Do You Want To Be A Writer? Get Writing!

I’ve been a writer for more than 20 years now, and I’ve spent much of that time trying to figure out what makes a person want to write. In all honesty, it’s not always easy especially when you’re just starting out. 

There are plenty of people who want to be writers but never actually sit down and write anything. 

They’re waiting for some magical moment when inspiration strikes them so they can get started on their masterpiece novel or screenplay or whatever else it is they have in mind. But here’s the thing about inspiration: 

It doesn’t strike at an exact time every day like clockwork (or even sometimes at all). And if you wait around for it too long, you’ll miss out on opportunities because they don’t come along every day either!

How to Become a Writer (In 10 Incredibly Simple Steps)
Takeaways
1. Embrace the journey of becoming a writer.
2. Start writing consistently to develop your skills.
3. Overcome self-doubt and fear of failure by taking action.
4. Seek inspiration from various sources, including books and experiences.
5. Connect with a writing community for support and feedback.
6. Set achievable goals to track your progress as a writer.
7. Learn from rejections and setbacks to grow as a writer.
8. Experiment with different writing styles and genres to find your voice.
9. Stay dedicated and patient, as success in writing takes time.
10. Remember that writing is a continuous process of learning and improvement.

Don’t Wait For Inspiration

The key to not procrastinating is to get started and keep going. Don’t wait for the perfect moment or inspiration. Just write something, anything – even if it’s terrible. If you don’t know where to start, try writing about one of these topics:

What is your favorite food? How do you feel about someone who loves that food more than you?

What was your most embarrassing moment in high school? Did it involve anyone else? What did they think of you after that incident?

Do you have any regrets in life so far? Do those regrets weigh on your mind when making decisions now, or has time healed them over (or made them worse)?

Building strong writing habits is essential for every aspiring writer. If you’re looking to embark on a novel-writing journey, be sure to explore our Top 10 Tips for the Aspiring Novel Writer. These tips will help you lay a solid foundation for your writing endeavors.

Become A Journalist

You might be wondering how journalism relates to writing. It’s a valid question! Journalism is all about writing and communication, but it’s also about researching and reporting on stories. If you like the idea of creating news stories for a living, consider becoming a journalist.

Journalism requires that you have excellent writing skills and excellent interpersonal skills. You have to be able to interview people in an effective way so that they give you good quotes for your story; 

You need to write headlines that will draw readers in, and then when the story is published (online or in print).

You’ll need to edit it so it flows smoothly while making sure there are no errors or mistakes present in your work all while communicating with editors via email or phone calls (or even face-to-face meetings).

In short: being a journalist means being able to write well enough so other people want to read what it is we’ve written; sounding smart when talking on the phone/in person with others; 

Coming up with fresh ideas for new stories every day as well as pitching those ideas successfully before they get turned down by higher-ups out of laziness rather than lack of interest (because let’s face it not everyone wants their job); 

Having thick skin against criticism from those who don’t agree with what we’ve written instead of taking things personally because if these people knew us better then maybe they wouldn’t say such mean things about us online after reading our articles?

Be Passionate

  • Write about something you’re passionate about.
  • Write about something you know well.
  • Write about something you’re interested in.
  • Write about something you’re curious about.
  • Write about something you’re angry about (you can be angry with a person, an idea, or the world). 

You may want to start with writing your anger into a diary or journal and then move on to writing it into an essay or short story format that can be shared with others through publication or even just for your own satisfaction as an outlet for your emotions!

This is also a good place to mention that if this is difficult for some reason (for example, because of anxiety), it might be helpful to keep talking therapy options open while working on this project so that if any stress becomes overwhelming during the process.

There’s always someone nearby who can help work through it with you one-on-one until things feel better again or at least bearable enough so as not impede progress toward completing whatever goal has been set out here!

Writing is a journey that requires constant inspiration. Discover valuable insights on how to stay inspired as a writer even during challenging times. This guide offers strategies to keep your creativity flowing and your motivation high.

