Erin Radniecki • Book Coach

Tag: learning

  • When Can I Stop Learning and Start Writing?

    When Can I Stop Learning and Start Writing?

    Someone recently asked me: “How do you balance learning about writing with applying what you’ve learned?”

    I’m addressing this topic in a series of blog posts. You can read here about learning about writing versus actually writing, and
    if you’re using learning to hide from writing here.

    Today I’ll specifically be talking about when you can stop learning about writing a book and finally start writing it.

    When you first decided you wanted to write a book, you may have done what a lot of people do when they’re trying something new: you focused on learning.

    You started reading books about writing, listening to podcasts about writing, and maybe even attended a writing workshop or two.

    But somewhere along the line you started to wonder: Have I learned enough to stop learning and start writing?

    It’s a valid question.

    How do you know if you’ve learned enough to begin?

    And it has a very straightforward answer:
    Whatever you’ve done, it’s enough to get started.

    You’ve read a dozen how-to books, listened to seasons of writing podcasts, and follow your favorite authors on social media?
    You’re ready.

    You’ve read half of one how-to book and a few blog posts?
    You’re ready.

    You’ve done absolutely no research whatsoever?
    You’re ready.

    That’s right. No matter what you have or have not done, you are ready to begin writing.
    In fact, you’re more than ready. You should start today.

    If I sound quite certain about my answer, it’s because I am.

    I believe strongly that the risk of losing your internal drive and not starting is greater than the risk of beginning without knowing what you’re doing.

    Because here’s the truth:
    You’re never truly going to know how to write a book until you do it.

    There are hundreds (probably thousands) of resources available to help you write your novel. But that’s all they are – help. They aren’t a prerequisite to starting.

    And you know what? They aren’t going anywhere. They are available now, and they will still be available later. 

    You can always refer to them down the road, when you have a more specific question than, “How do I write a novel?” (Pro tip: it’s usually more effective to read books on writing craft when you’re trying to address a specific hangup.)

    If having a guide helps you to feel supported and confident as you begin your writing journey, and makes it more likely that you’ll take that first step, that’s great! 

    You should choose one, but hold it loosely as you start your novel. 

    Don’t worry about finding the “perfect” guide, or the one that’s “just right” for your story. It’s a guide, not a prescription.

    Here’s the not-so-secret bottom line:
    If you want to write your book, whether you’ve prepared or not, just get started.

    Don’t let a perceived lack of knowledge get in your way. I guarantee you’re more ready than you think you are.

    Now, if you don’t have a resource to help you get started and you’d like one, I have a simple guide that helps you focus on the 5 essential elements that your novel needs in order to resonate with readers. You can grab it below.

    Ready to stop preparing
    and start writing?

    Download the free guide now!

      I won’t send you spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

    • Learning About Writing Versus Actually Writing

      Learning About Writing Versus Actually Writing

      I had someone ask me recently: “How do you balance learning about writing and applying what you’ve learned?” 

      I’m addressing this topic in a series of blog posts. You can read here about when you can stop learning and start writing and see if you’re using learning to hide from writing here.

      In this post I’ll address the question: “How do I apply what I’ve learned?”. 

      How do you apply what you’ve learned?

      When you’re first learning a new writing skill, here’s how I recommend you approach it…

      First, choose one skill that you’re going to practice, or one issue you’re going to fix, and focus on it. That may actually be harder than it sounds!

      If you’ve been reading many writing craft books, listening to podcasts, or attending workshops, you may have a lot of new knowledge that you’re itching to incorporate into your writing.

      It can be tempting to try and address as many issues as possible all at once. But if we’re truly talking about implementing newly acquired knowledge, your brain can really only handle one topic at a time. 

      If you decide, “I’m going to fix the head hopping, fill that plot hole, and rewrite it in first person all in one go,” it’s unlikely that you’ll end up fixing any of those things. You’re going to have the most success if you focus on just one thing.

      Next, do a quick review of whatever resource you’ve been using. If you’ve been reading a book on the topic, review the table of contents to remind yourself of the big takeaways, and keep the book handy. If you attended a workshop, pull out your notes. If you’ve listened to a podcast or watched a YouTube video, scan the transcript or show notes. 

      Remind yourself what you’ve learned and why that perspective felt important to you when you first heard it. Why did it catch your attention? What was novel about the approach? What made you think, this is worth considering?

      Now identify the words you are working with. This can look different depending on where you are in the writing process. 

      If you’re planning or outlining, you may be able to work with the whole story at once. If you have a completed or partially completed manuscript, you might want to choose one chapter or even a couple pages to work with. 

      Finally it’s time to practice applying the concept to your story. You do that by attempting it multiple times. 

      Whatever topic or skill you’ve been learning, it’s going to require practice in order to implement it and improve your ability. After all, “practice makes perfect” is an idiom for a reason. Plan to write or revise the passage you’re working on at least three times. 

      After each attempt, stand up and walk away for a few minutes. Rotate your laundry. Do some light stretching. When you come back to the page, review your resource material and see if anything new catches your attention. 

      Then take another stab at it. Don’t just make small, surface level changes. See if you can approach it from a new angle each time. Don’t be afraid to take risks or do something that feels a little silly. You’re playing right now. Have fun with it!

      When you’ve completed at least three attempts, read what you’ve written or revised. Does one version stand out above the others? Maybe you see different things you like about each attempt, and you can combine them into a new version?

      If you read everything you wrote and don’t like any of it, stop and take a breath. Don’t beat yourself up. It takes repetition to learn anything new. The more you practice applying these new skills the easier it will become. It may not feel like it, but you’ve made progress just by showing up and doing the work, regardless of the outcome.

      You may have noticed that the big secret to applying what you’ve learned isn’t really a secret at all: 
      You try, practice, and stick with it. 

      The process of applying your new knowledge to your writing is not flashy or fun. More than any other part of the writing process it may feel like hard work. But when you focus your efforts on applying one new skill at a time, you have the potential for great long term growth.

      Look for more posts on this topic soon. I’ll be sure to link to them here!

      What’s a skill that you’ve been focusing on lately in your writing? Comment below!