What I learned so far about writing

As some of you here, I’m learning about writing.

I wish I’d be a writer, of course. In a non-published non-popular way I already AM a writer. You know, I try.

If you are reading me for the first time, nice to meet you: I’m an italian teacher. As a teacher, I always loved Rousseau and his theories about the child who educates himself/herself. So, what am I teaching myself along the way?

Teaching is like an art: you have to learn how to reach your students, to gain their trust and respect that trust.

I love my job, but I also love to write. I just can’t help but write.

So, in my free time, I’m writing the second draft of a novel. And I don’t know if I’ll ever get to, you know, seize the moment. I hope so. I’ll keep going.

I want to believe.

Didn’t watch all that X-Files for nothing, after all.

One of the things I learned so far, is that reaching the public is like reaching the pupils. I have four rules:

1. You have to choose your words very carefully.

And you have to own, in your vocabulary, lots of them. Before being a writer, you HAVE to be a reader. Look at me: writing in English, I feel like I stutter. Words don’t come up that easily. And that’s because I read books in Italian.

2. You have to be clear.

With this I mean that when you write, in order to deliver the message you want to deliver through your writing, you have to understand how language works. The best way to learn it, for me, was to study Jakobson. And to read a ton of books, grasping the shades of every sentence.

3. You have to know what you’re talking about.

That’s a grey point, I know. But in teaching, if you don’t know what you’re talking about, you’ll never be a really good teacher. You basically have to master yourself through your writing. You have to know yourself. It’s a scary but amazing journey.

4. You have to keep always in mind who are you talking to.

This means the public. Are you talking to children? To teenagers? Young adults? Experienced adults? Writers? Programmers?

Always remember you have to keep in mind that. Always.

In here, I feel like I’m talking to writers. And I’m so happy to be inspired by your articles.

So, the lessons I ‘learned by doing’, so far, are something I’ve already read in many books on the topic. And I guess that knowing the theory about writing doesn’t serve any actual purpose if you don’t try to put into practice what you learned.

If you want to be a writer, well, write.

I’m very happy to be here, you know? And I’m very happy to share my own journey with you. If you feel like leaving ANY KIND of feedback on my writing, I’d be thankful.

Feedback is pure gold.