[TWR] Do you have GAS? (No, not petrol.)

Welcome to The Writing Rundown, a weekly newsletter that offers advice, short essays, and reading suggestions to help driven writers improve their writing craft. It's nice to see you here! If someone forwarded you this email because they love your writing, you can subscribe here.

Estimated Reading Time: 6 minutes

“If people knew how hard I had to work to gain my mastery, it would not seem so wonderful at all.” ― Michelangelo Buonarroti

Elisa’s Thought for the Week

Once upon a time, I had an author come to CYC for help with their book.

They wanted to not only get editing help, but improve their writing craft.

They hoped that if they could establish themselves as a "serious writer" that they might be able to step away from their previous life as a SaaS-baron, and enter the palace of thought leadership.

Once we got through a couple back-and-forth rounds of edits, they came to be with an odd request.

But it's a request we get far more often than one would expect.

"Could I just pay you to do [the revisions] for me?"

Now if I were a smarter business person, I would just append a PITA-fee and call it a day.

But here's the thing when we sign people on to work with us: We want to help you become a better writer.

A master writer, if you will.

Yet there's one thing that will always keep that from happening.

We can't help you if you won't help yourself.

Like so many things in life, finding shortcuts and delegating the hard stuff doesn't make you brilliant (well, it does if you want to be known for how you find shortcuts and can delegate the hard stuff.)

If you want to grow as a writer, then you need to do the work to grow as a writer.

Mastery is rarely something that drops from the clouds. Instead, it is something you must study, practice, struggle with, and ultimately work your way through.

So the question is: How are you going to help yourself to improve as a writer?

In Other Reading This Week …

Need more insights and inspiration for your writing and mindset?

• While AI content writers are becoming a thing, I don't think they will replace human content writers anytime soon. Find out why in this article by writer Sandi Parsons who shares her experience using an AI content writer for creative writing.
• As writers, we sometimes run out of ideas hence making this craft seem like a very challenging task. However, did you know that you could make writing more fun by exploring other ideas and topics – like writing a story about your favorite childhood video game? Find out how in this creative piece by humorist Simon Rich who writes about Mario – the classic video game character. Maybe this is just what you need today to get some creative juices flowing.
• Who do you think you are writing for? In our fast-paced world, most writers often find themselves with a lot of competing demands on their time. However, people will always have expectations, and not everyone will enjoy reading your content. In this article, writer Paul Millerd explains why writers should focus on only having a few true fans who enjoy reading their content instead of trying too hard to appeal to a larger audience.
• What’s better than cuddling up with a good book before bedtime? Did you know that the right book can help you ease into sleep? In this article, WriterJulia Guerra shares how you can choose a bedtime read that will help you drift off!​
• How often do you sit down to start writing, and your mind goes blank? You’ve got a great idea for an article, but you just don’t know where to start. In this article, Author Anica Mrose Rissi shares some useful tips on how writers can clear their brains of distractions and focus on their writing. ​

Weekly Writing Tip …

A quick chance to learn from the masters.

“Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it.” ― Madeleine L'Engle, The Summer of the Great-Grandmother

Untranslatable …

Exquisite words from other languages.

Meraki [may-rah-kee] (v.) From the Greek μεράκι, to do something with soul, creativity, or love; to put yourself into something. Sorta synonyms: passionate, soulful, ardent, zealous, uninhibited

For the Upcoming Week …

Because we all need a good chuckle to start things off right!

Anyone doing anything fun this weekend?

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Till next time!

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