Today, I'm proud to host a guest on the blog, Rachel Summers.
Rachel pitched an idea for an article to me. I'm always happy to welcome guests PITCH HERE.
Even as a published author, there are some great tips in Rachel's article, especially for those days when you just can't seem to find the writing mojo...
10 Tips for Beginner Writers
Starting out a career in writing, or just looking to expand on your skills? You can improve your skills quite significantly by learning from the experts, and taking on board some of these simple tips.
1. Be Concise
1. Be Concise
The title for this tip could have been ‘Don’t spend too much time explaining yourself’. Instead, it is ‘be concise’. By ensuring that you use only the words necessary to fully explain your point, you can keep your reader’s interest for longer. Be concise in your wording, but don’t miss out important points either.
2. Be an Editor
On some days, writing can be daunting. On the days that you don’t feel like writing, use that time to be your own editor. Spend time going over content you have already produced, checking your spelling and grammar, and seeing if there is anywhere you can simplify what you have written.
3. Have Patience
Writing something you are really proud of isn’t always instant. While the learning process will allow you to write better content, quicker, you will still have to be patient during the writing process. It make take a couple of attempts before you get the piece you imagined, and it could take quite some time editing. This is advice you can obtain from a wide range of writing specialists, including Goins Writer.
4. Write for Yourself
A piece of advice that many people question, is to write for yourself. Even when you are writing for an audience, writing for yourself has a number of benefits. You will become more honest, more open and more thorough in what you write. You won’t need to lie or exaggerate, and you will develop a style that is uniquely you. When you stop worrying too much about the audience and focus instead on writing quality content that portrays the right message, you become a better writer. Writers over at Writer’s Digest swear by this method.
5. Disconnect
Disconnect yourself from social media. That means logging off Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Don’t let these notifications distract you as you are writing, as even just five minutes away from writing puts you in a different headspace and takes you out of your ‘zone’.
6. Create a Workspace
Rather than writing from bed, or in your favorite chair, set up a workspace that is dedicated only to writing. When you enter your workspace, log off your social media and enter the ‘zone’. Writers over at UK Top Writers will tell you just how important this is to write quality content.
7. Read
Someone who doesn’t read will find it difficult to become an exceptional writer. Read the books and articles of people you admire and who you aspire to write like.
8. Practice Your Summaries
When writing a longer piece, it’s important to summarize your points so that you can take readers through a complex journey. Practice your summaries, by writing summaries for shorter pieces, and not publishing them.
9. The Three Ps
The three Ps are ‘patience, purpose and perseverance’. Always remember that patience and perseverance are necessary for you to create good content, but your writing must also have a clear purpose. If a reader is unsure of what you are trying to say and why, they will become disinterested and stop reading.
10. Manage Your Time
It’s important to manage your time and create schedules that you stick to. If you don’t stick to your schedule, you will find yourself missing deadlines or simply taking longer than you need to. Time management is a big part of being a writer.
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A big thank you to Rachel for contributing!
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