As many of you know, if you’ve been reading my blog, my goal has always been to become a professional writer. Now, it may sound easy and even funny to some; but this isn’t a very easy path to tread on. There are many mistakes you can make when you are starting out in your writing career, but it’s important to know that without those mistakes, we wouldn’t be where we are now. Making mistakes won’t feel satisfying, but at least it can show you what you need to focus on. From one writer to another, here are some of my tips for how to become a professional writer:
READ MORE!
I know, I know. You’ve probably heard this x amount of times, but it really is true.
By reading more, you will unconsciously, unless you’re taking notes on new vocabulary, thoughts, and ideas, pick up a lot of different beliefs, writing styles, and phrases that you can enrich your own writing with. One of the best characteristics of a writer, at least in my opinion, is if their sentences are powerful, can melt into one another, and carry enormous meaning. Think of Hemingway, for example. Wasn’t he a master of our craft?
WRITE EVERYDAY
This is another basic piece of advice that everyone gives you, but it’s advice everybody gives you because it actually works. It really is as simple as that; write something every day! You don’t need to write hundreds of pages every day, although you can if you feel inspired. The most important fact is that you follow a routine that involves you writing at least a sentence per day. You wouldn’t believe how many ideas you can form based on just a sentence, it’s crazy! What this gives you is material you can work with someday, and reflection. Reflection is of great importance to both amateur and professional writers because it serves you as a guide into your own thoughts, beliefs, and knowledge.
WRITE ABOUT DIFFERENT CHARACTERS
If you get stuck with writing every day; if your topics are monotonous, switch your mode of writing! It is totally normal for you to be writing in the same style of the time – this is, after all, your preferred method of telling stories. Instead of giving up when you feel stuck, try switching your style! Tell the same story using a different method; invent characters that would oppose your point of view and see how you would explain their point of view without subjectivity.
Lastly, don’t worry about time passing – people are often worried that the longer they “train” to be a writer, the worse their careers will be, but honestly… It is only natural that in order to perfect a skill, you need a lot of time sometimes.