5 Tips For Aspiring Writers

Do you want to be a writer and don't know where to begin?

It can be hard to get the ball rolling at first. After all, there are many different options when it comes to building a writing career. Or even if you want to start writing as a new hobby.

You could become a fiction writer, a journalist, a content writer, or a technical writer. The list goes on and on. In this post, I'll share some key tips for aspiring writers. These tips will help you write faster, find a path that suits you, and help you express yourself in a creative and impactful way.

Get rid of unhelpful beliefs around writing.

The first step is to get rid of any negative or unhelpful beliefs that you may have about writing. A lot of people think that in order to be a writer, you need to have some sort of natural talent or gift. This simply isn't true. Writing is a skill that can be learned by anyone and everyone.

You also don't need to be a perfect writer to get started. In fact, it's often better to just start writing and worry about perfection later. The more you write, the better you'll become at it.

However, I do recommend that you study how to write. You can do this by reading books, attending workshops, doing online courses, and joining writing support groups.

Also, beware of 'resistance'. Seth Godin and Steven Pressfield have talked about how resistance can prevent us from starting something new or pursuing our dreams. Resistance can be in the form of procrastination, self-doubt, laziness, and more.

I recommend reading 'The War of Art' by Steven Pressfield to learn more about resistance and how to overcome it.

Learn freewriting

One of the best ways to overcome writer's block and get the creative juices flowing is to practice freewriting. This is a technique where you set a timer for a certain amount of time (usually 10-15 minutes) and just start writing.

Don't worry about grammar, spelling, or even what you're writing. Just let the words flow out of your brain and onto the paper. This is a great way to get started on a writing project because it helps you to just get the ideas down without getting bogged down in the details.

Read. A lot.

If you want to be a good writer, you need to read a lot. This will help you to develop your writing style, learn new vocabulary, and get exposure to different types of writing.

It's also a good idea to read outside of your genre or comfort zone. This will help to broaden your horizons and make you a more well-rounded writer.

Find your writing niche

One of the best pieces of advice I can give you is to find your writing niche. This is the type of writing that you're most passionate about and that comes easiest to you. Once you've found your niche, stick with it. This doesn't mean that you can never branch out, but it's a good idea to focus your energies on one area.

If you're not sure what your writing niche is, take some time to experiment. Write in different genres and styles and see what feels the most natural to you.

Create an online portfolio

If you want to get a formal job that's centered around writing, then you need to create an online portfolio. This is a collection of your best writing samples that you can share with potential employers.

Your online portfolio should be tailored to the type of writing you want to do. For example, if you're a journalist, you should include articles that you've written. If you're a content writer, you should include blog posts, website content, and so on.

The key is to make sure that your online portfolio is up-to-date and reflects your current writing style.

Learn to market yourself

Last but not least, you need to learn how to market yourself as a writer. This includes creating a social media presence, networking with other writers, and so on.

The better you are at marketing yourself, the more likely you are to find success as a writer. I suggest reading the book 'Show Your Work' by Austin Kleon for more tips on marketing yourself as an artist or creative.

Many new writers make the mistake of undervaluing their work. As a result, they get underpaid and underappreciated. Reading this book will help you recognize the value you offer and will help show it to others too.

Conclusion

These are just a few tips that I have for aspiring writers. If you're serious about becoming a writer, I recommend implementing these tips into your writing routine.

By following these tips, you'll be well on your way to becoming a successful writer