If it is true that there are as many minds as there are heads,

then there are as many kinds of love as there are hearts.   

― Leo Tolstoy, Anna Karenina

To be utterly unique is a highly valued commodity in the United States. We Americans cut our teeth on an unstated cultural law of the land. This is the one about having success equalling a completely unique angle for making one’s mark. Inventor Steve Jobs might be the most shining example in recent memory. He forged unknown territory in the world of technology and business. To say he metaphorically climbed yet-unscaled mountains would be an understatement. He also made a lot of money doing what he did, the ultimate signpost of personal success in America. And all of this flowed from the singular personality that was Steve. A degree from a prestigious university gets none of the credit, since Mr. Jobs attended college but one short semester.

This is all good. Steve is good. Business is good. But we’re on a website devoted to writing and editing words, so let’s talk about writing, and the writer’s unique voice. The question ought not be whether it’s possible to have a unique voice as a writer, but to realize that it’s impossible not to have one. You and me writing just like famous author X or Y is about as probable as any two human fingerprints being exactly alike. And thank God it’s that way.

I just finished Cormac McCarthy’s All the Pretty Horses. Now there’s a genius of the literary novel if I ever encountered one. And he gets away with breaking certain rules that normally govern syntax and punctuation, something some writers get away with and make it enhance their work. In McCarthy’s case, it’s all about loooong sentences, happily crammed with clauses all hung together line after line with audacious repetitions of the conjunction and, enough to give an old-fashioned English marm a real fright. Oh, and forget the quotation marks. McCarthy’s one of those guys who couldn’t be bothered. It’s amazing the way the lack of these familiar little curly-cues that corral the scope of dialogue open up the author’s prose in this novel, something like the arid and terrifyingly beautiful desert landscapes of south Texas and Mexico that backdrop this tragic story.

How does a writer develop a unique voice? By letting go and writing without self-condemnation. By knowing the balance between innovation and convention, and by getting plenty of critique from people you trust. Most of all, by trusting your own instincts. If you doubt your ability to write fresh, press your thumb into an inkpad and transfer it to a sticky note to put up on your computer. You may not be Steve Jobs, but you have something to contribute with your words no other human being in history can. That’s beyond cliche. It’s simply a matter of DNA.

Earlier in this quickly waning summer, I sat in a fiction writers workshop for six days at St. John’s College in Santa Fe. Under the tutelage of our instructor, novelist Bret Lott, fifteen of us hashed out the nitty-gritty of each other’s manuscripts, struggling with exactly how to translate the stardust of a writer’s literary imagination into clear, powerful short stories and novels that enrich other people’s lives, that bless them in style—without platitude, formula, or quick fixes to hard human problems, and through believable characters who are neither entirely all bad or all good. This surely is the best fiction, happily rife with the inconsistencies of character and circumstance that make up the human condition, and the redemption that is possible within it.

I was struck especially with something Bret wove into our discussion throughout the week: “Think of your reader as someone a little smarter than yourself.” He was speaking of course of humility, that essential element in a writer’s character without which fiction, or any other genre of writing, lacks an authentic ring. But that wasn’t all: “There is no guarantee that what you have written will be right.” A story, and the characters that make up that story, must be run through the filter of a writer’s own self-awareness and point of view limitations throughout the writing process. Authors of superior stories are people whose precious selves don’t scream from every page. Only the characters show. Like life itself.

This need for humility isn’t just for the fiction writer; it applies to every aspect of life and every genre and style of writing. In past blogs I’ve harped on the prevalent overuse of business jargon, and I’ll say it again: Use the simplest, most straightforward, and inclusive word possible when writing something, from a business proposal to a detective story. This doesn’t mean throwing out essential technical terms, or a fancy word that happens to express perfectly what you need to say.

May we all write well, with humility, care, and wisdom, no matter how grand or small the project. Our readers will feel it in every sentence, and be blessed.

George Bernard Shaw wrote in a sophisticated ‘writer’s hut’ in Hertfordshire. Dylan Thomas wrote in a boathouse at Laugharne.  Henry David Thoreau retreated to a shack in the woods, furnished with only a table, a desk, a bed, and three chairs.

It can be a challenge to find the perfect writing space. For years, I wrote at my desktop computer, located in the corner of the kitchen.  It is a bright, sunny corner with large windows; an ideal place to write but with many distractions as well.  It was impractical to banish the family from this important room in the house – they wanted to eat and drink.  Though they made attempts to be quiet, my attention wandered each time the refrigerator door would open.  I found myself writing late at night, when my mind and body would be weary.  Fatigue is also a great distraction and I struggled to stay awake, alert, and creative.

When I bought my laptop computer, my world became more mobile.  I wrote in coffee shops, restaurants, and on park benches.  I could write in interesting places and unique spaces.  I found a lot of inspiration in all these locations but my attention was fractured; I still had too many distractions.

I currently have found the perfect space for writing.  I write best early in the morning, on a folding wooden tray in my living room.  I have plenty of natural light from the picture window facing east.  A large ash tree diffuses the sunlight; the dance between light and shadow adds a cozy feeling to the room.  The folding table is small so I don’t have room for clutter around my laptop.  I place any research materials and a cup of coffee on a nearby coffee table.  I find that I am most comfortable and productive in this location.  Here are a few tips to save you time in finding your perfect writing space.

