This week, we’re continuing my Friday introduction series. This time I’m sharing the best writing tips I’ve ever received.
Writing Tips
Table of Contents
But first, a caveat: these are tips I’ve found particularly helpful. They may or may not work for you…which may just be tip number one.
Everything will not work for you.
If you dream about being a writer, you’ve probably read books, blog posts, articles, etc. You may have attended conferences, webinars, and other training. There’s a lot of information out there.
And maybe you’ve tried some of the tips you’ve heard or read, and it failed abysmally. That’s because every writer is different. Yes, we have some things in common, but God created unique individuals. What worked for Writer A, may not work for you
Learn from others
I know this may seem to contradict the first tip, but hear me out.
I’ve spent a lot of hours in the last few years watching YouTube. Listening to other writers talk about their processes gave me the courage to figure out my own. It also confirmed what I’d long suspected: there are several ways to be a writer and no two people are exactly alike.
Sometimes, I’d hear an idea that immediately stressed me out—a clue that maybe that particular technique wouldn’t work for me. Other times, I’d be intrigued or excited.
Learning from other writers broadened my experience beyond what I could have accomplished on my own.
Challenge yourself
For years, I was a writer who didn’t write. I had the desire to write. Occasionally I had ideas and tried to write but couldn’t complete anything.
I’d sit around waiting for inspiration, which came infrequently, if at all. The thing that changed my attitude toward writing was starting a blog and participating in the Write 31-Day Challenge.
I was still learning how to blog, create graphics, and everything related to that. To make it more fun, the topic I chose was marriage advice based on couples in the Bible.
Since I wasn’t an expert on the topic, I had to research each couple and then write the blog post. This was after working a full day and taking care of my family’s needs.
Sometimes the post didn’t get published until minutes before midnight, but I published something every day.
Fail fast
As writers, we’re so scared to be anything less than perfect that we sometimes spend years working on a single piece. And while we learn through that process, we learn more by starting and completing new things.
So experiment with your writing. Try different techniques. Above all, don’t be afraid to fail.
There’s no one way to become a successful writer.
This one took a load off my mind by reminding me that there are many paths that lead to success. My path may not look like yours, but it doesn’t mean I won’t achieve success if I do things differently.
If you want to be a writer, you must write.
There are some who believe you have to write every day, while others believe you should write when you can, as dictated by the circumstances of your life.
I’ve tried both and they’ve worked for me depending on the phase of life I’m in. What I will say is that it’s important to have a writing routine.
Make a plan for when you can write and stick to it as best as you can. Don’t be a slave to it, but stick to your commitment as best as you can.
Talk about your writing.
This one was hard for me—is still hard for me. But as a Christian author, I believe God gives me the words to share, whether I’m writing fiction or nonfiction. If I don’t tell people about my work, then I’m not being a faithful steward.
Now, if God has instructed you to write something and keep it secret, do that. Otherwise, we have an obligation to partner with Him to get the word out. I know how scary that is, but think of it as being a good steward. I don’t know about you, but I want to be called a faithful steward and reap all the rewards that come with that.
There are other great tips I’ve heard over the years, and maybe someday there will be another post (or two)…in the meantime, share your favorite piece of writing advice with me in the comments below.