The 4 levels of learning how to write

You can learn how to write, and then you can learn how to create a writing practice, and then you can learn how write a book. And if you want (this is optional), you can learn to be a writer. What does this mean for you?

Ask yourself what’s keeping you stuck right now.

Let’s say you want to write a book. There are things you want to put into words and you wish you knew how to make them beautiful, or funny, or thrilling. But you don’t know how to write creatively.

Or maybe you do know how to write! You’ve taken plenty o’ workshops. Maybe you even got your MFA. You just…don’t do it. You procrastinate. You make time for other things. You know that “writers write”, but you aren’t writing.

What if there’s something else that’s blocking you? You know how to write. You write every day. And yet. Your sister was the writer in your family. Or your high school English teacher told you that you were a bad writer. Whatever the reason, you just don’t believe it’s possible for you to write a book.

If that’s not keeping you stuck, it might be this: You are working on your book. You believe it’s possible for you to maybe write it. The only thing is, you don’t identify as a real writer.

These are 4 different levels of learning the same thing.

So if you’re not moving forward, check what kind of message your doubt is giving you. Here’s how each level sounds when it’s stuck, and what it’s telling you to change:

• Level 1: I don’t know how to write this. (Your capability)
• Level 2: I didn’t write today. (Your behaviour)
• Level 3: I don’t believe I can finish this. (Your belief)
• Level 4: I’m not a real writer. (Your identity)
• (Note – Level 5 becomes more spiritual, and you move into it by writing for reasons beyond self-actualization, to connect to something bigger or more important than yourself.)

Okay, so if you find yourself stuck in one of these levels, you’re in good company! What to do about it?

Find your level, and make a move into the next one.

Spinning your wheels in the stuckness won’t get you moving. You just have to do something new!

Examples of proof that you’re moving up a level:

• Your capability changes:
  You learn how to write a great scene, believable characters, and sparkly dialogue. (All of these writing techniques are learnable, by the way.)
  
  
• Your behaviour changes:
  You learn how to create a sustainable writing practice. You make time for your writing, and you use your techniques every day.
  
  
• Your belief changes:
  You believe it’s possible that you can finish writing your first draft. You set a deadline, and you believe you will meet it.
  
  
• Your identity changes:
  When someone asks you what you do, you say, “I am a writer.” And you know it is true.

What level are you in?

“I know how to write.”
“I wrote something today.”
“I believe I can write this book.”
“I am a writer.”

xo,

If you’re ready to move up a level, take the Story Course.

NEW! I’m also offering the Guided Program for the first time this October. This is a great way for you to move through the Story Course week by week, with a cohort of writers doing the same, for 8 weeks.

Take the Story Course or the Guided Program to change your capability, your behaviour, your belief, or your identity.

Learn more and sign up here.

Photo by By Pils on Unsplash