I was taught to believe that by being an active reader, you can become a far better writer. While that is certainly true, it’s only one major component to becoming a “formidable writing professional.” Of course, the most important part to being a good writer is simply pursuing the act of writing as often as possible.
Many folks out there seem to believe they’re simply not cut out for creating good, solid writing. But, while people are innately talented at writing, the craft is far more reliant on developing skills than having any natural talent. I’ve seen countless writers with otherworldly talent never succeed in producing anything relevant.
More than anything else, writing is about your passion. If you care about something, and want to know more about it, then you should definitely write about it. It’s hard at first, but after lots of practice, you’ll begin to have a lot of fun with writing!
Becoming Great at Writing Takes Dedication
I’ve been writing for quite some time. But, as much of a bookworm as I was in my childhood, it took many years before I actually could call myself a writer. It took lots of practice. I’d copy interesting quotes from things I’d read, then comment on them.
After a while, I’d simply write for the sake of writing. Soon, writing became a reflex. Whenever something was on my mind I didn’t know exactly how to talk to someone about, I’d write about it.
Putting words on a page has always been easier to me than public speaking. I find this is true of many folks, although the opposite is just as true. It took me a long time to find my true writing voice, though. It’s also the case that my writing style differs significantly from the way I speak in daily life. It’s up to you to decide if that’s a bad thing; still, plenty of people speak differently than they write.
Reading is definitely important. I don’t need to stress that, since so many others have and there’s no point repeating it. What I do need to stress, however, is that even the most talented writers do not write near-perfection every time we sit down. It often takes many crumpled pieces of paper in the trash bin and countless drafts to get what you see in print.
Becoming good, if not great, at writing also means understanding what fuels your creativity and what habits and techniques work for you. Everyone’s creative process is different. Some processes are easier to follow than others, and my personal process isn’t so easy to follow.
For example, I’ve always hated doing outlines. Instead, I tend to draft a piece in a semi-completed form before going back and revising it to make it more coherent. I’ve never been good at following the textbook suggestions or expert advice for how to be a better writer. My process is the result of tens of thousands of hours of hard labor at the craft.
Write As Often As Possible, Even If It Isn’t Good Writing
If you don’t strive to write as often as possible, when it comes time to write something, it will most likely be a struggle. It’s especially a struggle when you’re trying to write about things you don’t care about, even if it will make you money.
When I’ve written countless pieces purely for money, in them my writing voice often sounds cold and uninterested. Others thought that writing was all well and good. But, I knew that stuff was far from my best work.
I’m very picky about the voice in my writing. Sometimes, I perhaps get a bit too rhetorical or state things in somewhat peculiar ways that don’t quite get my point across. But, it’s OK to be imperfect with your words because writing is a skill you can never stop developing. If we don’t grow as writers, we will grow stagnant.
There have been times where I’ll churn out tons of words in a short amount of time. I may not be proud of a great percentage of that work. Still, the writing exercise is nonetheless extremely valuable, just to keep my writer brain active. It really helps that now I don’t have to write to any sort of specs outside of my own expectations and standards.
Helping Others With Their Writing
One thing that’s especially helpful to growing as a writer is helping others with their own writing. This is perhaps even more valuable than simply brainstorming ideas for yourself. Not only do you bring another perspective to others’ work, but you’re also gaining insight into other perspectives, as well. You’re also helping them to find just what it is that permeates their writing, picking out their strengths and helping them to smooth out the flaws.
Whenever you’re helping others with their creative work, always be carefully critical. Try to act how you’d want someone to help you along. So much of writing is just practice. Writers are more like doctors than we realize sometimes; we’re constantly practicing!
I’d love to say that everyone has a hidden talent for writing and just needs to develop the skills. But, not everyone has the knack to be a professional writer, certainly. Still, I do know that writing is a skill that many people who don’t consider themselves writers can actually develop. Through persistence and patience, anyone can learn to write fairly well.
Writing is a Fine Art Form
Writing is an art form, of course. We writers are artisans, much like sculptors and painters. Words are our material as much as paint or stone. That may sound a bit clichéd, but that’s the best way to express that idea.
Even highly skilled writers like myself get stumped on how to put certain things. Every writer does. So, we writers need to help each other out. Getting other perspectives from fellow writers can change our entire outlook on our own writing and perhaps do the same for them, too.
Also, when it comes to writing for assignments, there’s nothing wrong with being someone’s ghost-writer. There’s nothing wrong with giving a starving writer an assignment to get an idea expressed and out into the open. But, when you’re writing for money, it’s best to take assignments that you believe in and truly want to write for the sake of writing it. Otherwise, you start losing purpose with your writing and the quality will suffer for it.
In any case, don’t just write for the money, write for the craft. Once writing becomes about money, you can lose focus and just write what you think people want or stick solely what the assignment says. I believe more people should try ghostwriting, but as a way to develop their own skills, and not just a way to pay the bills. Always keep that in mind when you’re sifting through potential writing assignments.
I’m always happy to edit and clean things up for people. But, people need to learn that they need to just write from their own heart. I once read something that said the best content comes from the most unexpected places. This is a trend that needs to grow.
Don’t Let Discouragement Keep You From Your Writing
Developing any sort of useful, applicable creative skill is an art form. Like with any artistic endeavor, many writers become discouraged when the words just aren’t fitting together. It’s hard to break out of ruts once you get into them. But, even when you’re in a rut, you must keep writing anyway.
It’s OK to take a break for a bit. But, never leave writing completely behind. Even if you sit down again and you write crap, you’re at least producing something. It’s better than simply letting thoughts spin in around your head without any useful application.
Writing is most certainly more skill intensive than some realize. Talent is certainly a component, but inevitably, it’s skill that wins out in the end. It’s mostly the passion you put into it that results in a finished product. Without the passion, your writing will feel stale. Your passion is what keeps your writing living, relevant, and good.
~ Amelia Desertsong
