15 Things I Learned in My Second Year of Writing
Two years ago I published my first story. It wasn’t very good, but I had finally mounted the courage and willpower to hit “publish.”
I had birthed something from nothing. And it felt good.
I’ve written numerous stories since then. I’ve received positive comments and negative ones. I’ve had articles blow up unexpectedly while others seemingly disappear — never to be found by readers. I’ve been contacted to write for numerous publications, and I’ve been turned down by others.
A year ago, I shared the 15 lessons I learned in my first year of writing. Below are the top 15 things I’ve learned in my second year:
1. Good content is nothing without a story.
“[N]arrative is the oldest and most compelling method of holding someone’s attention; everybody wants to be told a story. Always look for ways to convey your information in narrative form.” -William Zinsser
Several months ago, I got an email from a gentleman named Bob who had been reading my blog. Bob said he’d like to meet up to talk about writing, so we met at a Panda Express in the food court of a nearby mall.
Five minutes into our conversation, Bob shared some feedback about my writing: “You write well and you have good content, but your writing is too dry. It needs more pathos. A human story is always better than a series of events.”
Bob’s advice forever changed the way I approach my writing. He helped me realize that it’s not good enough to just share factual information and useful tips. We must do so in a way that keeps readers engaged.
You can create the best content in the world, but if it’s not enjoyable to read, no one will find it, read it, or share it.
2. Get to the point.
“It’s amazing how often an editor can throw away the first three or four paragraphs of an article, or even the first few pages, and start with the paragraph when the writer begins to sound like himself or herself. Not only are those first paragraphs impersonal and ornate; they don’t say anything — they are a self-conscious attempt at a fancy introduction.” -William Zinsser
I often find myself getting bored while reading the introductions of other people’s stories. When that happens, I remind myself that others probably feel the same about my stories.
As a writer, it’s easy to get caught up in the pomp and circumstance of introducing a new concept.
When I realize that I’m making that mistake, I ask myself, “How would I explain this concept to a friend?” That question helps me cut through the crap. I sound like myself again.
Don’t resort to long-winded introductions or fancy thesis statements. Imagine yourself talking to a close friend. What would you tell them? Write that.
3. Everyone is saying roughly the same thing.
“No one is being 100% original. We’re all saying roughly the same thing while putting our own twist on it. And that’s perfectly OK. If you seek to be completely original, you’ll die a death of perfection with no published work to your name.” -Tim Denning
Multiple times this year, I’ve published an article, then discovered that someone else wrote another article about the same topic in the same publication on the same day.
In those moments, I question why I write. After all, there are many other voices writing about the same topics I write about: leadership, personal development, business, writing, etc.
But then I’m reminded why I follow authors like Tim Denning, Ryan Holiday, and Shaunta Grimes. They write about many of the same topics as hundreds of other writers, but they do so in a compelling and unique way.
Good writers regurgitate old lessons in new ways. They teach us things we never knew about topics we’ve read about for years. They weave fresh stories from old fabric.
As a writer, what differentiates you is your personal voice, stories, humor, and experiences. If you can unleash your personality in your writing, you’ll create stories worth reading.
4. If the fish are biting, don’t stop fishing.
“Write while the heat is in you…The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with.” -Henry David Thoreau
One of my old co-workers told a story about a fishing trip he went on with his dad. He said they didn’t catch anything for the first few days, but then — as they were about to pack up for the day — the fish started biting.
My friend and his dad caught one fish after another as the sun went down. They didn’t plan to stay out so late, but they refused to stop as long as the fish were biting.
Writing is like fishing. Sometimes the fish are biting and sometimes they’re not. I have days when I feel like I can’t string together a coherent sentence. That doesn’t mean that I need to stop “fishing” that day; it just means it will be harder to catch something. But other days, I feel like my fingers are flying across the keyboard. I’m amazed by the ideas that are coming out. I’m writing better than I thought possible. When that happens, I continue writing as long as I can.
If you feel inspiration come over you, drop everything else and pick up a pen. Seize the moment — even if that means writing until 1am. If the fish are biting, don’t stop fishing.
5. If the fish aren’t biting, don’t give up on fishing.
“There’s no rule on how it is to write. Sometimes it comes easily and perfectly. Sometimes it is like drilling rock and then blasting it out with charges.” -Ernest Hemingway
Not every day can be full of inspiration. Sometimes I don’t feel like writing, but I make myself start writing anyway. And what I’ve found is that once I get started, I remember how much I enjoy it.
