| Discipline and practice are essential to develop | | | | 4) Even if you are busy, uninspired, or simply |
| writing skills. If you consider writing as an art, | | | | tired, sit down and write something. You really |
| they will help your writing tremendously. | | | | need to write daily if you want to form this habit. |
| Some people are born with writing in their blood. | | | | 5) Some people like to write late at night, but if |
| They can sit down and start writing -- thousands | | | | you are just starting and have problems with |
| upon thousand of words, delicately and precisely | | | | discipline, you may want to try writing first thing |
| threaded together like beautiful pearls. | | | | in the morning. Early morning hours can be very |
| But some aspiring writers are arrested in their | | | | fruitful -- I wake up at 5 so I can dedicate at |
| dream of effortless good writing by lack of | | | | least an hour to my writing, before anything else |
| discipline. | | | | comes up. |
| For them, the act of writing is painful. A keyboard | | | | 6) Before writing, try to meditate. Meditation is a |
| -- or just a good old fountain pen -- at hand, they | | | | very, very powerful tool in a writer's arsenal. If |
| joust with a sheet of paper, intimidated and | | | | you are not doing it yet, give it a chance. It |
| paralysed by the vast blankness, a mockery of | | | | works for me. |
| our dumbstruck wordlessness. | | | | 7) The Internet is a major distraction. While you |
| But writers have two secret weapons -- practice | | | | write, make sure you unplug yourself from the |
| and discipline -- that will ultimately help them | | | | Internet. If you use a wireless connection, switch |
| achieve an easier, more fluent and fruitful writing | | | | that off as well. If you need to check some |
| style. | | | | on-line reference, jot down your questions and |
| A very prolific writer once said: "Discipline and its | | | | search for the answers later. |
| practice are like the obverse and reverse of the | | | | 8) Part of discipline is to learn the tools of the |
| same coin. We cannot separate discipline from | | | | trade. Learn to use a good text editor -- one that |
| practice; they have to go together." [1] | | | | will allow you to focus on writing and not on |
| He also said: "A disciplined life comes from | | | | froufrou. But don't let it take over your practice! |
| constant practice. Nobody can be a world | | | | EMACS is one of the best text editors out there |
| champion overnight. What does practice mean? | | | | -- and it is free. [3] |
| Practice means patience, patience-light. Patience is | | | | 9) Don't worry if you do not know how to begin |
| not something weak. It is something dynamic; it is | | | | -- just start writing! Don't wait to form a clear |
| something illumining. We want it in order to have a | | | | outline of what you want to say. Get those |
| disciplined life." [2] | | | | fingers moving on the keyboard -- or the pen |
| Keeping in mind that each writer can have very | | | | scratching the paper. After you get the juices |
| different needs, here are ten tips that can help | | | | running, you will find that some structure is |
| your writing. | | | | important -- either as an outline or just in your |
| 1) Make writing part of your day-to-day life. Find a | | | | mind. |
| fixed time in your day when you can sit down | | | | 10) Some aspiring writers try to write with music |
| and dedicate yourself to writing without any | | | | in the background, or other people in the room. |
| distraction. | | | | Concentration really favours silence and solitude. |
| 2) Set yourself a goal based on words, not time. | | | | Footnotes: |
| Time-based goals are not as fruitful, because | | | | [1] "Illumination-Fruits", by Sri Chinmoy |
| allow for lots of excuses. When I started to | | | | [2] "Earth's Cry Meets Heaven's Smile - Part 2", |
| practice writing as a discipline, I felt 500 words | | | | by Sri Chinmoy |
| per hour were a good challenge for me, but your | | | | [3] Neal Stephenson said about EMACS: "If you |
| personal goal can be higher or lower. Chose a | | | | are a professional writer -- i.e., if someone else is |
| target that is not too easy to reach, but not too | | | | getting paid to worry about how your words are |
| difficult either. | | | | formatted and printed -- EMACS outshines all |
| 3) Before going to sleep, it helps to think for a | | | | other editing software in approximately the same |
| minute or two about what you are going to write | | | | way that the noonday sun does the stars. It is |
| the next day. Hopefully your subconscious will do | | | | not just bigger and brighter; it simply makes |
| some work for you. | | | | everything else vanish. |