Any writer, famous or amateur, often doubts his own ability to write. From now on, let go of those doubts every time you want to sit down and write. With persistence and patience and an intention to continue learning from others, you too can continue to write great work.
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Part 1 of 3: Writing Practice
Step 1. Write every day
You may prefer to write a short story each day, or work on a long-term writing project. You may have a goal of writing at least one paragraph per day, or even one page. But if you want to follow the advice from this guide, make one important habit: write every day.
If you don't have time to write, make time to get up early or go to bed later, at least 15 minutes
Step 2. Try writing, even if you have no ideas
Feel free to write anything, even when you have no ideas and what you write will not be good. Starting to fill in the blanks with a few sentences will help you find ideas and moods. If you don't have any ideas, write down whatever comes to your mind; your experience today, the traffic jam this morning, the annoying shopkeeper this afternoon, whatever. After starting to write something, the idea and the mood to write will appear by itself.
Look for introductory topics on the internet, bookstores, or libraries. There are tons of topics out there that are actually interesting, make you curious and imagine, and provide great writing ideas
Step 3. Challenge yourself
If you've written a lot, you probably already have your own style, topic, or format. It's good to practice the same thing over and over again, but try to vary your writing every now and then. Being willing to take on new and difficult challenges is the best way for a person to become better. Try some of these challenges as a form of practice.
- If all of your writing has a similar style to one another, try using a different style. Imitate an author's style, or mix his style with yours or other writers' styles.
- If you've been writing in a blog or journal, try writing elsewhere. Just think of a topic that is unlikely to make it to your blog or journal, and write about it. (Later, try to rewrite the post so it can be included on your blog.)
Step 4. Exchange opinions with other writers
Ask for opinions from others about your writing, and read and share opinions with other authors. Accept suggestions, criticism, and honest opinions as a medium for self-development. But remember, don't show your writing to people who will only bring you down. There is a big difference between constructive criticism and negative criticism.
- Find an online community that's right for you. For example, if you write on a blog, look for a blogger community.
- Look for communities in the neighborhood. Maybe in the nearest library there is a writer's community.
- You can also practice writing on wiki networks like WikiHow or Wikipedia. Apart from helping people while practicing writing, you can also join a fairly large network of writers.
Step 5. Make a commitment to writing with others
If you're having trouble getting into the habit of writing, make a commitment to someone else so you have more reason to write. Find friends to exchange letters every time, or create a blog that is updated weekly. You can also enter contests or writing competitions. Or, if you want to make it even more interesting, write collaboratively with other writers.
Step 6. Rewrite your favorite posts
An old writing must have flaws and can be improved or revised. When you've finished writing something and you like it, try rereading it and find a sentence, paragraph, or page that you find unsatisfactory, and then correct it or change it with a different character point of view, storyline development, or sequence of events. If you don't know which part is unsatisfactory, try rewriting it without looking at the writing, then compare which one is better.
Removing and rewriting favorite posts is a tough thing to do. But, for better results, you should do it
Part 2 of 3: Learn Important Skills
Step 1. Read often
The best way for a writer to spark his passion for writing is by reading. Read as much as you can, from magazines, novels, to historical records. While you may not always finish your reading, by reading a lot you will improve your vocabulary, grammar, get inspired, and of course more knowledge. And for new writers, reading is as important an activity as writing.
If you don't know what to read, ask a friend for advice, or visit the library and pick up some books from different fields
Step 2. Expand your vocabulary
While reading, always have a dictionary near you, or jot down words that are unfamiliar to you and look up their meanings later. You may dodge and argue that the word you find is too complex and unfamiliar to use. But, that's business when you write later. At least you have a choice of additional words that you can use sometime.
The meaning of the dictionary sometimes doesn't really explain how to use the word in a sentence. Search the internet and understand the context thoroughly
Step 3. Learn grammar and EYD
Indeed, modern writing today is not so tied to the rules of EYD or standard grammar. But, you learn grammar not just to follow the rules. By learning grammar and EYD, you can learn how to form sentences effectively and clearly. If you're still having trouble with this, study it and/or find someone to teach.
