Summary

An experienced writer shares insights on the essential aspects of writing they wish they had known before starting, emphasizing the importance of reading widely, developing a writing habit, understanding the audience, preparing for criticism, and acknowledging the challenges of the writing journey.

Abstract

The article delves into the personal revelations of a writer who has come to appreciate the nuances of writing through trial and error. The author stresses that writing is a skill honed over time, and there is no one-size-fits-all approach. They advocate for extensive reading as a foundation for good writing, suggesting that the quality of one's reading influences the quality of one's writing. The writer also underscores the necessity of a consistent writing practice, suggesting that regularity and dedication lead to improvement. Understanding the target audience is presented as crucial for engaging and retaining readers, and the author advises writers to be prepared for both harsh and constructive criticism. Finally, the emotional challenges of writing are acknowledged, with the reminder that persistence and self-care are key to enduring the solitary and often difficult path of a writer.

Opinions

The author believes that reading extensively across various subjects is vital for a writer's development and can enrich their writing by exposing them to different styles and genres.
Quality writing is achieved through consistent practice and dedication, akin to any other skill that improves with time and effort.
Knowing and catering to one's audience is essential for creating compelling content that resonates and maintains reader interest.
Criticism, whether harsh or constructive, is an inevitable part of a writer's public exposure and should be embraced as an opportunity for growth.
Writing is depicted as an emotionally taxing endeavor that can be isolating and filled with self-doubt, but the journey is worthwhile for those who persevere.

5 things I wish I knew before I started writing

A writer’s confession

Becoming a writer requires one thing; you have to write. Not only do you want to be a writer, you want to be a great one too. A lot of people wish they could write effortlessly.

Writing is a skill which takes time, knowledge and effort. You read tonnes of articles, various blog posts and commit to a never-ending internet search in order to know one thing: how to write.

The truth is, there are no universal principles on how to write and what works for one author may not work for another. You just need to create a list of the best practices that work for you. At the end of the day, what matters most is that you put in work because everything comes with a price.

The art of writing is definitely not a walk in the park.

Let me share some things which I have learnt overtime:

Writers read a lot

A writer becomes a writer based on what he or she reads.

If you want to be a great writer, read widely. While it’s important to carve a niche for yourself, don’t restrict your knowledge by confining yourself to few selected topics. In fact, read everything you can. From politics to sports, religion, science and inspirational books, read it all! Reading extensively creates more exposure.

You may not know this: your reading bleeds into your writing

Don’t just read, read good writing! Quality writing comes from quality reading. When you read, pay more attention to the writing style of popular writers; their tone, diction and everything else. No one is a born-writer. It is a skill acquired overtime through constant practice and dedication. Reading exposes you to all forms and genres of writing

“Be curious. Read widely. Try new things. What people call intelligence just boils down to curiosity”. -Aaron Swartz

Writing is not just about putting words on a page. One topic can cut across several other subjects. Show your readers a bit of diversity.

2. Develop a writing habit.

One doesn’t become a great writer overnight. I actively started writing a few months back and I am constantly striving to improve every day. Even great writers are aiming to do better because no one is perfect. While I can say that my writing has improved, I am learning new things every day.

If you want to be a better writer, try to write more. Write regularly; keep your creative juice consistently flowing. Write as many times as possible.

“What you do every day matters more than what you do every once in a while”.- Gretchen Rubin

Whether it’s waking up early or staying up at midnight, pick a comfortable time that works for you. Maximum productivity is the goal. No interruption. Just you and your thoughts. It doesn’t have to be for so long; 30 minutes is a great start. If putting off your phone and email notifications will make you function faster, do it by all means.

“If you write one story, it may be bad; If you write a hundred, you have the odds in your favor”.- Edgar Rice Burroughs

3. Know your audience

Give your readers a reason to keep reading. A very important question to ask yourself is: “who am I writing for?” Then adjust the content of your writing to suit that particular audience.

Next, get a catchy title that will spark each reader’s curiosity. It’s important to set a tone, based on the kind of people that will read your article. While some people get bored with technical reading, others don’t mind reading more intricately.

Not everyone is a thorough reader and the truth is, most people don’t read every word, unless there is something that catches their attention. Get to the main gist on time too. Writing gets interesting when you develop your story telling habit. Take your readers on an enjoyable ride of perfectly sequenced events.

Write topics that will be of benefit to your audience. You want to influence them positively, so always keep them in mind when writing.

“It’s about the audience, not you”.- Rhea Freeman

After you have mastered your audience, you should pay attention to the following:

Write in a simple manner. Avoid using vague words which may leave readers confused.
Clarify your intended message in the best way possible. Remember, writing is a two way street; you are giving and your audience is taking.
Try to make the paragraphs as precise as possible. You don’t want your readers to develop a headache because they are lost within never-ending sentences.
Proper punctuation is very essential for smooth reading. Look out for spelling mistakes, poor sentence structure and wrong grammar. Most readers zone out when they can’t cope with grammatical inaccuracy.

4. Get ready for critics

If you only want to write privately, this part may not apply to you. But if you aspire to write a book, journal or a blog or any other form of public writing, get ready to be criticized. Don’t feel that anyone who criticizes your work simply doesn’t like it. Criticism could be a good thing, depending on how you receive it. There are harsh critics and then there are the constructive critics. Learn to handle them all.

“You can’t progress unless you learn not only to receive criticism, but also to invite criticism”. — Gulzar

5. Writing is not an easy journey

Sometimes, writing can be a hard, lonely journey. So many thoughts in your head and numerous ideas constantly on your mind. If you don’t know much about writing, you will be amazed at the kind of struggles writers go through. It could be an emotional roller coaster. Most writers want their work to be so perfect; no mistakes. Then they get anxious.

“This is how you do it; you sit down at the keyboard and you put one word after another until it’s done. It’s that easy, and that hard”. — Neil Gaiman

Give yourself time to relax and introspect. Just as there are bad days, there are also good days. In order to make it in the world of writing, all you have to do is show up!