Soccer practice, emails and texts from friends, feeding the dog, cleaning your room . . . not to mention the dreaded H-word: HOMEWORK! You are already sooooo busy—how could you ever squeeze in time for writing?
Not to mention, your computer is a piece of junk and you share a room with your sister/brother/pet cobra lunching on live mice. How are you supposed to create a brilliant piece of writing when you can’t even hear yourself think half the time?
Does this sound familiar? Lots of writers know they want to write but mysteriously find themselves distracted. To get started, there are a few things you will want to set up to help you avoid getting sidetracked when you should be writing, also known as the “Three Ts”: time, tools, and turf. The fact is, the hardest part of writing can be those first steps: making the time to do it, getting the writing materials you need ready to go, and finding a good place to write. Once you get over these first hurdles and actually start scribbling or typing real words, you are a writer.
Famous writers often have famous habits that help them write. Victor Hugo made his servant lock him in a room until he finished some writing. Ernest Hemingway marched upstairs every morning to his writing room, unlocking the door only to let in one of his six-toed cats!
You really won’t have to lock yourself alone in a room to be a writer, but there are some things you can do that will make it easier for you to get started. If you’re writing on your computer, turn off your email notifications. (Tip: No texting while you are writing!) In fact, try not to use the internet at all while you’re writing. If you think of things to look up, keep a list to refer back to later so that you can stay focused. If you find your family distracting, try using earplugs to block out the noise of your house, or have an honest chat with your family about needing some quiet time. It might help to tell them that you plan to work for a specific amount of time—say, one hour—instead of just a general “can you be quiet forever” kind of request. You may be pleasantly surprised at how willing your family is to support you doing something as important as writing . . . if you just ask.
Once you have decided to start writing, tell yourself that no one needs to read what you write—the important thing is to get words on paper (or computer). It doesn’t really matter what comes out—real writers admit that they write tons of junk, but that’s where they find the good stuff that later turns out to be their best writing. Here are some suggestions to help you get started.
Some writers like to set aside large chunks of time every day for their writing. Stephen King, for example, writes eight hours a day, every day of the year. The only days he takes off are his birthday, Christmas, and the Fourth of July!
But you don’t have to give up your entire social life to be a writer. In fact, writing doesn’t even have to take up large blocks of time, like school writing assignments can. When you get hungry for some food, you eat, right? And sometimes a little snack is the perfect thing. Well, when you get hungry to write, you should write! And it can be “snack” writing—a little bit here, a little bit there. Try scheduling a short, before-breakfast writing snack, limiting yourself to ten or twenty minutes. You could use a book of poetry (Robert Frost or Emily Dickinson work well) and respond to one line a day.
As you go through your day, when you see something or get an idea for writing, take a writing snack and jot yourself a quick note. Sometimes these are seeds that you can expand on later. Promise yourself to write something every day, every other day, or even just once a week—even if it’s only a few lines. Pretty soon, your writing practices will get you in better shape as a writer, and your appetite for writing will grow. A little snack won’t be enough anymore, and you’ll find yourself stretching out your morning sessions or scheduling longer sessions just before bed or after basketball practice. Before you know it, you’ll actually start looking forward to your writing sessions!
One of the best things about writing is that you don’t need a bunch of expensive gear to do it. Whether you’re listing ideas in a journal or typing up that last chapter of your brilliant novel, you deserve to use tools that work for you. But that doesn’t mean you have to have a whole new room, or a bunch of expensive supplies either. Your writing toolbox just needs to include things that help your writing.
Choosing something to write in is a good place to start. You might like a hardcover marble composition book because you can use it without a desk. Or you might prefer a spiral-bound notebook, with or without lines. Maybe you’d like to use a computer instead. Some authors, like fantasy novelist Peter V. Brett, have even typed entire books on their phones! If you prefer a journal, think about size: Does it need to be light, so you can carry it in your backpack, small to fit in your pocket, or will it stay at home on your desk? Do you like big fat pages where your thoughts can wander, or small pages that are easy to fill? (Tip: Sometimes a plain journal is easier to write in than a fancy one.) Do you like writing in pencil or ink? If you’re using a computer, is it set up the way you want? Can you type comfortably? If you’re writing your journal entries in a blog, experiment with blogging platforms until you learn what you prefer. Think about what makes you comfortable while writing, and choose your tools with those preferences in mind.
Next, think about where you like to write. At a desk? Lying on the floor? In your favorite chair? At your local coffee shop? No matter where, you should find a spot that’s open and inviting for you, and where all of your writing tools are easily available. Keep your writing turf clear and clean so picking up junk won’t sidetrack you when you’re ready to write. You deserve a space of your own that is so encouraging you’ll smile when you see it and want to get started.
