Advise to fellow fools from a more oriented fool.
Hi there!
Mr./Ms. Amateur Writer, this is Dev. Your companion amateur writer. I guess you are searching for a path , at an early stage, to move and become one of those recognized writers. Now, I know, I am not a known writer. In fact, I might be more of a rookie than you are. But I have been ‘this rookie amateur writer’ for so long that I’ve figured out how to get out of this zone. I’m kind of a perfectionist rookie, who will be a recognized writer in a few years.
Before taking any of my advice you should get to know me. So here is a little introduction. I’m a student (let that sink in) and a teenager. I was one of those on an off writers who give up very early. Then start again. And then repeat. I’ve been doing this all from a very early stage. I have seen those days of failures and then giving up but now I am back, to not quit again. And if you don’t want to spend the amount of time that I’ve spent in figuring out what is to be done ahead then accept me and come along.
So you decided to pick writing as a hobby, or just a time pass, or just to look cool in front of your friends. And now you want to excel in it. You have fallen so deeply in love with writing that you rarely put your pen down. Then we are pretty much the same.
I picked up writing when my mental health was degrading, in my pre-teen years, and I had no one to talk to. I picked up pen and filled diaries, writing myself out. This might be the difference between us. I’ve been an offline writer and never quit writing. So yeah, I have some experience in writing, at least in writing a lot! No matter what prompted you to pick the pen up. You have reached a point where you don’t want to put it down.
This is a crucial point. You’re at a stage, if passed, will give you an identity apart from rest. If failed, you’ll be among those countless people who describe themselves as ex- authors or something like that.
Here are a few tips and tricks, that I would like to share with you.
1. Write More And Read Even More
I have been an avid reader since childhood. Books (non-course!) were truly my best friends. There were days when I’d finish a novel in one or two days. When I was in secondary school, I read almost every other book present in the school library, apart from course books and dictionaries, of course! This habit of reading, each and every day, fueled my writing.
You indeed get better the more you write. But to keep the pen writing you will need the ink. Reading is the ink. Where many of us go wrong is that we do not read. We just keep writing without realizing we are not getting any better. And then in hopelessness, we drop the pen. Reading is important, as it gives you exposure to different styles and methods of writing. Reading freshens your rotten ideas. It helps you pick up a writing style and get better at it by gaining insight into its complexities. So pick up a book and start reading.
Once done with reading, now study those books. Yes, study them. Highlight the writing structure, the flow of events, character development, and everything else you want to improve in your writing.
Writing without reading is just like working the hell out without taking nutrition. You will never gain muscle mass.
2. Do Not Fix A Time Slab
If you are an amateur writer who does different things with a time table then good writing is not for you. Writing is not exactly the same as going to a gym. It is not like you will pick your equipment and start exercising.
Good writing comes with ideas and ideas do not come from 6–7 PM. If you have put a time slab then you need to break it right now. Another thing is, do not force yourself to write. I have done it and rarely came up with something good. Most of the time it’s a shitty article.
Now, I’m a student. So I have to keep some time restraints. However, in spite of fixing a time slab, I put a target of words. Like, I will write 2000 words each day for seven days. I write them whenever an idea strikes my head.
I do not sit from 7–9 PM to write. I used to, but got nothing better out of it. You should also avoid that. This way you will be able to pen down the best of your ideas and thoughts. And readers are more likely to love them.
Writing is a creative work and not like bursting a bubble wrap, that you can do anytime.
3. Do Not Go For Followers, Go For Claps/Likes
This is the only reason that kept me on and off online platforms. I’d start publishing my work but then, seeing the follower count to 0, give up. Then again I’d publish my accumulated ideas, and then give up again. This is a very common problem among people starting to write.
When starting to write on online platforms we get fascinated by the number of followers other users have gained. We feel like, ‘Oh man! I just want 20k followers and it will all be good’. I broke up with Quora earlier only because I was not gaining any followers. I regret it now. Because when I was not there, the platform went through major changes and I could not keep up.
What we do not realize is the work that a particular writer did to get all those followers. Followers come with your content quality and time and consistency and not vice-versa. So you should focus more on creating quality content, regardless of keeping a follower count.
I still have 5 followers on Quora and 33 followers on Commaful(I spend a great deal of time there). Yes, 5 and 33, but I am not ashamed to tell because I know that if someone reads my content, he/she will not rate it as shitty. I try to produce quality content. But yes, I keep a count of the number of claps/upvotes regularly. If you are aspiring to be a writer than stop seeing how many people follow you. Focus more on making people like your content. I have about 471 user likes on Commaful, in 5 days. Here is the screenshot.
Followers are just to satisfy your ego. While claps show the quality of your content.
4. Using Multiple Platforms
I currently use Medium, Quora, and Commaful. I write articles, here on Medium, share life experiences on Quora, and do kind of poetry on Commaful. I might start publishing fiction soon as well.
So, what do multiple platforms provide? Exposure and ideas, the two most important things for an aspiring writer. If you like to write in different genres then you must not depend on one platform for everything. For example, Medium is preferable for articles and non-fiction, Wattpad for fiction, and Quora for life experience sharing. Another benefit is that you get to interact with people and content from different backgrounds and writing genres. You even get to advertise for you different accounts.
You need to either have the hardest personal experiences to give advice, or creativity high enough to create all the scenarios, or exposure from different backgrounds to be a good writer. Now, I'm a maladaptive daydreamer and also have some undiagnosed mental diseases. I live distinct lives for several hours, each day, and for months. I've been living some characters for years. I can easily get into a character, create scenarios and connect my emotions. Most of my poetry comes from my characters. But for a normal person, the last one (getting exposure) seems the easiest to achieve.
5. Join The Communities
I do not connect with people. I do not find it useful to talk to people I am never going to meet. I do not even consider my parents when it comes to loving people. So, you see I am kind of a loner. I always keep myself from interacting with people personally. I would never comment on any social media posts. Texting someone was just out of the world idea. I was not part of any community. I would never interact with people of any platform. I was present much like a dead man.
What did I lose? A lot. I would never reach out to people to discuss writing. That is the biggest drawback of not joining communities. You do not get to discuss, neither get compliments and advice to improve your writing.
I am now on Discord. Yes, Discord. A big thing for me. And even bigger is that I interact with people. We discuss books, articles, writings, and so much. I do not enjoy talking to them but as long as it helps me improve my writing I am up for it. To anyone who is aspiring to be a writer, I will highly recommend interacting with a community of writers and get feedback
6. Find The Pleasure
I live in India and Medium doesn’t pay here. Strangely, they can collect via PayPal but not pay! So yeah, I’m not connected to the partner program, but still, I write here. Just because I love it.
And if you really want to make money out of writing then you can not do that until you love it (I meant writing and not the money). Ideas will come and go. There will be days when you’ll be empty and will have nothing to write. Do not fear those days. You should fear the days when you won’t be in love with writing.
One last thing, do not quit soon. Writing is like crossing a cliff. It is butt cracking when you are on the climbing side. But when once reached the top, all you have to do is control your flow.
I hope you reach that point.
Regards,
Dev
Disclaimer: Quora and Commaful won’t pay anyone with 5 and 33 followers to advertise for them and I’ve deleted my Wattpad account.
