So, you want to be a writer?

Top tips for all aspiring writers

I’m finally able to say it. I am a writer.

Really, I’ve been a writer all my life. From my love of writing daredevil and hopelessly romantic stories as a child/teenager, right up to launching my own blog and even being paid to write as a freelancer.

Despite this, I’ve been hesitant to call myself a writer. I still get a sense of shyness even thinking this. Imposter syndrome at its worst.

In my head, a writer is someone who pours out poetic prose with ease. Who has published books or is a feature writer for a glamorous magazine. Who spends leisurely mornings writing in exotic locations or a super chic office with the perfect desk set up. This is not my life.

My writer life consists of catching the odd hour here or there to scribble down my thoughts. Lurching between writing something quite profound (at least I think so) to something that is essentially unintelligible. Or nothing at all.

In 2023, I set the intention to really invest in my writing. It is something that I truly love, but I consistently underprioritize. The first step is to finally start seeing myself as a writer. It may not be my full time profession, or that Instagram-perfect desk set up, but I finally have the confidence to embrace this term.

Today, I thought I’d share some tips that have helped me own this writing persona.

Find your why

I know. This is an obvious and perhaps overstated tip. But if you really want to develop as a writer, you need to fully understand why this is important to you.

Perhaps you are aspiring to make this your full time career, or part time side project. Maybe you hope this will give you an extra income of a more flexible working life. Or it can even be that this is something that allows you to tap into your creative self, record important moments to you or inform/connect with others. All are valid reasons.

Hold you why close, remind yourself of it often, and watch your writing flourish.

Develop a writing habit

In my experience, if you want to take your writing seriously, you need to be doing it as often as possible. The most effective way to do this is to make it a habit.

This doesn’t have to be as scary as it sounds. It doesn’t mean you have to produce pages and pages every day. Unless you want to!

I suggest deciding how often you want to write first, then reviewing your schedule to see where you can best fit it in. Perhaps you prefer to do this first thing, akin to Julia Cameron’s ‘morning pages’. Or maybe this could be something that fits nicely into a lunch/coffee break or your evening routine.

Its important to stay flexible with this. Although ideally you would stick to the same time every day, as this can be the easiest way to build a habit, your availability is unlikely to be the same every day. So don’t be afraid to move it.

If your struggling to know what to write about, I strongly suggest making note of some writing prompts. I’ve been working my way through ‘A writer’s journal notebook’, which is full of interesting prompts and ideas to get you started. I also really enjoyed Lana Blakely’s Skillshare Class, ‘Memoir journaling: Make your life richer with stories’, where she shares exercises so you can better capture moments from your everyday life.

Its about making this as easy on yourself as possible.

Read. A lot

Its not really a surprise that I’ve grown into a writer. I’ve been an avid reader since childhood.

Years of absorbing those wonderful words and sentences have paid off. Without even consciously trying, I was improving my writing on a daily basis.

I recommend reading as often as possible. Even if its only a few pages a day. I’d also suggest varying your reading. This is something that I’ve been more intentional about this year, as I’m exploring a wider range of genres and writing styles.

I’ve heard wonderful things about the book ‘How to read like a writer’ (Erin Pushman) which includes exercises to help improve your critical reading skills. Its next on my book list!

Hone your writing voice

If you start looking into improving your writing, you will soon stumble across the concept of ‘writer’s voice’.

This is something we recognise intuitively. We notice and are drawn to certain author’s voices and less so to others. Its a vital step in your writing journey. But what does this really mean?

Essentially, this is an expression of you on the page. No matter the genre, this voice will shine through.

Its not something that remains static. It will grow and evolve with you. But first, you need to find it.

I’m still very much at the beginning of this journey. The previous tips on writing and reading regularly are invaluable in this process. I’ve also spent time learning from other writers.

Skillshare has been invaluable in this process. It has sooo many wonderful writing classes and it has made a dramatic different to my own writing ability. I tend to watch a class once or twice a week and its becoming a favourite Sunday ritual. I’ve listed some of my favourite classes down below. Use the following code to get a free 30 trial for Skillshare (ends Feb 23) - AFF30D23

• The writer’s toolkit - 6 steps to a successful writing habit (Simon Van Booy)

• The writer’s toolkit 2 - Find your voice and avoid mistakes that ruin a first book (Simon Van Booy)

• Creative writing - crafting personal essays with impact (Roxanne Gay)

• Writing fiction - 5 exercises to craft a compelling plot (Lisa Ko)

• Fictionalize your life - how to keep a writer’s diary (R.C. Waldun)

• Creative writing for all - a 10 day journaling challenge (Emily Gould)

• Creative writing bootcamp - start a brand new story (Myla Goldberg)

• Writing authentic fiction - how to build a believable character (Sabaa Tahir)

Share your work

One of the most effective ways to improve your writing is to get feedback.

This may not be what you want to hear! Trust me, I feel your fear. Sharing your writing is always scary. But this is how we will really start to grow.

I’d recommend starting small. Try sharing your writing with trusted friends or family. Remember you are looking for honest feedback. So make sure they know that!

If you do complete any of the Skillshare classes, there is usually the option to share your work on there. This way, you can get feedback from the teacher or the other people that take this class. This is useful if you want honest and informed feedback from fellow writers.

You could try joining writing courses locally or online. I learnt a huge amount from completing a distance learning course with the University of Cambridge - ‘Creative writing - An introduction to non-fiction writing’.

Setting up a blog is a popular option to share your writing with a wider audience. You can ask your audience for feedback directly, or gather this information indirectly, by measuring those blogs that get more engagement.

I was scared stupid when I shared my first blog post with my Facebook friends. Now, I quite happily ramble on to a much larger audience on a weekly basis. And I hope you all find value in it!

If I can do it, so can you. You got this.

If you are are fellow writer, please share your own tips or resources in the comments below. I’d love to read them! I wish you all the best on your writing journey.

Until next week

Molly xx

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Weekly favourites

What I’m reading

‘The Break’, Marian Keyes

A funny, heartfelt and wonderfully relatable story that I’m really enjoying!

What I’m listening to

‘The Beatrix Potter series’ Aura Stories - https://www.aurahealth.io/hhlaff

I adore Aura’s short but powerful life coaching sessions. Follow the link above to get 25% off and a 7 day free trial

What I’m watching

Ali Abdal’s Youtube, specifically ‘How I read 100 books in a year - 8 tips for reading more’.

Ali always leaves me feeling inspired and his productivity videos are the best out there!

What I’m cooking

Pesto cous cous salad

A quick and nourishing lunch that’s getting me in the spring mood!

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