A Complete Guide to Becoming a Better Writer

Becoming a better writer takes a certain amount of discipline and practice.

And being a professional writer is in itself a privilege that not everyone can take advantage of.

For those who want to break into the industry, it’s a hard road that must be taken – one that typically involves years of unprofitable work until finally, you can make writing your career.

But what happens after writing becomes your job? How do you stay ahead of the curve and continue to hone your craft?

The talent is already there, but that’s not enough if you want to stand out in an ocean full of competing writers. Here’s what you must do to become better than most:

Read

You may have read hundreds of books when you were still hungry for knowledge and itching to break into the industry but reading more is just as important now. You can’t improve as a writer if you stick to what you already have in your brain. Instead, you must expand your mind so you can create different worlds and more complex characters.

Reading allows you to absorb a lot of information about the craft, develop a deep understanding of language, and sharpen your writing skills. When you read books from different genres, it also gives you an idea of what’s working in the industry. In addition, the more you read, the larger your vocabulary becomes.

Fun Fact: According to American sociologists, children who start reading at 8 are less likely to land in jail in the future compared to those who don’t read at all.

Embrace a Writing Habit

Like any other skill, you can’t become a better writer overnight. You must learn to commit time every day to hone your craft. You can’t just write because you need to. You need to make writing a habit.

If you know that you can’t force yourself to sit down and write every single day, create a specific schedule for it. Just twenty minutes of quality writing can do wonders for your skillset. Start small, then work your way up until you feel confident and comfortable enough to extend your writing hours.

Fun Fact: Did you know that Mark Twain worked as a freelance writer before writing “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?” He wrote travel essays for the Sacramento Union and San Francisco’s Alta California. Like all other famous authors in history, we all have to start somewhere.

Get Rid of Repetitive Patterns

Versatility is one attribute that separates a great writer from the rest. Unfortunately, as a newcomer in this industry, you tend to write repetitively, which is not a bad thing. It’s normal to have a pattern for your writing while you’re still learning the ropes, but sooner or later, you must find ways to shake it up.

The best way to do this is by forcing yourself to write in different styles every time, whether it’s first-person narration or third-person perspective. You can also write in different genres, even if you’ve never written in that style before. If you feel skilled enough to experiment, then attempt writing in an entirely new genre or style.

The problem with repetitive language in writing is that it doesn’t develop your craft. You must challenge yourself to try new styles and techniques that are often used in the industry. Take advantage of storytelling tools like ironies, metaphors, symbolism, foreshadowing, etc.

Fun Fact: Repetitive language isn’t always bad. For example, “anaphora” is a common strategy used in literature to emphasize a message. In Charles Dickens’s “A Tale of Two Cities,” he used repetition to make a point. The passage goes like this: “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair.”

Don’t Be Afraid of Criticism

You assume that writing is all about creativity and imagination, but it’s also about listening to other people’s opinions.

Whether you like it or not, many ideas in literature, creative writing, and even news are developed through collaboration with publishers and editors.

If you’re writing on your own, then read other writers’ work to be inspired. Study the way they use words and dialogue that will make your story stand out from the rest. You can also read reviews of books, movies, and media to understand better what works in the industry.

Any writer is aware of how brutal critics can be when it comes to their work.

But don’t let them discourage you from improving your skills. In fact, you should welcome constructive criticisms on your writing because chances are they know more than you. In addition, it’s a good practice to ask your family and friends for honest feedback on your work before sharing it with the rest of the world.

Fun Fact: When Herman Melville submitted the draft for his book, “Moby-Dick” to several publishers, one of the first questions thrown at him was, “why does it have to be a whale?” Another publisher criticized Melville’s choice of an antagonist. But then again, we all know how that book turned out.

Put Your Audience First

If you want to attract people to your writing, make them feel like they’re a part of the story. Since most stories are written from a first-person perspective, the writer has to give readers a compelling story with characters that they can easily relate to.

It doesn’t have to be complicated. You have to focus on one character’s journey throughout the story to complete this objective.

The same rule applies to creative and technical writing. Your audience should always be in mind when you write an article or make a video or presentation. We all know how boring it is when the content lacks purpose and direction.

Likewise, when reading your work, viewers and readers should understand why they’re reading through your material and what they can take away from it.

You may not be paid to entertain people with your writing, but it’s the same principle.

Whether you’re producing an article for your blog or writing a novel, you should always take into consideration the people who’ll be reading through your work.

Fun Fact: When Stephenie Meyer began to write her famous book “Twilight,” she had no audience or readers in mind because at that time, she was only writing for herself. The first draft of “Twilight” had a different ending, which was more depressing than the one you know today, where Edward and Bella ended up together. However, Meyer decided to publish her book after getting positive responses from her sister and friends who read the draft.

Do Away with Cliches

There’s nothing worse than being told the same thing repeatedly with different characters. It’s good to have a theme in your writing that can be used to build the storyline. However, you don’t want to use the same themes over and over again. Pay attention to other writings, so you’ll know what generic plots look like.

When talking about cliches, some specific phrases or words should be avoided because they’ve been used so many times already.

When writing, don’t rely on cliches to fill up your pages, or you’ll just be wasting time.

Fun Fact: The term has a French origin, specifically “clicher.” It means “to click” in reference to the sound that a printer’s metal plate makes. It implies the copy or reproduction of a material that remains unchanged.

Conclusion

Be sure to take these tips seriously if you wish to become a better writer. It’s not like you’ll transform yourself overnight because this profession benefits from the experience and many practice hours.

It’ll be a challenging endeavour ahead, but if it’s any consolation, your hard work will convert into a flourishing writing career if you’re up for it.