Becoming great.
As an English teacher I am tasked with helping my students learn how to write better. Whenever I think about that task I think of something Stephen King said in his book On Writing. He said something to the effect that great writers write. You hear often that great writers read, which is true, but we need to be writing. If we aren’t writing then we aren’t really writers.
Think about it. The Beatles are considered a great band. They became great because they played a lot of music. Sure they listened to their fair share of music, but they aren’t great just because they listened to a lot of music. If that were the case most people would be great musicians. They are great because they made a lot of music.
The same is true with chefs. Sure chefs can go around the world and taste a lot of different foods, but if they never spend the time in the kitchen cooking, they will never be great chefs. I have eaten my fair share of good food, but I am no Gordon Ramsey.
If you want to be a great writer, get in the habit of writing. Read, study, and practice the craft. It is the only way to become truly great.
I suggest that you start out small by building a habit of writing. Perhaps you just start out by journaling at the beginning or end of your day for five to ten minutes a day. After a while you can find some time throughout your day to carve out that you set aside for writing. Maybe it is on your lunch break. Maybe when you get home from school or work. Find time to write. Because if you want to be a great writer you need to be practicing writing.
Gary L. Busch 