by Irene S. Roth, Contributing Editor
It takes hard work to become the best writer you can be.
But it’s worth the effort.
Many writers shy away from believing they can become excellent writers.
Personally, I’ve been writing nonfiction e-books, newspaper, and magazine articles as well as blogs for three decades.
Yet, I still can’t claim to be an excellent writer because I’m always improving my craft.
No writer is perfect.
And we each have our own path towards excellence.
If you don’t know what it would mean for you to be an excellent writer, perhaps do some journaling about it in your Success Journal.
No matter what level of writer you are, here are five tips to help you become a better (maybe even an excellent) writer over time.
1. Find your focus.
As a writer, you have the choice of writing in many different genres.
However, to be an excellent writer, you should choose to write in one genre and keep improving.
If you don’t know which genre you want to write in, it’s time to do some soul searching.
Try reading in different genres and see which one you enjoy best.
What inspires you the most about that kind of writing?
Jot it down in your writer’s journal.
Then try writing in that genre.
2. Develop a writing routine.
One of the most important things you can do as a writer is make a daily habit of writing.
You may want to read biographies of other writers to see how they fit writing into their lives.
Then you can create a writing routine for you that works.
You don’t have to write for hours every day.
However, you should try to write most days.
3. Be persistent.
Even the best writers learn to deal with disappointment and rejection.
Revising first drafts of your manuscripts can be a real challenge.
However, keep going, even when the going gets tough, which it will.
Set up small rewards after finishing each chapter of your revision.
It doesn’t have to be a big reward, but something you will look forward to.
4. Write down ideas, all the time.
Keep a little notebook handy with you wherever you go.
You never know when you will get a good idea.
So, make sure that when you are out going to appointments or running errands, you have a pen and small notebook handy.
I even get ideas when I am taking a bath.
So, I usually have something to jot down any ideas that arise.
If you write regularly, you need a lot of fresh ideas with unique twists.
Sometimes they won’t just come to you when you sit down to write.
Gathering ideas is, therefore, a very important part of being an excellent writer.
5. Write a lot.
The more you write, the better writer you will become.
And, if your work is published you will develop an audience of readers, and your audience and potential clients and editors will start looking for your work.
And the more you write, the more writing you will have out there.
So, your path to excellence starts right here, right now.
All you need to do is write something!
More tips:
Be More Organized and More Productive
About Irene S. Roth
Irene Roth has a master’s degree in Philosophy and Psychology from York University, Ontario, and is currently using her expertise to write books for adults about how to be a productive writer.
She has published over 150 books and e-books for adults on different topics such as the writing life and different aspects of chronic illness.
She has been running workshops at Savvy Authors on many topics for writers for over ten years. She also leads a very successful mentoring group for writers on Savvy Authors that is in its sixth year. She coaches writers on how to be their best.
She lives in Ontario with her husband Jim, cat Toby, and dog Milo. Her website is: https://irenesroth.com/
