How do I start writing?
So you’re interested in becoming a writer! Well, it’s not easy, but it’s certainly doable with the right amount of consistency and effort.
Here are the tips and resources I’ve found most helpful in the creation and maintenance of my practice.
Read!
This is the easiest route (and sometimes cop-out) I take when telling myself I’m working on my craft. Reading will expose you to multitudes of voices, styles, and writing that’s likely better than your own. I’d recommend widening the genres whenever possible - read what’s hardest - and join book clubs!
Craft-specific books I’ve enjoyed: On Writing by Stephen King, Steering the Craft by Ursula Le Guin, and Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.
Newsletters: Subscribe to other writers’ content to support them and receive a quick digestible each week! My favorites include the AF Weekly by Ann Friedman, Hung Up by Hunter Harris, The Audacious Roundup by Roxane Gay, Maybe Baby by Haley Nahman, Deez Links by Delia Cai, and of course It Me by Alice Jeon.
Write every day
Tim Clare serves up a wonderful set of free resources with his Couch to 80K Bootcamp and 100 Day Writing Challenge podcasts. Both provide fun and low commitment ways to keep writing creatively.
Andrew Wille’s Friday Writing Experiments span the gamut from characters/settings/situations to revision and editing.
Establish an accountability group
Setting up a cadence with fellow writers builds rapport and confidence as well as a forum to share ideas. This can be a group text, email, or monthly video call where you check in on each other and refresh on progress. Shoutout to my accountability partners Niki and Imani!
Participate in write ins
Building community around writing can give you the push you need to keep at it. I jumped back into my practice fully after taking on NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), and keep up with related subreddits to this day.
Gotham Writers Workshop also offers free write-ins over Zoom every Friday.
Submit to competitions
If you really can’t summon that burst of energy to get the words on the page, try entering a competition to fuel the fantasy of prize money and sweet literary recognition. I use Reedsy to source writing contests when the internal motivation has withered to ashes.
