4 Key Areas Every Writer Needs to Master for Success

It’s a joy for any writer to discover their passion for writing. But wanting to write is only one part of the game. You need to develop strategies on how often you write, what you write, and when you write. Without the basic structure and foundation in place, it’s impossible to nurture your craft and grow as a writer.

Here are four key areas every writer needs to master to be successful.

Building a writing habit

If you want to grow as a writer, the first thing you need to do is to build a writing habit. That means you need to write every day. When you write regularly, you work a writing muscle. Every time you sit down to write, you flex that muscle the same way you work your muscles during exercise.

Writing is a skill, and the more time you put into it, the better you become. That means you have to show up and practice writing every day — including those days when you don’t feel like it. This way your habit becomes ingrained over time.

If every time you postpone writing and give yourself excuses not to write, you’ll never start. Your habits won’t form overnight — that’s why you need to start small and build up to it.

When I first started writing on Medium, I was relatively new to writing craft. I wrote and published articles only once or twice a week. Over time though, I’ve built up my habit by writing consistently every single day. It’s all about showing up and writing regularly. Once that happens, you can increase your writing time to any length you want.

As I locked myself into a writing routine and wrote every day, my writing started to improve. Now I can effortlessly flesh out an article draft a day. It doesn’t take as much time as it did in the beginning to write each article. It’s easier to put down my thoughts, and ideas seem to flow faster. So it goes without saying that writing habit is essential to success.

If you’re new to writing and just starting, write as little as 10–15 minutes a day. Next week, you can increase it to about 20–30 minutes, and then a week after, go for a full hour. Choose time blocks that work best for you and your schedule. Once you have a solid writing habit in place, you’ll start seeing steady and incremental growth.

Letting go of imposter syndrome

If you’re a new writer, I know how it feels. You’re stuck with questions like “Why should I write if I’m not good enough” or “I don’t think I have what it takes to become a successful writer.” I’ve been through the same thought processes. When I first started, the imposter syndrome was tearing me to pieces. It made me doubt and question myself. Later I realized how I wished I had plunged into writing sooner.

Imposter syndrome is common. According to the International Journal of Behavioral Science, 70% of people experience imposter syndrome at some point. It can affect people from all walks of life. Valerie Young, an expert on imposter syndrome and author of the book The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women, says that it’s normal. The key is not to let negative thoughts dominate your life.

If you follow the inner critic that tells you you’re not good enough, you’ll be trapped in the perpetual cycle of uncertainty and fear. To take a step forward, you need to stop the negative self-talk. First, you should acknowledge your thoughts. Next, do a reality check by asking yourself: “Can this thought help or hinder my progress?” If the thought throws an obstacle on your path, reframe your mind to be a non-imposter. You can say something like: “I’m not where I want to be now, but if I practice writing consistently, I’ll get better at it with time.”

You have to overcome the feelings of doubt and inferiority to move forward. The more you put off writing, the harder it will be to take that first step. You have to accept that writing is a journey and requires work. No one gets better overnight — it’s a process that takes time and patience.

Young also suggests connecting with other people — friends or mentors — who’ve been in the field longer. They can give you guidance and reassurance that what you’re experiencing is normal. Long story short, you have to adopt the mindset that in the beginning, your writing might suck, but as you practice it, you’ll get better and better. As your confidence grows, so will your writing ability. It’s incredible how these two are intertwined.

“You don’t start out writing good stuff. You start out writing crap and thinking it’s good stuff, and then gradually you get better at it.

That’s why I say one of the most valuable traits is persistence.”

― Octavia E. Butler

Being older doesn't mean you can't start a writing career

A lot of people are worried about pursuing another career later in life, thinking it’s too late for them to start their life anew. For many, freelance writing is unknown territory. The reality is, age is just a number and shouldn’t be a predicament in your writing career.

You can succeed at any age if you have the passion and dedication to do so. And if you’re a writer wondering if it’s too late for you to get a publishing deal — it is not. For example, Toni Morrison was a late bloomer. She published her first novel The Bluest Eye at the age of 40, all while she was working as a Princeton professor. Millard Kaufman published his first novel Bowl of Cherries when he was 90 years old!

I started writing in my late thirties, and I’m still relatively new to it. My only wish is that I took a plunge earlier in life instead of focusing on just music all my life, which has kept me at a bare subsistence level financially. So no, it’s never too late to start writing and you can start today.

“You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.”

— C.S. Lewis

Expecting to write in perfect conditions

Don’t wait for magic inspiration to start writing. If you expect to have perfect conditions, you’ll never write. Life isn’t perfect, so making your writing perfect, especially at the beginning of your journey, is a wasted effort.

There is no such thing as a perfect desk or a perfect time to write. We all get busy with life. We have families, responsibilities to take care of, and our life gets in the way. But the key is to work around it. It’s knowing how to prioritize so you can build writing into your schedule.

I’m a full-time mom and I write every day while homeschooling my kids. I put aside two-time blocks during the day — morning and evening — and it works for me. I also carve out some time to write on weekends. On days I don’t feel like writing, I still write, although not as much as on my usual days. But I’ll still pull off a paragraph or two because it’s better than not writing at all.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”

— Louis L’Amour

The bottom line

Writing is a rewarding journey full of ups and downs. If you have a passion for writing, start writing sooner than later. Establish a solid writing routine and stick to it. Make an effort to write every day and build a writing habit.

If you treat writing seriously — like it’s your business rather than a hobby — you’ll gradually grow in your skills and build confidence. And such things as imposter syndrome will cease to exist.