinator’s prayer: “Please God, make it perfect right now!”

Is that last one possible? Successful writers know perfection is not always or easily attainable. Have you ever finished a late-night writing session, hit SAVE with great satisfaction, assured the writing is brilliant? Then wake to discover it’s not brilliant. It’s not even passable. That’s why there are second draft, critique groups, and amazing bolts of lightning when you are engaged with some other activity.

Redeem the day—invest in dumping perfectionistic thinking in your writing. Pump your productivity with other writing related tasks. Then return when you can think and write clearly. And never forget: one can’t exist without the other!

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life was released in July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Website: debdearmod.com

Pinterest Deb DeArmond

Facebook Author Deb DeArmond

[1] Dr. Tim Pychyl, author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle

[2] Dr. Tim Pychyl, author of Solving the Procrastination Puzzle

[3] Dr. Tim Pychyl

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Uncategorized

Clarity is the Key to Great Writing

Craft Essentials

“You can solve most of your writing problems if you stop after every sentence and ask: what does the reader need to know next?”

William Zinsser, On Writing Well

As a reader, how long are you willing to struggle to make sense of an article or book that doesn’t seem to make sense? It may lack sufficient description or information – which deprives the reader of clarity. When that happens, I often believe the story existed in the writer’s mind but missed the transfer to the page. The reader is lost and often the work is abandoned. While this is a challenge for some, putting additional words on the page to clarify and connect the dots is easier than discarding those with whom you’ve already fallen in love.

The greater challenge – the opposite scenario – is also true. Have you experienced a highly anticipated book with a great premise but discover the author’s style features sentences the length of the Gettysburg Address? By the time you reach the end of the paragraph, the topic is muddled, and the reader is lost. The story line has taken a detour and the reader flips back several pages in an attempt to solve the riddle. The results are similar to those above. Frustration, and the book is abandoned. You may leave it on the nightstand to protect the wood from the water ring. But you’ve left it behind.

My favorite writing guru, Professor William Zinsser addressed the issue often with his students. “Clutter is the disease of American writing.”

As a writing coach, I’m often asked to review books for potential publication. Writers are hesitant to submit the work without a professional assessment. I provide this level of support and insight when working with an aspiring author. But when a writing hopeful has worked without coaching, mentoring, or input from a critique partner or group, anxiety about this next step toward publication is common.

Even in what I consider high-potential work, there’s often vital improvement that must be done before it’s submission ready. Routinely I find one of the two issues described in the opening paragraphs.

The “story” never made it to the page – at least not enough for the reader to be swept in.

  • Transitions are missing or insufficient.
  • Descriptions are sparse if they exist at all.

Far more often the problem is the in-depth description that sends the reader on a scavenger hunt for the plotline.

  • The elaborately detailed scene or section would have been improved had it been done in 1/3 of the time.
  • The reader is worn out and confused by the non-essential information which found its’ way to the page.

We do fall in love with the words we’ve written.

At times the words flow onto the page with little effort, plucked from the heavenlies, inspired by the moment or the muse. These are magical but elusive experiences.

More often we struggle and the word fairy mocks us. When the right words appear, we celebrate, energized to press on. The suggestion to remove even a few is akin to plucking out one’s eye.

But it’s not about us. It’s always about the reader.

“Hard writing makes easy reading. Easy writing makes hard reading.”

William Zinsser

Which of these scenarios – too little or too much – are challenging you?

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life was released in July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

Categories
Craft Essentials

Do You Want to Write? Or Do You Want to Publish?

Craft Essentials

“The writer, his eye on the finish line, never gave enough thought to how to run the race.”

William Zinsser, author of On Writing Well

We’d exchanged some niceties. She complimented one of my books. I acknowledged her decision to pursue her goal to write. While she assessed me as a potential writing coach, I was doing the same for her as a client. I prefer to use the exploratory call to answer questions and determine whether or not we might be a good “fit.” She’d thoroughly reviewed the information I’d sent prior to the call and had no questions.

