0Writing as most people may assume is the process in which you pour down your thoughts or present information in a streamlined way on a per or screen. However, if that were only the full truth, most of us would not have any struggle doing that. Many people also think that a good command over language reflects as a good writing skill which is again only a partial truth. Does that mean you do not need to be right in the literature? Of course not, you need language skills, but a language is only a tool for you.
Let us take an example of a car. There are millions of people who drive vehicles on the road today but how many of them are racers earning by winning? The same machine can be operated in different ways by different people, and that is what makes a difference. You can write a brilliant letter to your family or friend with unusual words but will that fetch you money or the readers appreciation?
The first step is to understand that it is not just the language and formatting that you need to learn to become a writer but there is more.
What skills do you need to have to become a good writer?
Research: You should learn to explore the world of content to identify best ideas and concept that would serve your needs
Listening Skills: If you are a fiction writer, you need to be more observant of people, what they say and how they behave.
Critical Thinking: You need to learn to think beyond just the comprehension of what you read or hear. You need to ask questions on why things are the way they are and apply logic to bring out the unique ideas from inside your head.
Speed Reading: As a writer wanting to create a unique piece, you need to read a lot, and if you possess speed reading skills then you would be able to learn a lot in a concise time and still get the gist of everything you read.
These are just a few, and there are more things you may need to learn.
What qualities do you need as a good writer?
Patience: Reading a lot, revising every draft, taking care of formats, exploring topics in depth, being open to learning new things for every project, all that takes patience.
Observation: You have to learn to absorb the world around you and notice the minute things that may left unnoticed by others
Learner: A good writer is a good learner. Just collating ideas and presenting them with right words do not make things unique. You need to understand things and then apply your creative brain to produce something new every time
Openness: You should be open to suggestions and ideas so that you can learn, try new things, and keep growing
You can shape your journey as a writer in the following ways:
1. Understand the skill set requirement and build a plan to achieve them one by one
2. Practice the skills and try them in practice
3. Learn the fundamentals and principles of writing
4. Refine your language and vocabulary skills
5. Practice reading, critical thinking, and writing
Some key takeaways from the current lesson that can get you going:
Work on speed reading by reading as fast as you can without losing comprehension
Practice this - Read at least five articles on a single topic online. You can make notes but do not start writing already. Once you are done reading them all, write five sentences, each illustrating the gist of each article you read. Now take time to think how you can connect the ideas in these sentences to create a story like flow. Having done that, keep your sentences aside, and start writing. You may take help from your notes to add facts.
