It’s Hard to Be a Good Writer?

Is it hard to be a good writer? Of course not.

All you have to do is:

  1. Write a lot. Keep writing until you get really, really good.
  2. And then, write some more.
  3. Be open to lots of negative feedback. Use it as constructive criticism (even if it’s meant to be destructive), and get better.
  4. Identify your niche and focus on that. Don’t spread yourself too thin. Zero in on what makes you unique as a writer. Widen your audience by narrowing your subject.
  5. Write some more.
  6. Collaborate with other (better) writers on projects. Do it pro bono — just for the experience.
  7. Coach others on how to write. Teaching always makes you a better practitioner of what you’re trying to educate others on how to do.
  8. Commit to writing every day. And then actually do it.
  9. Stay the course. Be committed.
  10. Keep writing. Never give up.

So, is being a good writer hard? No, obviously not. It just takes time. Time and a lot of work.

It’s not easy, but it certainly isn’t hard, either. You just have to be willing to put in the hours.

Come to think of it, most disciplines are like that. They aren’t hard, per se. They just require, well, discipline.

This is the secret to becoming a good writer. It’s the secret of people who magically appear to be excellent at something. The secret is that they don’t start out good; they just end up that way.

And the difference is practice.