Getting into a regular writing habit is such an important skill for a number of reasons. You may be an aspiring blogger, be in the process of growing a social media presence for your business, or just someone who wants to try something new.
No matter why you want to do it, the most important thing is that you’re now doing it. To give you some ideas about how you can make your big idea a reality take a look at the following 6 handy tips. Once you master them there’ll be no stopping you.
1. Write about what you know
The most important thing is to post content that you know about. It doesn’t matter whether it’s social media, blogging, or a bit of both. Writing about what you know is the best way to get started. Here’s why:
- You won’t have to do in-depth research before writing every single line.
- You’ll instantly feel confident that you know what you’re talking about.
- Knowing what you’re talking about will ensure that you can focus on developing an engaging writing style that easily gets your point across to your new audience.
Take a little time to consider what it is that interests you and you’ll find that the urge to write becomes a lot more natural than it otherwise would. There’s no harm in taking your time with this one because from here all else follows.
2. Set yourself a deadline
Having a deadline to aim for each day is a great way to get things done. It forces your hand and focuses your attention so that you have something to aim for. You’ll soon find that when you post when the time is tight you’ll actually get a lot more done.
The secret, however, is to remember why you’re doing it in the first place. There’s no point in churning out substandard content purely for the sake of it. Which means it’s all about finding the right balance between sticking to a set deadline on the one hand and sacrificing the quality of your output on the other. Here are a few quick tips to ensure your deadlines don’t slip:
- Plan your posts the day before so that you always have a framework to work with.
- Time how long it takes you to write your first one and then add half as much time again to allow for writer’s block.
- Don’t try and do too much too soon.
3. Read the news and stay current
One of the most important things to do is stay on top of the latest news and events. Only then can you write about the hot topics that people are talking about. Reading the news is something you should be proactive about otherwise few people will be able to pick out your voice from the sea of noise that is the internet these days.
Nobody likes to read an article that has been spun out from last week’s breaking news. By staying current, taking the time to read reviews, and generally keeping your finger on the pulse you’ll be able to create original content that people value.
At first, you may feel like the hour or so you have invested in reading the news is a bit of a distraction because it takes time away from you putting pen to paper. Stay the course however and you’ll soon see new ideas germinate and turn into high-quality content that people won’t be able to get enough of.
As you get more immersed into the specifics goings on of the area that you’d like to write about you’ll see that you come up with more and more creative topics to write about. This is such an important thing to do that anyone who skips it doesn’t really know how to write regularly.
4. Follow notable bloggers and influencers
The important thing about this tip is to understand the difference between imitation and inspiration. The former would result in you copying more established writers – something that may make you feel like you’re getting off to a fast start but ultimately won’t get you all that far. The latter is crucial if you want to be able to put pen to paper with the same ease as any professional writers.
No matter what you want to write and post about, taking the time to get to know the work of the established names in your niche is essential. Not only will you be able to see how they go about things so that their output never goes stale, but you’ll also genuinely enjoy reading about a topic you’re interested in.
Think of it as a chance to embrace the subject matter and enjoy yourself rather than a never-ending fact-finding mission. That way when you feel tired at the end of a long day it won’t feel like a chore checking some of the channels that you follow.
5. Make time each morning
Waking up early is a great way to stay happy and motivated, this makes writing the perfect habit for the morning. By starting early you’re giving yourself two big advantages. Firstly, you can come back to writing at various points throughout the day. This is great for allowing you to proof it and tweak it until you’re happy. Secondly, you can give yourself a well-deserved pat on the back for having done something important whilst most people are still tucked up in bed.
This is also a good time to start to think about when you’ll post your content. Blogging matters, but when it comes to posting times social media matters even more. This means that by writing your posts early you can then schedule them in to be automatically posted at the times which have been shown to result in optimal engagement. Ideal if you want to ensure you produce a steady stream of content that appears in front of your audience when they’re most likely to be receptive to it.
6. Keep a journal
The final thing to think about is whether or not you want to start keeping a journal. The great thing about it is it forces you to jot down your latest thoughts and ideas on a regular basis. Make it a part of your bedtime routine and you’ll find that the ideas gestate as you sleep. You may even find that you wake up with a whole new topic or title fully formed and ready to be written about. Ideal if you want to ensure that writing regularly becomes your new daily habit.
Final thoughts
The most important thing is to find a topic that you enjoy writing about. Once you find it you’ll know it and it’ll be a case of figuring out how to make the time to get it done each day. One thing’s for sure, you’ll certainly enjoy the journey!
Guest author: Daniela McVicker is an editor who can also be found at Rated By Students. When not at work she enjoys reading widely, building her social media presence, and hiking.