Based on my interactions with writers over the years, I would categorize writers this way:
- A third of you have active projects in the works.
- A third of you have an idea what you want to write but have not started.
- A third of you want to write but don’t know where or how to start.
No matter where you fall on that spectrum, all writers have one thing in common: we constantly fight resistance. We need to keep ourselves motivated and inspired on a daily basis.
In this post, I’ll share five ways to get started writing today. If you are struggling with what or how to write, this will be immensely valuable. If you know what you want to write, but haven’t yet started, this will help you get moving. And if you’re already writing and have a clear direction, this will add to your creative arsenal.
The five ways to write we’ll discuss are: journaling, social media, blogging, articles, and books.
Let’s dive in! These rank from easiest to hardest.
1. Journaling
I know a lot of people will dismiss journaling as a waste of time. Why? Because by definition, journaling is private and others will probably not see what you write there. Those who dismiss journaling assume that everything you write should be for public consumption.
But that’s not true at all. It’s important for you to explore and experiment with your writing. When you reserve some writing time only for yourself, you can do that without judgment. It also gives you the opportunity to try things without it being connected with your business or audience.
There are lots of frameworks and systems for journaling. It’s easy to get lost in the sea of options. If you don’t have a regular journaling habit, I recommend starting with this very simple approach: Write one page a day for five straight days. Don’t stop writing, don’t analyze, and don’t overthink. Just write what comes to mind.
The whole exercise should only take 5-10 minutes per day, max. When you get into the flow and let your creative mind take over without judging or censoring your thoughts, you will be amazed at what comes out. We spend so much time thinking about other people’s perceptions of our writing that it’s hard to get out of the habit of censoring yourself.
Journaling is a very simple way to start writing without fear of what others will think. Give this a try and you’ll immediately see the value of it.
2. Social media
Just like with journaling, many people will probably dismiss social media as something that’s not worthy of your time as a writer. I completely disagree. Social media is not only a great place to connect and network with other writers… it’s also a low-stakes environment to work on your writing skills.
For example, you can tell a story about something that happened to you today. You can give somebody a shout-out or acknowledge another writer. You can share a quote you liked. You can ask an insightful question. You can comment on other people’s posts. You can share what books you’re reading. You can share something you’re learning right now.
The possibilities are endless with social media. There are so many ways to add value to others by writing in the short form that social media requires.
I’ve said this many times before, and I’ll continue to say it: People’s greatest emotional need is to be affirmed and validated. If you make a list of all the things that make a big difference in your writing career, your writing talent is not item #1. A far more important item is the way you make people feel.
If you can make people feel good, if you can validate and affirm and encourage them through social media, you will go a long way.
3. Blogging
Now, I know, I know… there have been rumors for a long time that blogging is dead, and that it’s been replaced with podcasting, social media, and video. While there are certainly more options today that compete for people’s attention, blogging is far from dead.
A blog is a great way to get your ideas out into the world and share them with others. It’s also a great place to develop your writing chops, work out your ideas about different topics, and present your viewpoint to the world. I highly, highly encourage you to have a blog.
Maybe I should just be brutally honest: It is hard for anyone to take you seriously as a writer if you don’t have a blog of some kind. After all, blogging is an entry-level form of writing for others, so it’s like the least you should be doing, right?
You can also share your blog posts on social media, podcasts, in email newsletters, or even use them as book chapters (or parts of chapters). I see blog posts as a fantastic building block for other types of content. For example, this content doubles as both a podcast episode and a blog post.
Also, remember that the more you post online, the more material you are giving Google to index on your behalf. Every blog post is like a little soldier that is out there recruiting people to come back to your website.
If you don’t already have a blog, I would recommend starting one through WordPress or Squarespace. It doesn’t take very long to set up, and it could potentially change your life!
4. Articles
This is another great way to get your name out there and build your audience. You can write for magazines, journals, newsletters, newspapers, or even other blogs and websites. As with everything else I’ve mentioned here, the possibilities are endless.
The big question everybody wrestles with is, “Where do I start?” It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by all the options, so let me present two great ones.
The first option is writing articles or blog posts for other bloggers. This is a super easy win. If you know someone who writes about the same topics you do, ask if they would be willing to do an article swap. I remember a few years ago when a few other bloggers and myself did a series on leadership in the movies, and we did guest appearances on each other’s blogs. It was a blast!
The second option is to submit an article to a site where you can get accepted fairly easily. I recommend The Good Men Project. This is a large media site with several million visitors per month. I used to be a lead editor there, as well as a writer. They are always looking for new writers. Plus, it’s a great way to hone your writing skills and build your audience.
For example, one time I wrote an article on the singer Tony Bennet, and his manager saw it and emailed me, saying that he loved the article. Tony is world-famous and has been making music for decades. He’s in his 90’s, and he’s quite a big deal in the music world.
Those are some great places to start with writing articles.
5. Books
I know when I mention “books,” you’re probably thinking, “That’s not something I can get started on today.” On the contrary! Of course you can.
All you need to do is to sit down and start working on a couple of things.
First, determine the main idea of the book. Second, who is the book for? Who is the ideal reader? And third, start working on an outline. If you’re doing a non-fiction book, I recommend about 35,000-40,000 words, divided into 12-15 chapters.
This doesn’t mean you will be writing the whole book. It just means that you are working on the outline, which will help you get excited and want to move forward. The sheer act of developing an outline will be a huge push forward.
You can get the book written faster than you think. Even if you only write 200 words a day (which is an average page length), you can write a book of 120 pages in 4 months. You can write 3 of those a year if you just write 1 single page per day. Then you can put it on Amazon and make it available to the world.
So those are five ways you can get started writing today. Many times, we make excuses that we don’t have time, or we don’t know where to start. Now I’ve taken those excuses away by giving you clear direction on how to get started quickly.
The most important thing is taking action! What are you going to do today to get started?