28 Aug How to Become a Superb Writer: 12 Epic Tips
The Internet has never been more profitable; everyone is starting to realize this very quickly. Modern writers are now making a full-time income online and the potential for this is only growing with leaps and bounds.
Online writing has become an open platform for literally every type of writer to express their talents through a vast array of avenues. From eBooks, to blogs to copywriting, to magazine writing, the list is endless. If you can type, you can create online content.
The competition is fierce. Standing out and achieving online success will quickly become a challenge. Eventually, just being a good writer won’t be good enough; you will have to be superb.
What Being A Writer Is?
Being a writer is hard work. It takes diligence, patience, creativity but most of all passion. Too many writers start their careers off with high hopes of unlimited income matched with the same amount of freedom. They expect that their new portfolio of work will attract a large audience that is waiting to hang on their every word. They believe: if they write they will come. Is this a reachable dream? Yes. Will it happen over night? Not likely. Unfortunately, many writers give up before that dream becomes their reality. Building your writer’s platform takes time, just like building a house, brick by brick. You will learn extraordinary things about yourself as you type words to the page.
Yes, being a writer is hard work, but it is also one of the best jobs in the world. You have the power to create whatever your head and heart desire. Words evoke emotion, alter lives and change the world we live in. As a writer, you have the ability to create a new existence and to share with the world who you are and what you are about.
Why Being Good Isn’t Good Enough?
As writers, we are judged, followed and adored for what we say and how we say it. As a modern writer, the stakes are that much higher. As we move into this new era of online writing, being good just won’t cut it, being superb will create the life you desire and yearn for… the life of unlimited income and creative freedom.
The Internet is swarming with writers, everyone trying to create that unlimited freedom with their written words. Soon the online platform will be inundated with writers of all levels. The question will become: how do I stand out from the herd? You have to be superb.
Failure will come at a faster rate, and frustrated writers will be scratching their heads wondering when opportunity will be knocking down their door. Unfortunately, for some, it never will. Mediocrity is reserved for the past; it’s a new day with new rules and yes, more competition.
I am sure we have all heard the saying, “if you want to succeed, you have to bring your “A” game.”
Thru expediency and accessibility, the Internet has made it quite easy for anyone to publish online, but let’s not forget that the outcome of success falls into your hands as the writer. The importance of creating exceptional content is still king.
Writing for a living is truly remarkable. Success doesn’t happen over night, but, with the right amount of tenacity, you will eventually see the fruits of your labor.
Here are 12 epic tips. These are tips I recommend and practice daily.
Tip # 1
Superb Writers Are Early Risers
One of the best things I have done to improve my writing is become an early riser. Most of my life I was always the last to wake in the morning. My days seemed to whiz by, and, needless to say, I was familiar with the saying, “The early bird catches the worm,” but it never truly resonated with me until I started to put those words into action.
Motivating your self to get up early is an excellent way to be productive in your day. It is not only a way to get more done; the morning offers serenity like no other part of the day. Personally, I have grown to love the stillness that morning brings. Your mind is more alert and rested, and your creative juices are flowing. Have you ever awaken in the morning with an answer or extraordinary idea? It’s as if the night has washed away all the residue of yesterday, giving you a fresh palate to wake up to in the morning. The morning is a terrific time to create. Before the hustle and bustle of our daily lives begins, write without the worry, concerns, and stress. Try waking up early for a week and see how productive you become. Here are a few tips to use to become an early riser:
Set your alarm clock an hour earlier than usual.
If you are the type who hits the snooze in your sleep, try putting your alarm clock on the other side of the room. Another trick is to set it on the floor. When you walk to get it, you have to bend to turn it off, and bending helps wake up your body.
Wash your face immediately or take a quick shower after rising. This will certainly perk you up. If caffeine is your preference, brew a cup of java to get you going.
