Reading Writing Theory

Theory on writing is a good thing. When people think about writing, break it down into smaller components, and figure out what they do and how they work, that information can help people get better at writing as a whole. People at any level of skill can benefit from studying writing theory, though beginners make the most use of it.

One thing I have found is that beginning writers, or people who want to start writing, tend to read a lot of writing theory. There is a lot of theory out there, from Ancient Greece to Present Day. Books about writing abound, as do blogs such as this one. It can be beneficial for beginners to read a lot of theory. They can get an idea for how much work this really s, as can they learn some common pitfalls to avoid when they start. In theory, it should give a serious leg up over other beginners.

The problem with beginners reading theory is that they will read too much of it. A beginner who learns about several dozen mistakes to avoid, techniques to use, and subjects to cover is likely to be overwhelmed. There is too much to think about, and it crowds out any ideas that the beginner may want to work on. Every sentence they write, every word or phrase, will be second-guessed for fear of being wrong or bad.

Writing needs to be dived into headfirst. Don't worry about being bad or wrong. That's why we have revising and editing. Instead of paralyzing yourself with a million thoughts, just let go of everything and write something. Even if you don't like it, you've at least gotten some practice in. You'll also know what not to do next time. As great as writing theory can be, sometimes the best teacher is experience. Don' forget to learn from it.