In the words of Erasmus, “The desire to write grows with writing.”
I’ve also used other tactics to help me get into the flow of writing. Sometimes I’ll read the work of other creative people and inevitably, I begin to feel inspired to write. Other times, I’ll take a break and go on a walk to clear my head. But regardless of how difficult writing may be, I don’t give up on it. I relentlessly persist.
The right way to get yourself out of a slump is to do more of that thing — not less. Hitters in baseball don’t stop taking batting practice if they’re in a slump. They may change up their routine a bit, but they also take extra swings during practice in order to get themselves out of the slump. You should do the same.
6. Insights accrete to the moving pen.
“In short, you may actually be writing only two or three hours a day, but your mind, in one way or another, is working on it twenty-four hours a day — yes, while you sleep — but only if some sort of draft or earlier version exists. Until it exists, writing has not really begun.” -John McPhee
After I’ve begun to write about something, my mental frequency is tuned in to the channel of that piece. I begin to notice ideas for that story around me in my daily life because I now know what to look for.
There is immense magic in picking up the pen, putting the gears into motion.
When you write, you tap into an intelligence previously undiscovered. You are smarter while writing than you are when you’re not writing. Insights accrete to the moving pen.
7. One great story is better than two good ones.
“To strip an idea down to its core, we must be masters of exclusion. We must relentlessly prioritize.” -Chip and Dan Heath
This past year, I’ve written several articles wherein I tried to do way too much.
In one article, I shared five leadership lessons, but I let one of the lessons get so bloated that it took over the entire article and drowned out the overall point I was trying to make.
In another article, I told two stories that had the same message. By telling two stories rather than one, I confused readers and made the story unnecessarily long.
You can only fit so many stories in each article. Make them count. One great story is better than two good ones.
8. No one can tell you what will work for you.
“The outline is 95 percent of the book. Then I sit down and write, and that’s the easy part.” -Jeffrey Deaver
“…after a number of books I’ve learned that the more time I spend on the outline the easier the book is to write. And if I cheat on the outline I get in trouble with the book.” -John Grisham
“I always have a basic plot outline, but I like to leave some things to be decided while I write.” -J. K. Rowling
“Outlines are the last resource of bad fiction writers who wish to God they were writing masters’ theses.” -Stephen King
Each one of the authors quoted above has had an illustrious career. And yet, each has his or her own process for outlining (or not outlining) their work.
Many people will try to tell you that you have to do something in a specific way. Some writers say you need to write first thing in the morning; others swear by writing at night after the city is asleep. Some writers say you must start with the plot; others say getting your characters right is the most important first step. Some say to write every day — even on holidays and sick days; others say to take rest days. Some say you should strive to write 500 words per day; others say 1,000 or 2,000 or 2,500.
Every advice-giver has their own process and their own personal biases, myself included.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you need to X, Y, or Z to be successful. Each writer’s process is different. Respect yourself enough to learn your personal work style and preferences. Only you know what will work best for you.
9. Writing is as much about grit as it is about creativity.
“A writer is someone for whom writing is more difficult than it is for other people.” -Thomas Mann
When friends and colleagues find out that I write, they sometimes respond with comments like, “I would never be able to become a writer. I’m not very creative.”
Many people misunderstand what writing is all about. While it is indeed a creative activity, it’s also a courageous activity. It’s not all finesse — it’s also brute force (spending thirty minutes searching for the right way to phrase something, toiling away on an article for ten hours, scrolling through hundreds of Unsplash images to find the perfect one that connects with your story, etc.).
Writing is as much about grit as it is about creativity. Often, writing is not an act of genius, but an act of will.
10. Writing will never be easy.
“I love to write. But it has never gotten any easier to do and you can’t expect it to if you keep trying for something better than you can do.” -Ernest Hemingway
I keep waiting for the day that I will be able to sit down at my computer and pound out a new article in thirty minutes. That day has not arrived, and I don’t think it ever will.
If we believe Hemingway and other authors who have bemoaned the difficulty of writing — even late in their careers — we can assume that writing will never be easy.
You don’t write because writing is easy. You write because it is difficult and meaningful. You write because you know that writing gives you the opportunity to unearth a few more of the world’s secrets and share them with others.
