Getting Serious About Writing

The Past:

I've been working towards becoming a person that can say they're a writer without laughing for about six years now; I've read a lot of craft books and worked on my own writing projects during that time, with mixed success. There has been a lot of frustration to go along with my efforts, to date.

I periodically cruise the internet and look at MFA programs and online writing classes. I miss the structured learning that schools provide. I already have an MBA and can't justify the expense of going back so I figured I could get the same information by reading how-to books and JUST WRITING. That's what they all say, right? Just write! Unfortunately, I would reference the first five years of my journey as proof that alone doesn't work for everyone.

I'll give you an analogy: when you're learning how to hit a baseball, you just have to get up there and swing the bat; eventually you start making contact and it's uphill from there. It's very linear. That's how writing looks like it should work to most people. You sit down and start writing garbage and eventually the garbage becomes piles of silver and gold. For me though, the garbage became polished turds. There was improvement, but I wasn't creating anything I or anyone else would want to read. I also had issues finishing, because on some level I recognized that they were polished turds and what's the point in continuing?

Well, the point is to write something that you're proud of and that others want to read...which brings me to 2025. As we near the end of the year I realize that I've made huge strides with my writing. This has been the best year of writing that I've ever done. Period.

So what happened?

For starters, my writing group happened. I believe I joined Scribble Society in or before February 2025 and the accountability and structure it brought to my efforts has led to so many other improvements. I'm not going to rehash the writing group thing other than to say if you don't have one, try getting one. It's caused me to "buckle down" and get more serious about my efforts, which has helped my writing to improve.

Another thing that's helped me get to this point is choosing to write more intentionally. For example: a few months ago I wrote a couple of songs. One I wrote the chords first, then the words. The other one I wrote the words first, then the music. All of that was an exercise to find out what works for me. It was intentional. That brings us to...

The Present:

I would say that right now, after almost a year of working more intentionally and consistently, and with the encouragement of my fellow Scribblers, I've finally achieved Level 1.

What's Level 1, you ask?!? It's an arbitrary writer's scale I made up*, but I think it fits my own needs well:

• Level 0 - Novice. Can convey narratives through writing but they generally don't pay off or they fall flat. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes are prevalent. Projects are seldom finished or are not finished on time. Writer's expectations aren't realistic. Me prior to Scribble Society.
• Level 1 - Amateur writer. Can convey narratives that pay off simply or occasionally surprise readers. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes are lessened. More projects are finished. Writer's expectations are more in line with reality.
• Level 2 - Intermediate writer. Narratives are solidly built. Grammar, spelling, and punctuation mistakes are rare. Some areas of craft may need work, i.e., dialogue, exposition, etc. All projects are finished or intentionally dropped. Writer understands what's necessary to write.
• Level 3 - Amateur author. The writer has won a competition or otherwise had something published in a magazine, website, collection, etc. All areas of craft continue to improve.
• Level 4 - Intermediate author. The writer consistently puts out good work and places or shows in a few competitions a year. Writer's voice has matured.
• Level 5 - Author. The writer has completed a novel-length manuscript, book of short stories or poems, or screenplay that others (preferably strangers) genuinely enjoyed reading.
• Level 6 - Published author. The writer has an agent and a traditional publishing deal.
• Level 7 - Professional author. The writer's trade income is enough to entirely support their needs.

I started the scale with Level 0 because I don't think you start producing meaningful work until you get to the level of proficiency that's listed in Level 1. That sounds harsh but it kind of makes sense, too. I think I'm Level 1 because I've seen my writing improve steadily over the previous year and I've been finishing things that I wouldn't have prior to that time.

*Please don't get upset about all the stuff I left out. It's my system; live with it.

I am now at a point where I can recognize the fruits of my effort. I am finishing more stories. My prose is improving. I am learning more about grammar and craft. I am entering competitions. The other day I told someone I was a writer with a straight face. That felt weird, but also true.

Unfortunately this is also the point where I know enough to feel like I don't know anything. I'm apparently just getting started but that's okay because I know where I want to be...

The Future:

I want to be Level 7.

So how do I get there? By getting serious about writing. This whole time I thought I was, but I didn't know enough to know I wasn't.

I'm still reading craft books and I don't think I'm going to stop, maybe ever. They put you in a frame of mind that is conducive to writing. My current read is The Productive Writer, by Sage Cohen. There are a lot of recommendations in it that I've implemented that make me feel more productive. I don't know yet if I am but I'm certainly more organized, which should allow me to make the determination at some point at least.

I've started doing or tracking the following things because of Sage's book:

• I started this blog to share my writing and my thoughts about the process.
• I started a daily writing journal to keep a log of what I work on each day.
• I started a writing goals document to define my short- and long-term writing goals.
• I created a word-count spreadsheet to track my daily output.
• I carved out a 3-hour block in the morning (5 AM!) to dedicate to writing.
• I started using a desktop wiki to house my notes and outlines for stories.
• I started using an app to organize my books.
• I'm keeping my writing space physically organized and cleaner.
• I'm focusing more on the HOW of writing.
• I say NO a lot more to things that aren't writing.

This last year I also eliminated things from my life that were interfering with writing. I walked away from a heavy-duty volunteer position. I have given up hobbies that were satisfying, but not as satisfying as writing. Bye-bye sewing, drawing, and building guitars, pedals, and amps. That stuff was all good but took up emotional or mental space or you know, just time, that could be dedicated to writing. I've eliminated a lot of clutter that constantly pulls my focus away from what I want my life to be about. I'm always on the lookout for more things I can eliminate.

I think I have a good set of habits now that'll make it easier to keep leveling up my writing.

I'm looking forward to 2026. If I'm not full of bologna, my writing should get better every year, and if you've read this far, I hope yours does too.