Finding
tips for writing is as easy as any Google search; you’ll find links with lists
and websites of information, including tools to help motivate you and topics to
spark your imagination. However, when I sat down and thought about my own five
most important tips for writers, I tried to think about the tips that I find
most beneficial.
First, and
most important: You do not have to have
an English degree to write enjoyable, well written pieces for readers. Most
of my favorite blogs and columns are written by people who woke up one day and
decided to write something down. Lawyers, teachers, gas station attendants, it
doesn’t matter who you are. If you have the desire to write, grab a pen and
start writing. Every reader on this planet has a different preference for satisfying
reading. Know that you can’t please everyone and jump in anyway. Follow your
heart and mind, let your fingers do the typing and discover what you have
within you.
Secondly, write
what you know. Don’t desperately
attempt nonfiction when fiction is where you strive. Don’t start a blog about
comic books when you’re more interested in fashion. Don’t write for the public’s interests, write for yourself. The
audience that finds interest in your personal genre will find you. However,
with that said, don’t forget to challenge yourself once in awhile, dive in and
write something completely different, just for your own sake, but remember not
to beat yourself up if it doesn’t come naturally.
Third, you will have writers block once in awhile,
and when you do, try to relax. Take a break, have a cup of cocoa and get
away from it for a little while. Pick up and go somewhere else, sometimes you
just need a change of scenery. When that doesn’t work, try a random word
generator as a way to exercise your mind. Get a word, write a paragraph about
it. Do it again. Worst case scenario, fall in love with your deadline. Plan for
it, date it. Mentally prepare for it
and ration out the time you have left. Write your article for it, as it if was a letter to your love about whatever the topic
is at hand.
Fourth,
take everything you have and get it all
out. Put your partial thoughts on paper and take your time piecing them
together later. This will come in handy when you’re struggling to get an
outline and when you know exactly
what you want to say. Just scribble it down in an endless list and then go
through it later to rewrite each line in genuine care and detail. The most
important thing is having it. Keep a voice recorder handy for the car or when
you’re in bed. Sometimes your best thoughts come to you in the middle of the
night or when you’re unlikely to have a pen around.
Finally, my
fifth and final tip to achieve success with writing is to read. Reading has incredible effects on a writer.
It motivates them to create things others can read. It enhances your vocabulary
and improves your general language and writing skills. When you read something
you enjoy, it reminds you why you write in the first place, you write in hopes
for others to feel the same. Be excited that what you write can change the
views of those who come across it. It has the ability to create emotion,
promote thought and imagination, to encourage and educate. Your writing is an
open door; it’s your job to welcome guests inside.
Other Suggested Reading
Other Suggested Reading
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