Five Steps to Successful Writing.
This is really the heart of it isn’t it. No one can tell you exactly how to write because everyone has their own writing style as they very well should. But what can be taught perhaps is to how to find that style. And how to produce great work following that style.
Regardless of what you are writing, whether it is fiction or non-fiction the following points will really boost your creativity. And your ability to generate quality content.
Find a space.
I know that this will seem obvious and as simplistic as well some of the points that follow. But listen up. This works even for the best of writers. Associate a space with your writing. It can be a small desk in its own nook or it can be your couch.
It should ideally be a place where you don’t do other work like let’s say sort out your bills. When do you sit in that place yoour brain should automatically switch gears and tell you that you are there to write.
I know what you are thinking. Have a separate table and place for just writing? Let me give you another example. Let’s say that you use the dining room table to write on. But every time that you sit down to write you clear it and spread a different tablecloth over it.
Visualize spreading a white linen tablecloth over the table before you sit down to write on it. Just that simple act will transform the space into the space into your writing space.
Hemingway often, in fact mostly, wrote standing up and Proust wrote in bed.
Find the right method of writing.
This one is of particular importance to me.
I mostly prefer to write with pen and paper first and then transfer it to a digital document. While that may seem like double the work. for me it gives me the opportunity to read what I have written. As many people who write will also tell you, I dislike proofreading and editing my content. It is painstaking work and I’d rather be writing.
But the same writers will also tell you that rereading and editing is an essential step. So for me the transcription of hand written notes to word processor adds that extra step to go over what I have written. I usually use a voice transcription application or service to do this.
At other times I write on my tablet or even on my phone. I do this by using a portable wireless keyboard that allows me to type as usual. Typing on the laptop is the easiest and the most indirect way of writing but I mostly use it for editing the content and researching in the initial phases.
Find your medium. Your medium is anything that allows you to enjoy the whole writing process more. For me it’s different kinds of paper pens and inks. (Yes, I like to write with fountain pens). That brings us to creating the right conditions create the right conditions.
Creating the conditions where you write best
This is an extension of creating your space.
What kind of surroundings will make you write better? Do you write better in silence or good background music? Do you like to write outdoors or indoors in natural light or lamplight? What is your kind of ambient setting? Do you like to get dressed and ready for work before you sit down to write?
What kind of things do you like to be surrounded by… Do you like inspirational literary works on your table? A pot of tea or a jar of water? All these are questions that determine that right conditions surround you and make you the most productive that you can be.
Learn to recognize these factors and put them in place before you get down to work every time. So that once you get down to it there are no interruptions in the flow.
Find the routine
You must have probably heard the very popular quote concerning writing. It has been attributed to so many people and so many people have said the same thing in different ways that I no longer know who to attribute the credits to.
It basically says:
amateurs wait for inspiration, while the rest of us just show up.
This quote applies to all forms of creative arts and not just writing i.e. To painters, musicians etc. What it means is that if you have to write then show up every day and just do it without being a slave to first getting inspired with new ideas. New ideas don’t always come first. They also follow persistent effort.
When artists don’t have fresh ideas they work on their craft, nevertheless. Following a routine is also how you get the maximum amount of work done. This brings us to the next point. Seeking inspiration.
What you do when inspiration evades you
Well, firstly, if you want to write then you need to read. There are no two ways about it.
Many a great works of modern literature have been inspired by the old classics. If not that then your entire gamut of reading exposure has an impact on your writing whether you are wilfully aware of this fact or not. Even if you are writing non-fiction books this notion applies. So come to a realization about which writing work you find inspiring and keep it around. It doesn’t even have to be related to what you write about. You may write short stories and yet a collection of poem by Yeats may inspire you.
Have this work handy. Reading it out and even copying out your favorite parts from it are all exercise and creativity and inspiration.
You can even practice rewriting the parts you feel you would have written differently.
Read works of literature that you find difficult to understand but find interesting nevertheless Every time you make this attempt, your thinking and comprehension will expand. Many writers swear by a change of surrounding. Go out for a walk or a bicycle ride.
Why these two? Because you want to slow things down and become more mindful of your surroundings.
Slow down the way you do things, and you will find that you automatically observe more.
Writing for Kindle Self Publishing and ClickBank.
There are two major platforms are I recommend for self publishing your books, Kindle Direct Publishing and ClickBank. They both differ from each other in a few ways. You can write and publish practically any genre of book in the Kindle library. There are dozens of categories under which you can place your work.
ClickBank is a digital affiliate marketplace which means that it only sells digital products. The fact that it is an affiliate network means that your product is available to thousands of other vendors who are looking for quality products to promote on their own blogs, email newsletters etc. Clickbank only sells books in one category, guides and self help.
If you want to read about Kindle Self Publishing and Clickbank in detail, read our post on how to self publish and sell books online.
Writing Self Help Guides For Kindle And Clickbank
Self help guides is one of the best selling category of books. So what can you write about? Consider the following points to come up with a suitable topic to write on.
- Do you have knowledge in any specific sphere and field?
- If not knowledge, is there a subject you are keen on exploring?
- Is the subject matter one that affects others?
- Does it solve a problem for other people?
- Can the matter be turned into an engaging self-help book or a guide?
The first two points determine whether you are in the right place to write a book. The last three points see to it that you are writing the right book. Do your research with due intelligence.
How many people are searching online. for this information? Is the query urgent enough that they will be willing to pay for it?
Use the keyword research tool in Google ads and other online services.
Design and Presentation Of Books
The regular book format is pretty straightforward. They are blocks off neatly formatted text, except for the book cover. No special design features are included in publishing the book. However, I want to share a very useful tip here. Plain text formatting is all very well for fiction writing. Any other kind of presentation will distract from the story and irritate the reader.
However, if you are writing nonfiction books of the ‘self-help guide’ kind, then the presentation can actually add value to your work. It can make it more impactful and provide a higher degree of readers, satisfaction and result. That means you can sell you book for more money.
It is a commonly acknowledged fact in the writer’s community that the book cover is one of the most important factors that determine the sale of a book on the Kindle library. That alone tells you how important the presentation of a book is. With scribble you can create a book that looks professional inside and out.
These are some time tested tips and techniques of achieving writing excellence do feel free to share your own in the comments section below, we would love to hear from you.
