Jun 5, 2022
New Writers Can Write About Writing Too (But Only if They Do This)
Stop the bullying…
New writers are not banned from writing about writing.
Yes!
Top writers and writing experts don’t have everything figured out. If anything, they are learners — like most.
Experience, no doubt, is a necessary edge that separates the top performers from the amateurs in any field. But it is not ultimate.
All top writers were once new writers too. They, like you, face similar struggles and challenges. They weren’t born top writers. They have had to work their way through familiar hurdles up the ladder.
And now, they are there, up there. And new writers, like yourself, look up to them as mentors and for expert advice.
But they can be wrong too sometimes.
Geenha Odafe shared her experience.
I read an article where an “old” writer said dear new writers stop writing about writing, maybe you should get some writing experience before you can give writing advice. It was quite discouraging.
Honestly, this is not a bad advice per se. There are plenty of new writers with zero writing experience who position themselves as writing experts. They are skilled at googling and stealing like a pro. After opening a link or two, they dub advice from other experts and make it into an article.
The problem with these articles is that they lack depth and are usually not practicable enough. New writers need actionable tips.
A better alternative.
The better alternative is for new writers to share personal lessons on writing with fellow new writers.
An excellent way to give writing advice (even as a new writer) is to be clear about who your writing advice is for.
A new writer with less than six months of writing experience has no business giving advice to writers that have been at it for years.
I am not saying your advice might not be valuable to them. But that your target audience should be those that really need what you are teaching. For example, fellow new writers or aspiring writers.
There is nothing wrong with admitting that you are a new writer before sharing what you have learned. Sincerity is key.
What you don’t know
“You teach best what you most need to learn.” — Richard Bach.
Teach what you know as you progress for two reasons.
For one, it helps you scale as you learn. And second, for the benefit of other writers who are at a similar point as you in their journey. Most writers fail to realize that people prefer to be taught by those just a few steps ahead of them on the same path.
People prefer to be taught by those just a few steps ahead of them on the same journey.
Dear new writer, do not let anyone tell you you can’t write on writing.
As long as you are not a phony and do not give advice you cannot defend, you are good to share what limited writing experience you have. It is valid.
