Rule #2-Talent is Not Skill

If you find yourself particularly drawn to the hobby, mode of expression, art form that is writing, chances are pretty good that you've got a knack for it. You see the nuanced differences between similar words, can describe a scene with stunning detail, craft sentences that seem to flow into one another. Maybe you are bombarded by imaginative plot ideas on a daily basis. All of this is well and good, but, to quote Spiderman, "With great power comes great responsibility." And your talent is a kind of power, a stronger one that you might realize. You should hold onto that notion, no matter what twists and turns your writerly life takes. But it won't serve you as well as it can without cultivation. Talent is not skill.

Think of talent as raw ore and skill as the act of working the metal into something usable. Skill is the act of shaping, creating something that can be recognized and enjoyed by the world outside your head.

The next ten entries will focus on what can be taught and practiced-skill. I'll leave the inspiration and epiphanies to your respective muses.

• Decide if your work will be plot or character-driven and proceed accordingly. Consider how to engage your audience and keep them engaged throughout. Length and layout may both come into play.

• Plan before you write

• Do your research. 

• Don't waste a single detail

• Imagine characters/portray and place people in a particular context

• Use language appropriate for your target audience

• Come up with a plan for maintaining consistency throughout your work

• Be true to the world you've created or the perspective you've adopted

• Read the things that have been written in your genre or field. And then learn to read between the lines

• Be aware of the extent to which you write yourself into your writing

Do all of these things and you'll find you have more control over your writing. I know that research and planning have long been considered a buzzkill to artists, but I feel that they're the stones in which the road to writing success is paved. They give form to whatever it is that drives us. 

Next Up: The Ultimate Showdown! Plot-Driven vs Character-Driven