The Secret Formula

I recently posted a short video about how the biggest difference between experienced writers and inexperienced writers is that the experienced writer understands how little they need to know about a story before they start working on it. To my surprise and delight, it received a lot of attention, at least compared to many of the other videos I share. I have no idea why. Maybe it’s because it’s a take no one’s heard before, maybe it answered a question a lot of people have been asking, maybe my hair looked good.

Of course, the temptation when you have any amount of success with anything is to immediately seek to repeat it. But how to do that? I could research the kind of advice being offered from other writers on YouTube and Instagram and make sure I’m saying something different. Or I could determine which videos did the best and seek to mimic those. Is there an ideal length? What color font should I use in thumbnails? And what about my hair?

The search for the secret formula is exhausting and fruitless. It’s like studying for a test that has no right answers. This would be an odd admission from a man who has spent the last twenty or so years giving advice to writers, except most of what I have written and said on this subject comes down to this: If you want to do it, then you can do it. Simple, I know, but true and helpful to hear.

I know it’s helpful because I’m glad every time I hear it even if I’m the one saying it. Which, I suppose, is the only secret formula: Write the story you want to read, or need to read, or wish had had been written. Do so, and you’ll feel that delicious, restful satisfaction that only comes when you find and recognize what you’ve been looking for. You won’t know how many other people have been looking for it too, but you’ll feel glad you’ve found it, and for some mysterious reason that’s really all you’ve ever wanted.

Check out Fearless Writing with Bill Kenower on YouTube or your favorite podcast app.

Everyone Has What It Takes: A Writer’s Guide to the End of Self-Doubt
You can find William at: williamkenower.com