People new to the world of writing find it difficult to set and achieve goals. However, avoiding mistakes can help newbie writers to achieve their writing goals without wasting their time and effort.
If you’re a newbie writer, you’re at the right place. Keep reading this blog to find twelve common mistakes most newbie writers make that you should adopt at all costs.
1. Having a small network
You don’t have to spend all your time indoors trying to sharpen your writing skills. Solitude can indeed help you write better and focus on your ideas, but you should not forget the importance of networking.
Linking with established writers as a newbie can help you learn a lot of new things. Growing your network from scratch is not as difficult as newbie writers think. You can get started by joining networks that help writers connect all over the world.
2. Ignoring the publication process
“Writing” is not the only skill you have to develop as a writer. It’s also important for you to learn as much as you can about the publication process. Getting familiar with how publishers work will allow you to publish your book in no time.
You have to improve your communication skills to contact publishers the right way. For example, you can send query letters to different publishers to ask whether they’ll be interested in publishing your book.
3. Writing without a routine
As a newbie writer, you might prefer to let your thoughts flow on paper instead of forcing yourself to write according to a routine. There’s no denying that you will find yourself more comfortable if you write what comes to your mind.
But preferring your thoughts and not having a proper routine will not help you achieve your writing goals. Adopting a writing routine allows you to focus on your writing skills without disturbing your work-life balance.
4. Disturbing work-life balance
You don’t necessarily have to write 24/7 to achieve your writing goals. If you don’t focus on your daily activities, you won’t be able to concentrate on your writing skills. You need to harmonize your writing journey with your daily life.
Having a proper writing routine will ensure that you don’t disturb the work-life balance. Set aside a couple of hours every day and write with full concentration during these hours.
5. Using jargon
You might try using uncommon words and phrases to appeal to your readers. There’s no denying that expanding your vocabulary takes time and effort, but you should not try to stuff every difficult word you’ve learned over the years in your books.
It’s better to avoid using jargon that can make your book less interesting to read. Use simpler terms that your readers can understand easily to improve the readability of your books.
6. Being impatient
Becoming a better writer and achieving the writing goals you set for yourself takes a lot of time and effort. You won’t be able to “skip” any fundamental practices that help a writer excel in their career. It is, therefore, a wise option to stay patient and avoid rushing through the process.
Make sure you get as much information as you can about writing better and use it to strengthen your writing muscle.
Instead of daydreaming about becoming an established writer, concentrate your time and energy on pinpointing how you can improve your writing skills over time.
7. Overlooking different genres
Many expert writers suggest that newbies should write what they like the most as a reader. You should indeed concentrate your time and energy on writing what you enjoy, but you should not be hesitant to explore different genres.
Trying your hands on different genres allows you to sharpen your writing skills. It allows you to learn how famous writers weave their stories to keep their readers engaged.
Writing in different genres is not as difficult as you might think. You can try “rewriting” famous works of any genre to learn how you can present different ideas and stories according to your perspective.
8. Wasting valuable time
Procrastination and perfectionism can waste a lot of your valuable time. Remember that you won’t be able to achieve your writing goals if you’re too lazy to pick up the pen or you’re worried about your skills as a writer.
Make sure you don’t let your “thoughts” dictate your writing journey. Have a clear map in your mind and stick to it to get closer to achieving your writing goals.
9. Disregarding writing exercises
If you want to sharpen your writing skills, the best thing you can do is focus on writing exercises. Small yet meaningful writing exercises can help you learn how to keep your readers engaged.
Finding writing exercises is not difficult at all. You can find tons of writing exercises online to help you overcome stress as a writer and explore new writing techniques.
“Classic” writing practices can also help you become a better writer. For example, you can pick any famous book and try rewriting it according to your writer’s voice to be more comfortable when writing.
10. Refraining from competitions
You’d never be able to identify your mistakes as a writer if you didn’t participate in writing competitions. These competitions allow you to write according to the guidelines set by the judges. You learn how to satisfy the conditions put in place by experts to become a better writer in no time.
Finding writing competitions is not as difficult as you might think. You can go online to find writing competitions that allow newbie writers to participate.
11. Suppressing your voice
One of the best ways to captivate the attention of your readers is using your writer’s voice. If you never identify your writer’s voice or try to curb it, you won’t be able to get the recognition you deserve. Let your thoughts and creativity flow on paper so you can be more comfortable being yourself as a writer.
12. Doubting yourself
There’s no denying that you’ll hit many roadblocks as a newbie writer. However, the presence of obstacles and challenges doesn’t mean you have to cut short your writing journey. The only way forward is to sharpen your skills and trust your abilities if you want to achieve the writing goals you’ve set for yourself.