Always Have More Than One Source

 

Today’s writing blog post is a discussion about a suggestion that I added to my work habits as a freelance writer many years ago. This particular piece of advice is one I found to be valuable. The advice? “Always have more than one source.”

 

Some explanation:

 

When I was working as a freelance writer several years ago, I came across one particular market that advised writers in their guidelines to use more than one source for their work. Not only this, but a verifiable source (such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention instead of Wikipedia). When I was studying journalism in college, one thing which my professor stressed to us students is that we must have a legit source. Not only this, but make sure we have a source that we ourselves have checked out to be legit.

 

Then, while working as a freelance writer, I learned the value of having more than one source. Not only is having more than one source backing up a claim in your writing helps readers to accept the claim, but it also shows that you are putting in the effort to prove that your claim is sound.

 

Your source is important because you want to make sure you are getting the RIGHT kind of information for your work. This is especially important when it comes to doing research for your work. You want to make sure your source is the right one to use.

 

When I do research for an article or book I am writing, I read EVERYTHING I can about it. I am also careful about what exactly I do read for it. If the material is old (such as over ten years old), then I may still read it but keep an eye out for any recent data that would back it up. (If I don’t find it, I don’t use it.) Also, if the author does no provide any proof or evidence-based data to support what they are saying, then their work becomes questionable and I have to look for anything to support their claims myself before I will use their information. (If I don’t find anything supporting their claims, then I don’t use it. I also will not use it if another source has a better counter-argument.)

 

Reading everything about my topic has helped me to not only get a good idea of what is being written about it, but it also helps me to get an objective view of what I am reading. For example, I read one book for research which had some very interesting claims about a popular subject. I thought that since the author was using a verifiable source, it must be true. However, I later learned from another book that this particular book was full of mistakes and that the author’s source later denounced his claims, as well as announcing that they no longer had any ties with the author. That was also an eye-opener. And a good reminder to take everything I read with a grain of salt!

 

If people keep saying the same thing about the topic you are doing research for, that can be a good sign. It means that information is legit. On the other hand, if what everybody is saying is just repeating gossip or an urban legend, then consider digging deeper to get to the truth. (I have had to do this with a book I am currently editing.)

 

Have a good source for your work, yes, but be sure to have more than one good source. Make sure your source is legit. Investigate the claims to see if they are verified. You never know what one source of information would say, as well as if there’s another source out there who can set the record straight.

Good Writing Takes Time

 

There are a lot of writers out there who believe they must or that they should be able to write everything super-fast. It’s almost as if having this ability to write everything faster than the average writer makes them stand out. From writers challenging themselves to bang out a 50,000-word novel in one week by writing 10,000 words a day to writers promising to meet a deadline for their article by the next day, these writers feel that being able to get work done in record time makes them more desirable or competent.

 

However, if you want to write well, you should give yourself the time to write well. Don’t try to force the words or the story in order to finish writing a project really fast. Don’t try to rush it. (Trust me, your readers will know if your writing seems forced.)

 

As frustrating as it can be for some writers, it takes time to write a good article, a good story and a good book. For some writers, it may come naturally to write something fast, because they have been writing for so long that they have a good grasp on how to get their work done in good time. These are the writers who can easily get their work done quickly – and still be able to produce good work.

 

For other writers, they may need some time to write that first draft or to even finalize their fifth draft. That’s perfectly acceptable!

 

Good writing takes time to write. If you try to rush through the writing, you might miss something or make mistakes. You might end up with something poorly written or a story lacking depth, characterization and good description. I have come across many published stories that are obviously first drafts. They contain many mistakes and are poorly written. I couldn’t help but wonder if the author felt rushed to write this story and get it out there. Your readers may end up thinking the same thing if you don’t give your writing the time it requires to be written, revised and edited.

 

If you are a writer in such a situation where you do have to write something quickly (such as a news reporter), then remember how you were taught to write. Stick to your training. Write the best piece you can and go over it carefully before submitting.

 

If you are a writer with a deadline, then get to work on your assignment as soon as you can. Try to write your first draft as far away from your deadline as possible so that you have the time to go over it. Use the days leading up to your deadline to continue to research your piece and complete interviews so that you can add them to your work as your deadline moves closer.

 

In the event you have the time to write, however, then give yourself the time you need. Go at a pace that is comfortable for you. If you start struggling with your work, then step away from it in order to figure it out while doing other things. Write it as often as you can, yes, but don’t try to force it.

 

It can absolutely make a writer a more desirable candidate for work if they are able to write fast, but what you want to be able to do is produce good work. What matters the most is that you are able to produce good writing, even if it takes a little time to write it. Give yourself time to write and your work will turn out better for it.

How to Find the Right Words to Write

 

When we get an idea for something to write, we get a pretty good grip on what we want this kind of thing to convey. If it’s a story idea, we pretty much know what kind of story it is and what will happen in it. If it’s an idea for a blog post, we have a good grasp of what that blog post is going to be all about.

 

That’s not the problem. What CAN be the problem is figuring out how to say what you want to say. What is the best way for you to get your message across?

 

In some cases, this will already be figured out. You’ll have an interview lined up or, if this is an assignment, an editor will share what exactly should go into your piece. However, in other cases, it’s just you and your idea. The words are up to you.

 

What I have found to be a good starting point in writing about an idea is to just write what I know about the topic. I usually don’t agree to write about something unless I am familiar with it in some way. Also, before I actually do any writing, I do A LOT of research, note-taking, and pre-writing. This way, I come to the piece armed with some idea of what to write.

 

Another thing you can try when you know what you want to write but can’t figure out the right words is to just think about it for a while. Don’t force yourself to write. I often have ideas for things cooking in that workshop in my mind while I go about and do other things. While I’m doing other things, those ideas are being analyzed, put together, fleshed out and worded. It is only after I feel I have enough of that idea put together in my mind that I will start writing it. I can have an idea in my head for weeks or months before I start writing it.

 

You should try “stepping away” from the idea, too, if you are struggling to get that idea onto paper. Don’t obsess over trying to figure that idea out. Take some time to think about it. The words will come to you and pretty soon, you’ll start writing and have paragraphs of words.

 

Ideas can be hard to figure out sometimes. Ultimately, you should ask yourself: What exactly am I trying to say? What message am I trying to get across with this idea? What kind of story do I want to tell? What kind of theme does my idea have? Start there and soon you’ll know what words to write in order to make your idea an actual piece you have written.