The Only Route To Becoming A Better, More Creative Writer

While there are many different tips and techniques you can use to help your creative writing in a number of ways, there’s only one route to becoming a better writer.
That is simply through writing.
Yes, you can read endless articles, books and courses on methods to use to expand your writing skills, and these are all very valuable. But if you don’t write, you’re never going to evolve as a writer.
If you want to become a better guitar player, what would you do? Take some lessons to get the basics, then practice. If you want to become a better dancer, what would you do? You’d probably take some lessons, maybe get some private tuition, then you’d practice. And practice. And practice some more.
The exact same principle applies to your writing. The problem is though, we often have unrealistic expectations that we SHOULD be able to write an incredible novel in a weekend. Or we assume that if we haven’t mastered poetry writing after our tenth poem then obviously we have no talent and should give up.
To help you write more, let’s look at the two key elements to your experience as a writer.
The first is enjoyment. Do you enjoy writing what you’re writing?
Are you challenging yourself with what you’re writing, is it stimulating and nurturing your creativity? And more simply, are you having fun doing it?
If you’re not enjoying writing, ask yourself what it is you’re not enjoying. Is it the type of writing, the way you’re writing, what you’re writing about? What small changes can you make to help you gain more pleasure from what you write? And, if you are enjoying your writing, again ask yourself what specifically you like about it. Once you know, find ways you can bring more of these elements into your writing, more often.
The second key element to your writing experience is how you’re progressing.
This is where being realistic is important, to keep yourself motivated and encouraged. Every couple of months or so, review where you are with your writing. How has it evolved in the last month, the last 6 months, the last year?
Consider not just how the content of your writing has developed, but also how you write, your writing habits, how easy you find it to write, and how much you enjoy your writing. Keep track of all of this and you’ll be able to take confidence from how much you’ve progressed each time you have a mini-review.
Follow these tips for the two key elements – remember the only route to being a better writer is to write – and your creative writing life will be enriched no end.