Take a few minutes to stretch or to quickly jog in place, nothing strenuous, just enough to get you going. These tips are great to kick start your mind and body. After a while, it will no longer be a chore but a welcomed habit that you look forward to. Remember, the early riser catches the worm.
Tip # 2
Superb Writers Have Passion
Without passion, we may as well pack our bags and go home. Passion is the fuel that drives us to success. Passion gets us out of bed in the morning. Passion is what keeps us going when we are told we’re not good enough. Passion is, ultimately, what every writer needs to become superb.
We have all been asked what our passion in life is. But have we honestly answered that question or did we answer what we thought was expected.
When I start a writing project, I feel all tingly inside. I sit for hours typing on my computer, void of bathroom breaks, food or water. I am in a utopia, and it feels great! Do you get that feeling when you write? Or does it feel more like a visit to the dentist where you are count the minutes until it is all done?
There is no creating passion, there just is. Yep, without passion we may as well just pack our bags and go home.
Tip # 3
Superb Writers Stay Positive
Change your words; change your world. As writers, the deck is stacked against us before we even sit down to write one word. Our job isn’t the easiest in the world by any stretch of the imagination.
Have you ever been to a party and someone asked you what you did for a living? When you told them you were a writer, they give you a look of pure uncertainty. Or how about the looks of disdain on your parents face when you finally tell them you want to become a writer? Yeah, writers don’t have the easiest life, part of it is spent convincing people that we can make a substantial living and pay our bills. If everyone thinks that we will fail, how do we stay motivated?
- Turn Off Your Inner Critic
Our inner critic makes us doubt our ability to succeed. We all have one or two of them. The difference between a good writer and a superb writer is that when it’s time to sit down and crank out some material, the superb writer knows just want to say to shut him up.
The best way to turn off your inner critic is to focus on your writing and only your writing. A great practice is to jus dig in and write!
As Stephen King so elegantly puts it, “it’s head down, bum up in the creative process. Just go with the flow”.
This is the time to forget about your inner critic and let your inspiration take over and create through you. When you are in the “flow” there is no stopping you. This is the time when your characters come to life and start telling you what to say. You are merely a vessel for their words, thoughts and actions.
- Engage In Positive And Encouraging Things
It could be a book, affirmations or a motivational speaker. Keeping uplifting and encouraging elements in your life is the key to staying positive. The world is filled with naysayers and people who will wish you to fail. By keeping a positive mindset we can deflect the negativity and continue on our journey to writing success.
A great way I keep myself motivated is a list of affirmations I stick up near my work area. When I start to feel myself fall into a writer’s slump of negativity, I just stop and read some of my affirmations. I even challenge myself to make one of my affirmations my mantra for that day. Remember, our subconscious mind has a way of switching to the negative, but we have the ability to change those thoughts back to the positive or we can drown in the negativity.
Challenge yourself with positive thoughts and words; you will thank yourself in the end.
- Stay Confident In Your Abilities
As writers we tend to doubt our abilities… a lot. This is probably the number one downfall of most writers. Yes, there are a lot of talented writers out there, but who says we can’t be one of them. We may already be one, but we can’t see it through the negative cloud of self-defeat that hangs over our heads. You are as good as you say you are. Remember, words are extremely powerful. We have to watch how we throw them around. Wake up every morning and exclaim, “I am a talented writer” and “I am creative beyond my dreams.” Then sit down and write. You will be surprised by what you create and accomplish with a positive mindset.
Tip # 4
Superb Writers Read
Knowledge is power, and there is no better way to acquire it than through reading. It’s no secret, great writers write and great writers read. As a child, I remember having a read-a-thon day. How many books can you read in a stretch of 6 hours? I had no idea those reading marathons were prepping me for my writing career.
As a writer, it is essential to read. Not just subjects we like, but things we don’t like, and maybe even despise. Stay open to all types of work. See how other writers write; see how they weave their words, and describe their settings. This is all a learning process, and it begins with reading.
