Self-Improvement
Illuminating the Pathway Towards Better Writing and Personal Growth
Focus on our effort and the results will come
Many of us write. Before that, we read. Regardless of the reason(s) we write, one thing is for sure. We want to get better. We want to know how we can better project our voice, find loyal readers resonating with our message, and hopefully make a living with our words.
I have been writing since August 2020, and I have to tell you one thing. This journey is anything but easy. My pockets of improvements are measured on an atomic scale, and all I did was put my head down and take one step ahead, one day at a time.
I focused a lot more on myself, reading stories, and building my writing muscle. It has brought me immense inner peace amongst the noisy environment, one where everyone else had received the monthly windfall.
I would like to encourage everyone who has fallen short of monetary rewards to keep plodding. Focus our energy on the fundamentals, and we will build a stronger foundation over time.
These are the 2 fundamentals supporting our endeavor to become a better writer: -
- Reading
- Writing
Each of these fundamental pillars holds us up in its own right. They work amongst themselves to further consolidate what we have learned through active practitionership.
“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”
― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
Fundamentals # 1 — Read A Lot.
Many writers read a lot. So, this is not my point.
I am trying to bring across a point of specificity. If you intend to thrive writing on this platform, then the natural course of action is to read a lot here. Every platform has a different pathway to success. A superstar writer elsewhere with million of fans may fall flat here.
The fastest way to write better is to read from the writers who write brilliantly here.
And we have an army of brilliant writers on ILLUMINATION. These are not just writers. They are editors too, and they understand the business of writing from the publishing side and writing side.
In brief, they understand what it takes to be successful.
These stories from our editors are my recommendations for a start: -
Liam Ireland | 3 Reasons To Embrace A Lifelong Commitment To Learning And Personal Development
Maria Rattray | Two Lessons I Learned Early In Life
Terry L Cooper | The Most Depressing $6 I Ever Spent
Noorain Hassan | Respect Doesn’t Always Mean Talking Out of Love
Agnes Laurens | Why Writing Gives Space In My Mind
One point to note — Combined, we have enough editors writing about something which allows ILLUMINATION to cover everything.
This is not 1 person writing about everything.
This is about 1 person writing about something, and therefore many persons covering many things.
Need someone to model?
At ILLUMINATION, you are spoilt for choice.
Fundamentals # 2 — Write A Lot.
To become better at one thing, we have to keep practicing that one thing.
“You’ve probably heard of the 10,000-hour rule, which was popularized by Malcolm Gladwell’s blockbuster book “Outliers.” As Gladwell tells it, the rule goes like this: it takes 10,000 hours of intensive practice to achieve mastery of complex skills and materials, like playing the violin or getting as good as Bill Gates at computer programming.”
Deliberate practice builds our muscle for specific action. It applies to writing.
If you have the intention to become a better writer, I suggest joining the 100 Day Challenge For New Writers.
You will be amazed by your growth trajectory.
Dr. Mehmet Yildiz | 100 Day Challenge For New Writers
ILLUMINATION is well-positioned to help you become a better writer.
We host a repository of brilliant resources in various genres which can help you succeed.
Immense yourself in the materials available to you. They are gems in their own right.
And ultimately, success leaves clues. These clues contain bite-sized nuggets of wisdom that will help you become a better writer and achieve personal growth daily.
Aldric
Dr Mehmet Yildiz Liam Ireland Maria Rattray Noorain Hassan, BMS Dr. Preeti Singh Terry L. Cooper Agnes Laurens Josh Balerite Acol Tree Langdon Carol Price Geetika Sethi
About the Author:
As a content contributor, I write my observations from daily life and my business exposure. Because our life experience is the bedrock of our unique perspectives.