The note came a few days ago.  I haven’t answered it yet.  I’m not quite certain I was really the intended recipient.

Oh—okay.  It was written to me.  Addressed to me.  Delivered to me.

The kind lady who wrote it clearly knows the basics about me.  Mostly, that I write things once in a while.  And, that a few folks seem to enjoy reading my little articles.

She wondered if I would mind sharing a few pointers to help some folks who participate in a group endeavor to improve their writing skills.

I’m stumped.

I want to share my wisdom with my friend and her group.  I do.  It’s simply that I don’t know of any I have to spare.

I talked about it with another friend, who is a professor at the local university.  She teaches young folks to write better and is a very good author in her own right.

For some reason, my professor friend thinks I know how to write, too.  She gave me an idea or two about helpful hints.  And, she told me (again) that I’m a good writer and would know how to share that elusive wisdom I’m not sure I can spare.

Perhaps I can clarify this a bit.  I don’t need anyone to think I’m fishing for compliments.  I certainly don’t want a comment section filled with back-patting encouragement intended to reassure me. 

But I have a problem.  I’m not the only one with this problem. 

I don’t think I belong here.  I haven’t paid my dues.  There aren’t any creative writing classes in my resumé.  None. 

I’ve never had a manuscript rejected.  I’ve been led to understand I have to have manuscripts rejected to know what it’s like to be a writer.  I’ve never had one rejected because I’ve never submitted any to be accepted.

I’m an interloper.  A fake.  An imposter.

Or not.  It’s not always easy to tell.

I have a drive to share the lessons God is teaching me.  I have the tools—computer, vocabulary (and a thesaurus, when that fails me), editor (the Lovely Lady, most days), and an imagination/creative ability.

I’ve trusted my Creator for those things.  I can trust Him for anything else necessary.

So, I’ve been thinking.  If my friend and her group members are willing to consider the things I believe work in my writing, I’m certainly willing to share them.

Others may want to sneak a look at my secrets, too.

Even if you, too, wonder if I’m qualified at all.  And perhaps, even a complete imposter.

So, here goes:

• Write about what you know.  Or are learning right now.  (Most of what I write falls into the latter category.)
• As much as possible, write on subjects you are passionate about.  Many don’t, and their readers know it.
• If you don’t have a reason for the words you’re writing when you begin, you should certainly acquire one before you finish.  Many of my essays have been started with just the barest of concepts (like a snippet of a real-life story).  Sometimes, nothing significant develops.  When this happens, I put the rough draft on the shelf and let it simmer for a while. Don’t publish something simply because you’ve worked hard on it.
•  Leave room for your readers to digest the words you’ve put on the page.  I do this with short paragraphs (often, of only one sentence), sentence fragments where appropriate, and quotes from other sources.  Leave plenty of white space on each page.  In art, this is called negative space, and is more necessity than preference if you want to keep your readers engaged.
• Be creative. Break rules when you need to (but only if you can still communicate clearly to your target group). 
• Excellence is essential.  The suggestion directly above gives no excuse for poor grammar, wrong spellings, and misplaced punctuation.  Use an editor, read every article aloud, and re-read it two or three times before you click the publish button. I have a competent editor in the Lovely Lady who lives with me, but you’ll need to find your own. I have also installed a good online editor on all the devices I use.  Grammarly is free in its basic form and has more comprehensive levels available for the cost of a subscription.
• Know your target audience.  Write for them, but don’t be so worried about what they think of your writing that you hold back on your content.  As a follower of Christ, I often think of the instruction to seek to please God and not men.

That’s my list for now.  I know there is more to be said, but those basics should give enough to chew on.  I hope they’ll be helpful, even knowing they come from an interloper.

I’m still becoming. 

Perhaps, we all are.

 

 

“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”  (Albert Einstein)

“And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.”  (Philippians 1:6, NLT)

 

© Paul Phillips. He’s Taken Leave. 2025. All Rights Reserved.