Writing for Money Is Like Painting a Wall

You can slap something up there or create a lasting impression

Photo by Johnny Magrippis on Unsplash

I have painted many walls in my life because a) I don't have unlimited funds, b) I want it done right, and c) finding a reliable contractor is about as challenging as finding a cheap contractor. I have also written tens of thousands of pages—so I am qualified to compare the two endeavors. 

Phase 1: The prep work

The painter will thoroughly prepare the surface so the paint is solid, unblemished, long-lasting, and attractive. Think in terms of sanding, patching, and priming. Skip a step, and the chance of success is diminished. A good painter spends as much time on prep as on applying paint. A crappy painter picks up a brush, slops on some low-quality paint, collects his money, and disappears.

The skilled writer doesn't just sit down and dash off an award-winner, though it's entirely possible to dash off uninspiring fluff and then explain why that's your voice and style and nobody has the right to judge it. 

Still, I don't overwhelm myself in the prep work. I zero in on my topic and do a little preliminary research that might be fact-finding, solidifying a casual idea, or looking for inspiration. I'm sanding and priming. No pressure—a cuppa and a bit of browsing. 

Once I've nailed the idea (pun intended), I can refine it and spin it out a little. Like this story. I was thinking about how a beginning writer might overcome writer's block and end up with a solid story. My husband asked me if we need to paint the bathroom, and I decided to use the writer/painter comparison.

You can imagine the next steps of looking into good wall-prep, refining the process of prepping an article or book, and grounding the idea in an organized framework so the story flows and evolves as I develop it. When I take time to do that before I type a single letter, I feel calm and confident—there's no struggle.

Still prepping my imaginary wall, I flesh out the points I want to cover and begin thinking about how to focus on enough information without running too far beyond the scope of the story I want to tell. I want to keep my authentic voice, solve a reader problem, and still creatively offer entertainment and inspiration.  

Writer-prep can take minutes, hours, or days, depending on the scope of the story project. I sometimes do it in my head, but it can also require finding sources, examples, and details.

Phase 2: Executing the job

The skilled painter understands how to choose the right paint, select the tools, load a brush, and apply paint in exactly the correct way.

The skilled writer understands how to convey a story in the appropriate language, formatted appealingly, and leave the reader with something to think about —a valuable takeaway—whether it's a good laugh, some new information, a better explanation, or a life-altering experience.

I never let myself get carried away with my own prowess. Yes, I'm a wordsmith who has spent decades learning, studying, and using the English language, but I never want you, the reader, to be conscious of that. I want you to hear me telling you—-only you—a great story without either of us being conscious of me.

When I'm in creativity mode, I keep it real, maintain honesty, and refrain from hammering home a point. I offer you something warmly, and you get to decide whether you want it. If I'm writing fiction, I make sure it's compelling and feels real—true to its own world's logic. If non-fiction, I strive for accuracy, truth, and expertise (mine or someone else's). 

A worthy painter would never thin the paint to make it go further. As a writer, I will never dilute my story to make it sound more writerly or to control my readers.

Phase 3: The inspection

Our trusted painter has finished applying paint, and he steps out to have a coffee of eat his lunch. If he's worth his salt, he'll be back in a few hours to be sure there are no problems after the paint dries.

I do the same without fail. That's why I have always had a satisfying income from my writing. I do not fake it. I write the story and then read what I have written. I don't edit as I write—I allow myself the freedom to take missteps that I can fix later. 

On the first proofread, I make sure I stayed with my concept and did it justice. I look for obvious typos, formatting errors, poor word choices, and unclear sentences. I remove about 20% of the words.

The second read is out loud so I can hear what I said—my brain thinks it already knows what I wrote, so the voice reading gives a different perspective. I am always surprised by something that didn't come across the way I meant it.

Next, I put the story aside for an hour or more, depending on a lot of things, including the length, the complexity, and how well it's going so far. For the final read, again, depending on the length and import of the piece, I might ask someone else to go through the story. That kind of outside insight is invaluable.

There are all kinds of painters, from worthless to mediocre to the guy you call every time you want to change the look of a room. You trust him, and you are never disappointed. And so it is with working writers. There are those who treat writing as a quick and easy way to be seen and those who truly have something to communicate with care. 

Tell me, do you believe prepping your work is a thing, or can writers simply dash off a page and send it into the world?