If you’ve ever asked: “Why is writing so hard?” chances are that you’re looking at writing as just one thing.
Writing isn’t just one thing. Many elements go into a successful writing career, and some of the elements have (shocker) nothing to do with writing.
Writers develop bad habits which become engrained. For example, content creation has become commodified. If you check the freelance marketplaces, the bids are low. Buyers are used to cheap content, which is fine, because it’s a huge, global marketplace…
BUT writers have become used to creating cheap content too, and this is harmful. Cheap, junk content sets you onto a hamster wheel of churning out content. You’re not to blame. We’re living in a junk content world.
Junk content is everywhere. Strive to improve your skills and target higher-paying clients. You’ll need to educate your clients, because content buyers are used to ultra-cheap content: show them the benefits of good content, targeted to their audience.
Junk content and other pitfalls aside, consider tracking your writing output.
Track your output and publishing (no matter what kind of “publishing” you do)
Try scheduling a daily and weekly review, and ask yourself: “What did I write today? How many words did I write this week?”
The benefits of writing faster:
- You’ll make more sales. Not only will you be able to take on more clients, but you’ll also be able to do more marketing for your writing services and products like books;
- You’ll be more creative when you’re more productive — ideas come when you’re writing;
- You’ll become more confident. Your confidence will attract more clients and will help you to make more sales; and finally…
- You’ll enjoy writing more. It will be fun, rather than a chore.
Let’s look at some tips to help you to become a successful writer.
1. Keep track, so you avoid the “busy, busy” trap
Set deadlines. Track your words every day.
Over the years, I’ve learned that if I don’t track my word counts carefully, whole days can go by when I’m “busy”, but accomplish nothing of importance.
2. Task list shenanigans: chunking is your friend
“Writing” isn’t one thing. It’s many things:
- Idea generation and development;
- Research for current projects and upcoming projects;
- Creating titles and other copywriting tasks;
- Drafting;
- Revision;
- Final editing;
- Publication in one form or another, whether you publish a book or a blog post, or send the final draft of a project to a client.
Chunk down each project into tasks.
If you add “write a book” as a task in your calendar, it seems intimidating. Small tasks, none of which take longer than 30 minutes, are much less intimidating:
- Brainstorm chapter titles;
- Write the outline of a scene;
- Check cover design;
- Revise Chapter 1, etc.
3. Take time: relax, and be patient with yourself
It’s impossible to be creative if you’re stressed.
Moreover, writing is an iterative process. You write something today, and expand on it tomorrow. Or you get a better idea tomorrow.
When writing seems difficult, it’s because you’re trying to do too many things at once, or you’ve missed steps in the process.
Chunk your projects. Take time and track your output.
You’ll be a success — and you’ll have fun with your writing too.
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