We love sharing the best of the web’s writing advice on this blog, but we also believe that every writer should find their own way and their own voice, creating stories that matter to them. In a post on Writer Unboxed, writing coach Kathy Schultz offers her suggestions of ways you can wean yourself off following the advice of others and becoming your own best coach.
Schultz says you should start by naming your problem. “When we start to apply thinking to language and apply reflection exercises to our own creativity, we can more expediently discern what to do next on the page, and why,” Schultz explains. “Rather than messing with the muse, we work with what it gives us (knowing our handicaps) and thrive on revising with real stakes and authenticity.”
When Schultz confronts a challenge in her writing, she first considers the decisions that got her to that point and begins to question them. Could she have made a better choice somewhere that would have lead her story to a different point? If she finds one, she incorporates that pivot in her writing to see how it goes. If she doesn’t, she keeps writing, trusting that she has the creativity and tools to address the problem later. For Schultz, this approach creates confidence and momentum.
