Becoming a Good Writer: The Journey

Becoming a good writer is not a simple three-step process but rather a hard journey. Yet, you should not stress. One common myth is that writing is a born skill. This myth has been debunked; writing is an acquired and learned skill.

Having said this, anybody can become a writer. Still, to become a good one takes effort. You won't get far if you don’t have the motivation and passion for content learning and growth.

On top of this, it is a different journey for everyone. It is good to remember that there is no blueprint for becoming a good writer. However, there are a few suggestions that you can implement to make your writing better day by day.

Becoming a Good Writer: The Journey

The journey to becoming a good writer is difficult and long, but this doesn’t mean it's not fun. After deciding to be a writer, you surely feel motivated and even overwhelmed about moving from here.

A few tips you can implement is to create a daily habit of reading and writing. Educate yourself and be open to learning new words and phrases, new techniques, and more. The more you practice reading and writing, the better you will get. As objective perfection doesn’t exist, we say practice makes it better.

Speaking of non-existent perfection, all criticism that comes your way shouldn’t be taken to heart. Everybody has an opinion and can share it. It is up to you what you do with that opinion and how it will affect you.

However, don’t let fear consume you. All of us must be knocked down at least once so we get better at what we do, even writing.

As a beginner or already established writer looking to improve, you must have encountered writer's block. That moment when you are staring at a blank page, and it is staring back at you. You can do one of three things in moments like these: reading, going outside, or taking some time off for self-care.

Take a step back from writing and finish that book you started reading ages ago, or go back to your favorite novel. Additionally, going outside, enjoying nature, or clubbing with friends are all an adventure sure to inspire you.

Furthermore, taking time for yourself is never a bad idea because stress, tiredness, and fatigue will surely overwhelm you. This will result in bad writing or no writing at all.

Finally, the most important thing is to stay persistent. Don’t let anything stand in your way. Be open to constant learning and growth. Don’t write for others. Write according to your liking and preferences, and write for yourself. You will surely succeed this way.

Starting Your Journey to Becoming a Good Writer

The decision has been made; you will become a writer, a pretty good one. You feel motivated, and the excitement is overwhelming.

Now you find yourself wondering, “where do I start?” Let us give you a few pointers!

Create a comfortable setting

Before engaging in any activity of creative nature, such as writing, drawing, or reading, you must find a comfortable spot. That spot can be a shabby corner in your house, on your bed, or maybe in a busy cafe; it’s different for everyone.

By doing this, you are creating your bubble from the world, and this helps you to focus and be present.

Practice makes better

We have all heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect,” which might be a lie. Perfection doesn’t exist, at least in the objective sense. What you find to be pique perfection, others may not. Setting such high unattainable goals for yourself would only bring you down and slow down your progress.

However, the more you write, the better you will get. Aim to create a daily writing habit. Even a short paragraph a day will get you closer to your goals. You can try daily journaling, writing letters, or even explaining your dreams in as much detail as possible.

Read more and analyze

To be a good writer, you must be an active reader. Aside from expanding your vocabulary, reading different genres, authors, and writers has more advantages than you might think.

As you read, try to dissect the text; analyze the words and structures the writer uses. Additionally, look at some critical reviews of the works you are reading for a professional opinion on the writing style and word choice.

Educate yourself

A good writer is a writer who is open to learning.

For a well-written piece, you must have certain background knowledge. If you haven’t had academic education in writing, many internet courses, content marketing books & blogs, and videos offer you such knowledge.

You can easily learn to convey emotions, which phrases to use, grammatical constructions, how to connect to your imagined reader, and much more. You don’t even have to spend any money. There are undoubtedly plenty of books on our subject in your local library.

Keep track of your ideas

You should keep a journal or download a notes app on your phone. As a writer, you know that the current of flowing ideas is strong. You are constantly coming up with new topics to research, read up on, and write about. Keep a list of it, as you might need it for inspiration.

Make your online self known

Having an online presence is important if you plan to become a paid writer. Create social media accounts to promote your work while you publish your work on a blog or a website.

Moreover, consider analyzing what your favorite authors and writers are doing. See how they interact with their audience and draw inspiration from there.

Don’t preoccupy yourself with editing

As a writer, you are also an editor. As you write, you must resist the urge to constantly go back to what you wrote and rethink your choices.

Remind yourself that editing comes after the first draft. Write as you go, and don’t look back; you will have enough time to edit the text.

Stay consistent

One of the most important things on your journey is to stay persistent. Don’t give in to negative feedback and rejection. Giving into fear is even worse.

Constantly remind yourself why you wanted to be a writer in the first place. Finding an internal cause and using it as a driving force throughout your journey is a must to stay motivated and persistent.