If you choose to make your turf in a permanent space, be creative. Why not decorate? Plenty of writers put up inspiring quotes, pictures, posters, and so on in their writing spaces to help keep their creativity going. Decorating is a way to mark your writing turf clearly, for all to see. When you are sitting there, you’ll be sending the signal “Writer at Work!”—to yourself and to your family. It’s not hard to make your writing space happen; just make sure that all of the following items are there waiting for you in your special place:
_____ favorite pens/pencils
_____ favorite paper/journal/notebook/typewriter/computer
_____ glue stick (not necessary, but great for pasting important tidbits into your journal)
_____ file folders (not necessary, but handy for keeping your different writing projects organized)
_____ headphones/earmuffs/earplugs (not necessary, but nice for tuning out the phone or your noisy family)
_____ flash drive or other storage device if you’re using a computer (don’t forget to back up your files!)
_____ box or drawer for stashing everything
Who needs a journal? You do! If you plan to write and sound real (or even unreal), there is no greater source for ideas and words than real life. It’s important to keep a journal and to write in it every day. What you write does not have to make sense or be perfect—just try to record what you notice. Each time you look through your journal, you won’t believe how many ideas and words and phrases you can use from it.
Some writers use journals as diaries and record their daily activities and thoughts in them. This can be a great way for you to start thinking about your world and making sense of it. A diary journal can be a great best friend, always ready to listen, always forgiving, never judgmental. If you like this idea, you might want to give your journal a name, like Anne Frank did. At first, Anne just listed the day’s activities in her new diary. But after she named the diary “Kitty,” she began writing in it as if she were writing to a person. The diary became a true friend with whom Anne could share her hopes, fears, and dreams. And, as you probably know already, that diary also became one of the most powerful books ever written.
Your journal can be a traditional paper notebook, a file on your computer, or even a blog. If you like to use your blog as a writing journal, remember that you don’t have to share your writing with the world until you’re ready! Every blog platform has privacy settings, so think about how much of yourself you want to expose and set them accordingly.
You don’t always have to just write in a journal—you can sketch and draw, or even use scrapbook techniques. Writers often use journals as memory joggers, so keep a glue stick handy and paste in movie stubs, photos from magazines, great newspaper headlines, anything that strikes you. If you contribute to it every day, pretty soon you’ll find yourself looking back over your entries and discovering a goldmine of ideas and language to use in your writing.
Writers have lots of different ways they keep journals. Some write long, rambling paragraphs, some list short thoughts, some copy down words or phrases they overhear. Good writers make readers feel as if they are on the scene, observing and becoming part of the story. Good writers must learn to observe and write about what they see, hear, and feel. Hang around, listen, pay attention—and be sure to write it all down. You think you’ll remember the comment that jerk made in the cafeteria, but you won’t when you need it for a villain’s remark in your next story!
You can actually go on little “spy trips” with your journal, observing your world and writing down what you see. Look at what’s in front of you as if it were a scene in a movie; keep an eye peeled for interesting characters, and write how they act and move, as well as what they say. Write down how the sky looks or how the air smells in that particular setting. Jot down scraps of conversation—nothing is more real than reality. Only you can know the best spots for spy trips in your area, but here are some good general places for observing human behavior: a crowded park, the school cafeteria, a city bus or subway, the local mall . . . hey, your very own kitchen at dinnertime is the perfect place to watch a “normal” family in action!
It’s probably not going to come as a big surprise, but almost all great writers love to read! That’s often how they got interested in writing in the first place. And it’s not unusual for a writer of one kind of book (say, sci-fi) to prefer reading completely different kinds of books (say, poetry). The point is that any reading is a huge resource for you as a writer. Reading will help you find words, phrases, topics, characters, and styles for your own writing.
Reading is also a great way to check out the competition. In most jobs, people have to research what others in their field are doing. No problem for writers—all you have to do is read to find out what other writers are up to. Once you start writing in your journal and taking yourself seriously as a writer, you will find yourself reading with new eyes. You’ll start to notice how other writers deal with things you’re wondering about, such as character development, setting description, or use of metaphor.
Twenty-five-year-old Reeves Wiedeman graduated from Boston College and now works as a fact-checker at The New Yorker.
When did you know you wanted to be a writer?
I originally wanted to be a journalist. I wrote for my high school newspaper, then my college newspaper, all with the intent of one day being a newspaper reporter. It wasn’t until senior year of college that I began to see myself as a writer. I took several courses in creative nonfiction and started reading magazines with more literary content—The Atlantic, Esquire, The New Yorker—and though I continued writing newspaper stories, they started to become longer features like the ones I was reading.
What do you like to write the most and why?
I do all nonfiction, or that’s all I do with any success. Poetry has never been my cup of tea—as a writer or reader—and I’ve never had the imagination for fiction. That said, I’ve started a number of short stories and screenplays over the years to see if I can make one work. It’s useful to write in different styles, to take lessons from my attempts at fiction and use them in my nonfiction.
What are your goals for your writing future?
They change all the time, in part due to my interests, in part due to changes in the industry. The first goal, I suppose, is to simply make a living off of writing alone. Then, in an ideal world, I’d love to be writing magazine stories of all kinds: long profiles, short humorous pieces, and everything in between.
