Be Prepared

 

My previous job as a peripatetic music teacher required me to visit several different schools over the course of each week. The longer I did this job, the heavier my work bag became. If I end up with a permanent list to starboard, I’ll know who to blame. 

At first it was just the obvious things, such as music books and a pencil case. However, I quickly discovered that school music rooms are almost always miles away from the staffroom. (They tend to be in a different county from the staff toilets…but we’ll draw a veil over that issue.) Into my bag went a small flask of coffee and a bottle of water. Also added were violin strings, pegs and bridges (for emergency repairs) and an ever-expanding collection of stationery items. I may have walked with the gait of a drunken giraffe, but at least I was prepared for most things.

 

The reliance on strong black coffee and obscure stationery goodies has stood my writing alter-ego in good stead, too. I no longer have need of a plastic container filled with detritus harvested from old violins, but my tools of the trade now include a laptop, a dictionary, and several notebooks in which to write down all my brilliant/interesting/might-be-okay-if-I-work-on-it ideas. Being a writer means equipping myself in less tangible ways, too. Attending writers’ days, reading books on the craft of writing and chatting to fellow writers have all helped me develop my writing skills. 

As a music teacher, I recognised the importance of musical exercises in developing understanding and dexterity (which is why you should always practise your scales and arpeggios). Similarly, writing exercises can be invaluable when it comes to polishing our writing techniques. And let's not forget the "dentist’s chair experience" equivalent for writers; feedback and critiques. It can be a drawn-out and painful experience, but you'll recognise the benefits later on – and often, the anticipation is worse than the reality, anyway.

 

How about you? What has helped you in your journey as a writer? What would you consider to be essential equipment for those who want to improve their writing?

Fiona Lloyd is Chair of the Association of Christian Writers and is married with three grown-up children. Her first novel, The Diary of a (trying to be holy) Mum, was published by Instant Apostle in January 2018. Fiona also writes regularly for Together magazine and works part-time for Christians Against Poverty.

 

Twitter: @FionaJLloyd & @FionaLloyd16