Christopher Merrill’s advice for aspiring writers

HAPPENINGSChristopher Merrill is an American poet, essayist, journalist and translator. Currently, he serves as director of the International Writing Program at the University of Iowa. He led the initiative that resulted in the selection of Iowa City as a UNESCO City of Literature, a part of the Creative Cities Network. In 2011, he was appointed to the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO.In this month’s writers’ club session at Lincoln Corner, Liaquat Memorial Library, Karachi, Christopher shared his top tips for becoming a successful writer.Lower your standardsGive yourself permission to fail and write whatever comes to your mind. When you feel yourself freeze before the page, just get into motion and write some words; they don’t have to be perfect because you can always clean up afterwards. A famous poet once said: anybody can write poems everyday if their standards are as low as mine.Begin with imitating mastersWhen people start writing, they begin by imitating their favourite poets or authors. They want to do what they do. For starters, it’s a great way to set their roots deep into the literary ground. But as you progress, imitation begins to lose its charm and you have to bring in your unique writing style. Keep in mind that you can’t imitate other writers for the rest of your life. We begin by learning from masters and then start finding our own unique way. Revision - the only tool you needFor me the most interesting part isn’t the first draft; it’s the 12th or 15th draft that excites me. Every sentence goes through many drafts because writing has to be precise, clear and economical. You can’t achieve that in the first draft. Come to it again and again. First thought is usually not the best thought; it might be the 12th thought that is the best one. Interpretation If you write something good, it’s going to mean something different to everybody. As a writer, you will not have any control over readers’ interpretation. All you can control is your quality of writing.Getting out of a writing slumpA professional is someone who can do good work even on days when he/she doesn’t feel like it. Being a professional writer means being able to write even when you don’t feel inspired. So all you have to do is to stick with whatever you’re trying to write. You can write your way back into inspiration. Don’t go to your fridge until you finish your draft. Seek for resources There are lots of online resources for budding writers. Finding the most authentic ones can be challenging in the beginning, but you will definitely come across some that will help you refine your craft. Check out the website of In International Writing Program (IWP), University of Iowa, where we regularly upload videos of famous authors where they talk about different aspects of their craft.The IWP Digital Learning Program offers English-language courses centered around the theme of creative writing. Diverse programmes like creative youth exchanges, digital courses and tours are also organized to make connections between literary communities overseas and distinguished American writers.Another big resource for writers is the books they love. Look for such books that inspire you to write something like them. Plus, reading anything deeply will teach you how to write effectively. And don’t forget to read The Art of Fiction by John Gardner, a classic book for young writers. Looking for inspirationAmerican poet Howard Nemerov said a poem is an act of attention. Sometimes all you have to do is pay attention to something in the natural world or on the screen, or immerse yourself into your surroundings to get your imagination going. Another way is to hear something in the language and word will automatically come to your mind. Writers are just explorersIt is supposed that writers have a social responsibility to promote social good that should transcend their writing, but I think it’s not what a writer can do. Writers’ job is to explore situations and honour the complexities of situation without taking any sides.Know the culture of your audience It’s always good to learn about the culture of your readership. For example, it’s interesting to know that in America, comedians make fun of politicians openly, while in Singapore you can’t say anything against the politicians. You’ve got to understand the hot-button issues and what is going to trigger that audience, but you also have to ask yourself why you are writing this particular piece and for that you need to bring something from inside as well. You have to temper readers’ expectation with what you’re trying to convey.On being yourself A great Irish poet had been trying to write a political poem and it would end up as a love poem because he was in love with an Irish girl who was a great voice in Irish independence. Whenever he was writing about Irish independence he was really thinking about his lover. As a writer, never forget that at the end of the day no matter how hard we try to write about other topics, we always come back to what we most enjoy writing.

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