I had the privilege of attending the "Called to Write Conference" in 2010, and meet Cecil Murphey. Cec was the guest speaker and he shared a lot of helpful tips on how to be good at what you do as a writer. These are notes which he shared with us. Cec has a blog called "Writer to Writer - Lessons Learned from a Lifetime of Writing". This is one blog you will want to put on your blog list, it has lots of helpful hints for the new writer. Cec's blog answers a lot of the "Where do I start?" questions we as beginners have. If God inspires your writing, others will know because it will inspire them when they read it.
A willingness to start at the beginning and learn marks the true professional.
Beginnings contain only essential information to draw readers to the material.
Clever beginnings aren't enough to sustain an article/chapter.
Start by writing short pieces is good advice.
There is no one place to start, but choose to start with drama.
Write to get the story written; rewrite to improve the quality.
Good novelists know the important elements of a superb beginning—and they include them.
Good writers know their field; good writers write distinctively.
Good novelists resist explaining everything—especially in the opening chapter.
Good writers make us care; good writers work hard so readers can identify with their characters.
Good writers earn the right to be read.
Good writers incorporate three principles each time they begin a writing project.
Good writers cut ruthlessly.
Good writers know grammar and use the proper terms.
Good novelists know the important elements of a superb beginning—and they include them.
Good writing presents a problem and withholds the solution until the last moment.
Good writing is subtle. Sometimes one simple detail conveys more than a paragraph of descriptive words.
Because good writing is subtle you need to learn to move between showing and telling readers.
Why not start with the easy-to-sell article? Personal experience articles usually require no research.
My experiences are unique. No one else has encountered exactly what I have.
If my articles don't have universal appeal, I have nothing to share.
So what? We haven't finished an article or story until we've answered that question.
When I'm transparent about my shortcomings, readers identify with me.
My bad experiences can become powerful experiences to help readers through their painful experiences.
Sometimes the easy and the wise way are the same.
Showing brings life to your writing and makes readers part of your story.
Ask yourself: When I show, what do I want readers to feel?
It is okay to tell—sometimes. Good writers know when to tell and when to show.
You can insert telling information to help readers grasp information quickly.
By adding the right details, you open readers' understanding and enable them to sense what you see and feel.
An outline is the beginning of your structure.
Write the first draft and allow no distractions. Afterward you can make improvements.
If you can't reduce an article, scene, or chapter into one statement, you probably haven't focused.
The active voice reads faster with less chance of misunderstanding. Good writers make reading easy.
Revise that article. Then do it again. There is no magic number of revisions, but it's always more than one.
You can write tight. Practice doing it.
I choose the tone I want; I show the same voice throughout the writing.
Beginnings contain only essential information to draw readers to the material.
Wise writers willingly learn from the best.
Learn the craft and learn how publishing works before you try to get a book published.
Become an expert in your field. You can do that by publishing articles on your specialized topic.
If you want to amuse or show imprecise writing, use the progressive tense at least once in every paragraph.
When you write in the passive, you weaken the impact and tend to lose the visual image we yearn to create.
It's not a sin to use the passive voice, but it's a serious misdemeanor when you avoid it because you're afraid of breaking a rule.
State-of-being verbs are useful. That's why they're part of the language.
Make your meaning clear by using simple past, present, and future tenses.
To find the right publisher become the right writer.
Rejections are part of the business of writing, but they're only part of the business.
Here's one thing you can say after you get a rejection: "I did my best."
Here's another thing you can say: "Next time I'll receive an acceptance."
A rejection reflects the work I submitted; it says nothing about me as an individual.
Rejection is an unwanted-but-necessary part of professional writing. If you can't handle rejections, don't submit for publication.
I would rather be disliked for who I am than to be admired for who I'm not.
You don't have any new truth to offer; you can write from an original perspective.
Some poor writers sell many books. That doesn't make them good writers. It means they are inferior writers who know how to sell inferior books.
Slanting is part of the craft we learn. It's more work to slant your writing for a specific publication, but it's a sign of professionalism
Get professional help—that is, get PROFESSIONAL help.
Most professionals write first and edit second.
Professional writers take pride in presenting quality manuscripts; those who don't care remain amateurs.
Professionals don't say to editors, "I know you don't publish this kind of material, but. . . ." Professionals know (or learn) where to send their material.
Writers want editors to consider them professionals. Professional writers prove their commitment by their knowledge of the craft.
The active voice is stronger and professionals remember that as they write.
Your writing may not hit the best-seller lists, but you can make it the best writing you're capable of producing. And if it's your best, that's good enough—for now.
~Words given by Cecil Murphey
Below is a link to his blog.
Labels: Cec Murphey, Cec Murphey mentor, Cec Murphey writer, Cec Murphey writing tips, Cecil Murphey, critique groups, editing, editing group, good writing
