A Formula for Writing Success
A cardinal rule for success in the business world is "Find a need and fill it." The same is true in the writing world . To succeed in your writing, you must find a need and fill it.
How do you find a need to fill? Very easily. Listen. Observe. Question.
LISTEN. If you pay attention to people, you will hear them express their needs. When you hear the same need over and over again, prick your ears. You are hearing an article or story idea. You are listening to a need to fill.
OBSERVE. Watch what is going on around you. Do you see mistakes being repeated? Lies being perpetuated? Wrongs being multiplied? If so, you may have observed a niche to fill.
QUESTION. Nearly every day, we have opportunities to talk with people. Ask them what challenges they are facing. Find out what is bothering them. Request their opinions on issues. If you question, you will discover a need to fill.
Needs are all around us. As Christian writers, we have the privilege of addressing those needs from a Biblical perspective.
If you're having trouble thinking of something to write about, LISTEN, OBSERVE, and QUESTION. Then address that need in an article, story, poem, essay, or op-ed piece. If you LISTEN, OBSERVE, and QUESTION often enough, and then WRITE about what you discover, you will be a successful--and influential--writer.
And that's my "musing that matters" for today. What's yours? :-)
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Copyright 2007 by MaryAnn Diorio, Ph.D. All rights reserved. This blog entry may NOT be reproduced, reprinted, or published in any form whatsoever without the written permission of Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. You may, however, forward it to others, but please do so IN ITS ENTIRETY. Thank you for your cooperation.
Comments
It's funny, but I use the same approach when choosing gifts for family and friends. I often hear, how did you know to get that for me? It's perfect!
We really do need to pay attention . . . to what's going on around us and to the Holy Spirit.
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This is a very innovative approach, MaryAnn, and something that is worth investigating. Your suggestion is amazing; currently the country is expressing shock and/or desentization over violence and depression about economics. We are all certainly challenged this year, and yes, we need uplifting, Biblical ideas to carry out a mission of love that begins with God.