10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Initially Started Writing
We’re writers by profession and must write and learn writing continuously.
I’ve been writing for nearly five years. The writing bug bit me in eleventh grade when I was assigned to write a short story. It was a comedy piece about “How lazy a man can be?”. The professor read it aloud, the class laughed and I was hooked. Since then I’ve held a succession of professional tasks that have nothing to do with writing.
If I had a time machine and could only give my eighteen-year-old self ten pieces of advice on writing, these would be them:
1. Learn Fundamentals
Before you ever consider pursuing a writing career, learn the foundations of writing. I can’t stress this enough: study grammar and writing mechanics, even if you think writing comes effortlessly to you.
Attend workshops, and classes, or read books on your own. You will ultimately have to do this, so getting it over with now will save you a lot of valuable time.
2. Polish, Polish, and Polish
The first draft is the scariest.
Remember these words from a wise man that the first draft is the scariest.
A piece is rarely done after the first draft is complete. It’s going to be a mess. I know you want to fight it. I want to fight it every time. In college, I wouldn’t write the first draft until after outlining it and writing it in my head for a week. I would wait until the day or two before it was due.
A horrible habit of perfectionism and anxiety, but I’ve given myself more kindness toward it. I don’t have to be perfect. My draft does not need to be perfect on the first try. I don’t have to prove I can turn into a diamond under pressure.
I can be lab-made and more sustainable. I got better about sending in drafts earlier to my editors and friends.
I don’t know how many times I’ve emailed a piece to the high-ranked publications of the medium that I thought was perfect but now I laughed at myself and know why they rejected me again and again.
3. You are Your Worst Enemy
Unless you’re being forced to never write for some reason, the only person in between you and your writing is you.
Sometimes I look at my articles and blog with a deep sense of pride and I love that I’ve written so much. And then there are times like these past few months before September when I look at them and my heart aches because I haven’t written in them as much as I used to. But I’m happy to be consistent again.
I started a 90-day daily posting challenge for myself and I hope I’ll complete that challenge for myself.
Nowadays I feel like I should be writing 24/7. I feel like I should be on the Medium and other blogging sites more. I feel like I should be more skilled at everything.
4. Take Feedback and Learn from Them
Be careful of criticism of your work that is offered by those who are close to you or even just know you. Those who know you are emotionally tied to you to some extent, so their opinions will be prejudiced, though I’m not saying to completely ignore it.
Post your work on message boards or social media to receive more unbiased comments. Writers’ organizations can be helpful, but it’s important not to take other writers’ opinions too seriously, especially when it comes to style.
5. Go outside. Live your life. You can write anywhere, but you don’t have to write everything.
You must develop your ability to write anywhere. It’s not simple. While on my university bus, I’m wrapping up this blog post on the notes app on my phone. But we have to get by.
I’ve scribbled lines in the margins of my lecture notes, on napkins, and even (with nontoxic ink) on my arm. My university friends sitting beside me can verify that. I’ve gotten ribbing for my sloppy writing, but when the words come, I can’t help it.
Regarding the second part, I think one of the hardest parts of being a writer is that you just feel so damn guilty when you’re not writing. Even if you don’t want to, you feel compelled to record pleasant things that happen.
Not every event has to be transformed into art. Simply living is acceptable, as is experiencing things. When you wish to write about it, your memory will help you remember it.
Travel (safely, and use a mask). Visit cafés to get coffee. Go for walks and touch each bloom you come across. You are not required to immediately write about every encounter you have.
Even though I no longer experience those emotions, I still get inspiration from incidents that occurred years ago. The beautiful thing about writers is that we can access those feelings, however, sometimes it’s best to hold back to prevent mental turbulence.
Don’t allow the pressure of having everything down mar the experience; write when you’re ready.
6. Writing is A Difficult Profession
A career as a writer is challenging. Although the life of a writer is sometimes not glamorous and one of the most difficult things you will ever accomplish, it is very simple to exaggerate it.
A significant amount of effort, dedication, networking prowess, optimism, and good fortune are needed to succeed as a writer. If you have the discipline to practice your art, writing can be both challenging and gratifying.
Take the example of Medium. If you have connections with the owners and editors of Big publications ( The Startup, Better Humans, Better Marketing, The Writing Cooperative, and so on) you can gain enough reach with less effort.
On the other hand, a writer with no connections has to struggle and work hard to get the same reach but it is the law of nature. In short, connections matter.
Secondly, there are many moments when you feel depressed and quit writing. It usually happens when you do not get enough reward for your hard work. It happened with many of my friends they quit writing because of the algorithm of Medium.
But the positive point is that they start searching for other opportunities and platforms for writing. If you’re a writer you have to face these difficulties at least once in your life.
7. Read for Eternity
Reading other authors’ writing will increase your vocabulary and improve your writing. I’ve made it a point not to read anything else while I’m writing my novels or even short stories. If I do read other books, I frequently find that the author’s writing style can unintentionally show up in my work.
Read every kind of writing. Remember a bad book or article teaches you more than a perfect piece. Learn from the mistakes of other writers and adopt their good points.
Currently, I’ve been reading a novel named “An Understated Dominance” and I am on chapter 1875 ( the latest updated). I’ve learned a lot from it. Reading this novel improved my vocabulary and grammar. Also, I am obsessed with it and quit watching reels and spend my free time in reading.
You can tell me in the comments what are you reading nowadays.
8. What if the work isn’t worth it? But what if it is?
“Talent is a pursued interest. Anything that you are willing to practice, you can do.” ~Bob Ross
It’s a lot of effort, and sometimes you don’t feel prepared or like you’re talented enough to put that enormous idea in your head onto the page.
Perhaps, like me, you’re worried that working in the writing industry would stifle your passion. Maybe your loved ones aren’t there to assist you. Perhaps you have to work a full-time job to fulfill your expenses, and since you’re so worn out at the end of the day, you feel like you can’t write.
Whatever the reason, if you want this, and you believe it is for you, go for it. Please. It’d be a damn shame to lose your voice in this world.
10. You are Your Best Cheerleader.
Which brings me to this. Your best supporter is You. You are constantly collaborating with yourself. You can observe your progress over time and how much you have improved. It’s crazy, but I’ve kept practically everything I’ve ever written.
All of my writings from first grade through twelfth grade are stashed away in a box that I haven’t yet located in my parent’s storage unit. I open my Instagram account to read my embarrassing teen poems ( in my local language). All of my journals, some of which date back to the year 2018, are kept on my bookshelf in chronological order.
I keep things I care about. I know that no matter how many demons I fight, nothing will change the fact that I love writing and I care about it. We will have our bad days, but we’ll also have our good ones.
Conclusion
The is that no matter where you start, no matter how small, you can grow. “Talent is a pursued interest.” The first draft will not be perfect. It’ll take time to build an audience and a following. We are but small ships on a vast sea, but we’ll never know if we could’ve made it to the other side until we try.
Change is the only constant. Create a path you’re proud to go on by taking the actions that feel right to you. See you on the other side, I promise.