Avoid distractions.

When you have to knuckle-down and produce content, it can be helpful to limit distractions.  When I am writing on a deadline, I am more proficient when I focus my attention solely on my writing.  Additionally, distractions are a hallmark of writer’s block.  By limiting distractions, you limit your ability to use them as an excuse from writing.

Find a comfortable yet safe place.

Since I am now a woman-of-a-certain-age, writing in a hot, humid space limits my creativity.  Some people love the heat and cannot function when they are too cold.  Whatever your needs may be, you should feel comfortable, relaxed, and secure. I have friends that have tried to write in edgy settings to capture the ‘mood’ or ‘feel’ of the location.  The outcome was great research but the inability to complete content.  If you are worried about your safety, this causes distraction.

Think ‘outside the box’ to create the perfect space.

My living room initially was not my ideal writing space.  Though the lighting was perfect and the comfort level for this room was high, I didn’t have a decent place to set my laptop.  I found that my coffee table was too low and my sofa table was too high to write comfortably.  My solution was to use the small folding table.  I can throw my laptop in the case and quickly fold up the table if I have visitors.  Some may refer to these tables as TV trays.  For me, this small table was the solution.

If you can’t create the space, you need to find it elsewhere.

If you are unable to create a comfortable setting where you reside, you may need to travel to another location.  There are options to rent writer’s rooms in several metropolitan areas.  Many public libraries have conference rooms available, free of charge.  Most of these libraries do require advanced reservations. Additionally, many writers choose to go on writer’s retreats to find a comfortable setting.

Whether it is in your home or at another location, if you are inspired to write, you will undoubtedly seek the best location to create.

Laura L. Roberts, Guest Blogger

It’s not so different from falling in love, this fierce, all-consuming dream to write a book. An idea that seems magical ignites your passion, and begs to be brought to published form. So write the book! And whether you plan on querying traditional publishers, or to enter the still-newish world of self-publishing, don’t forget that first heady, creative urge that sent you head over heels in the first place.

I look back on the process of writing two traditionally-published creative nonfiction books and see a lot of my ability to produce work I was proud of had to do with perspective. These were the things that kept the fires stoked for me right to the end:

Born for this

The world is full of books, and yours can be better than many of them. Some authors and editors caution neophytes to first make sure an idea will sell in the highly competitive book market. There’s practical wisdom there, yet just as many successful authors advise new writers to work out of their instincts and passions, out of what they firmly believe they were meant to write. Highly original children’s author Dr. Seuss’s first manuscript was rejected twenty-seven times before Vanguard Press published it. Despite the rejections, he didn’t give in to the temptation to modify his originality to fit into the current children’s book market.

Beauty and the eye of the beholder

You live in the glow of your ideas and process, but don’t count on other people to bow down in your presence because you’re writing a book. The journey is lonely: you, huddled in the glow of a computer screen every morning at 4 a.m. before work. No matter the subject of your work, you’ll discover that the real subject is you; your growth as a person, and about your endurance against the odds.

“Action expresses priorities”

This quote by Gandhi sums up one of the toughest aspects of serious writing– the discipline to say no to a lot of other things. This one thing I do is the mantra of every focused writer. Non-essentials must go, but there’s a bonus: your top priorities and relationships will be stronger as you weed out the fluff.

Write ’till you drop, but know when to stop

The law of diminishing returns applies to your book as it does to the rest of the universe. All input has a threshold, beyond which you are wasting your time. Write, rewrite, and keep your sword arm free to battle the dragon of self-doubt. When they finally carry you out feet first, get up and hire a savvy, constructive writer or editor to tear your manuscript apart. Then bravely start rewriting again. Eventually your writer’s instinct will tell you it’s enough. Obey it.

Remember, you’re still in love

Now is the time to send out stellar queries that brim with excitement, or decide to self-publish. The subject of my first book was the humorous side of the season of Lent, written for a niche audience. I wanted the confidence of being connected to a reputable publisher, not hassle with self-publishing. I’d read a novel by a man who was also a publisher, and my gut told me he’d like my manuscript. With persistence and good instincts, you will find a home for your manuscript. Seeing your name on that cover will send you head over heels with your idea all over again.

Jean Hoefling, J & J Copywriters

Poetry can be a great tool to inspire the creative process, whether for business or personal writing.  The freedom of poetry, without the confines of traditional writing architecture, can allow a writer to explore new ways of  expressing ideas and concepts.  Below is a sample of how I have used poetry to help with my blogging process.  

The blank page
White, virginal, pure as snow
Waiting for words
to decorate its surface
Sterile, unrelenting, intimidating
The absence of words
creates a void, an emptiness

The writer thinks, ponders, reflects
So many topics to explore
Pick one, just one, and move forward
Create an outline, a blueprint to progress
to avoid off-topic ramblings
and disjointed musings
of a mad writer

So begins the process of
writing a blog
To educate, to motivate
To challenge, to inspire
The platform for the writer
to communicate
To honor the written word

The final steps
The difficult labor pains
Review the grammar
Check the coherency and flow
To edit, revise, amend
To rewrite, rework, and improve
Final draft, completion

Laura L. Roberts, Guest Blogger