Being a good writer is not something people are born with. It is a learned skill. It is acquired by writing—lots of it, thousands of hours.
You’ll need to master grammar and punctuation, though. You can fine-tune this knowledge as you go along. In the beginning, editing may take more time than writing the article. Eventually, you will have very little editing to do once you reach the end.
Don’t worry about your educational background. Mine was poor until I reached college where I had to start learning grammar, punctuation, and writing again. I did this by spending hundreds of hours in the learning assistance center. It paid off, though, as I graduated with several honors, some of them for papers I wrote. 🙂 My educational progression was inconsistent and subpar because I had spent my prime learning years (15-17) in a juvenile hall and a boys’ home.
My writing style does not follow any formal rules. I find that schoolbook methods block creativity. However, I strive to include an introduction, a body, and a closing or summary.
Here’s my writing process.
- I get inspiration for an article and assemble points to include in my mind. These inspirations can happen at any time. I get some of my best ideas while sleeping, exercising, and showering. I have notepads strategically placed to record ideas as I get them.
- My most productive writing period is before breakfast. Since I get up very early (3:00-4:00 a.m.), I start writing about 5 a.m. This is after I’ve power walked or swam (depending on the season), showered, and meditated (TM).
- When I write, I mentally review my topic and the points I want to make and then begin writing. It takes 10-15 minutes before I enter a free-flowing writing zone.
- I sometimes continue to write or edit the article after breakfast or later in the day, but I rarely complete it. I prefer to let the article incubate overnight, as I often come up with additions and revisions.
- The next morning, I will either begin a new article or do final editing on 1-3 articles I wrote 3-5 days before.
- After editing a sentence or paragraph, I carefully read it to ensure it sounds correct. I rely heavily on how it sounds to determine whether it is grammatically correct.
- When I’m done editing, I read the entire article again, and if this leads to extensive editing, I read the article again.
- I pass each article through two editing devices: Microsoft Word and WordPress. Both have powerful editing capabilities, so it’s not unusual for one to point out an error or make a suggestion the other missed.
- Once I’ve completed all the editing processes, I read the article again.
- Before I press the “Publish” button, I carefully check all the WordPress article settings. Once I press this button, the article is automatically distributed to the selected article category and tag, social media, and RSS feed.
- Sometimes, I make small additions or revisions after I’ve published an article. When I do, I make the change and press the “Update” button.
Update: I found an amazing cloud-based writing assistant and grammar-checking service/app that exceeds the editing capabilities of Microsoft Word and WordPress. It automatically and non-intrusively checks everything you write online, from email messages and social media posts to blog articles like this one. There is also an app for Microsoft Windows and Office. The lite version is FREE! I’m so thoroughly impressed that I upgraded to a subscription plan. It’s called Grammarly! And it’s truly remarkable.
It’s smart to get tips from others, but I recommend finding your own writing style. I had to try many different methods before I found mine. There are prolific bloggers who I admire who write an article from beginning to end in one sitting. I wish I could do that, but it doesn’t work. I can put more value into an article by allowing it to incubate.
I feel a sense of accomplishment after each article is published. It’s exciting to consider that your work is instantly available to millions of people around the world. However, I also find it humbling because of the responsibility that comes with it.
If you’re interested in creating a content-based (articles) website or blog of your own, this article will help: “How to Create an Income Generating Website.”
Taking responsibility for your writing is crucial to being a professional writer/blogger. I have found that those who behave otherwise are usually immature, ignorant, or severely misguided—to put it mildly. If you publish articles online, do it with integrity and for the greater good, or don’t do it at all.
At this point, I do not consider myself an outstanding writer. But my love of word sculpturing keeps me determined to master this craft.