13 Amazing Tips From Medium Pros About Writing

And how you can apply them to your own writing journey

I’m not a viral writer, a famous blogger, or a Youtube hero — yet. What I am known for is my incessant drive to go down rabbit holes on hundreds of subjects.

I used to feel that this ongoing trait in my life was more wasteful than productive. But over time and experience, I realized it was the complete opposite.

Perhaps the most famous scientist of the 20th century said it best:

“ Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.” — Albert Einstein

Several months ago, I decided to try a new kind of rabbit hole — one that I wouldn’t climb out of right away. I delved into the world of writing and blogging on the internet and have enjoyed every last minute of it.

There are a few key things I’ve learned along the way that I wish I had known when I first started. They would’ve helped reduce the desire to climb back out of the hole — as there were certainly times that I almost gave up.

1. Don’t stick to one path at the beginning

When you first start out, it is tempting to read into the advice of experienced writers saying to stick to one niche for faster success. This can work for some people, but it can be a dangerous road to go down as a new writer.

Why?

Because it can lead to boredom. And boredom can lead to giving up the new habit. You should try out as many different styles, subjects, and methods as you want in the beginning. It will help turn this new hobby into a new habit, and that’s one of the keys to being successful as a writer — consistency.

The inspiring Jun Wu was one of the first writers I started reading, and her words definitely urged me to continue exploring different areas.

“You have to figure out what works for you. Start by writing in four or five topics and see where it leads you.” — Jun Wu

Exploring new genres, topics and areas of life is a great way to develop your writing skills and discovering what you like to write about.

And it’s just as much fun learning new things along the way!

2. Read anything and everything

Nobody can truly become a great writer if they don’t explore other people’s writing. Both to learn from experts and to learn about themselves.

What styles suit you, what type of jokes you enjoy, what enthralls you and what makes you close the book out of boredom.

Shaunta Grimes, one of the Medium pros, even advises you start taking notes while reading to enhance your learning.

Don’t know what to read?

You don’t really have an excuse for finding something interesting — there were over 130,000,000 books published as of 2010 alone!

Just pick a hobby, movie, or subject you like and go search for top seller lists in the subject.

Reading great (and bad) writing is one of the best ways to help your own voice expand and grow.

3. Find a writing schedule you’re comfortable with

This is a big one for new writers out there. In order to make writing become a part of your life, you’ll need to get comfortable with it.

For some, that can mean writing every day, for others, it's only once a week.

But the key here is consistency. You can’t make a habit stick if you don’t habitually practice it. Many writers advise writing every single day, but this can be tedious in the busy world we live in.

But hey, writing every day can certainly work too!

Brian Rowe gives credit to having a daily schedule for his great achievement of writing twenty novels in less than ten years!

One of the best ways for you to make writing a habit is to fit it into your own schedule. You can also write on your phone these days with many apps out there that help make it possible.

You also don’t have to write for hours at a time.

Have an extra 15 minutes on your lunch break?

Write a paragraph of your next piece.

Walking on a treadmill for 30 minutes?

There’s half of an article.

It’s great to be able to stick to a schedule if you’re that kind of person. It’s even greater if you find a way to stick to a habit — even if that means having no schedule at all.

Fit writing into your own pace of life in order to keep it fun.

4. It takes time to grow on a platform

As a new writer, you may have explored a lot of top 10 lists to find out where to create your blog or journal. There are plenty of options out there, all with their pros and cons.

The one thing they all have in common though — it takes time to build an audience. Despite what you may find some authors telling you, there is no get rich quick scheme when it comes to writing.

This is especially true when trying to build audiences on blogging platforms and personal websites.

Tim Denning put it bluntly by saying “you make zero for a long time.” These words were true when he said it and still are today.

Once you have that idea embedded in your head, it reduces your expectations — and allows you to write free from worry.

5. Find your own voice and be proud of it

When you first start reading the bigger bloggers out there, it’s tempting to think “I can write like that!”

Don’t.

There are an estimated 500 million blogs out there with over 2 million posts a day.

Do you really want to be just another pebble on the beach?

You’ve lived a unique life, have unique perspectives, and a unique voice! Don’t be afraid to use it in your writing.

It helps you stand out and it helps you build a structure. Readers that like your style will come back for more. People don’t go to see the fifth Star Wars sequel expecting it to be a comedy.

Just read this great line from Steve Campbell, an advocate of honest writing.

“That’s how you truly make it as a writer, artist, or content creator in this world, by being raw and honest — by being yourself.” — Steve Campbell

Writing in your own voice not only helps resonate with certain readers, but it’s also more natural — and more fun!

6. Use an active voice as much as possible

I’ve read this is a common mistake for new bloggers — myself included. In our daily lives, especially in the business world, we have to use extremely formal styles of writing.

This can lead to a tendency of putting sentences in passive form. This is a common mantra of many successful bloggers out there. Simply for the reason that writing in an active voice is easier to read.

Charlotte R Dixon explains the concept perfectly in one of her pieces.

“If your writing is laden with passive sentences and phrases it will be boring. Dull. Flat. Lifeless.” — Charlotte R Dixon

It’s a constant struggle to get used to switching to active writing from passive — but it pays off in the end.

7. It shouldn't (only) be about the money

Many people get into the blogging world for the money. They read a story or two on the web about how someone made $100,000 in the last year doing so. Perhaps they’ve come across it in a top 50 list of side-hustles.

Whatever the source, a lot of people come to this profession thinking they’ll find easy money. In truth, just like any other career, the money doesn’t come easily.