You can print motivational quotes you resonate with and hang them everywhere. You can put the same quote on your desktop or phone lock screen. You can even write yourself a letter that says why you have embarked on this journey that you will keep coming back to.

Difference Between Author and Writer: Setting Your Priorities Straight

The terms "writer" and "author" are frequently used interchangeably and as synonyms, although this is incorrect. In essence, yes, both persons write, whether it be professionally or for personal enjoyment, but the difference is big.

What is a writer?

The writer uses the written word to express whether it be ideas, thoughts, concepts, or anything of similar nature. Writers merely write out for two reasons, it is their hobby and passion, or their professional work requires it of them. Even though their work may be published on some websites, that doesn’t label them as authors.

There are many types of writers, and some are classified as specialized authors ( copywriters and technical writers) who need proper education for the job. Others, such as ghostwriters and content writers, must know the writing rules, but they don’t have to have additional academic education on the topics they write about.

What is an author?

On the other hand, an author is a person who has published work that is to be considered a literary text. Authors are deemed those who write and publish novels, books, short stories, essays, poems, and more works of similar nature.

You must have published a literary work, most frequently a book, in order to be regarded as an author rather than merely a writer.

Takeaway

All people who write can be labeled as writers, but not all labeled as writers become authors.

The Best Things to Do During the Writer's Journey

To give advice on the best way to become a good writer, first, you need to know why you want to become a better writer. There are two ways to think of this; whether you want to be a better writer for yourself or to better your career.

Writing as a hobby

If you just wish to learn to write better for yourself and not get paid for it, it is a straightforward answer. You should read as many works as possible and practice writing as much as you can.

Becoming a full-time paid writer

If you wish to work as a full-time paid writer, academic education majoring in writing, composition, and literature is necessary.

Although, sometimes recruiters make exceptions if they believe you have what it takes without an academic education.

Even so, it’s certain that a bachelor’s degree will get you further than someone who lacks it.

However, having a degree isn’t enough. You as well will have to read a lot and practice even more. The degree is of no use to you if you don’t have any experience and expertise.

Where to Search for Inspiration

Inspiration can be found anywhere around you; just looking at an old picture or a cigarette bud thrown on the street can get your creative juices flowing.

Yet, all of us need a reminder sometimes where to look. Consider the following advice:

• Get outside and connect with mother nature.
• Lay in your bed and daydream about what you will be writing.
• Hop in the shower.
• Take a step back from writing and read some literary works.
• Get out and have fun; a new adventure with friends is always inspiring.
• Start reminiscing and draw inspiration from your personal past experiences.

Getting Past the Writer’s Block

At one point during your writing journey, you will spend hours looking at a white, black page.

Your mind will go completely empty, and you might find yourself staring at the page for hours. If this sounds familiar, you have reached a plateau, widely referred to as writer’s block.

Here is some food for thought:

• Resort to using creative prompts. You will get billions of results by typing ‘’ creative prompts for writing’’ into a search engine.
• Don’t think, write! Stop overthinking what you will write and write down anything that comes to mind. You can edit the text later.
• Take some time off for self-care and relaxation. When you are tired and stressed out, you set yourself back mentally and physically. You can get sick and not be able to write even one sentence.
• Read, read, read! Take a step back from writing and resort to a good read. Pick up that book you still haven’t finished, or read your favorite one once more.
• Don’t fear perfection! You’ll never achieve it. Why fear something that doesn’t exist? Resort to writing according to your preferences and liking since objective perfection doesn’t exist.

Why Do Some Writers Fail?

There are many reasons why some writers fail. The sole reason might be that their writing is simply bad. However, in most situations, you can hinder your success. Some things to be mindful of during the entire journey are the following:

Determine what success means for you

To define success for you, you must define your ultimate goal. You should decide whether you want to improve your writing skills to enhance your writing as a hobby or wish to become a published author.

Stop being afraid of rejection and failure

Setbacks are a challenge that must cross your path to make you stronger and better. If J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter was rejected more than 10 times, don’t take everything to heart and move forward.

Be open to learning and growing

One of the secrets to becoming a good writer is to admit that you will constantly have to learn. You should educate yourself as much as you can. The more you read and study the texts, the more your writing will improve.

Don’t compare yourself to others

Do yourself a favor, and don’t consider comparing yourself to others. As each person is distinct, each journey to becoming a good writer will differ.

Conclusion

The journey to becoming a good writer is a long one, so take your time. Keep your head high despite any negativity that may be thrown your way. The same applies to all the harsh criticism you give to yourself. You shouldn’t let stress and overwhelming feelings consume you.

Get rid of those high standards you have set up for yourself. Striving for perfection will stagnate you since objective perfection doesn’t exist in this world. If you write for yourself, you will achieve perfection in no time.