5 GREAT WRITING HACKS

There is literally a ton of writing guidance available on the web. This might seem daunting for a beginner trying to select top guidance and what to follow but there are some common themes that can be subscribed to right away. Before going further, let me say that I’m learning the ropes just as you are and there’s no magical recipe for 1-week writing success. However, as true for other facets of life the combination of imagination and hard work usually paves the way.

1) Keep your goals realistic

You might have heard ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day’ and might find it overused but this is literally true of most efforts. Writing is a creative process and it can’t be forced just because we have a timeline (just ask Patrick Rothfuss fans).

To start with, take a deep breath and jot down your goals. Keep it simple and don’t set complicated milestones. Instead of ‘I’ll finish writing 10,000 words of my first e-book by 28th February’ just write ‘Complete the first e-book.’

The reason why you have to keep it simple is that this list should be a definitive one and if you start being specific about each goal, you might get intimidated from the get-go. The list should ideally have 8-10 points and may have references to learning SEO, undertaking a top writing course from Udemy/Udacity, creating an Upwork profile etc.

This brainstorming exercise will make you realize the existing possibilities and which ones you can focus on.

2) Reading is the soul of writing

You can’t be a good writer if you’re not an avid reader, period. Most people start writing because they have read some great stuff and want to emulate it. Reading is a passion, a beautiful escape and an everlasting dream; all presented in one package.

You might be a Harry Potter fan or have even started from the Enid Blyton period or you might fancy John Grisham books. Whatever the genre may be, reading literally fuels writing pursuits.

Those looking to pass an English exam may be advised to start reading English newspapers or avail Reader’s digest, but the true essence of reading resides in good books. Reading is the start of a journey that allows us to expand our horizons and visit the world/parallel universe(s) from the comfort of our couch.

From a practical standpoint, reading improves vocabulary and sentence structure. If you meet serial readers and ask about a peculiar grammar rule, they might not have a good idea. But, if you ask them how a sentence should look like or how an unusual word is used they will usually be bang on the buck. This is because reading truly emancipates the soul and give you a unique view of the world.

3) Write how you feel

The newbie writer may look to impress first and create a verbose and grandiose piece of writing to elucidate a simple narrative (Yes, that was intentional). Writing should start with a natural flow of words and if you are thinking too much about grammar and vocabulary than you are probably on the wrong track.

For beginners, setting out with their first piece, I would recommend starting with a favorite article and re-writing it according to your own impulse. This will enable you to start writing from a point of comfort and emulate the writing style of authors you are impressed with.

However, don’t go word by word or line by line as this is not a translation job.

Read a para and then re-write the main content in your own words and add enhancements where you feel it. Keep the writing piece to 600-700 words and show it to a trusted mentor/friend.

4) Don’t take everything to heart

There are people who we trust to give an honest feedback and help us improve.

There are also those who think you might be wasting your time.

The fact is that we live in a world where technical jobs (like Accountant, Lawyer, Doctor etc.) are given utmost importance and children are trained to focus on these careers right from childhood. Subjects like arts and writing occupy lesser importance and hence parents/friends might feel obliged to re-focus you.

Take your content to trusted advisors and listen carefully to how they rate you. Some of the most beautiful inspiration comes in the form of teachers/mentors who guide and praise us. If you’re starting at an early age, criticism might break you, but don’t stop at the first attempt. Listen to people and adapt your content to find your niche. Not everyone is a good sci-fi author, some are made to share real-life stories with the world.

5) Perseverance is the key

You might be a gifted writer and do nothing with your talent or you might be an aspiring writer who wants to share his/her original thoughts with the world. Talent is well and good, but perseverance always triumphs.

Arnold Schwarzenegger was a successful body-builder who wanted to act but his accent was totally UNIQUE. If he had stopped after hearing negative feedback, we might never have witnessed the on-screen version of ‘Terminator’ series (and the iconic ‘I’ll be back’ line).

Even accomplished writers had to take their manuscripts to dozens of editors before they were published and secured a place in our thoughts. Writing is the first step and pursuing it till you win, is the second and all-important one.

I’ve personally applied all the above hacks at different times and enjoyed the benefits. I hope you can benefit from some or all of them. There’s a lot of practical advice on how to hone writing skills for a particular niche or genre but let’s keep that for the next post.