Bebe Nicholson said it beautifully in her piece.

Forget the money, for a moment, and let your words sing life and joy back into your soul. — Bebe Nicholson

This is a phrase I’m trying to remember every time I open my browser to the stats page — a habit I admittedly do far too often.

Forgetting about the money, as often as we can, is a good thing. But not an easy task at all.

You should strive to remember this can be your passion and not just a paycheck.

Even if a paycheck wouldn’t hurt at the end of the month.

8. Honesty pays off

The world is flooded with fake news, fake stories, and fake tweets. People are sick of it and are always on the lookout for something fresh and new.

Using honesty in your blogging is a great way to stand out from the rest of the crowd. Your story is unique and people value that.

The thing is, writing stories about your past isn’t easy. Sure, the fun ones are amusing to write and recall, but writing something that deeply affected you feels like exposing a piece of your soul.

Jeff Goins reinforces this point by saying a beautifully succinct truth.

“When you write, tell it like it is. We are all waiting for the truth, and so few people are willing to tell it.” — Jeff Goins

The first time I wrote something deeply personal was about my uncle dying, and I hesitated to submit the article for a long time. I eventually did and was happy that I shared it — but it still wasn’t easy.

It opened the floodgates for me though, and now I am much more willing to write about my unique experiences in the world — and it seems people are way more interested in reading these types of stories too.

9. Don’t get angry at feedback

Many of us state openly that we love hearing constructive criticism, when in reality that’s usually far from the truth. But it’s one of the most important things you can receive when trying to improve your writing.

You also don’t have to use all the feedback you get. Just don’t get angry at the person for giving it to you — or you’ll never get more advice from them again.

Publications and guest posting are a great way to find professional feedback. Joining tribes and groups on a variety of websites is another way to be assessed. Or you can simply reach out to family and friends for their thoughts.

Tim Rettig gives an apt point on why this is so useful to writers.

“Medium has made it possible for me to put myself into the mind-set of a learner.” — Tim Rettig

The more comments you get, the more potentially useful information and insights you can gain.

This allows you to learn and grow — with every single piece you publish!

10. Don’t use that word as much as possible

This one surprised me, and I had no idea how much I was really abusing it. I’m referring to the overuse of the word ‘that’ in writing.

The interesting feature of the word ‘that’ is that you can remove it from almost all of your sentences, and they’ll still make sense! If this is a new concept to you, go back and check some of your older writing.

In his really useful 2 minute article, Josh Spector states:

“At least 90% of the times you use the word “that” can be removed from your writing and it will instantly make your sentence stronger.” — Josh Spector

Find your sentences that use ‘that’ and read them as if the word wasn’t in there. I bet you the sentence becomes shorter, easier to read, and flows better almost all of the time.

Ease of reading is a major factor in blogging, so try to practice any useful habits like this as much as possible.

11. Take a break

One of the most important factors in long-term blogging success is consistency.

Not just the consistency of writing once a day or whatever your schedule is, but the consistency of making writing an actual habit that you enjoy and love.

Sometimes we need a break to really appreciate something. Thomas Oppong advises this as well, for many reasons.

“Mental breaks increase productivity, replenish attention, solidify memories and encourage creativity.” — Thomas Oppong

If you don’t continue enjoying the hobby, then at some point you’ll give it up. We all get overwhelmed from time to time. Bored of a subject, tired of writing, and experience disruptions to our normal activities.

When this happens with your writing, give yourself permission to take a break. Break for a walk, break for a day, or break for a week.

Your followers won’t drop to 0, the platform you write on will still be there, and you’ll still remember how to write when you come back.

It’s okay to take a breather, especially if that fresh air will ensure the longevity of the habit.

12. Go out and live

Many writers, especially some of the younger ones, fret about finding real-life experiences to write about. There’s a reason for that, perhaps they simply haven’t experienced much! (Although I personally feel everyone has unique stories to share regardless.)

A great source to find inspiration and ideas to write about stuff is to just get out there and experience new things.

One of my favorite writers on here is Tom Kuegler, and I positively love what he says about experiencing life.

“To me, whenever you cross a bridge to something new because of curiosity, you find a better road.” — Tom Kuegler

Join that book club you always wanted to. Take a painting class. Start walking your neighborhood every night. Fly to that destination you’ve been dreaming of for years. What’s really stopping you from exploring, other than yourself?

Go out and live a life worth writing about.

13. Hard work above all

One of my favorite mantras in life is one that I strive to remember every single day.

hard work + consistency = success

The above formula can remind you to keep at it, especially on those days when you really don’t feel like writing.

Do you want to be a successful blogger?

Out-blog the other bloggers. It’s as simple as that, and it rings true in many aspects of life, business, and sports.

The amazing Ayodeji Awosika puts this point in another way.

“If you want it to work, you have to make it work for you.” — Ayodeji Awosika

If you want to be successful as a writer, as I’m sure you do, the one tried and true method is working hard. Keep at it, today, tomorrow, next month and next year.

You’ll eventually achieve your goals if you stick to it.

I’m still loving and learning how to write, and spend a huge amount of time every day researching and reading other authors. I’m grateful for the useful advice and motivation from the authors I’ve mentioned above.

Thank you for inspiring me to keep going in this amazing world of writing — I plan on continuing my journey for a long time to come!

I’d like to finish off with a great quote from one of the all-time greats.

“If you do the work, you get rewarded. There are no shortcuts in life.” — Michael Jordan

J.J. Pryor

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