How I Learned to Write–And How You Can Too

K.M. Weiland | @KMWeiland

15 years ago

You know that moment when, in the middle of a brilliant novel, you drop the book into your lap, stare at the ceiling, and wonder why God chose to gift this novelist with effortless talent, while you’re left slogging in the trenches of writer’s block and clunky sentences? I rather think most of us have at least occasionally believed that the truly gifted writers pop into the world with their writing genius fully formed. Fortunately, it’s just that—a belief.

There isn’t a writer on the planet who hasn’t had to learn the craft and pay dues. The writing craft is a learning curve for all of us. Even the Margaret Atwoods and Stephen Kings had to log their time as frustrated, fearful authors with no idea what they were doing. So how did they learn to write? How did they go from clunky to confident?

Not long ago, a reader emailed me, suggesting a post in which I describe how I learned to write. While I certainly haven’t reached a writing level anywhere close to masters such as Atwood and King, today I’d like to share with that reader—and the rest of you—some of the moments and processes that I feel shaped my own early writing journey.

I read widely.

Writers have to be voracious bookworms. Read everything you can get your hands on, good and bad, until you gain a panoramic view of the literary scenery.

I read the classics.

I’ve made it a goal to read all the classics before I die (at the rate I’m going, I figure it’ll take me forty-two more years). Some of the classics are great; some are torture. But dedicating myself to reading a tremendous range of authors, cultures, and time periods has broadened my horizons as both an author and a person.

I read my genre.

I probably don’t have to tell you this, even though someone had to tell me. If you write mysteries, read every whodunit you can get your hands on. Fantasy? Paw through all the Lord of the Rings knockoffs at your library. Learn what makes them work, what’s been done to death, and how to mimic their brilliance.

I read how-to books.

This one was a major turning point for me. I’d happily written three and a half novels before even realizing there was such a thing as writing how-to books. Prior to this, I’d written entirely on the instinct gained from the osmosis of my bookworm habits. After this, I realized there was actually a process to writing stories. Suddenly, I went from winging it to working my way toward an understanding of the craft.

I listened to critique partners.

From the start when I wrote one-page stories as a twelve-year-old, I always had someone edit my writing, and I always listened. Feedback from unbiased readers is crucial to understanding the effect our writing has upon other people. Feedback from experienced writers is crucial in learning how to improve so we can achieve the effect we’re attempting.

I took a writing course.

I signed up for Writer’s Digest’s correspondence course “Fundamentals of Fiction.” By this point in my journey, I pretty much understood the fundamentals, so the course didn’t teach me oodles, but what it did do was grant me the confidence to go forth with what I’d already learned.

I subscribed to magazines.

Around the time I discovered writing how-to books, I also discovered writing magazines. I’ve been an avid subscriber to Writer’s Digest and The Writer for more than a decade. Having them drop into my mailbox every month means I’m always reading something about the craft, even when I don’t have a bookmark between the pages of a how-to book.

I joined a writing forum.

Next to discovering the writing how-to books, probably the greatest epoch in my writing journey was gingerly crawling through the Internet to find suitable writing groups. I’ve been a member of several over the years (Christian Writers was my favorite), and the daily contact with writers of every skill level was a huge factor, not only in improving my writing, but also in gaining confidence and learning about the business end of the craft.

I figured out my process.

Thanks to the combination of everything listed above, I was able to figure out and streamline the writing process that worked best for me. I listened to my gut, paid attention to what worked and what didn’t, and ruthlessly streamlined dead-weight activities. Nowadays, I have a comfortable process that involves extensive outlining, researching, writing, and revising, and a daily schedule that lets me warm up and keeps me from procrastinating.

I made writing a priority.

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, I made writing a priority early on and I stuck with it. With the exception of too-sick-to-get-out-of-bed days and catastrophes such as flooded basements and orphaned kittens, I discipline myself to write two hours a day, five days a week, year round. And that makes all the difference.

So there you have it. This list isn’t exclusive and certainly won’t be every writer’s path to success. But this is what has worked for me. This is the path I’ve taken so far on my writing journey. Where the road turns next, of course, I have no idea. But that’s the fun of it!

Wordplayers, tell me your opinions! How did you learn to write? Tell me in the comments!

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