Writing is hard. Writing really well is even harder. It’s also a skill worth honing and improving every day.
That’s why there’s so much advice out there about how to write better emails and blog posts and landing pages and more.
But here’s the thing: most of that advice isn’t actionable — it’s boring, generic, or convoluted — or all three at once.
Writing is a skill that’s learned gradually. In the same way, you might learn to play an instrument or become fluent in a foreign language, you improve your writing by reading, analyzing, and doing a lot of writing yourself.
By using this guide for improving your own writing, you can hone your skills as a writer and create concise, informative pieces.
Step #1: Build a Content Generator
Your “content generator” is everything you consume on a daily basis—books, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, etc. These are the inputs that nourish your content output.
This will spark the ideas for the content you create based on the insights from the content you consume.
A natural consequence of the level and consistency of your input quality will be your output quality.
Build your content generator and revisit it constantly. Add, edit, and remove from it as you see fit.
Step #2: Create Brain Banks
Do you know how sometimes you get the best ideas when you’re not even trying?
Whenever you think of an idea or something particularly insightful, add it to your brain bank so you can go back to it later.
Creating “Brain Banks” allows you to collect the bits and pieces of insights that come throughout the day.
Here are some ideas:
• Notebooks you carry around
• Notion (or similar apps) on your devices
• Email to yourself
The idea here is to register ideas and insights as they transpire.
Step #3: Immerse Yourself In A Creative-Inducing Environment
If you want to write better, surround yourself with other writers and content creators.
You don’t have to be in the same room with them, either — follow inspiring and informative blogs and join social communities where people share content related to your topic on a frequent basis.
Aside from that, you can create a space and routine that enables you to get into a creative state.
Here’s a useful exercise:
Spend a week recording and scrutinizing your creative tendencies.
• What time did you feel most creative?
• What did you do before this window?
• Where were you?
• Any other observations?
Have a bird’s eye view and examine for patterns. Employ the patterns from the observation week to decide your peak “creative-inducing” environment.
Then establish consistency around it.
For me it is:
• Early morning or late afternoon
• Coffee or Tea
• ASMR sounds (no talking)
• Early morning or late night walks
• LoFi Chill/Relaxing Beats
Manufacture a creative-inducing environment.
Step #4: Draft Fast, Edit Slow
Starting is the hardest part. This is something that even prominent writers and storytellers agree on.
Nothing can be more daunting to writers and storytellers than a blank page.
Draft fast—don’t stress about how poor it is.
Edit slow—write and rewrite as necessary.
I used to spend hours writing and editing my blog posts until they were perfect, but now I focus on speed rather than perfection.
It takes me less than half the time to write because I’m not spending all my time on drafting. I also write blogs for clients and this has helped me meet their deadlines much more easily
Step #5: Consistency By Building a Habit
It isn’t just all about the writing being good, it’s about the consistency.
One of the most successful comedians of all time, Jerry Seinfeld has a strategy that involves “not breaking the chain”.
He hangs a huge calendar on the wall and uses a red marker to put an X over every day that he completes his daily writing. Motivated or not, it didn’t matter to him.
This “Seinfeld Strategy” takes the focus off of each individual performance and instead puts the emphasis on the process which is why it works.
Make your own “Seinfeld Calendar” and utilize it to build a habit that will take your writing to the next level.
Key Takeaway
You’re now equipped with a great start to building a better writing process, as well as tools and advice to help you write better.
One thing to note is that this isn’t a prescriptive formula that you can always rely on; in fact, the same writing process will not work for all writers.
The key is to keep these ideas in mind, accept the ones that resonate with you and your way of writing, and be mindful of how your writing process can improve from there.
Writer on Demand PH 