19 Lessons I've Learned As A New Writer

Harsh truths from a new writer

Photo by Riccardo Annandale on Unsplash

For so long, I obsessed over successful writers.

I wanted to do exactly what they did that made them successful. How did they make that $10k to $30k every month? How did they pump out articles consistently?

I was looking for the easy way out. It wrecked my mental health and I wanted to give up. Mind you, I had not written a single blog post.

What clownery.

The Reality of Writing

Writing does not happen at the snap of a finger. Until I stopped feeling sorry for myself, I was never going to be a writer.

Until I started from somewhere, I wasn't going to make a cent from writing. Wishing and hoping gets you nowhere. Harsh? Yes, but it is the truth.

“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.”
― Louis L’Amour

These are 19 lessons that opened my eyes.

1. Writing is a highly profitable hustle. It can only work for you if you’re willing to do the work.
2. Take away the burden by letting go of your “If only” mentality.
3. To get one, you must sacrifice the other. Writing is about sacrifice. Use the time you spend on Netflix to write.
4. Don’t bombard yourself with too many writing courses at a time. It overloads the brain.
5. Task yourself. If you're not practicing, you're not improving. Writing is a language. Build fluency with practice.
6. Admiring another writer is okay but you should never compare yourself to others. Your journey is different.
7. Study the writing style of better writers.
8. Do not stick to only familiar topics.
9. Resist restricting yourself with niching. Writing articles for different niches build competency. It helps you decide what niche you like best.
10. Start with the end in mind. Plan your short-term and long-term goals.
11. Give yourself a pat on the back after each milestone. Setting up a reward system keeps you fulfilled.
12. Give yourself time to breathe. After all, you’re human.
13. Your first is always the worst. Every 0.1% is an improvement.
14. Write as you speak. Try reading what you write out loud. If it doesn't flow, cut it.
15. You might not score a big one immediately.
16. The more you pitch clients for writing gigs, the more the likelihood of your getting hired increases.
17. Networking is the meat. You need to meet others like you and trade stories with them.
18. Collate at least five topics to write about each day. These topics can be about anything. It saves you a lot of stress.
19. Read. Read. Read.

I’m on Medium to build relationships with other writers and readers. If you find what I write valuable, do leave me comments so we can connect.