Grab the chance… and write!
Do you too want to write? But you don’t know where to start. Okay then, let’s get you started.
In the past few days, I found that many people want to write. While some take it as a hobby; others have a passion for writing. Some confine their works to their diaries; others want to share it with the world. But where and how?
Therefore, to help you, I am giving you some ideas to start your journey into the world of writing. For those who don’t know, writing is neither a hobby nor a passion for me. It’s an obsession! And how did it all begin? It began with a decision — a decision to write.
And it’s never too late to start with something. Once you have decided to get-set-write, you are already past the major barrier. Now is the time to find a place to write.
Where to write?
The above picture says you can write anywhere. And that’s true. Get yourself writing where you can. Pick up a notebook or fire up the notepad on your device. Everyone is unique, and there are no fixed rules on how to write well. You learn and develop your style as you write… more and some more.
And when you think you’re ready to launch yourself, pick one of the blogging or social media platforms. There are lots of them and mentioned here are the ones which I tried –
Medium –
Since I am writing on Medium, I am giving it a preference, but it has its benefits. One of the benefits of writing on Medium is it’s easy for readers to find your post. People follow their favourite categories and tags, and your write-ups will show there.
It has a minimalist interface, and there aren’t a lot of settings and features for you to manage. You write and publish your article. If you don’t want to start and maintain a blog, head over to Medium. And if you already have some posts, you can re-publish them on Medium. It can import them for you.
Another helpful feature of Medium is the presence of Publications. You can ask related Publications to publish your articles on their page, and it will give your posts more audience. For example, check out this publication by maice.
WordPress is the preferred choice for those who want to start their blog. The reason can be because WordPress allows you to convert it to a website later — your very own website. WordPress powers about 30% of sites around the world and that’s a significant number.
It is easy to set up and has thousands of free (and paid) themes to customise the look-and-feel. There are many plugins for WordPress that would help you design it to your taste and add various functions. You can make it search engine optimised, track the visits and also put a contact form to help visitors send their queries.
Even I made my website The Lazy Writer with the help of WordPress.
LinkedIn –
And now comes LinkedIn, the social media site for professionals. If you are active here, you already have an audience. You need no extra setup, and you even get the opportunity to build a portfolio right there. Everything is available to you, and all you need is to decide to start writing.
And if you decide to make a career out of your writing, LinkedIn is where you must be. It’s an excellent place for making connections and finding writing opportunities here and there. And for those who already are in writing, LinkedIn can give you the first break you are looking for.
There are many startups here (more coming up every day) who can provide you with the much-needed support and a job. Working with startups is more natural than working with established firms, isn’t it? Startups prefer to strengthen the relationships and so do you. If you love writing, give them your support, make the relationship and the company stronger and get helped in return.
Last but not the least, I would like to mention MouthShut. MouthShut is where I started, where I came to know that I can write. It’s a consumer review website where you pick up a product and write about your experience with it. You can review almost everything, any product or service you have used. There are foodstuffs, electronics, books, cosmetics, vehicles, courier services, websites, internet services, restaurants, tourist spots and almost anything you want to write about.
If you don’t find the products or services you are searching, you can always place a request to add it. MouthShut is a place to share your experiences, help people and also get help when you need.
Now you know about some of the places where you can showcase your write-ups. Get over your fears and show me what you created. And stay tuned for more tips.
Note from the publication: At maice, we are creating a marketing platform that prepares writers for the future of content marketing. Head on to our website or register here to get first crack at the platform. Follow us on LinkedIn here. Want to tell your story? Send us an email to ceo@maice.co Interested in writing for our publication? Click here to submit your details and you will be added. We reward good stories too.
