5 Reasons to Start Writing

Sometimes you want to write, but getting started proves more difficult than you anticipated. One of the ways that I overcome the stagnation is to remind myself of the reasons why I should start writing right then and there. Five reasons to start writing include:

1.       Writing makes you a better writer. Becoming a better writer comes through practice. Choosing to write a few sentences or numerous pages regularly strengthens your writing ability.

2.       Writing helps you remember. Let’s face it, we forget things. Writing allows you to save important memories and recall lost ones.

3.       Writing lets you tell your story. I believe that if you don’t tell your own story, someone else will. Whether for personal healing or to entertain and ignite the imagination of others, Writing allows you to do that.

4.       Writing offers physical and emotional health benefits. Studies show that expressive writing impacts stress levels and improves mood. Writing to process traumatic and emotional events also leads to fewer physical illnesses.

5.       Writing builds your vocabulary. With stronger vocabularies, our communication is sharpened Having a broader vocabulary can also keep your audience interested in your message with appropriate word choice.

There are numerous reasons to start writing. Some are rooted in your ability to get better at your craft such as becoming a better writer and strengthening your vocabulary. Other reasons to write, like helping remember things and telling our stories, are deeply connected to being better versions of ourselves.

The Power of Brain Dumping

When you were learning to write, your teachers probably shared information on how to brainstorm. I know, because I used them when I was a teacher. I had my students draw a cloud in the middle of the paper for the topic and lightning bolts coming from the cloud for possible main ideas. The raindrops represented the additional subtopics and details. Clever right? I thought so too. 😊 But here’s the thing sometimes my students would get so caught up in drawing perfection that they’d miss the mark on their brainstorming. Now don’t get me wrong, I love a great graphic organizer as a writing tool. However, I have found much more freedom and flexibility in “brain dumping”. Maybe you’ve heard of it? Brain dumping is just that, dumping everything that is in your mind onto paper. It doesn’t have to be organized in a specific way. It doesn’t even have to make sense. The only rules – 1) dump it all, and 2) don’t stop until you feel empty (or until the timer goes off)! After you’ve dumped all of your ideas around a topic, you can begin to look for themes and connection points. Use the recurring themes and related content to craft your writing. Don’t trash the unused ideas. They may be fruitful in other efforts.

In short, brain dumping is powerful because:

1)      It is not just for writing. Brain dumping can be used to bring clarity in many areas of life (career, decision making, event planning, etc.).

2)      1 brain dump = many options. Brain dumping often yields inspiration for new efforts and next endeavors.

How have you embraced the power of brain dumping?

4 Places to Build Your Writing Experience

So you want to write more, but don’t know where to start. Or perhaps you want to become a freelancer but don’t have a portfolio. Aside from your personal diary/blog writing, it is important to have experience in other areas. Here are four places to get started building your experience:

1.       Church – Many churches have moved to broadcasts and bulletins. Join the committee to be one of the writers behind the announcements.

2.       Local Magazines and newspapers – Most local publications are fueled by writers’ coverage of local events and happenings. Become a part of the writing community while learning how to target and write for different audiences.

3.       Nonprofits – Nonprofit organizations are sustained on great story telling. Sometimes the cause does not yield the income to hire a writing resource. Volunteer to help one out as part of their communications team.

4.       School – Take a writing course at the local community college. Another school angle is volunteer your writing services to help a teacher build their website or weekly bulletins.

Whatever you choose to write, do not let lack of experience stop you from moving forward. Exploring your options will help you determine what type of writing you are good at, as well as what type of writing you enjoy most. The more you write, the better you will be as a writer.