We would prefer not to say this, but it falls to us as professionals to debunk all assumptions associated with writing and writers.
First, God did not create writers on the eleventh day; we fall right in place with the rest of the world on the sixth.
Second, much as we hate to cut ties with our fabled origins, we have to say it: writers are not born but made.
In other words, anyone can learn to write. But to achieve this, you need a few things.
- Passion
It is not enough to like writing; you must be passionate about it. Passion is what helps you to push you through tough times and makes you a victor at the end.
Are you passionate about writing? Do not begin this journey unless you are.
- Tenacity
Your initial works are like a calf’s first steps—wobbly, embarrassing, almost painful to watch yet rife with promise. As pathetic as they may seem to you, they are signs of great potential.
A lot of people will throw it in the trash. You too will do that sometimes. You will compare your work with that of others and burst into tears. It will discourage you, yet you must keep trying.
If you’re tenacious enough, you’ll grow from an amateur to a pro. You’ll find out that you wanted to do it and you did it because you kept pushing.
- Consistent reading
If you’re going to write skilfully, you must dedicate yourself to the consumption of good content. In other words—read. Eudora Welty says, ‘Indeed, learning to write may be part of learning to read. For all I know, writing comes out of a superior devotion to reading’.
The merits of reading to a writer are innumerable. Reading supplies you with a wealth of knowledge that enriches the quality of your writing. As you read, you become conversant with style and element, develop an aesthetic for quality writing, and your instinct heightens so you can better judge the work you create.
Also, a writer must have an impressive command of English, should boast of a robust assortment of words, know how to spell and use them appropriately. One way to have this expertise is to read grammar textbooks and use a standard dictionary constantly.
Read twice as much as you write but write a lot.
- Consistent writing
Of all the tips we’ve given you, this is undoubtedly the most important—write.
It does not matter if at the moment you find it nearly impossible to produce a well-articulated Facebook post. Just keep writing.
Write every day, through the months and the years, until writing becomes second nature to you. You learn to write by writing.
Finally, if the struggle of writing is too much for you or you do not have the time to accommodate it, but still wish to write, we are here for you. We can make you an author without you stroking a ‘t’.