Writing – Questions Writers Ask

Writing is not as easy as you might think. In fact, writer Steph Nickel finds that writing provokes a myriad of questions. Some of these are easy to answer, some are not.

Questions Writers Ask

Let’s talk about how writers choose what to write about. There are more decisions than new writers and those who don’t write might ever imagine.

Common Questions Asked When Writing

Writers ask themselves the following questions—often:

Do I have time in my schedule to write? Will I have to rearrange some things and am I willing to do so?
Do I have the support of my family and friends?
Will I write to generate income or simply to share my insights and opinions?
Am I already a skilled writer or should I take a course before I get started?
Will I write for the Christian or secular marketplace?
Will I write fiction or nonfiction—maybe both?
How will I choose exactly what to write? Will I write what I love to read? What’s selling well? What’s on my heart?
Will I write books? Short stories? Blog posts?
What do I do if I don’t feel like writing? If my circumstances change and I have less time to devote to writing? If the ideas seem to dry up?
Will I interact with other writers online through social networking and other avenues or will I keep to myself?

And we won’t even discuss the publishing options available.

Did you realize writing isn’t as straightforward as you may have thought?

A Closer Look at the Questions

Let’s explore a few of these questions in a little more depth?

As Christians, it’s always best to begin any new endeavour with prayer. If we seek the Lord’s wisdom and direction, He will lead us. He will enable us to bring our priorities in line with His. He will reveal, in various ways, if writing is what He has for us.

There are several writers who say they can’t not write. It’s not just something they do. it’s a central part of who they are.

If this doesn’t describe you, don’t think you’re not a writer, that you’re not called to write. Again, look to the Lord for His guidance.

Writing for a Specific Audience

Should we write for the secular or Christian audience? That can be a difficult call. Depending who we ask, we may get a strong response on either side. It’s a good idea to seek direction from the Lord and consult trusted mentors. Also, it can be very insightful to get to know writers who are Christian and discover how they determined which audience to target.

If we don’t know authors and other writers personally, where to we go for this information? This is where the idea of social networking comes in. Several writers have websites with a plethora of free resources, from skills development to choosing your audience and so much more.

There are also countless Facebook groups. Some are incredibly helpful and closeknit. I’ve developed authentic friendships with several writers online. If you’re looking for an online community where you can learn from others further along on the journey, why not join one or two groups to begin and see where it goes.

“But I’m an introvert,” you may say. “I’d rather just learn by reading books and blog posts.”

While that works for some people, you may be surprised how many introverts are in the writing community and are very active online.

There are no Dumb Questions

My aunt used to say there are no dumb questions if you don’t know the answer. And online communities are a great place to get up-do-date answers on our questions—whether we’ve been writing for years or are just getting started.

Determining what we want to write will determine many things: what books will be helpful, what writers to follow online, which communities to join.

As you know, I am eclectically interested and eclectically involved. I enjoy reading several types of books on various subjects—both fiction and nonfiction.

I would—and do—write several different things.

Still, I have to focus. If I allow myself to become too scattered, I won’t complete anything—at least not in a timely fashion. So, I have a few projects I’m going to zero in for the year to come.

If you would like to write, if you feel compelled to write, even if you just want to test the waters … I encourage you to choose a single project and jump in.

Writing Options

One of the nice things is that there are so many options. If you determine the first thing you write and put in front of an audience is what you want to continue writing, that’s okay.

Now you know a little about what your favourite writers experience and what may lie ahead if you write. In any case, it can be a wonderful adventure.

Do you have some writing tips for our audience? If so, contact us and let us know, or comment below.

Steph Nickel

Stephanie is a freelance writer and a contributor to our Christian internet radio station, HopeStreamRadio. Read and hear more from Steph Nickel on the contributor’s page or at Steph Nickel’s Eclectic Interests.

Stephanie’s show, “Family Life Lessons,” airs from Monday to Friday on HopeStreamRadio.