Warning: Hard Work Ahead

Writing is hard work.

You probably knew that already. Then again, maybe you are one of those people who just loves to write. You have a journal or a diary that just seems to fill itself up. You think of stories, poems and songs and can’t wait to get them out of your head and onto some creamy white paper. If that’s you, you are the exception – good for you.

Most writers will tell you that writing saps lots of mental energy. Sure, everyone has moments when ideas come easily and the words just flow onto the page, but it’s more common for a writer to have a brain as blank as the sheet of paper in front of him.

If that describes you, don’t be discouraged. If you put off writing papers till the last minute, if you get stuck for long periods of time with nothing to say, if you get tired and frustrated and sick of words and punctuation marks — congratulations! You are normal.

We at WriteAtHome can sympathize with you in your struggles to write. We are all writers ourselves. But we also understand that the only way to improve is to roll up our sleeves, tap those keys, sharpen the pencils, and write, write, write.

Athletes and musicians understand this principle: to get better at something, you have to practice often, practice hard, and practice under the guidance of a good coach or instructor. Whether you are seeking to be a better free throw shooter, a better trombone player, or a better writer, the rule is the same. You’ve got to work at it.

What’s the payoff? Well, for an athlete, it’s game day. For the musician, it’s performing skillfully in front of an audience. For the writer, it’s reading what you’ve written and thinking, hey, that’s pretty good. Or even better — having your work read and appreciated by others.

At WriteAtHome, we don’t offer any shortcuts to improvement. You’ll write something every week (except on holidays). You’ll be expected to revise and improve your work – one draft is almost never enough. And you’ll get input and feedback on everything you write from a writing coach who will work just as hard as you do to help you improve.

That’s our promise. You work hard, and we’ll work hard with you. Together, we’ll help you become the best writer you can be.