What does it mean to be a real writer? Many people think a real writer needs to have a specific education. Or you need to know the right people. Or have written a book. Or have published in The New Yorker or some equally important publication.
Here’s the truth. There is only one thing that will make you a real writer. One incredibly simple thing you can do.
You need to write.
Duh, yeah?
It doesn’t matter what you write. Or if you’ve published. Or how much experience you have. You simply need to put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard and write, and you’re a writer.
Sound easy? Yeah, it is, but then you have to face and overcome the blank page. Believe me when I say, everyone falters when it comes to sitting down and writing the first word.
In A Moveable Feast, Hemingway suggests that you end writing each day with just a little more left to say so that when you return, you aren’t starting with a blank slate.
I know blank can be scary, but you know what is far more horrifying? Having a dream to write and never taking that first step.
This exercise I’m going to share with you is an excellent first step. It helps you face the blank page as well as all those voices in your head that may be telling you you’re not good enough or you don’t have anything to say.
So write. Now. Trust the process.
The powerful writing exercise that makes you a real writer.
There’s a free writing exercise I use every day. In workshops and classes, one-on-one sessions, at my writing retreats and in my own writing practice.
It’s incredibly simple and yet in all the time I’ve used it, it invariably helps people move forward with their writing. That’s how strongly I stand by this exercise. In twenty years of teaching and writing, this exercise always helps you move through the blank page to create something of value.
Tools & Supplies You’ll Need:
- A timer.
- Whatever you need to write most comfortably. Pen or pencil and a notebook. Unlined loose leaf. Your notebook.
Two steps to complete this exercise:
- Set a timer for 10-15 minutes.
- Sit down and write until the timer goes off.
What should you write about?
If you’re not sure where to start, just write whatever is in your head at the moment. If you’re thinking “this is this dumbest thing I’ve done today,” write it down. If you keep worrying that you have nothing worthwhile to say, write that down. Follow your thoughts where they take you and write them down.
If you’re working on a particular project and are feeling stuck, use this exercise to write about what’s keeping you stuck. Or to flesh out characters or work through plot points. You can also brainstorm new ideas.
The main goal of free-writing is to loosen your thinking so you get words on paper, without worrying about the end product or whether or not you’re saying the right thing.
The Only Rules:
Don’t stop.
Not to think. Not to get a drink. Just keep writing until the timer goes off.
Don’t edit or cross anything out.
If you don’t like what you’re writing, just move to the next like and write about something else.
I say this exercise is magic for good reason. In almost 20 years of writing and working with writers, I have yet to see it fail. Trust me. Trust yourself. Trust the process. Go get a pen and paper (or open a document on your computer) and start writing now.
Because life is short and there are countless stories to tell. If you don’t tell them, who will?
