Being a Better Writer

Being able to write something that doesn't make people want to fall into a boredom induced coma is probably one of the most useful skills you can learn. You don't have to be the next Shakespeare to avoid doing this though. All you have to do is write and do it well.

"But I'm a sucky writer.", "I wish I could write like you.", "I wish I had your talent.", "I don't have the time." ...

STOP IT! Stop complaining and stop making excuses. The moment you start making excuses is the moment everyone else knows that you aren't willing to put some effort into this sought after skill. Yes, some people have a talent to write. They can sit down and basically throw up on a page and it will be considered good writing by a lot of people. This should not discourage you. The moment you sit down and start writing, that is the moment you become a writer.

As soon as you realize that every great author in existence started out just like you, the task of writing something marvellous becomes so much less daunting. It becomes exciting even.

Starting a story is probably the easiest thing you can do. Finishing a story though... That's something different entirely.

Finishing a story takes commitment, because you may start with this story of yours, bright eyed and full of excitement, but after a week, a month or even a year, you'll start to realize that it isn't that easy anymore. You'll hate yourself, you'll hate your story, you'll hate that you even considered starting that damn thing in the first place. If you actually finish the story and it's time to start editing, you'll probably just hate life in general.

What exactly is my point?

There is no universal rule for becoming a better writer, no magic trick to turn you into a bestselling author. Except one.

Write.

Write every day. The more you write, the better you get at it. Practice makes perfect, 'a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step' and all that jazz. There really is nothing more to it. The most insignificant sentence can lead to so many bigger things. Just don't take any idea for granted. Write anything and everything down.

Write.