Home
>
Writing
>
Writing the KAIZEN Way

Writing the KAIZEN Way

Over the past eight years or so, I have tutored thousands of writing students. They come in all flavours: retirees who at last have time to satisfy a dream; young mothers who want a job they can do at home; bored workers who feel their creativity is being stifled by their existing careers.

Most of them start out with great enthusiasm and high expectations. Some are naturally talented and sail through the course; I know beyond doubt that if they just stick with it they will get published eventually. Others are surprised by how hard it is to actually sit down and write, day after day. They had thought writing a book would be easy - just a few pages a day. The reality is a shock. Quite a number give up after only a few assignments, and look for hobby that's more fun.

Then there are those who really, really want to be published. They may have been praised during their school years for their writing skills. They may have had people say "You write such great letters - you should have been a writer!" or "You're doing a terrific job on the club newsletter - why don't you write for magazines?"

All enthused, they enrol in a course - then reality hits. There's so much to learn! Rather than just sitting down at the computer and bashing out page after page of a gripping story, they find that they need to have some idea of where the story is going. (Plotting? Aarrgh!) And why aren't those characters coming to life on the page? They find themselves hitting the 'delete' key more than anything else. A whole day goes by and there's half a page to show for it. And what's more, they wail, "it's all junk!!"

Those who just 'have to write' usually keep going. But quite often, they go through weeks or months of depression and get very little done. They swing back and forth between "I give up. I'm never going to get published; who am I fooling?" and "I've just GOT to write. I'm going to have another shot at it!"

So what's the problem here? Is writing really that hard? Or are people's expectations set too high to start with?

A large part of the problem is that most people expect to 'master' writing in a short time. Why is this? After all, if you undertake a training course in different field you know you'll have to invest a large chunk of time. Nobody expects to become an engineer without years of study. Architects, teachers, IT specialists, nurses, journalists and top sports professionals all put in years of training and hours each week perfecting skills.

Well... why should writing be any different?

A New Principle: Writing The Kaizen Way

Perhaps what you need to do is take a different perspective on writing.

The Japanese have a concept known as Kaizen, which means "gradual continual improvements over time".

Don't try to master everything in a course that lasts six months.
Don't let yourself be overwhelmed by the idea of having to write an entire 100,000 word novel.
Don't impose unrealistic time constraints ("If I can't get a novel finished and accepted in a year I'll toss it in.")

Instead, work on gradual improvements. Over the course of weeks, months and years, this will add up to a substantial level of improvement. Start with the aspect of writing that is frustrating you most, and work on it until you can see a difference.

You now have a new tool in your writer's toolkit! Then tackle the next problem.

Let's take this scenario: You have started writing a novel, but you've stopped because you have no idea what is going to come next. You know plotting is your weak point. What do you do?

Say to yourself: OK, I'm going to learn as much as I can about plotting in the next four/six/eight weeks. At the end of that time I'm going to have a workable outline for my novel.

Then sit down and work out how you're going to do it. Will you surf the internet and look for relevant advice/articles? Will you buy a couple of good books on plotting? Will you arrange to meet with other writers and find out how they plot their books?

Once you have your plan of action, stick to it. And DO make note of what you're learning. Remember, the Kaizen principle is all about gradual, continual improvements over time. Every time you learn something new, that's a small advance on where you were before.

What if it takes longer than you'd planned? Fine. Just KEEP GOING. Your aim is to master one thing, then move on to the next. When you're feeling a lot more comfortable with plotting, it's time to advance to the next challenge.

Need to know more about creating believable characters? Want to write more convincing dialogue? Work on whatever it is... add the new skill to your toolkit... then move on.

As you can see, the secret to gradual improvement is simple: effort applied consistently over time.

This will make an enormous difference to your development as a writer. Start using the "Kaizen principle" today, record every improvement, and you'll be elated at how much you've grown at the end of a year.

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

car service from Midway Burlington .. Lockport Chicago limo O’Hare

In The News:

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says a malware app called SpyLend is posing as a financial tool, hitting 100,000-plus downloads.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson says Clone Robotics’ Protoclone mimics humans with 1,000 muscles – too human for comfort.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson urges you to use Apple’s App Privacy Report to see what your apps are really up to.

Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how to smoothly transfer your data from an old laptop to a new one using cloud storage or external drives.

Kurt the CyberGuy offers tips to safeguard your personal information as scammers become more sophisticated with scam texts and other methods.

WeRide's unmanned electric delivery van, the Robovan W5, has 194 cubic feet of cargo space and can carry payloads up to about 2,205 pounds

Kurt the CyberGuy recommends deleting 16 browser extensions immediately in response to a report saying more than 3.2 million web users were affected by a security breach.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A robotics firm in China claims a robot has performed the world's first humanoid robot front flip, which is significantly more difficult than a backflip.

A digital ID may be even more secure than a physical ID. Storing your driver's license in your Apple Wallet is an ideal solution for commuters.

A cybersecurity firm has shed some light on just how common tax scams have become. Kurt the CyberGuy offers his advice for how to protect your refund.

Lifesize Plans offers immersive walk-throughs that allow customers the opportunity to tour a home's design before construction actually begins.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

A man invested $4 million in bitcoin and lost it all with a single click when he was targeted by a vishing scam, which uses phone calls to trick people.

Expandable's Touchdown is a designer trailer that promises a luxury off-grid living experience and unfolds into a home in about 15 minutes.

Major employee screening company data breach affects 3.3 million people. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson explains what happened and gives five ways to protect your data.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals mind-blowing tech that gives you sunlight on demand.

New malware "FrigidStealer" targets Mac computers. Tech expert Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson offers four ways to stay safe from infostealer malware.

Kurt “CyberGuy" Knutsson talks about how lab-grown muscles power a biohybrid hand for scalable prosthetics and research.

Reports of task scams have significantly risen in the past four years, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some red flags.

iPhones have a hidden folder that eats up storage without you knowing it. Kurt the CyberGuy offers some tricks to free up storage on your device.

A recent ransomeware attack targeted Zacks, an American investment firm, and a cybercriminal claimed to have stolen records for millions of customers.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Researchers unveiled a new soft prosthetic hand that combines the natural coordination patterns of our fingers with the decoding of motoneuron activity in the spinal column.

Accidentally deleting a text message on your iPhone or iPad is not a problem if you still need the message. Apple has a built-in way to recover it.