11. Quantity doesn’t trump quality, but it’s close.
“I’m currently writing 40 articles a month, and if nothing else, I’d say that one habit has more to do with any results than any writing advice or tips I could share with you. If you read no further, know this: You have to write heaps to be successful at writing and make six-figures from it. Why? When you write heaps, you find your voice, discover what value you have to share, get better at grammar, and reach more people.” -Tim Denning
I started by trying to write one article per month. Lately, I’ve been writing one per week. But I know that to really move the needle, I’ll need to increase my output to several articles per week.
Every story I write teaches me about the craft of writing: What stories resonate most with readers? What headlines prompt people to click into the article? What lines are highlighted most on Medium and shared most on Twitter?
Every story you publish is a chance to learn more about yourself, your audience, and your craft. Are you giving yourself enough opportunities to learn?
12. Setbacks are one of the stages of being a writer.
“By the time I was fourteen (and shaving twice a week whether I needed to or not) the nail in my wall would no longer support the weight of rejection slips impaled upon it. I replaced the nail with a spike and went on writing.” -Stephen King
On Christmas Eve, I published an article that got more first-week traffic and engagement than anything else I had ever written. Buoyed by my success, I was convinced that my next article would also be a smashing success.
I was wrong. My next article’s performance was about 1/100th of the Christmas Eve article. And you know what? That’s just how it goes.
Every person who sets out to become a writer must strap in for a roller coaster ride of highs and lows, successes and disappointments, conquests and concessions.
Nothing worth doing comes without difficulty. No successful writer ever attained literary heights without first wrestling with personal demons like fear and rejection. Setbacks are part of the path.
13. Headlines matter way more than you think.
“Of course you can judge a book by its cover — that’s why books have covers. They’re designed to catch people’s attention and draw them toward the work — and away from all the other works that stand equal on the shelf.” -Ryan Holiday
During my first 18 months of writing, I hardly spent any time thinking about headlines. I knew they mattered, but I didn’t realize how much they mattered.
In the past several months, I’ve begun to invest more time choosing the right headlines, which has made a profound difference on the number of people who choose to engage with my content.
The best headlines are not clickbait, but they are click-worthy. Compelling headlines open up a curiosity gap in the mind of the reader. They don’t promise something you can’t deliver. They offer a promise to the reader — one that is intriguing but not sensationalized.
Here are a few headlines I’ve written recently that have helped more readers find my content:
- “I Met a Random Person in a Mall Food Court and Got the Best Writing Advice of My Life”
- “The Secret to Successful Leadership: Confident Humility”
- “How I Was Able to Earn Respect As a New Manager”
A good headline can be the difference between a life-changing story that doesn’t impact a single life versus a story that touches the hearts and lives of thousands of readers. Don’t sell yourself short by wrapping an amazing gift in a crappy package that no one wants to open.
14. Your pen is the loudest megaphone.
“[T]he better your product is, the better your marketing will be. The worse it is, the more time you will have to spend marketing and the less effective every minute of that marketing will be. You can count on that. Promotion is not how things are made great — only how they’re heard about.” -Ryan Holiday
Many writers place as much focus on their social media presence as they place on their writing itself. This is misguided.
Building an online presence is important, but secondary. We build a reputation by creating an exceptional product that resonates with readers and makes them want more.
I’d rather be a hidden gem than a loud imposter any day of the week.
And you know what readers do when they find hidden gems? They help others find those gems. Hidden gems don’t stay hidden for very long.
By spending the time to create a great product, you create raving fans that will promote your work on your behalf. Your pen is the loudest megaphone.
15. Surrender the outcome.
“We surrender the outcomes because we cannot control how people are going to respond to us and our work in the world.” -Rob Bell
Once I’ve published a story, I have zero control over what happens. That is simultaneously refreshing and horrifying.
As a writer, I control my influences, my work ethic, the time I’m willing to put into a piece, and the intensity of my editing process.
Here’s a list of a few things I can’t control: how many people read what I’ve written, what they think about what I wrote, whether and how they comment on my stories, how many times they re-share my post, whether my piece gets syndicated by a large publication, how much money I make from the story, whether an agent stumbles upon that story, etc. etc. etc.
There is a litany of things I cannot control. Once I hit “publish,” my work becomes the property of each reader. They choose what happens to it. And that’s okay.
As a writer, the sooner you become comfortable with the things you cannot control, the more you will enjoy the writing process. Trust the process. Pay attention to your work — not its reception.
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