3 Articles to Take Your Writing to a New Level

Detail your writing like you detail a fine car

I don’t believe that a piece of writing is ever finished. At some point, we do have to let it go and see how it’s received by our readers. However, no matter how experienced we are, how skilled our writing is, or how masterful we are with language, it’s never 100% as good as it could be. I believe we must constantly strive to get better.

Sure, some writers churn out the same work over and over. Their work revolves around themes and is written in a tried-and-true way that leads to mega-followers and makes money. More power to them. I sometimes wish that I could be one of those writers, but I’m not. I don’t want to settle in and just churn out stuff. For me, writing is an opportunity to continuously hone my craft, improve, and deepen my skillset. It is an opportunity to express myself and explore strange, new worlds where I have never gone before.

Writing is dynamic exploration, experimentation, and growth. Here are 3 articles that can help you level up, deepen your skills, and motivate you to bring more to each piece of writing.

Writing in blocks of time can keep your interest and motivation high

This piece by Michelle Richmond explores how the great Willa Cather wrote in spurts to keep her enthusiasm alive and the writing interesting. I can relate to this. As a full-time freelancer who works from home, I use time blocking for writing — my writing hours are 10 am to noon and 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm. I frequently work on different projects in each block of time.

Not everyone has the luxury or freedom I do, so Michelle Richmond includes Alice Munro, another excellent writer, in her article and describes Munro’s ability to write when facing family demands.

“No matter when you are able to make it to your writing desk, or your notebook, try to approach it as an adventure, not a chore. Merely having the privilege of an hour to write can be an adventure in itself.” — Michelle Richmond

Write, edit, write, edit — the eternally spinning wheel of the writer’s world

Dawn Bevier gets to the heart of writing as growth with her examples of how her writing has improved over her years of experience. Like her, I recently culled out a chest full of my article clippings. As I read many of my pieces that were published ages ago, I was chagrined by some, appalled by some, and pleasantly surprised by others. One of my finest pieces of writing was my first published article. Dawn adds delicious tidbits from many artists that reinforce the importance of experimentation and exploration in our writing.

“Many writers will try to tell you which cliff to jump off and how to best use your wings. Listen politely, but don’t automatically take their words to heart. Your wings are unique, and so is your writing journey.” — Dawn Bevier

Taking care of the small things adds impact to the big things

This article by Jessica A zeroes in on specific elements of writing that are often overlooked or dismissed. Yet, it is these small things that deliver impact for the reader. From titles and subheads to experimentation to pitfalls to avoid, she digs into the nitty-gritty elements that burnish our work and make readers pay attention. She takes us through the entire process from the first draft to the final edit and shares gems of information and advice throughout.

“Ultimately, you write because you have something to say. Have the courage to say it, and try not to sweat the Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down mentality of our age.

“And always remember: writers write.” — Jessica A

Writers also read and learn from each other

I encourage you to dip into these amazing, informative, insightful articles by 3 superb writers. As experienced as I am, I gained new insights and tools to improve. Brava to these creative writers on writing.

Thanks for reading, Patricia

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