So you want to write!

Hello and happy Monday.

This is a scheduled email and if you are reading it in the morning, I am out for a morning run along the enchanting Redhill road in preparation for the upcoming Nairobi city marathon. Aside from the marathon training, I like running in the morning just for the sake of it. Haha. It is a good exercise for your heart and fires up the brain to keep you sharp and active throughout the day.

I am gonna write for you a short email today!

Let us go!

When you are texting a friend, do you plan what to say, or do you just type and send? Do you even read the message over looking for grammar mistakes?

Now what about the writing you do at work? Let us say for example a work report. Do you write it the same way you write a text message to a friend?

Anyway. Writing is a process. And when it comes to the skill part of it, there are tiny activities that can help you hone yourself.

Please remember that your writing style depends on what and why you are writing. That is why the way you write a text message to a friend is not the same way you write a work report.

Another key thing to remember is that the process of writing may not include actual writing. 

• It may take the form of exploring ideas to write about by reading and asking someone what they think about a particular matter. (Writing is thinking, remember. What you are doing here is writing in your mind before you put it to paper.)

• It may take the form of revising what you wrote before.

• It may take the form of reflecting and looking at your past writing.

You are free to create and re-create your own writing process each time you write.

For the individual who is interested in honing their writing skills, understanding the process of writing is a great beginner exercise. Because really, the before and after of writing matters just as much as the writing itself.

Do you really wanna write?

The actual process of writing begins when you sit down.

If you are totally new to the world of digital writing, there is a simple and beginner exercise that can get you ready to start writing.

It is called freewriting. More details about freewriting coming your way in the next letter. Meanwhile, look at this past issue to know something about freewriting.

Until next week.

-Nick Osale.

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