It’s easy to get sidelined by problems on the creative journey. But you must persist and keep on doing the work you’re called to do. There’s too much at stake for you to throw in the towel. — Kent Sanders
Becoming a better writer is a journey that requires dedication, practice, and a willingness to learn. Enhancing your storytelling skills can lead to efficient writing and better engagement with readers. Here are several strategies to help you on this path:
1. Read Regularly and Analytically
Immersing yourself in diverse literature exposes you to various styles, tones, and techniques. As you read, analyze the structure, word choice, and flow. Consider what resonates with you and why. This critical engagement can inform and inspire your own writing, helping you develop a unique voice.
Even better, highlight an exemplary paragraph. Copy the words onto paper or a Word document. Rewrite the paragraph in your own words. How could you say that better. Rewrite it again. This practice uses expert talent to improve your own unique writing style.
2. Write Consistently
Establishing a regular writing routine is crucial. Writing almost daily, even if only for a short period, keeps your mind thinking in the write direction, sharpens your skills, and continues to churn subconscious thought while you’re doing other things.
The great golfers don’t wait for information before hitting a great round at the course. Like the committed golfer, you find inspiration writing for fun or writing for purpose. You experiment. You allow mistakes. Out of the bad stuff, you find gems worth further development. The more you practice storytelling, the better you get.
3. Embrace the Revision Process
First drafts are never perfect. Whatever you’ve written can always be improved with a second, third, or twenty-fifth look. The time you invest will do more than clarify your thoughts, improve structure, and enhance language. It will make your next first draft even better.
Writing bad first drafts is a natural part of the process. The key is to refine and improve through revisions.
4. Study the Craft of Writing
Invest time in learning about the elements of good writing. This can include studying grammar, understanding narrative structures, or exploring character development techniques. Resources like writing workshops, courses, and books on writing can offer valuable insights and tools to enhance your skills.
Nobody learns everything in a day. As you learn more, you increase your capacity to learn more. That’s why great writers never stop learning. They keep how-to books handy, always looking for a missing piece they can add to their storytelling skills.
5. Practice Freewriting
Freewriting involves writing continuously without concern for correctness or topic. This technique can help overcome writer’s block and tap into your subconscious creativity. By allowing your thoughts to flow freely, you may discover new ideas and directions for your writing.
6. Create a Market for Your Work
You have email addresses of family and friends, right? Then write a short insightful piece that would encourage, entertain, or educate them—something they would want to read. Make it something they would forward to their friends and you can grow your audience while growing your skills.
Online publications have an insatiable appetite for great articles and stories. Some will pay for your work. But if the message matters, know that you’ll reach at least ten times more people than you can reach with a book—and at a much lower time investment.
Here’s how to find those publications:
- Consult the <em>Christian Writers Market Guide</em> (https://christianwritersmarketguide.com/) at just $14.99 per year. Find the available article publishers there or check your favorite online publication for “writer’s guidelines.
- Read the publication. Every article you read is an example of what the publisher would like to see more of—except new and improved.
- Follow the publisher’s guidelines like the Ten Commandments. Don’t expect them to make an exception when you miss their word count or don’t follow their style. Success is simple but not easy, not at first. It gets easier with practice as you learn how to give them what they want. The money-making opportunities with articles are much higher than with book publishing.
7. Set Specific Goals
Having clear, achievable goals can guide your writing practice. Whether it’s completing a certain number of words each day, finishing a project by a deadline, or submitting work for publication, goals provide direction and motivation.
8. Be Patient and Persistent
Improvement in writing doesn’t happen overnight. In fact, it’s a lifelong process. Be patient with yourself and persistent in your efforts. Celebrate small victories and view challenges as opportunities to learn. Over time, consistent practice and dedication will lead to noticeable growth in your writing abilities.
For a practical guide to storytelling, check out Storytelling at Its Best
