Writing Muscle
Real Title: Wait…you want me to exercise, I don’t like exercise.
Do you exercise?
Not that kind of exercise that is for the muscles of your body. I’m talking about exercising your writing muscle.
What is a writing muscle you might ask and how does one exercise it?
Well let me tell you.
Writing just like anything else takes practice. Want to get great at your craft. Practice it. Write. Learn from your edits. Get better at it. I’m not saying you need to write everyday or even for hours. Or even have a ton of words on a page. Hell you don’t even need to write something that is for a book or you plan to sell.
We have deadlines, the next book to write and (insert all you want to do). But Writing is the base of our business and building it will benefit you.
So build that muscle and write. Just as with any muscle you need to work it for it to grow. But don’t abuse it (ie get hurt. in writing speak burn out since you are not paying attention to the signals of your muscle). Care for it and protect it. Feed it well (ie. write something that has nothing to do with any deadline or so on. Think of this as your cookie. That cookie story that you have that when you look at it you question if it’s possible to even market it. IE . It doesn’t matter if you can. You had the idea for a reason and its in the back of your mind. Have that cookie. Eat it all up ie write those words). Build that writing muscle.
This is one of the things I go through with people I coach. That writing muscle and how to work it your way. You don’t need to be the fastest writer. One word is one more toward whatever you are doing. You can be the fastest writer but think everything you do is crap. It’s not and that is all in your mindset. Hint for both: it’s about having a mindset where either one doesn’t derail you. You do you and do what works for you. Progress is progress. Writing Muscle activate. 🙂
I so feel like a superhero. A BAD ASS one who uses that writing muscle to bring stories to the world. Come on I can’t be the only one who at times feels like a superhero conquering those words to make an awesome story.
I’ll admit I exercise my writing muscle more than the others. I like doing that exercise too but the one for my writing…well I have said I love it so I do it more. Want to know a basic way to exercise that writing muscle?
Write. Then write some more. Then more and so on. Each time you write you are exercising that writing muscles. Don’t sit down and nitpick over every thing you write.
*Spoiler alert – whatever you write will need to be cleaned up or edited before you let it see the light of day. Yep it will. So stop treating each word like it need to be perfect. Because it won’t be. Perfection is false. Say it with me Perfection is false. There is no such thing. Instead go for your best. Learn from each thing you do and do better with each time.
I’ve fine tuned my writing muscle so it’s well-oiled. When I sit down to write it’s ready to go.
Next time you sit down to write think of it as exercising that valuable tool.
Writing Muscle
Now you know it’s coming. Here it is.
Blueprint Lite ~ Action Item:
Whenever you see “Blueprint Lite ~ Action Item” that means this is something for you to do.
We’re about to do a flex. Just like those who show off their muscles we are about to do that.
Flex Writing Muscle! Show off your Writing Muscle!
Go and write something (not in any project you are currently doing). Something fresh. Something that you have been itching to do but haven’t because of deadlines and so on. Anything you want. Just write. Do this as often as you want for the next…month. Yep a month. Flex and exercise that important writing muscle. Have fun.
Now go out there and kick butt getting stuff done.
Copyright © Scribes Unleashed, 2021.
All Rights Reserved.
Note: This is or will be cross-posted in various places.
Happy Writing!
Scribes Unleashed
(Taige, McKenna and Talia)
Learning , adventure and sharing
Sign up for Ink Rhythms (free newsletter for authors)