Do you call yourself a writer? Do you want to claim that title?
There’s only one thing required for you to do so: write. It’s harder than it sounds. I’m not talking about being a good writer or a great writer. I’m not talking about publishing or making money. I’m just talking about doing the work of writing.
Writers write. It’s that simple.
And yet it is exceedingly difficult to do. The habit of writing comes hard. And it’s easy to lose. Write every damn day or the next day it’s harder to do. Wait a week, a month, a year, and it’s next to impossible to start up again.
I’ve tried to help writers and those who want to write and write better with my weekly Writing Assignments, but I’ve been feeling for some time that there’s more to be done. A lot of people tell me, “I want to be a writer, but I just can’t get the words out,” or “I can’t find the time,” or “I have nothing good to write about.” I don’t care. If you want to be a writer, write.
I’ve found that students can and do write, when required. Journalists write to meet deadlines. Business writers like me churn out the words by the thousands. Sometimes, often, what it takes to write is a little motivation.
That’s why I’m launching The Writer’s Whip.
The Writer’s Whip is an email subscription newsletter. I’ll send regular messages that will help to motivate, provoke, stimulate, and keep your task of writing in the forefront of your thinking.
This newsletter isn’t for everyone. It’s only for writers and those who aspire to the title. If you write easily and well you don’t need The Whip. But if you struggle with writing, if you are dissatisfied with your ability to write, then you might benefit from The Whip.
My plan, as I launch The Writer’s Whip, is to deliver one full newsletter each month and lots of “tickles,” more frequent messages designed to help you to remember to get down to the business of writing.
I will not provide excuses, mercy, or sympathy. My job with The Writer’s Whip is to move you to write. The Whip does not punish. Borrowing yet again from Naval terms from the Age of Fighting Sail, The Whip will be used to “Start” you. And I promise to never leave a mark.
I’m keeping the cost of this newsletter low, just five U.S. Dollars ($5) a month. Try it for a month and if it’s not for you, simply cancel it. And if you know someone who is struggling with their writing, please introduce them to The Whip or give them a subscription!
Please subscribe to The Writer’s Whip today!
I’m using the new Happy Letter service to drive The Writer’s Whip. Thanks to Andy Parkinson for putting it together and to Patrick Rhone for inspiring Andy to do the work! Mr. Rhone is a bit of a gentle whip himself.
The The Writer’s Whip—A Newsletter For Writers by Randy Murray, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.