Write Now, Edit Later (Or Never)

This is the best piece of advice I can give you if you want to become a writer. Write first, edit second. 

Not only will it help you overcome your fear of writing and get those creative juices flowing, but it will also force you to put words on paper. 

That’s right: by writing first and then editing later or not at all you are much more likely to finish your book and publish it than if you sit down with a blank computer screen or notebook page in front of you and try to write whatever comes into your head.

That’s because when we wait until our minds are “ready” before starting on our next great work of fiction or nonfiction, we tend to sit back for hours or days trying desperately to come up with something worth putting down on paper (or typing onto virtual keys).

For us not feel like complete failures when faced with such an intimidating task as writing without preparation! But what actually happens during this time spent internally debating whether or not we should even begin? 

We usually end up getting distracted by social media feeds about politics (which has nothing whatsoever do with creating great art), video games that require attention despite having no payoff other than wasting time away from creating great art!

Write “The End” First

Writers, you already know that writing the ending first is a thing. But did you know that this advice applies to all three parts of your story? What do I mean? 

Well, whether you’re writing a novel or screenplay or short story, it doesn’t matter. You should always write “The End” first in whatever form your final product takes.

Why? Because as soon as we start a piece of writing and begin filling in the middle and beginning, we’ll often find ourselves mired in plot holes or dead ends. 

This can sometimes happen even when we have an idea for where the work will end up; if our ideas aren’t fully formed yet (which they won’t be for most people).

Then it’s easy to get stuck in the weeds along the way when trying to finish off bits of our stories using only guesses about how things will go down.

Every writer faces moments when their creative momentum falters. Learn from the experiences of others and find out how to keep going when your novel writing hits a wall. Overcome obstacles and discover techniques to break through writer’s block.

Use An Outline

An outline will help you stay focused, on track and make sure that what you write is the most useful and effective for your audience.

Here are five reasons why an outline is so important:

Outlines help keep you focused. The act of actually writing out a detailed outline helps writers think through their ideas more thoroughly than without an outline.

Outlines help keep writers on track with their content, making it easy to identify gaps in the writing process and areas where they need more information or research before continuing to write further drafts or even publishing their work!

Outlines help authors identify points where they need sources of information (like statistics or graphs) as well as other relevant topics that should be included in the piece being written.

So that readers can understand all aspects related thereto; this way you won’t leave anything out when presenting your ideas about a topic!

The show, Don’t Tell

In a nutshell, this means that you can use actions to show what’s going on in your story. It’s better than simply writing something like “Martha felt angry.” 

You can write “Martha slammed the door.” That’s showing because it describes an action and gives us a sense of how Martha feels through her actions. That’s much more interesting than telling us she’s angry!

When you’re sitting down to write your first book, try to think about how you could show more rather than tell more. This way, your readers will get wrapped up in their imaginations about what is happening instead of just reading words on a page with no meaning behind them!

The path to becoming a published author is a rewarding one, but it can be complex. If you’re aspiring to write a novel and get it published, our comprehensive guide can provide you with actionable steps and insights into the publishing process.

Edit Ruthlessly

You’ve written a masterpiece. Congratulations! You’re not done yet, though. Before you send your book to publishers, you must edit ruthlessly.

That means deleting words that don’t add to the story. Delete unnecessary words like “a” and “the.” Delete words that are redundant and repetitive (e.g., “I did this because I wanted to”). 

Delete vague language: if it’s clear what action is happening or who is doing it, don’t say so three times in a row! By editing ruthlessly before sending your novel off for publication, you’ll be able to focus on writing instead of wasting time fixing grammar errors later on down the road.

Carry A Notebook Around With You, And Write Down Ideas Whenever They Come To You

Carry a notebook around with you, and write down ideas whenever they come to you. I always carry one in my pocket, and I try to write down anything that comes to mind. 

