“Everything I write helps make me a better writer.”

I believe it.

Like all my writing affirmations this week’s Write Thought Tee comes straight from my computer screen-saver file. “Everything I write helps make me a better writer” flashes up most days—unless I’m so flat-out writing the old Mac never makes it to idle mode.

“Everything I write helps make me a better writer.”

Right now I can’t help myself. Today’s affirmation has a hold of me. I just keep typing (writing) it out.

“Everything I write helps make me a better writer.”

I’m not even copying and pasting. I’m actually typing out each word…

Everything

I

write

helps

make

me

a

better

writer

Don’t matter if I spell everythink right or whether the idea formed is well, I reckon everything I write helps make me a better writer. Why? Because I reckon I’ve gotten better at writing since I first started. Especially since I wrote this note.

Lots better is my grammar now

Not only has my grammar improved (slightly) over the years but as I explored other various writing disciplines besides letter’s to loved ones—including song-writing, play-writing, novel-writing and screenplay-writing—so too has my ability to get to the point in an interesting way.

I hope.

No, I don’t ‘hope’ I know. Sure, my writing won’t be everyone’s ‘cup of tea’ but no cup of tea is either. That’s the whole point of that cup of tea stuff. Variety is the spice of life and no body does it like you do it.

Whatever ‘it’ is.

For me it’s writing.

And everything I write helps make me a better writer.

Though it’s not just the variety of forms (poetry, tweets, facebook updates, birthday card messages) which I think helps make us better writers. Maybe there’s something to the ‘more is better’ thing too? Maybe becoming a better writer requires achieving a certain volume of words outputted too? After all it’s been said to take 10,000 hours of doing a thing to master the thing.

In which case, if you ARE ever hoping to become a Master Writer I reckon ya’ better…keep writing.

When it feels like a slog, keep slogging; when it feels like your sloshing through mud, keep sloshing; when it feels like a breeze, keep breezin’ along, and when the next gust of inspiration is replaced by a withering wind of editing stage—keep whittlin’ away (being especially vigilant of mixed metaphors): all writing is re-writing, after all.

Now, fishing’s not my thing but if it happens to be YOUR thing I imagine you could apply the same philosophy of every hook you bate would help make you a better fisherman. And if you apply yourself for 10,000 hours you may well end up a…master…bater.

Sorry.

I couldn’t stop myself from writing that one.

I’m on a bloody roll. Or am I? Doesn’t matter, because…

…Everything I write helps make me a better writer

Everything I write helps make me a better writer

Everything I write helps make me a better writer

Now, repeat after me…

:)

Have fun.

Lots of love,

Ben

N.B. If you enjoyed this post you might also enjoy these other Write Thought Tees:

No. 1 - A Writing Affirmation for everyone

No. 2 - Brevity is the soul of Twit

No. 3 - How to write for one person

No. 4 – Write what you love (and maybe they will come)!