You can write!

People often ask for my advice on writing. I have found, in teaching workshops over the years, that my biggest job is to cheerlead and encourage. As with learning to do or be better at anything, you must push yourself and try things that may be scary.

The first advice that almost any writer will offer to aspiring writers is to read. Read all kinds of writing. Books, magazines, newspapers. Most aspiring writers are readers and have favorite books and authors. When people get together, they often talk about what they are reading, and many participate in book clubs.

As you read, think about your own writing and what you would like to write. What do you like about something you are reading or have read? Imagine stringing your own words together in a similar way.

Writing a letter may well be a good first step. Write a letter to a grandchild and share your thoughts about your own childhood. Take time to relate things that you remember that are very different from what your grandchild may be experiencing. You may not send the letter, but it is important to write it ... it is a first step.

When you are ready, take the leap. Sit in front of your computer, iPad or grab your favorite pen and a pad of paper. In the past, we told stories in our letters, wonderful letters full of intimate details of daily lives. Letters shared the passion of two people separated by war, experiences of families divided by fate, the adventures of explorers in distant lands or something as simple as a youngster away camp for the first time.

Don’t make your challenge too big. You are not setting out to write a book or your entire life story. Just start with a bite. Baby steps. Like bicycling or swimming, you have to take the terrifying first step. Keep at it, and you will find you will get better and better the more you work at it.

In the early sessions of my workshops, I offer exercises. One that is always popular is to challenge the class to describe the house they grew up in. Most are amazed at what they remember and have not thought about it for many years.

Another exercise is to describe the ocean to someone who has never seen it. You need to consider all the senses: sight, smell, sound and taste. Paint a picture: the sun sparkling on the sea, the salty smell, the sound of waves hitting the beach, the gentle hug of a breeze, the colors of the shells scattered at the water’s edge.

Attending an Erma Bombeck writing workshop at the University of Dayton many years ago, I treasured the story shared about Bombeck. She wrote a piece for the student magazine. An English professor and advisor named Brother Tom Price looked at her and said three simple words: “You can write.” Bombeck credited this single moment for inspiring her throughout her wildly successful career as a syndicated columnist and best-selling author. I came home with a coffee cup I still treasure with the words “I can write.”

You do not need to share. Your writing may be just for you and may prove to help you sort out important things in your life. So think about it. Why not push yourself and give it a try?