Tip # 5
Superb Writers Practice
We have all heard the saying, “practice makes perfect.” I am a huge believer that great writers are not born; they are made. If you talk to successful writers, you will find a common denominator in their journey to success and that is countless hours of writing. They are prolific and tenacious in their work ethic and, as a result, they are superb.
The only thing that separates a good writer from a superb writer is practice; that’s it. Make it a point to practice writing every day, whether it be 15 or 20 minutes a day. Writing one day a week is a hobby; writing every day is a profession. To be a professional writer and to be superb, you have to practice every day.
Without practice, the chances of success are limited, and we only have ourselves to blame when failure comes knocking at our door.
Tip # 6
Superb Writers Never Give Up
Rome was not built in a day. Why would you think your writing career would be? Many talented writers give up before they see the fruits of their labor. Frustration, discouragement and writers block set in to wreck havoc on your blossoming writing career.
Here’s a tip: expect the worst, but you can’t let it stop you. Everyone runs into brick walls. The difference between an average writer and a superb one is (defeat) EXPLAIN. Don’t give up. You can only succeed if you continue to write. Write every day; write when you think you’ll never get to the other side. Write when everyone has told you to stop. Do this and one day you will awaken to what only superb writers experience… success!
Tip # 7
Superb Writers Re-Write
80% of writing is rewriting. My philosophy when I sit down to crank out some pages is: just get it out. Vomit your way to the end. Then go back and clean it up. Most writers’ first drafts are trash, and that’s great because rewriting is where the gem is sanded and glazed.
I loved Stephen King’s quote, “Write with the door closed; rewrite with the door open.”
That quote says it all when it comes to rewriting. What he is saying is that when you write for the first time, it is for your eyes only. When you rewrite you are writing for the world to see.
So go ahead and write that bad first draft, because with every rewrite it will only get better.
Tip # 8
Superb Writers Unplug
I heard a fellow writer once say that the Internet is the enemy. It made me laugh, because, as a writer, I can relate 100%.
Today we, literally, have everything we could possibly want at our fingertips, including email, FaceBook, Twitter, Google, and LinkedIn. You name it; we got it. This is a blessing as well as a curse. As writers, we are distracted very easily. We could spend hours upon hours on the Internet, never getting a single thing done. I’m sure this is a familiar pastime for many writers out there.
The Internet is an amazing online resource, but it’s also a time sucker. As a result, I have created for myself a no Internet policy when I sit down to write. It took me a while to adjust to this, but when I did, I found myself becoming more productive throughout the day.
In the past, the first thing I would do when I settled down in front of my computer was to check my email, FaceBook and Twitter. After 2 hours had passed, I was ready for a break. It was a waste of time that I should have used to be creative and to create content. Now, I limit myself to 15 minutes on FaceBook and Twitter and 30 minutes on email. That’s all I really need for social time. Now, if you have a following with your blog, of course, set aside a little more time to answer emails from your audience.
At the end of the day, you are a writer; so let’s use the majority of your time to write.
Tip # 9
Superb Writers Create An Action Plan
Creating an action plan is something writers don’t think they need to do. Well, I’m here to tell you that you do. Why? Simply put, an action plan is your road map. It’s your navigation to get from point A to point B, or in your case, from the beginning of a project to the end.
Without a roadmap you will get lost and confused. This could eventually lead to you bailing out of the project all together. As writers, we tend to write from the seat of our pants. Yes, we are creative beings and that’s what creative people do. Although that sounds great and, well, creative, the reality is we need an action plan and a concrete goal if we want to successfully finish a project.
My suggestion to you is to create a solid road map. Use an outline form if that helps. The key is to write it down on paper. Just thinking about it is a formula for failure. Write it down and put it up where you can see it.
If it is a book you want to write, create a plan of action to achieve that result. Set realistic goals and try to stay on track without veering off schedule. You will thank yourself in the end and your writing journey will be that much more pleasant. Writing is challenging. The key is to knock down as many roadblocks along the way to reach the end of your journey.
