A lot of people dream about writing a novel, their magnum opus, the thing that will live on long after they are gone.
If you want to be a writer, the most important skills you need to develop are perseverance and thick skin. It takes a lot of effort and a lot of rejection to get to the point where your work is published, and to get there you need to learn to use every rejection to teach you a lesson so that you keep improving.
Start Writing
It’s quite tempting not to actually start writing until you’ve gone on a writing course, bought yourself a shiny new laptop, created a special writing area, and experienced a moment of ‘inspiration.’
Don’t wait. Part of the writing process is producing terrible pieces of work, for two reasons. Firstly, writing regularly is the only way that you are going to get into a writing routine, which is the only way that you are going to finish any pieces of work. Secondly, you need to write badly so that you can learn how to improve.
Read About Writing
There is a lot to learn about how to write a book from the authors who came before you. There is a wealth of information available online from authors that will coach you on everything from how to build a writing practice, how to plan your book, and how to market it.
As you might expect, there are also a lot of books available on how to write, written by accomplished authors. It’s definitely worth picking up a book on writing and seeing what you can learn from it. Do not let this be an excuse to procrastinate on actually writing, though!
Some great books on writing that you could try are:
- Stephen King’s On Writing. This is part memoir, part guide to writing and it’s full of useful insights that will really help you.
- Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way. This is less about how to write and more about how to overcome the struggles that come with writing, like procrastination and self-doubt. It’s a great book for helping you to find your creative flow and love of what you are doing.
- Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down The Bones. This takes you through the writing process from beginning to end, including how to brainstorm ideas and learning how to listen. This is full of great insights for writers at all stages of their careers.
"There's Always A Scope Of Improvement"
Find A Writers Group
This is probably the most important ingredient in a successful writing career. A good writing group will be that all-important second pair of eyes for your work, helping you to spot mistakes or ways to improve that it just isn’t possible to find by yourself.
Plus a writers group gives you a sense of community. Writing is mostly a solitary activity, and it can get lonely. Having a writers group will help you to feel as though there are other people out there who get what you are doing, and this thought is inspiring.
Don’t quit
Persevere and you never know what could happen!
