EDITORIAL

Ways To Skin a Cat

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about writing

I’m happy to receive emails from readers/writers on Medium asking about writing. I would like to acknowledge some of those questions here with the hope that the answers can help others in any way. Answers are suggestions and may vary with individuals. The goal is to work towards discovering your own writer’s path. Happy New Year and a blessed journey of creative construction for everyone. This is part 1.

How do you keep on writing? When it comes to writing stamina, what works for me (and what I typically recommend when I used to teach creative writing) is don’t write to publish daily.

You keep up with the reading every day, make notes where necessary. Bookmark articles that are interesting, highlight excerpts, quotes and do these things consistently but without force.

I disagree that you structure yourself to publish every day till it becomes a chore. Do it because you have something to say that’s worth sharing.

I don’t write as often as I used to, not because I ran out of steam or inspiration, but I’m learning to pace myself. By pacing, I can inject more time for research, to better the piece, and to coordinate which publication to submit to.

How do you take an idea and expand it? Some thoughts are best left to yourself, kept in your journal, or used as a reflection exercise. The mistake people make is they can’t tell the difference. This is where talking to people helps.

Test those thoughts by placing them in conversations. Allow the topic to organically grow from there. Note the points shared that stood out and later review them. Again, not everything shared needs to be written about. Select what has a universal appeal. Later when you craft your essay, dig deeper and expand where necessary.

How do I deal with editors/publications? Study the publication. Ask yourself: Can you see yourself in it? Think of a few story ideas you can write and contribute prior to asking to be a part of it. That way, your piece won’t be a one-hit wonder.

Many writers ask to be accepted but does not submit anything. Why is that? What are you waiting for? What’s stopping you?

If your story fits the bill of a certain publication, be patient. Allow the editors to slot it in and publish accordingly. Many writers are impatient so they publish as and when they want to but an editor can assist to help strengthen the piece and nominate it for boosting.

If your topic can fit into a particular pub, construct it accordingly and submit it to the editor. Don’t write something and only then submit hoping it will stick. Plan ahead. Ask: How would this essay be a good fit?

Sometimes the editor can offer advice on how to take the piece to another level. That’s not a diss or a way of saying the original piece isn’t good, it means they see potential and want to help you reach greater heights.

How often should I publish? Those who push themselves to write and publish every day put themselves at risk for burnout. You’ll get quantity but not quality. It’s better to post less frequently but when you do, you channel the right amount of focused energy and attention to make it a boost-worthy piece.

Consistency is key but that does not spell daily at your mental health expense. If you have time and ideas flow easily, you’re lucky. Celebrate that gift, don’t feel guilty for it just because Sam, Joe and Sally write about how tough it is for them. We’ll get our turn to struggle and triumph at one point or another.

Having said that, if you’re flowing with ideas and can curate them into complete, structured universal stories, go ahead, publish as often as you like. The good thing about Medium is you aren’t restricted but some publications may have a specific timeline when and what they publish.

Should I think of writing to be nominated for a boost each time I write? My answer may not be popular but I’d say yes. If you’re not passionate about writing, you won’t write anything. But since you are writing something, why not ensure you’re putting in the right amount of juice? Develop a value-creation mindset.

What’s my writing approach/ strategy on Medium? Nearing the end of 2023, I decided to pay more attention to beefing up my narrative style. This means I return to the drawing room to relearn and redesign how I want to write a story and for which publication accordingly. The key is to stay fresh, for both the reader and for myself as a writer. It wouldn’t be deemed professional to be going around saying “I write for myself” but you have an audience in tow and expect them to clap for and support you.

I started writing on Medium by slamming whatever that came to mind. That was purposeful for the 6–12 months to get my toes wet. But it’s not feasible long term. For the long haul you need a strategy. Without proper planning of ideation, you risk writing in circles. You end up writing about the same thing. New readers may not see this but your regulars will.

Now that I’ve got traction and regular readers, I want to increase the value of what I put out there. This doubles as a token of appreciation for their time reading me. If you’re in it for the long haul, to be taken seriously as a reputable writer, you’ll want to start thinking about polishing your writer’s persona: how do you want to be discussed or perceived as a writer? How can you better the engagement channels with your readers?

I can already see the pattern, understand my readers, and see what they enjoy from what I deliver after 1.5 years, assessing every quarter. One of them is consultation via email. Turns out I enjoy that as much as writing. That’s probably because my love language is act of service (and was formerly a teacher). On my end, it’s about raising the bar. Your enemy is complacency. Effective writing is 20 percent inspiration, 80 percent backend work. For me, at least.

Should I cater to what my regular readers are used to? You don’t write to please your readers, but you write to meet them halfway with what you know would keep them engaged and intrigued. You’re the writer, you’re in charge, you’re driving the vehicle.

Keep to your lane based on what you know best but gradually learn to diversify your narrative style, vocabulary range, and genre. This is to showcase creative dexterity and to formulate growth. What’s your aim as a writer on the platform? For me it’s to be multifaceted. That’s how I gauge success. It’s not the claps or the scoreboard, it’s the intellectual value in each topic I discuss and seeing the type and quality of readers that end up staying with me, not the total follower count. Explore story ideas and publications that aren’t easy to write for. Incrementally raise your own standards.

Remind yourself, there’s no harm in wanting to be better. Your regular readers will appreciate that, and perhaps be inspired. Again, this is solely based on my approach as a writer evolving over three decades plus, not the formula for everyone.

What are the questions to ask yourself as you write? Why would the reader care about this topic? Where am I going with this? Where am I taking the reader? How do I want to begin and end this piece? Would this piece be relevant in 3–6–9 months’ time? What’s the universal message in this piece?

How do I deal with obnoxious comments? Instead of thinking of a comeback or blocking the person, remind yourself: Where would I be going with this? Is this worth the energy and mental space?

You don’t have to deal with anything you don’t want to. Ignoring and walking away is a class act.

What’s a common pet peeve about submission? Weak image selection. Dig deeper into your resources like Unsplash and find something that is edgy, uncommon and hasn’t been used to death. It should never be the first 10 images that pop up on your search. Try 20 and above.

Should I be worried about Artificial Intelligence writing solutions like ChatGPT? There are more serious concerns for a writer to focus on, such as how to write a compelling introduction and nail a good ending. Robots have limitations, solid writers don’t. So, no you shouldn’t be.

Part 2 will discuss more questions, and the writers on Medium I’ve observed who have progressed over time with good results.

If you have any questions regarding writing and publication, feel free to email me at [email protected] *Unless specified, do note that your questions will be shared. Cheers.