Tip # 10
Superb Writers Let Failure Be Their Fuel For Success
The greatest successes are usually ones that learned from their failures.
Thomas Edison failed 10,000 times before he actually created the light bulb. Michael Jordan was cut from his high school’s freshman team before he went on to be one of the greatest basketball players to ever live. An average person would have stopped long before that, but that didn’t stop these icons. They looked at their failures as one step closer to success.
Without failure we have no room to improve, no room to see our mistakes, no room to find that one key element that turns the corner for us and slides us into home plate… success.
If you look at failure as defeat, you will be defeated. The mindset of the greats allows them to look at failure as a reason to keep trying. With this way of thinking, you can then check it off your list and move on. Eventually, through the process of elimination, you will find that one thing that does work.
Let failure be your fuel for success.
Tip # 11
Superb Writers Meditate
The ability to tap into your higher power can be an amazing edge to have as a writer. You might be thinking, “Been there; done that,” Meditation just doesn’t work for me. Well, I’m going to let you in on a little secret; it doesn’t work for anyone if you give up after the first time.
Meditation is a skill. Like anything in life, it takes time to master it. The great thing about meditation is that, as you develop the skill, you are slowly creating a positive habit that will eventually become part of who you are.
As writers, we have to tap into a higher power of creativity. We have to be able to create and write hundreds and thousands of words in our lifetime. We cannot do that without some help. Our subconscious mind is a creative factory, ready to pump out anything our hearts desire. The problem is that, sometimes, our minds get in the way.
We all have busy lives, lives filled with uncertainty, doubt and obstacles. These have a tendency to get in the way of our creative process. Meditation is our tool to remove these things so our creative juices can flow easily.
Clearing the mind with meditation will achieve just that. I am a big advocate of meditation. I have a very cluttered mind, and this is one way that helps me clear my creative path so I can write successfully.
Tip # 12
Superb Writers Stay Grateful
Gratitude is one of the most powerful emotions you can use to create extraordinary things in your life. If you think, feel and express gratitude daily, you will witness your life change for the better.
Being grateful is easy. But just like anything in life it takes daily practice, patience and a positive state of mind. Consistent gratitude will open doors and change your life for the better. Here are three powerful tools to incorporate in your life.
- Make gratitude a part of your daily life. During the day, practice incorporating gratitude into your daily life. If someone opens the door for you, simply say “thank you.” If a car lets you squeeze in during rush hour, give them a wave or a nod to express your gratitude. It is extremely easy to take for granted another driver’s courteous gesture just because you can. Saying “thank you” is quick and easy to do, yet often neglected.
- Be thankful for what you have NOW. Instead of complaining about what you are missing in life, focus on what you do have. There are many people who do not recognize daily blessings. They focus on complaining about what they don’t have. Instead, take inventory of your life and identify things for which you can be thankful. If for some reason you are not satisfied with your current job, don’t complain; be grateful that you have a steady income to pay your bills and keep a roof over your head. Instead of complaining about rush hour traffic, give thanks that you have a car in great condition to take you where you need to go.
When you make a daily effort to be grateful for what you have, the universe will give you more to be thankful for. If you continue to complain, well, the universe will deliver more for you to complain about. It’s that simple.
- Keep a daily gratitude journal. At the end of each day, find a quiet place to sit and write down everything you are grateful for today. Oprah is an immense fan of the gratitude journal and attributes part of her success to it. As you write, reflect on your day, giving thanks for whatever flows into your mind. Don’t force it; just let it flow. You will be surprised how closely gratitude is linked to happiness.
Creating a better life starts with two key words “thank you. Discover how simply saying those two words can change your life.
I hope you have enjoyed this post, How to be a Superb Writer: 12 epic tips. Please take these tips in the way they were intended, to make you the best writer you were meant to be.
Good luck and God bless and by all means, keep writing.
Kim Collier
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