- If you've never done it before, try writing in formal language.
- Don't be shy about re-opening the language book to find out a few things about grammar.
Step 4. Adjust your writing to the purpose of writing and the target audience
Just as you dress according to the weather or the event you are attending, you must also adjust your writing to the target audience and the message you want to convey in the article. For example, beautiful and slightly 'overdone' language might work well in a poem. The point is, if you have a specific target audience, make sure your word choice and sentence length are not too difficult (or simple) for readers to understand. Avoid specific jargon or terms if your reader is a layman.
Part 3 of 3: Starting and Finishing a Post
Step 1. Brainstorm ideas before starting to write
Write down all the ideas that pop into your head, no matter how strange or impossible they may be. Maybe you can come up with a better idea than that.
Step 2. Choose a topic that really interests you
Your interests and interests will make it easier for you to keep writing and keep the quality of the writing, and of course produce writing that attracts the attention of readers as well.
Step 3. Determine the rough outline of your writing project
A serious writing project doesn't have to be a book. Creating short stories is also sometimes quite difficult, and can be a more effective and less time-consuming way of practicing.
Step 4. Record your ideas
Always carry a notebook to record what catches your attention in the environment, from other people's conversations, or maybe you suddenly have an interesting idea in the middle of your daily life. When you hear or read something that makes you laugh, think, or tell someone else, write it down and figure out how to convey it effectively.
You may also use the same notebook to jot down unfamiliar and/or difficult words
Step 5. Design your writing
Use a technique that works for you, or try a few techniques if you don't have a fixed technique yet. You can create an outline, take notes on separate pieces of paper and arrange them, or create a mindmap. The outline that you create can be a big picture of the topic you are discussing, or a more specific and detailed picture. Determining and building a structure before you start writing also helps you maintain your creativity.
- On the internet, there are many software that can help you in designing an article.
- It's okay to deviate a little from your original plan once in a while. However, if you ever have to throw away your design, stop for a moment and think again about why you had to throw out the original design. Try creating a new design, and consider what you should do.
Step 6. Research your subject and topic
Non-fiction writing requires you to do research, while fiction writing will be of higher quality if it is supported by some of your research results. For example, if your writing is in ancient Greece, study the history and terms it contains. If the setting is a time when you weren't born yet, try asking your parents or grandparents about the situation back then.
For fiction writing, you may be able to first work on your initial draft or version of writing before finally doing research to improve it later
Step 7. Quickly draft or write an early version
Try to write non-stop for as long as you can, without thinking about the correct choice of words or grammar, spelling, or punctuation. This is done so that you are sure to finish your own writing.
Step 8. Edit and/or rewrite
When you've finished working on the initial version of the writing, reread it and edit or rewrite it. Look for grammatical and spelling errors as well as delivery, style, content, structure, and so on. If there's a part you don't like, throw it away and rewrite it from scratch. Criticizing one's own work is an important skill that requires practice just like writing.
Take a break before starting to edit. Ideally the rest you need may be long enough. But short breaks can also get your brain ready for good editing
Step 9. Show your writing to others
Ask for opinions about your writing from interested readers, be they friends, fellow writers, or readers of your blog. Knowing which areas people don't like and need to improve can help with the editing process and improve the quality of your writing.
Step 10. Repeat, repeat, repeat
Don't be afraid to make drastic changes to your writing, such as removing a section or rewriting it from a different perspective. Always ask for opinions after each rewrite so that you can achieve the most perfect result possible. If you feel like your writing isn't getting any better, try pausing and writing something random to remind you how much fun writing was. After all, this is all a process of training for the next better work.
Tips
- Seek advice from authors by contacting local authors, or attending a book launch event that the author has in person. Or, try sending an email, maybe he will reply.
- Find the most comfortable place for you to write. Some people like to be in a quiet place to write, and some people don't.
- Find a room or place where you can write well. Some people need a quiet room to write in, while others prefer to write in a busy coffee shop.
- People tend to believe what you say more and take you more seriously if you take the time to pronounce the words correctly and include details or details. This will make you look like you really know what you're talking about.
