This is a guest post by Tess Pajaron. With a background in business administration and management, Tess currently works at Open Colleges, Australia’s leading online educator. She likes to cover stories in careers and marketing.
7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer
Being a writer is so much more than the ability to envision and draft out a story. So many people make the mistake of believing that it’s easy work. In reality, writers work just as hard as people with other hobbies or professions. Anyone can write something, but it takes a lot to be a great writer. If you need a little inspiration or you ever feel stuck, consider building on these skills.
1. Creativity
There isn’t much of a point to telling a story that’s already been told a thousand times before. You may have your own spin on it, but seasoned readers will recognize a common framework in a heartbeat. You have to be able to shake things up a bit. Break that mold, even if it takes your stories into a completely different universe.
2. Patience
You’re going to encounter “writer’s block”. There will be times where it’s hard to work on your story, and this can be frustrating when you set goals for yourself. You need to be able to walk away and do something else for a while so you can come back with a clear head and a fresh perspective. You want your writing to be good, even if it takes you years to write one piece.
3. The Willingness to Learn
Writers frequently use exercises to help them improve their abilities. The way you’re approaching the art of writing may not be the most effective or efficient way to get things done. You need to explore as many techniques as possible. While every writer is different, exploring as many methods and approaches as you can will help you become a better writer.
4. Strong Observation Skills
You can’t write deep characters and genuine dialogue unless you have a deep understanding of how different personalities work. You need to allow yourself to be inspired by the people you know. How dynamic are your friends? Do they have beliefs that conflict with their actions? This is part of what it means to become a complex human being. You should observe and analyze as many people as possible. It will help you create a person who pops off the page.
5. The Ability to Be Brave
Writers face a lot of rejection and a lot of harsh criticism – no matter how great they are. When Robert Pirsig wrote Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, he was savagely torn apart. He was rejected over a hundred times before he got published. And now, that same novel is regarded as one of the most important pieces of philosophical fiction to ever be penned. Wear some thick skin. Being criticized or rejected doesn’t mean you don’t have what it takes. It just means you’ll have to work harder.
6. Being Able to Surprise Yourself
Of course you can predict what will happen next – you’re the mastermind behind it all. The only problem with being able to predict too much is that it will lack the emotion and depth that the readers need to feel that level of surprise. You have to be able to throw yourself a curveball once in a while. A plot twist you didn’t expect or a point you didn’t know you would make will inject life into your writing.
7. Excellent Time Management
No one can afford to quit their day job to become a full-time writer, which can pose quite a few challenges. Being a writer takes up a lot of time. You’re probably going to have to juggle a full-time career, a full-time writing passion, and all of your household responsibilities. Writers are very busy people. It may feel overwhelming at times, but if you’re passionate enough, you’ll find a way to overcome.
Writing is truly rich, complex, and rewarding, and there’s a lot more to it than most people are led to believe. That is why writers need to be well-rounded and everything you do to better yourself will only improve your writing.
The Story Reading Ape said:
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bonsai said:
I like number 5!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicholas C. Rossis said:
It shouldn’t have this hard, but there you have it…
LikeLike
Don Massenzio said:
Reblogged this on Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
Check out this great post from Nicholas Rossis blog on the 7 essential skills you need to become a writer.
LikeLiked by 1 person
marymichaelschmidt said:
Reblogged this on When Angels Fly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
kimwrtr said:
Reblogged this on Kim's Author Support Blog.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Smorgasbord - Variety is the Spice of Life. said:
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Guest Tess Pajaron with Nicholas Rossis with the 7 essential skills you need to be a writer..
LikeLiked by 1 person
J.A. Stinger said:
Reblogged this on Words Can Inspire the World.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Mae Clair said:
Excellent! I’ll be sharing on Story Empire’s Curated Content post on Friday.
Thank you for a great post!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicholas C. Rossis said:
Yay! Many thanks in advance for the share 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Operating Systems said:
. com/2017/05/21/7-essential-skills-you-need-to-become-a-writer/” rel=”nofollow”>Don Massenzio's Blog and commented:
Check out this great post from Nicholas Rossis blog on the 7 essential skills you need to become a writer.
LikeLike
Pingback: 7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer | Campbells World
Pingback: Curated Writing Content | Story Empire
Pingback: Friday Roundup – 26th May | Stevie Turner, Indie Author.
rijanjks said:
Excellent! Thanks for sharing, Nicholas!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicholas C. Rossis said:
Thank you, Jan 🙂
LikeLike
rijanjks said:
Reblogged this on Writing and Music and commented:
These Seven Essential Skills an author MUST have struck a chord of great truth with me so had to share. Which one do you struggle with the most? For me, it’s the Time Management.
LikeLiked by 1 person
angiedokos said:
Reblogged this on Angie Dokos.
LikeLiked by 1 person
frenchc1955 said:
Reblogged this on charles french words reading and writing and commented:
This is an excellent post for writers!
LikeLiked by 1 person
jenanita01 said:
Reblogged this on Anita Dawes & Jaye Marie.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Julie Cao said:
I love #6 and #5. Another thing I learned early in my writing career is to use details instead of generic adjectives. Thanks for the great insights on the writing skills we need to work on. It is very challenging and time consuming, but it is rewarding too!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Nicholas C. Rossis said:
Indeed it is. Thank you, Julie 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Friday Roundup | Stevie Turner, Indie Author.
OIKOS™-Redaktion said:
Reblogged this on Die Erste Eslarner Zeitung – Aus und über Eslarn, sowie die bayerisch-tschechische Region!.
LikeLiked by 1 person
TechEbook said:
[…] Source: 7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer […] […] 7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer (skills to help you through) […]
LikeLiked by 1 person
gumersindo said:
[…] Source: 7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer […] […] 7 Essential Skills You Need to Become a Writer (skills to help you through) […]
LikeLiked by 1 person