She moved ahead quickly. “I’d like to begin working with you as soon as possible.”

 I, however, had a few questions of my own.

“Tell me a bit about your writing experience. What is the goal you hope to achieve?”

“Well, I’ve always wanted to see a book with my name on the cover sitting on a bookstore shelf. Publishing a book has been a long-time dream of mine.”

“Why do you write?” Who is your reader?”

Long silence. Finally, “As I said, my goal is to be a published author. I haven’t done much writing; it’s tedious and it takes forever. And I don’t know what you mean about ‘who is my reader.’ But I do know everyone will love my story.”

She had her eye on the finish line, never giving any thought to how to run the race.

She didn’t want to write. She wanted to publish. I suggested she consider a ghost writer to help tell her story. Immediately she perked up. “Oh! I thought that’s what you would do.”

Not a good fit. Publishing is most often the writer’s goal. But first, you must write.

According to New York Times writer, Joseph Epstein, 81% of all participants in a survey feel they have a book in them – and think they should write it. His personal opinion (for most) is they should let it remain within. Epstein was, at that time awaiting the release of his 15th book. His conclusion: “It is a lot better to have written a book than to actually be writing one.” 1

Zinsser would agree.

“Writing is hard work. A clear sentence is no accident. Very few sentences come out right the first time, or even the third time. Remember this in moments of despair. If you find that writing is hard, it’s because it is hard.” 

William Zinsser

There are moments of euphoria when a writing download delivers something truly delectable. The muse appears and the words flow, but he’s fickle more often than fair.

But, if you can say, with great certainty, your highest goal is to write the best story you can produce, keep reading. With perseverance to stay the course, and a commitment to excellence, you have a shot of landing in the pool of the potentially published author.

Good writing requires time. If you don’t know where you’re going, any path will do. So let’s discuss two practices that will give you a return on your time investment.

Map It!

Create a roadmap to take you from where you are, to where you desire to be.

1. Create a mind map

  • Write a brief synopsis of each chapter. Review it often to stay on track.
  • For fiction, create character profiles. Identify key beats that include an inciting incident, a complication, a crisis, a climax, and a resolution inside every beat.
  • For non-fiction, identify key concepts, research information, and resources you will provide for each chapter.
  • Use the information above to create a mind map to sequence the work. Find a variety or templates here.

2. Track it!

  • How often do you write? How many minutes/hours each day? Each week? Each month?
  • How many words do you need to write to meet the deadline you’ve set for yourself?
  • What’s your hard target – the “I will complete this work by . . .” date?

Without a goal, you’ll struggle to complete the work. To combat the “any path” meander, establish a word count target.

  • A word count tracker offers insight regarding your goal. It encourages you when you’re hitting the goal and informs you when you are not. Find various templates online to create a simple Excel worksheet at: binged.it/ 3xWkBt9
  • Invite a group of writing friends to exchange word count goals for the week. Report actual vs. planned. For greater connection, set up an online call and write together. At the end of the session, everyone reports their progress.
  • Many get caught in the trap of “edit while you go.” Assessing the work is a tactical function. Writing is a creative function. Both are essential, but don’t break the flow when the words are flying out of your fingertips! Resist the urge to polish while the heroine in your story dangles over the Grand Canyon!

Be the writer who runs the race. Deny the doubters their, “I knew you’d never finish that book,” moment. Defy the odds.

Write. Publish. Celebrate!

Deb DeArmond

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life was released in July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

1  Think You Have a Book in You? Think Again, Joseph Epstein / New York Times 09.28.2002

Categories
Craft Essentials

Please Take Your Seat!

Craft Essentials

“The only way to learn to write is to force yourself to produce a certain number of words on a regular basis.” 

William Zinsser

I explored the idea of writing for several months before I realized it was not my idea. The Lord tapped on my heart, and I knew I was to write. As I became serious about moving forward, I engaged a writing coach. She was highly experienced and respected in the industry. She informed me early on there was much to learn but expressed her confidence I could be successful. “Please know, Deb, writing is a discipline. There are no shortcuts to writing well.”

