5 Things To Know About Writing

1. Write for yourself. Do not try to please others in your writing. Write what you like and how you like. Every writer, just like every artist, has their own little touch. Be yourself in your writing, but do not mix this up with not having to take criticism or learn from other writers. That can help you be a well-rounded writer, too.
2. Charles Dickens once said that a writer must have the discipline of a soldier and the imagination of a child. Writing is hard and you have to work at it for a long time. Having the imagination of a child will help you come up with storylines easily, because you don't have to have any barriers. The whole world is open to you and at your fingertips when you are a child.
3. This one is my weakness. Learn to take criticism well. You can't afford to be spending your time moping about your writing getting torn to pieces. What you can afford to do is spend your time making it better so no one can shred it. The way that I feel sometimes is that I spent so much time on a work, then when someone critiques it so completely, I feel like it was a waste. Take it, not as someone trying to tear you down, but as someone lifting you up and making you better.
4. Just write. Write regularily and stick to it. This goes back to having the discipline of a soldier. Set a time for yourself when you know you will be focused and alert and able to get a lot done. Another point with this one is that when you hit a point when you don't know what to do next, write another part. If you are stuck on a chapter, skip to the next one, or write another part that you already have structured. Just write something!
5. Be patient. Know that your first works will probably not get published or even noticed by anyone. Don't expect results with the first 10 things. Refering back to 4, just write them. And refering back to 2, along with the discipline of a soldier, you have to have the heart of one also. Plow your way into writing and only care about that, not what others are going to do or say about it. Make yourself reach your goals. Set high standards for yourself and reach them. Some people just aren't cut out for writing, but you won't know until you try, try, and try again.