Writing Tip: For starters, read!

If you’re new to writing, read inspirational books on writing to give yourself a jump start. I began with Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. I learned to do a “free write.” Without looking, aim the point of your pen on a newspaper. Take the word it falls on and, without stopping, write on that word for ten minutes. Try it. See what fun it is! See what you learn.

The very first time I tried a free write, my pen landed on a headline: the history of success. I prattled on cheerfully about my life accomplishments, only to end up nine minutes later crying over a disappointment. The “editor” in our heads gets out of the way when we write nonstop, and that frees us to plunge deep into the good stuff!