Your First Story Will Suck — And That’s Exactly Why You Should Write It Immediately.

 

Words are the most important things that exist in our world. They can make you cry, laugh, or feel racist.

They can be the reason you stay in a long-term committed relationship. All because you spoke 2 words — I do!

But Words don’t write themselves. This is a guarantee. Humans do.

The next, almost nearly accurate guarantee is that your first story will suck. That’s how it is for most people.

The upside is that it gets better the more you do it, and with help.

Enough of the talk, let’s walk through ten things you can implement today to become a better writer, faster.

 

1. Stop Hesitating, Start Writing.

Is there a write time to start writing?

Yes, there is.

Now!

That’s wrong, actually. The best time to start writing was yesterday. You might have missed the opportunity. But the next best time to start is right away. So start taking note. Scribble on paper or just type away on your keyboard.

 

2. Anything at all is better than nothing.

You don’t need a special topic to start. A game I play when I write is to start writing on the first thing that comes to mind.

It may not be the most interesting thing to you, but do it anyway. This practice will help you build range.

Bear in mind that you may never really know where your writing journey takes you.

Some become writers for children; others write for large corporations. It’s difficult to tell from the very start.

Do not precondition yourself to favour a specific field.

3. Read voraciously

Think of writing as crafting a clay sculpture. You will need clay and lots of it.

The more you read, the more materials you have for your work.
It helps to read the works of other writers to learn new trends from them.

 

4. Find your own unique voice.

Every writer has a unique voice.

It’s the way you think.

It’s the way you craft your sentences.

It is common for some writers to copy the style of other, more successful writers in a bid to attract a similar audience.

While this might help you grow your following for a bit, it is my opinion that you deny the world a chance to hear your own beautifully unique voice.

 

5. Debate, be contentious, and fight ugly.

To write effectively, you have to see both sides of the argument and be willing to acknowledge them.

People seeking information on a subject may already be conflicted and are looking for a new perspective. You will provide that new perspective.

But be sure to explore the pros and cons before reaching your final conclusions.

Never back down from a contentious subject. Everyone might already be thinking it.

They will not judge you for saying it.

But so what if they do?

6. You will always have room for improvement.

A year after you start writing every day, you will still need to keep improving.

Time will change, and with it, the people.

The way I learned to write in 2012 is very different from what we are doing now. I can guarantee that it will change again. Soon.

Pay attention to the times and work hard to become the best version of yourself at each moment.

 

7. Publish everything: good, bad and ugly.

You cannot know what people like about your writing or what will make you money if you don’t put it out there. In my experience, your best writing may not be the one that blows up.

I can’t explain it, but it’s a reality.

You might put so much work into a story, but then it’s totally ignored.

Then you get up the next morning, put something together in a bit, and everyone loves it.

Don’t hold yourself back. Keep publishing.

 

8. Monetise your writing as quickly as possible.

Never write for free as soon as you realise that your skills are impressive. This step is very important because it will keep you writing.

Why will you stay consistent if there’s nothing in it for you? The more money you make from writing, the more you want to keep at it. That is all the motivation you will ever need.

Some writers make a living from their writing. Imagine not having to settle for a 9-to-5 job.

Visualise this. You are sitting by a coffee table in a lush garden in your beautiful home. Sipping warm coffee and writing your next story, and that’s all you have to do all day.

If all that stood in your way of living your dream was your writing skills, would you work hard at improving?

If you are already paid each time you write, do I need to ask you to write consistently, every day?

9. Use feedback effectively to improve.

One of the cruellest places I have ever been on earth is the comment sections on various platforms where creatives like us publish our work.

But not every feedback is cruel.

However, it feels like reading these comments, recognise them as feedback. Use them to improve.

Sift through and find what is helpful and what is not. Understand that these are your people, your community appreciating what you are doing or asking you to do better. Double down on what they like and less of what is criticised.

The same applies to your niche and title selection. Amplify what works and abandon what doesn’t work.

 

10. You are not your writing.

When you write, you have taken on a new personality that has little to do with who you are right now. You can be anything or anyone. Your writing is not a reflection of who you are. So do not hold back.