During our first session she explored my goals and discussed the challenges that might derail me. It was not a long list, but the single item was demanding. I owned a business that required a significant amount of travel. She asked if this was the right time to begin and if I would make the sacrifice writing would require. I nodded. “Where do we begin?”

We discussed a project I had in mind, and she agreed it was a good starting point. At the end of that first session, she asked me to track the weeks’ writing sessions, down to the minute. “What day of the week, what time did you start, and what time did you end the session?” She called them BIC hours. I thought it was a writerly term, one I had not yet encountered. I refrained from asking for the definition. No need to remind her I was greener than grass. I was certain she’d realize it soon enough.

I faithfully kept the BIC Log and sent it to her each week prior to our session. She used it to assess where in my week I was most productive. There was definitely a pattern. This helped tremendously and I was able to establish a consistent schedule and routine. That BIC Log became my planner of sorts. I treated it as though it had been heaven sent; I didn’t question the process. I leveraged those productive times, blocked them on the calendar, and honored my commitment to show up at the keyboard when it was time to write. I sensed a pattern and rhythm that worked. On good days and bad, I wrote. I established words written as my goal marker rather than time in the chair.

My coach served as a wealth of information about everything related to writing. But it was the BIC Log that most impacted what I did and when I did it.

BIC, I learned several months later, was her abbreviated version for “butt in chair.”

“Eighty percent of success is showing up.” There are many variations on this quote, but The New York Times attributed it in August 1977 to Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman, co-writers of the Oscar winning screenplay for the movie Annie Hall.

Showing up. Butts in chairs, my friend is what the craft requires. Every line that never gets written is guaranteed to never be published.

The days your fingers fly over the keys, and you can barely contain the rush of words, are victories. It feels effortless and you emerge feeling victorious Those days happen. They just don’t happen often enough. Relish them. It’s the contrast to the days you decide to clean out the fridge or rearrange the pantry instead of facing the keyboards that are treacherous. Definitely not BIC days.

Why does this happen?

Two major challenges become hiccups along the way: procrastination and distraction. When we feel uninspired, we avoid the keyboards. Procrastinators are often labeled as lazy. Nothing could be further from the truth. It’s not a lack of interest or commitment. In fact, science suggests most procrastinators are perfectionists. The lack of inspiration or confidence is the factor that pushes us to avoid writing in those times.

“If I am not clear about the next steps in my story, I can’t move forward.” Or “I can’t locate the research I need to proceed.” And for many, the only solution is to avoid sitting in that chair altogether.

What to do?

Here are a few tips to help you settle into that seat and forge ahead—regardless of your emotion in the moment.

Bring to mind something related to your writing you’re putting off right now — you’ll probably find the task has many, if not all, of the characteristics that identifies it as procrastination-worthy. Here are four top examples.

  • Imposter Syndrome: “I’ve told everyone I’m writing a book. What was I thinking?”
  • The task is boring: “I thought writing a book would be fun. This is a lot of research!”
  • The task is difficult: “I have request for a proposal, but it’s complex. I can’t do this.”
  • The task is ambiguous or unstructured: (Vague, confusing, unclear). “I don’t even know where to start!”

What’s the impact of these statements and why it is important? Because it’s what we’re telling ourselves, about ourselves. And it’s all dangerous self-talk that tries to convince us to quit. To clean out the pantry and rearrange the potted patio plants instead of pushing through.

Today you can increase the odds of achieving your writing goals, whatever they might be. Feel the fear and do it anyway. Put your sitter down in that chair and write!

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life will be available in late July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”

William Zinsser was a writer, editor, and teacher whose book, On Writing Well sold more than 1.5 million copies over three decades by employing his own literary craftsmanship to urge clarity, simplicity, brevity, and humanity. Monthly we’ll tap into his insights and perhaps you too, will find life-changing messages in the wit and wisdom of William Zinsser.

