We Write

My opinion is that writers have mainly one thing in common ~ we write.  That's it.  We all write, but what we write and how we write is different from writer to writer.  I see a lot of discussions about writing styles.  And I've seen many questions asked about what style is best.  And is it best to plan it all out before writing, or should we just write it and see what happens? I wonder how many "newbie" writers (forgive me! if you are a newbie, that doesn't make you any less of a writer!) get frustrated when they're told to do what works for them.  It's probably annoying to hear such an unclear answer when someone is looking for a solid answer so his/her writing can be the best.  But the truth is, there is no one specific answer.  Each writer has to discover for himself what works best.

For instance, I'm pretty comfortable with how I write.  That being said, I am not afraid to try something different, especially since I have yet to get anything published.  So I recently tried to plan out my next novel.  I already have an idea of what the story is about.  I know all the background, where the story will start.  I know the characters.  And I recently blogged about how the story typically comes to me, and then I just have to fit it all together.  So there I was, sitting down and ready to fit it all together chapter by chapter.  And my mind went completely blank.  I couldn't do it.  Therefore, I learned that my writing style does not involve planning everything out ahead of time.  And that's okay.  I have notes and ideas but no complete, organized plan.

There is no right or wrong way to write.  I know what works for me, and that's all that matters.  The sooner other writers learn what works best for them, the better their writing will be.