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<\/a>This is the start of my newest piece for Darling Magazine<\/a>. Read the article here<\/a>!\nImage via Madison Holmlund<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
For those of us who feel the tug toward words and books, toward verse and ink on the page,\u00a0writing may feel like second nature, like a gift.<\/strong> For many of us, it even feels like a lifeline\u2014a\u00a0way to uncoil our thoughts, understand our existence and connect to our truest selves.<\/p>\n But after our years of school end, how do we continue to grow as writers? How do we invest in\u00a0this passion? Is it even worth it? If we aren\u2019t going to write a best-seller or even make money\u00a0writing, can we justify giving the craft more time and expense?<\/p>\n Yes. In fact, I believe that we must invest in what brings us fully alive, even\u2014and especially\u2014if\u00a0it isn\u2019t \u201cprofitable\u201d from the world\u2019s perspective.<\/strong> Instead, we must ask ourselves if our souls will\u00a0prosper from time spent clacking at the keyboard and penning words into journals. If so? Then\u00a0we have our answer.<\/p>\nWe must invest in what brings us fully alive. <\/a><\/span>Share on X<\/a><\/span>\n Here are four ways to invest in our desire to grow as writers\u2014as women who live fully alive in\u00a0our gifts and callings:<\/em><\/p>\n Most of us won\u2019t have time to drive across town to take a traditional\u00a0college or graduate writing class, but there are other choices are available. Online writing\u00a0courses, communities and cohorts are wonderful options for writers who need to fit their love\u00a0for words in the margin of their lives. For example, I teach a live, online writing course<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n The best way to become a better writer? Write! It\u00a0seems simple, but it can be difficult to actually sit down on a regular basis and write for ten or\u00a0twenty minutes, especially if you don\u2019t know what to focus on. In order to stretch your writing\u00a0muscles, aim to respond to three or four prompts a week. You can time yourself\u2014say, five or ten\u00a0minutes per response\u2014and write in whatever direction the prompt takes you. My guess? You\u2019ll\u00a0probably be surprised where your words lead! Pick up a book likethis<\/a> or head to this website<\/a> for\u00a0a dose of regular writing prompts.<\/em><\/p>\n1. Take a writing class.<\/h4>\n
2. Respond to consistent writing prompts.<\/h4>\n