What was your first published piece (and format) and how did you feel?
On an amateur level, it was for my high school newspaper. I don’t remember what the article was or how I felt, but I will say this: if you want to be a writer, and you’re not writing for your high school or college newspaper, then you’re wasting an excellent opportunity. Even if your interest is in fiction, student papers offer a chance to (a) write, (b) learn the value of research, (c) get edited, and (d) get published. My first professional publication was in the Boston Globe. It was a story I wrote for a creative nonfiction class, about a college classmate of mine who was blind but still managed to play in the marching band. It showed me that the barrier to entry at professional publications isn’t all that high; you just need to present them with a story they can’t turn down.
Where else have you been published?
Since then, I’ve written for all types of publications—The New Yorker, New York Times, political websites, sports publications, local newspapers. As a young writer, you should be looking as widely as possible for places to publish stories.
Do you write full-time, and, if not, would you like to? What would be your dream job?
I don’t write full-time but that’s the goal. My ideal job, as of now, is to be a staff writer at a magazine.
What advice would you give to a young writer?
Being a good writer is not enough. Starting out in the journalism world, you have to spend as much time as you can pitching stories, meeting with people, and failing. You don’t need a connection to do this: go to your college alumni database, find all the journalists, and see if they’ll have coffee with you. They might not give you a job right now, but two years later—as happened to me once—they might come back, looking for you to write a story.
Do you think reading helps your writing?
Of course. The beauty of being a writer is that reading is part of your job. Read as widely as possible: if you want to write fiction, read newspapers, and vice versa.
What are your favorite reads?
I’m a magazine junkie. The New Yorker is a must, and good reads can be found in Harper’s, Esquire, New York, and Wired, among many others.
Name some of the authors who have inspired you and why.
Most are at The New Yorker: John McPhee, Tad Friend, Nick Paumgarten, and Anthony Lane have all significantly influenced the way I write, even if I don’t always show it.
If you know what type of writing you want to do (poetry, horror, and so on), reading that kind of book or article or blog will really help you get started. No one is expected to learn a craft without first seeing samples of the finished product. How could a boat builder construct a sailboat if she had never even seen one before? So, consider reading part of a writer’s job—part of your job—and one of the best parts!
Reading is especially good to do when you’re stuck in your writing. A really good book will take you on a little vacation to other worlds that renew your creativity and excitement about writing. Giving your brain a vacation by reading is often just what you need to get started writing again.
Believe it or not, there are lots of other kids out there who love to read, and they are a fantastic resource for you as a writer. Joining a book club will introduce you to new books, friends who share your passion, and tons of great writing ideas—not just from the books, but from the club members as well. Ask a librarian at school or at your local library for clubs in your area. When you find one, check out the list of books they’ve read in the past few meetings to see if they interest you. This is a good way to see if that club’s reading choices will fit with yours.
Book clubs not only open you up to new kinds of writing and authors, but they are also your golden opportunity to see how readers react to different kinds of writing and to find out what they like and don’t like about various stories, styles, and techniques. Someday people will be reading your writing, and your book-club experiences will remind you to keep your future audience in mind when you write.
If you can’t find a book club, just start your own—all it takes is one other person! Here’s how they work:
1. Agree on a regular meeting place, day, and time (like the first Wednesday of the month at 4:30 PM at the local library or at the house of whichever member chose that month’s book).
2. Agree to read that month’s selected book, which is chosen by one club member, perhaps with advice from a librarian.
3. Discuss any ground rules, like maximum number of pages a chosen book can be or that the book must be available in paperback or obtainable from local libraries.
4. For each meeting, the person who chose that month’s book should bring a few questions to discuss about the book and/or author. Take turns being the book chooser.
5. Food is optional but a definite plus! Many groups take turns hosting, or sometimes all bring a snack or refreshment to share.
6. If you have a friend who can’t make it to the meeting, try using an online conferencing service (like Skype) to include him or her in the discussion! Or if you have lots of friends in other cities, you can chat online with everyone to conduct your meeting. Some popular book clubs meet entirely online. The science fiction blog io9, for example, selects a book each month for its fans to read. Then they have a discussion about it in the blog’s comment section. Sometimes the book’s author even joins the conversation! You can also join or create an online book club (check out sites like Goodreads). Just remember to be safe: Don’t give out your personal details in online discussions, and don’t agree to meet up with anyone you don’t already know in real life.
Getting started as a writer means making the time, creating the space, and having the tools ready. One author writes in the middle of a cornfield, in a little white cottage that her husband built just for her to write in. Another writer uses the kitchen table when no one else is home and works only on Sunday afternoons. One novelist had a full-time job as an elevator operator and took her writing snacks on the subway to and from work every day. Like these writers, you will discover what works best for you. Finding the “write” time, tools, and turf will help your creativity blossom and is the first step to becoming a real writer!