Writing is something that takes time to learn. It takes a lot of practice and even after years of perfecting your writing, you must continue to improve. My mother always told me that the best way to become a good writer is to first become a good reader. "Read everything and anything good you can get your hands on", she told me growing up and even now, "The more you are exposed to good writing the better you will become." At first, I did not take this with a grain of salt and read books that were more entertaining than good writing. It wasn't until college when I truly realized if I wanted to be a great writer, and not just a good writer, my catalog of books need to change.
I went to a small liberal arts college (Coker College) in rural South Carolina. This was the best thing I could have done to be surrounded by great minds and an even greater education. I had excellent English professors who pushed my reading and writing to be what it is now. A lot of writing comes with criticism, this I got plenty of being in a small learning environment. I remember going into one of my professors office as a desperate junior wanting to become a better writer. She recommended to me the same advice my mother gave me years before, but gave me a list of books to read in order to become a better writer. This list included: Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird, Stanley Fish's How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One , and various classic works from Austen to Hardy. I tackled reading these in preparation for an independent study I would be taking with her in the spring of my senior year.
Taking this advice to read these works were some of the first steps I took in order to improve my writing style. Learning how to edit was the next skill that I developed during this independent study. Being able to edit another's writing helps improves one's own writing. It gives you an insight of what to look out for in your own writing. If you can efficiently edit someone else's work, your own will benefit when you edit it.
These are some of the tips I give to young people, especially young black women, who may have to try harder in order to achieve their dreams. I am still currently working on my writing, and hope to one day make a living off of it. Until then, I want to write for the the love of writing. In my time I may not write the next great novel; but I want to make change happen with my words. With my words I want to speak the truth. To all the young writers keep writing, keep developing your writing, and do not let anyone tell you, you can't do something. Through words of truth we can move mountains and create writing that changes lives and hopefully the world.