If I see something on the street that makes me think of an idea for a story or poem, or if I have some kind of epiphany at the grocery store about how life is like a salad bar I write it down.

By writing down ideas when they come to you, you will keep yourself from forgetting them later on. You also give yourself time to reflect on each idea before writing it down (if it’s important enough for me to remember) and thinking about how it might fit into your work.

In addition to keeping your mind active throughout the day with little thoughts here and there (which helps create new connections).

This practice will help keep those creative juices flowing while also working as an exercise in discipline: carrying around a notebook requires a certain level of mindfulness that doesn’t always come naturally (or easily).

Read Your Work Aloud To Yourself To Identify Any Awkward Phrasing Or Poor Transitions So You Can Fix Them

Read your work aloud to yourself.

In addition to checking for typos and grammatical errors, reading your writing aloud can help you identify awkward phrasing or poor transitions that might make it more difficult for readers to follow along. 

If you’ve written an essay on a new product at your job, read it to yourself as if you were presenting that information orally in front of an audience. Do the sentences sound like they’re coming out naturally? Are there places where the structure could use improvement?

Writing a novel is a journey that requires both passion and perseverance. Explore 17 valuable tips for anyone wanting to write a novel and make the most of your creative endeavor. These tips encompass various aspects of the writing process to guide you on your authorial path.

Take A Break From Your Work Every So Often And Come Back To It With Fresh Eyes And Perspective 

It is important to take a break from your work every so often and come back to it with fresh eyes and perspective. You can do this by reading it aloud, writing a new draft of the project, or just taking a few days off from writing in general.

If you need help with inspiration or motivation, consider getting involved in some other activities that spark creativity. 

For example, if you are writing about nature and love hiking, go on a hike! If you enjoy reading books about animals then perhaps volunteer at an animal shelter near where you live. 

The more experiences that ignite passion inside us, the easier it will become for us to write about them because this passion will carry through into our words on paper (or digital file).

Don’t Compare Yourself To Others

As you work, always remember to respect your own process. Do not compare yourself with others. Don’t look at the works of other writers and think, “I wish I could write as well as them.” 

You won’t be able to create quality work if you’re constantly comparing your writing skills with those of others. Instead, focus on your own unique voice and style.

Remember that writing is a journey and there are no shortcuts or formulas for becoming an excellent writer overnight it takes time!

Conclusion

We hope that this blog post has helped you start your writing journey! You don’t have to be a professional writer or journalist, but if you have something to say and want to share it with the world, then we encourage you to write. Don’t wait for inspiration, just start writing!

Further Reading

Here are some additional resources to help you on your journey to becoming a writer:

How to Become a Writer: A Comprehensive Guide: Discover actionable steps and insights on how to start your writing career.

Becoming a Writer: Tips and Insights: Learn from experienced writers and freelancers about the path to becoming a successful writer.

Mastering the Craft of Writing: Explore a variety of writing courses and resources to enhance your writing skills and knowledge.

FAQs

How do I start my journey to become a writer?

Starting your journey as a writer involves honing your skills, finding your unique voice, and consistently practicing your craft. Look for writing guides and courses to get you started on the right track.

Is formal education necessary to become a writer?

While formal education can provide a strong foundation, many successful writers are self-taught. What matters most is a dedication to learning, improving, and actively writing.

How can I overcome writer’s block?

Writer’s block is a common challenge. Experiment with techniques like freewriting, changing your environment, and setting achievable goals to help overcome creative hurdles.

How do I find my writing niche?

Discovering your writing niche involves exploring different genres and styles. Experimentation will help you identify the topics and genres that resonate with you the most.

What are some effective ways to improve my writing skills?

Improving your writing skills requires consistent practice, seeking feedback, and studying the works of accomplished writers. Consider joining writing communities and workshops to receive valuable insights.

Can I make a living as a writer?

Yes, many writers make a living through various avenues such as freelancing, authoring books, content creation, and more. Building a strong portfolio and networking within the writing industry are key steps to success.