How To Be A Great Writer
The best professionals are the best consumers of others' work. How do you write better if you haven't seen a written work before?
How do you stand out if you don't know what is already existing and add your unique touch to it?
Everyone has the ability to write but then a great writer doesn't just write but creates reactions through the words they put together. They write with intention and so they don't rely on their special skill but they also crave knowledge to gain inspiration and improve their skills.
A Great Writer is:
•A learner
•Imperfect
•A great listener and observer
•Curious
•Draws inspiration from anything and everything
•Has a unique style to his/her writing
•Knows how to appeal to the minds of their readers
How Do You Become A Great Writer?
•Read other peoples works: I have found out that consuming written, audio and visual works of other people broadens your knowledge and allows you to see things from different perspectives.
Everyone can be at an event but when they are told to give their own explanation of what they witnessed there will be different angles to it because we all see the same thing but interpret them differently. So when you gain access to other peoples perspectives you learn how to unify it all in a unique way.
•Be observant: Instead of actively speaking they read the room, they observe reactions and events to see beyond what has been said. You hear a lot from staying calm and just watch it all play out.
•Observing nature, post reactions and comments or a scene is a perfect example. Observing tells you how people react to a topic or event and that tells you how to tailor your content to them effectively.
•Be open to learn new things: A great writer isn’t rigid. They are open minded and don’t mind trying out something new. It could be an experience, a new approach or something out of their comfort zone but insightful. If you want to be a great writer you can’t be too lazy to be up-to-date on things happening around or just fresh strategies to make their work outstanding. A great writer loves to improve on their skills and they are willing to use all the available resources to get the insight they want.
•Don’t just write, show: A great writer doesn’t just write but tells a story through the words they weave together. They write with a motive in mind and so they go beyond the ordinary and show their readers what they stand to gain and why they shouldn't miss it. Showing gives your readers a mental picture of what you are talking about and once your words are capable of making them imagine it then you will be able to appeal to their emotions and get results.
Great writers enjoy the process instead of rushing it.
Conclusion
A great writer doesn't have a final destination in terms of growth because they live to write and learn everyday of their life. Great writers look for unpopular perspectives and transform them to interesting pieces, they see the beauty in everything and they don't limit their minds when it comes to thinking and writing.
If you want to be a great writer you have to let go of being perfect and embrace your imperfections like a champ because your writing is there to show how the journey of life is “Imperfect Yet Beautiful”.
How To Be A Great Writer written by Joy Fashagba in association with Beauty & the Beast Publishing. Photo: Rike on Getty Images.