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Craft Essentials

The Life-Changing Message of William Zinsser

Craft Essentials

“Don’t say you were a bit confused and sort of tired and a little depressed and somewhat annoyed. Be confused. Be tired. Be depressed. Be annoyed. Don’t hedge your prose with little timidities. Good writing is lean and confident.”

William Zinsser

Have you noticed the tendency to include elaborate descriptions, adjectives up the wazoo, and dialogue that seems either lifeless or exhaustively pointless? A bit like that last sentence? It’s not new, in fact, many of the great writers of days gone by might be guilty of writing beyond the reader’s interest.

Each word must have a purpose, according to William Zinsser. It is the consistent insight he offered to students attending his Yale writing classes in the 1960’s. “Simplify your language and thereby find your humanity.”

I’ve purchased a book or two that needed his input, haven’t you? Sentences so long and descriptive you were forced to circle back to the start to remember the topic at hand.

So, who is this word wizard?

William Zinsser was a lifelong journalist and non-fiction writer. His career began in the news business in 1946, writing for the New York Herald Tribune. His work would ultimately include 18 books on a variety of topics including jazz, travel, and a memoir. But he may be most remembered as the author of the highly acclaimed book, On Writing Well. With a focus on the craft, the book has undergone seven revisions covering three decades.

Because I am a book hoarder and consider my favorite volumes priceless, my shelves have long outgrown the ability to hold them all. As I began to create the format for this column, I waded into the collection of boxes stored in the garage. My husband considers them invaders in his sanctuary. There in a misshapen cardboard tomb, I spy the 30th Anniversary Edition of Zinsser’s book. The cover copy beats the drum: More Than One Million Copies Sold.

Appears the author might have found his audience.

Long before “writing tight” was inscribed in our mind, Zinsser focused on a lean approach to storytelling. It was devoid of the adjective addiction that plagued many of the publishing world’s favorites. Did he instinctively know? As you read his observations of the writers of his day, I believe it is the respect Zinsser had for his audience that ruled his writing philosophy.

“The adjective that exists solely as decoration is a self-indulgence for the writer and a burden for the reader.”

William Zinsser

It’s one of my favorite quotes. As a writing coach, I observe many starting out, still new to writing, who stumble into this trap. But it’s not just the newbies. Many writers develop habits during their early years they never abandon; they consider them “part of my style.” These writers view the reader as one with fewer than five senses, requiring elaborate descriptions of what they could easily envision on their own. The reader is forced to abandon his or her imagination to embrace that of the author. It’s a loss for both parties.

Writing lean, writing tight will always be a characteristic of strong writing. Expand your word knowledge. Make the synonym finder your best friend. Choose the right words rather than many words. It will delight your readers and you might just hear Zinsser chuckle from that amazing library in the sky.

Thanks for taking time today to read this first foray into my new column here at Almost an Author. Craft Essentials: From A to Zinsser will appear monthly in the Craft tab. If you’re serious about advancing your skills and focused on the next steps of your writing journey, I invite you to join us. Perhaps you too, will find life-changing messages in the wit and wisdom of William Zinsser.

Deborah DeArmond is a recognized leader in the fields of performance development, facilitation. She is a certified writing coach as well as an executive business coach. She is also an award-winning author.

Deb’s the author of Related by Chance, Family by Choice, I Choose You Today, and Don’t Go to Bed Angry. Stay Up and Fight! All three books focus on relationship dynamics, communication, and conflict resolution. Her humorous devotional entitled Bumper Sticker Be-Attitudes was published in late 2019. Her newest release, We May Be Done But We’re Not Finished: Making the Rest of Your Life the Best of Your Life will be available in late July. She has published more than 200 articles in print and online, including a monthly column, now in her 7th year for Lifeway Magazine with an international circulation of 300,000.

Deb helps clients achieve success in becoming the coach others desire to work through through her engaging inquiry, humor, and straightforward approach. Her clients have described Deb as “candid but kind” and skilled at asking the questions that help “guide others to discover their answers and solutions to success.”