When you first realize you’re a Writer, it can be startling. You look at a sentence or paragraph you just crafted, and it hits you just how good it is.
I had that kind of moment sometime in college. And, when I was asked to draft a speech that would be read on the floor of the U.S. Congress, I thought, “Wow. They must think I can write.”
Since then, I’ve never been without the awareness that I can create something meaningful with words. But, I was also never oblivious to the point that writing takes practice. It is a craft – like Woodworking. And, not until recently, did I become aware of just how fundamental the craft of writing is.
It all happened a few weeks ago. Someone sent me a note that a publisher was offering a Fast Track Submission, where they provide feedback to submissions in one month. So, I decided to give it a go. The only issue was that I didn’t have a book proposal ready. And, the deadline was in three days.
But, for the last year, I have been deep in skill building for scriptwriting – classes with ScreenwritingU. The most recent was a class that breaks a film down in eight parts, then takes you through the writing of the entire script in thirty days.
Thirty days. It did not seem like a lot of time at first. But, by the end of the second week, my brain evolved, and suddenly, I was crafting a tight script around a high concept easily and quickly. CLICK. Several years of working at my Writing Craft. And, then, BAM! A life changer for me, and a game changer for my Writing Craft.
These skills, built over many days, weeks, and hours, led to my being able to draft that book proposal, and complete the first chapter in an hour, a feat for me. Of course, rewriting took another hour or so. But, to be able to conceive and craft like that, a priceless asset to my writing career.
The idea that we can, like a painter, just pick up a pen and sketch something brilliant out, well, we can. And then, we can use our craft, trained, refined, and honed, to bring the project around the bases, and into home plate.
So, if you’re a Writer, and you’ve got talent, work, work, work, to hone your craft. The cog and the wheel of excellence will meet, and you will be on your way.