When it comes down to learning how to write, you may be surprised to find out that there isn’t a magical formula or some kind of inherent skill that must be attained in order to excel. Writing, like many other disciplines, is the result of a lot of hard work, commitment and most importantly – consistency.
Just like learning how to become proficient within the confines of a sport or even an artform like drawing or playing music, practice becomes key. The long grind of hours and hours spent repeating exercises, training not only your mind but your body in the rigors of a discipline become the same principle by which you will not only achieve your goals but eventually even exceed them.
So what does learning how to write and learning how to begin this journey look like and what guidance would we at The Word Counter give to you as you begin this journey?
Set Your Goals
Just like in the practice of yoga setting your intention and your goals at the beginning of the journey will be imperative to success. The process of becoming a good writer is a long and arduous one so having a solid anchoring when it comes to motivation will help you stick with it over the long haul.
If you are aspiring to be a novelist, biographical writer or even a freelance writer, keep these goals and dreams readily accessible. By setting clear goals and making a plan for how to reach those goals, you’ll have a road map to come back to when it feels overwhelming.
Set Up Daily Rhythms
This is the natural second step to follow up your goals. Once you have a general direction and you have something to pursue, realistically look at the time you have available to reach that goal. For many people, writing isn’t something that’s incredibly lucrative right out the gate.
During the formative time of a writer’s life when they are developing their unique and specific presence within the writing world you’ll most likely have to work outside of the field in order to get the bills paid. Because of this, getting real about the amount of time you have and the priorities you are setting within that time will be paramount to growing in your skill.
Learning when and how it best fits your schedule to spend dedicated time writing and then turning that into daily rhythms will help you grow your talent and expand your skillet.
Keep Reading
As important as it is for a writer to consistently be writing and growing and practicing their art it is equally important that they exercise their commitment to reading. In fact, reading is one of the very best ways to help you grow as a writer all the way around. It constantly keeps your mind thinking in terms of the written word and consistently exposes you to writers who you can learn and grow from.
Get Constructive Criticism
This is hands down the scariest part of learning how to write and truthfully can be one of the more challenging aspects of your entire writing career. As long as you are writing however, you will always have a necessity for criticism. This expands beyond simply having an editing process, however we do suggest that you work out a way of editing your content proficiently.
For some people this may come easier than others, however getting used to criticism and being able to adequately understand how to interpret and apply good criticism to your writing will help set you apart. Remember that not all criticism is constructive; making sure that the criticism you receive will keep you pushing towards your goals is an important part of maintaining a healthy relationship with critique in general.
Don’t Give Up and Develop Health Forward Habits
A very real danger for the life of a writer is burnout. Writer’s fatigue can happen to even the most seasoned of writers. As important as it is to have daily, weekly and even monthly rhythms when it comes to writing – it’s important to have a game plan for the time when you aren’t writing.
This means developing hobbies that engage different parts of your brain and develop different aspects of who you are. We also suggest developing strong hobbies that are healthforward such as cardio and even developing a gym routine. Writing can lead to a sedentary lifestyle which can present a challenge to your overall health. So creating healthforward habits to help counteract the results of a sedentary lifestyle can not only keep you from feeling burnout from focusing too much on writing, but also keep you healthy.
