If Writing Was Easy, Everyone Would Be Doing It

Five great starter tips for the beginning writer.

Maybe it’s the kind of social circle I run with, but in my fifty-some years wandering this planet, I’ve known more people who have claimed to want to be a writer than anything else.

Okay, slight correction… most people want to be millionaires. But as far as vocations go, writer is the top choice.

Wanting to be something is the easy part. Few put in the work to make it happen. I’ve certainly been guilty of it. Aside from a few pieces sold here and there, I didn’t really become a writer — a writer who writes for a living — until only a few years ago.

The desire to be a writer is important. But if there is no willingness to do the work, then that’s all it’s ever going to be — just a desire.

That said, I’ve got some good news for you. The work you have to put into becoming a writer is perfectly manageable. It starts with desire, then with practice, then growth, and so on.

Here are some ways to determine where you are in your journey to becoming a writer and where you have to go next.

Create a habit.

Just as much as no one expects you to produce brilliant prose right off the bat, no one is even expecting to see you maintain an iron discipline.

Not right away, at least.

Can you set aside ten minutes a day just for writing? How about 20?

Great.

You don’t need to take a lot of time at first. The idea is to make writing a daily habit. When I started, I wrote for half an hour each day immediately following breakfast. It was pretty terrible. No one else has ever seen any of that writing.

But I got the habit established. Eventually, I started to get better. Then my writing got better than that. Without studying writing or grammar or structure, my prose improved simply in practice. Mind you, it doesn’t end there, but turning writing into a daily habit is a crackerjack start.

I write for almost two hours a day now — at least. It takes minimal effort, but that’s because I’ve built the habit and made it easier for myself over time.

Explore. Expand.

At first, you will be tempted to stick with writing subjects you’re comfortable and familiar with. You don’t want to break the flow of words pouring from your fingertips to stop for research, right?

Eventually, however, you’re going to find yourself wanted to expand your storytelling a bit. When that happens, it’s time to start exploring.

What is something you’ve been interested in but didn’t know much about? It doesn’t have to be anything scholarly or erudite. It could be a TV show. It could be a type of food. The point is to pick a topic to write about, do some research, get some practice on doing research, and then write about that.

If you’re working on fiction, this is all grist for the mill. If you’re writing a spy thriller set during World War II, then you better know who some of the players were. If you want to write a creative essay about the circus, you’ll want to know the difference between a carnival barker and a ringmaster.

This may sound like work, but it doesn’t have to a burden. If you’re imagining sitting someplace surrounded by textbooks and legal pads and buzzing fluorescent lights conducting joyless research, you’re imagining it wrong.

Research can be as simple as sitting down with a good book on the subject you want to learn more about. It could be watching a documentary or listening to a podcast. You don’t even really have to take notes if you don’t want to.

Enjoy yourself. Stretch yourself. Learn something new.

Learn the basics.

There are some minimum requirements every writer needs to get down.

• Basic grammar
• Basic punctuation
• How to write a beginning, middle, and end

You’re not going to keep a reader if you can’t express yourself clearly. I’m not saying you internalize the MLA handbook, but having a copy of Strunk & White’s within sight isn’t a bad idea. I keep an extra copy in the bathroom for occasional thumbing through.

How important is learning conventional grammar and style?

Many talented, popular authors seem to ignore the basic requirements I listed above. That said, every famous writer who experimented with style, grammar, and punctuation, intimately knew the rules they were flouting. Every writer who has ever told a story in a non-linear manner, who shifted viewpoints, tenses, or even languages with seeming casual disregard for reason or readability, knew what they were doing and why.

You can’t break the rules if you don’t know the rules.

You can be an artist but know your art first.

“Wherever you go, there you are.”

I just wanted a fancier way of saying “be yourself” because that’s what this tip is essentially all about. (Bonus points if you know the movie I’m quoting.)

Many new writers have a tendency to study and imitate other writers’ styles. There’s nothing wrong with that to start. I used to try writing in the style of Neil Gaiman — with questionable success. I came across as someone who was trying to imitate Neil Gaiman.

I wasn’t coming across as myself.

Did I learn anything? Sure. Some. I got some practice forming sentences and paragraphs. I got in some practice with pacing. All of this was valuable, and eventually, when I consciously decided to stop imitating Neil Gaiman and wrote my stories, I had the tools with which to do so.

And I sold a few stories. Not bad.

Study other writers as much as you want. There’s a lot to learn. But don’t try to be someone else when you write. People can spot a fake a mile away. Nurture and develop your own writing style. It will pay off more by the end.

Onward, ever onward!

It’s perfectly normal to get discouraged from time to time. The real question is… what are you going to do about it?

If you’re serious about your intent to be a writer, you’ll realize this is only a temporary feeling, and you’ll push through it. Ask yourself these questions:

• Can you deal with the rough parts of being a writer?
• Is being a writer important to you?

If you’ve always dreamed of being a writer, then you cannot imagine a life without writing. Don’t give up. Whether you’re in the mood or not, get your butt in that chair and give a writing session an honest shot.

You may hit a block or obstacle, but you’ll bounce back. It may take a few days. It may take a few weeks. You’ll get back into your writing groove and be a stronger writer because of it.

Write every day. Perseverance pays off.

Becoming a writer.

Skills can be learned. Discipline can be learned. You can be a writer if you have the desire and the drive. You can be a great writer if you have the patience and the willingness to go the extra mile.

Take these tips to heart. Some writers don’t make it, but many, many writers do. It’s really up to you.

I see no reason why you shouldn’t be one of them.

Cheers!

Thank you for reading. I’d love to share more with you via my Bi-Weekly Word Roundup newsletter sent to subscribers every other Sunday. It will feature news, productivity tips, life hacks, and links to top stories making the rounds on the Internet. You can unsubscribe at any time.