Writing Practice

I read an article in Byline magazine a few years ago about a method of learning to write publishable material in just three days. Three days. Worth trying, right?

It wasn’t a new concept. I’ve heard it mentioned in several writing books, even in workshops I’ve taken, but the idea was only touched on, never emphasized. I never took it too seriously. It even sounded a bit wrong, a bit like plagiarism until I read the article, “The Handy Method” by Don Lowry. Then, I gave it a real try.

The method not only helped the quality of my work but inspired my determination and inspired me. The method wasdeveloped by a woman named Lowney Handy. She believed in perseverance, self-discipline and imagination. More important was her belief that a successful writer should rub shoulders with other successful writers. For most writers, that isn’t always possible. Lowney developed a way to do it no matter the writer’s circumstance.

First step: Read the work of good writers, in the genre that interests you. Read every day. Buy books similar to the ones you want to write. Read them. Study them. I do what I call ‘work’ my books. Take notes in the margins, underline, study plot and wording. Make a note on everything I notice.

Second step: Out of the books, short stories, poems, lyrics or articles you read pick four you like best, the ones most like what you want to write. Type all four pieces onto a document on your computer, word for word. Use the correct margins, double-spacing, etc.

This sounds strange. It did to me, but as I copied the work I began to see structure, dialogue, plot, even punctuation in a new way. The process illustrated things I learned in other classes, cementing it in my mind in a much stronger way. I don’t know why it works, but it does.

You might think/fear that when you move on to your own work this would make you a fraud. That your work would be just a copy of the writing you had typed, but it doesn’t. Your individuality rises to the top. Only the gem of knowledge you've gained remains of the work you copy.

The physical act of typing cemented the things I knew and clarified the things I had a hard time learning. It made analyzing the genre easier, too for some reason. It works equally well for any work. If you’re working on a novel instead of something shorter, copy pages from the beginning, middle and end of several of your best reads.

Does this really work or is it just busy work? I asked the same questions before I tried this. My answer—the benefits for me have been numerous. Soon after I did this I got a short story published in a national magazine. More than that though was the improvement of the weak areas of my writing. I’ve always struggled with grammar, but this exercise reinforced much of the concepts I struggled to learn. My punctuation improved immensely, especially with dialogue.

I begin each day typing from the genre I’m working on that day. As a side benefit this seems to get my fingers and brain working faster than usual and I rarely stare at a blank screen. This method is a wonderful tool for any writer, on any level. Give it a try for a few days.