How to Become a Great Writer

There is no way to become a great writer by writing in the same way that someone else does. If you love to write, though, there's no reason you can't become an amazing writer in your own unique way. The "secret" comes down to hard work and perseverance, but there are a few tips you can pick up from more experienced writers.

Instructions

1. Write a lot. Whether you feel inspired or not, the only way to become a great writer is to write as frequently as you can. Use writing prompts to get started, if necessary. Experiment with many different subjects and styles, and don't get hung up about whether you think your writing is good. If it is, that's good; if not, lots of practice is the only way to improve.

2. Write about what you're familiar with. This is probably the most common tip given to beginning writers, and for good reason. The key to great writing is describing things in a new and unique way, and the only way to do this is by experiencing the types of things that you want to write about firsthand. Even if you want to write a science fiction story, you can draw on elements of things you have actually experienced, like feelings and interactions with other people, to make the story more solid and interesting.

3. Write about what you care about. You may know a lot about turnips, but in most cases that's not going to make for a very interesting story, so dig a bit deeper to find something you really feel strongly about. (On the other hand, if you really love--or hate--turnips, then you have a really unique angle on that, and maybe you can make people care about it the way you do.)

4. Describe things in a new way. If you've heard a certain phrase a lot, it's often better to avoid it. Imagine the object or scene you are writing about vividly, and think about what really strikes you. Include a lot of sensory details like sights, smells and sounds, which really bring a story to life. Instead of telling the reader what to think about a situation, let them imagine that they are inside the scene themselves.

5. Edit your best work. Read it again after several days, and change or take out anything that doesn't make sense. Do your best with spelling and grammar, since mistakes can be very distracting for readers. Read and edit the same piece again and again until it's as good as you can make it.

6. Persevere. Listen to constructive criticism, but don't get discouraged. You can find some way to break all the other rules, but the only way to become a great writer is to keep writing.