So, You Want to be a Writer?

So the guy who’s never done a writing workshop, never studied journalism, never taken a class in English Literature, never read anything more than comics or muscle mags for the first twenty years of his life.. and wouldn’t know a pronoun from a protein… is surely not the person to give anyone advice on becoming a writer.

Surely not.

Nonetheless, I’m gonna give it a crack.
Of course.
If you want advice from the least qualified, least trained writing teacher on the planet, you’ve come to the right place.

Despite my obvious lack of qualifications and credibility to advise anyone on becoming a writer, I regularly receive feedback that people enjoy my writing style (much to my amazement and humble appreciation – I didn’t even know I had a style!) and I constantly get asked for advice on how to become a writer.

Step 1. Get up tomorrow, look in the mirror and say to yourself “I’m a writer.”
See that was easy… now you’re a writer.
If people question you, tell them “Craig said I’m a writer.”
I’ll send you a certificate if you really need one.

Now the key is… to be a good writer.
That may take a little more time and effort.

Here are some recent comments on some of my stuff:

This post is a freakin revelation.
I love the way you think and communicate.
Nobody writes like you.
Don’t stop.
Kelly R.

Hi Craig, Love the site, especially the blogs.
I’m a massive fan of the blunt manner in which you write so keep up the great work!
Jane, Melbourne

Your writing inspires me and gives me something to look forward to every day.
Please do not stop writing.
Luciana, Belize City, Belize

Thanx Craig on this two part letter series, your writing is amazing.
Shelly

Now… 1) No, I didn’t write those comments myself and 2) I don’t share them to impress you or to pump up my already out-of-control, enormous ego… but rather to impress upon you that you don’t need a degree in English Literature to become a well-read, well-received, accomplished writer.
Or for people to dig your ideas, thoughts and message.
Or for people to connect with you.

We’ve all got at least one great idea, message or story in us… it’s whether or not we choose to share that with the world and how we go about it.
Many (many, many, many) incredibly talented and successful professional writers have zero training and qualifications.

Having a qualification doesn’t make you are writer.
Writing… makes you a writer.

Some talent, drive and commitment are kinda handy also.

If I do have a style… it’s unconventional, it’s informal, it’s conversational.
Everybody (who knows me) tells me that I write exactly as I speak… so if I had to give my writing style a label… I guess it would be conversational.

By the way, when I write an educational, instructional, motivational piece like this… it is typically completely original… that’s not to say that I will never say something which has already been said… but I won’t knowingly or intentionally use someone else’s words unless I credit them for it. I virtually never research for articles (Hmm, maybe that’s bad!); I write out of my experiences and I write what I know to be true for me and the people I’ve worked with.

So, for what it’s worth, here are the uneducated, unqualified writer’s thoughts on… becoming a successful writer.

1. Write from the heart.
Don’t write trite, predictable, typical fluff.
Don’t write what you think others expect you to write.
Be innovative.
Give people a reason to want to read your work.
Learn from, but don’t imitate other writers.

Sooooooo many personal development sites (for example) are THE SAME!

Honestly, how many times can people rehash other people’s writing!!??
Write something original!
Please!
Take the time.
Make the effort.
Get some unique insight.
Give us something fresh… a new / different perspective.
Otherwise you’re simply collating and presenting other people’s work.
That’s not being a writer.
(sorry… feel better now).

2. If you want an audience (beyond your friends)...
Don’t write about your dogs wind problem or your busted toe (unless you want to write comedy).
Be relevant… write a story which will (hopefully) connect with a broad cross-section of people.
Have a point… don’t ramble, waffle or complain.
Write something which (in some way) may be of value to people.
If possible, have a feel-good element to what you do.

3. Be prolific.
This doesn’t mean churn out mountains of crap… but you will only develop writing skills by….. writing!
If you don’t do it (often), you won’t improve.
Write daily (even something brief).

4. Let people see your personality.
You want the audience to connect with you.
Identify with you.
Like you.
Honesty and humility are good.

5. Plan.
While I don’t spend hours planning a post/article, I always have a clear picture in my mind of what I want to say (intro, general discussion, key messages, conclusion).
Sitting down with a blank mind and a blank computer screen (or page) ain’t a great plan.

6. Use a thesaurus and dictionary.
Consciously grow your vocabulary.
Using the same word twelve times in one paragraph (I saw this recently) and having a vocab of seventy five words ain’t gonna help in your quest to become a competent writer.
(Or you can be like me and invent your own language).

7. Have fun.
It’s okay to have fun… even when you’re sharing a serious message.
Humour is engaging.
Bad humour isn’t… perhaps have someone proof read your work!

8. Have an ideas book.
I always have a little note-pad with me for when my creative button gets pushed when I’m not near my computer. Sometimes I get inspired and stimulated in the most inconvenient places… don’t let those creative moments slip through your fingers.

9. Don’t be a chicken.
Take a creative and emotional risk.
If your first creative efforts rank somewhere between crap and mediocre, welcome to the being-completely-normal club…. what’d ya think??… that you’d win the Pulitzer prize with your first foray into the world of writing?
If you don’t want to be criticised then go live in a cave.
Build a bridge.. get over it.
Part of the getting-good-at-anything process is dealing with and responding to, criticism / feedback.
If I got precious every time I got criticised… 1) you wouldn’t be on this site 2) I wouldn’t have achieved most of what I have and 3) I’d be lying somewhere in the foetal position.

10. Ask for feedback… get your own editor.
Before you show your work to the world, get someone trusted to glance over your it and give some feedback.

11. When you finish writing your piece, read it out loud to yourself.
I know this sounds a little weird but it works… for 1) finding errors and 2) seeing whether or not it flows and makes sense.

I started writing professionally about ten years ago, I have had hundreds of articles published and at the moment I write regularly for four national magazines.
Please don’t tell my publishers that I don’t really know what I’m doing… they might sack me.

Keep it between us.

Thanks.

Okay, I’m done; now it’s your turn… get writing.