My Writer's Arsenal

Being a professional writer seems like a lot of work (trust me, it is), you need to know that there are certain things you should always be doing in order to become a writer, or at least getting better at it, the come in various forms, from techniques and practices, to "non-writing writer's essentials".

Here are some tips, best practices, and non writing activities that helped me (and plenty others) to become better at their writing:

Tips:

-Always have a writing tool with you. You never know when inspiration will strike, and it's important to be able to write it down as soon as possible. This can mean from carrying a pen to bringing your laptop with you at all times so when the creative juices are flowing you are able to write before the well runs dry.

-Practice every day by writing anything from blog posts to emails to letters to stories for clients who need them done quickly (and well). The more practice the better! Write every day, even if it's just a few words. Remember consistency is key and practice makes perfect!

-Read books about writing techniques, similes and metaphors for example so that when inspiration does strike, you'll know what kinds of words might best describe what's going through your mind at that very moment in time!

-Sit down every evening before bedtime and write out whatever comes into your head no matter how silly or weird it may seem at first glance! This will help clear out any mental clutter so when morning comes, you’ll come back with a clean slate!

-Read good writing and analyze what makes it good—and what makes it bad. That way, you'll know what to emulate and what not to emulate.

-Find a mentor who can help guide you through the process of writing better and more effectively. A good mentor will have experience in your field, so if you're trying to write books about [insert subject here], find someone who has already done that successfully!

-Read your work out loud to yourself, this will help you catch mistakes that can easily go unnoticed when reading silently. If you don't have time to read it out loud then at least read it out loud to yourself after you have finished writing it so that you can catch any mistakes or things that sound awkward before sending it off to clients or customers.

Writer's best practices:

-Use short sentences, the shorter the better.

-Write in the active voice, not passive voice.

-Write in simple and easy to understand language. Use simple words instead of complicated ones.

-Use a lot of white space in between paragraphs to make it easier on the eyes.

Non-writing Writer writer's essentials:

Finally, you started writing, and using the best practices, is there something else to do to become better at this? Well, yes! Here are some activities that may help your writing, but not necessarily related to writing itself:

-Take a break from writing. It can be hard to know when to take a break from writing, but it's essential to your productivity and happiness as a writer. If you're feeling overwhelmed or frustrated with your work, take five minutes to relax and recharge before getting back to it.

-Get out of the house! If you've been working on something in the same spot for too long, get up and move around! A change of scenery can make all the difference. Even if you don't leave your house or office at all, just walking around the block will help clear your head and refresh your mind so that you can come back with renewed focus and energy.

-Listen to some music while you write. This one is pretty self-explanatory: listening to music while writing can help improve your mood and brainpower at the same time! Choose songs that match the tone of what you're working on (for example, if it's something serious like an essay about world peace then maybe not any pop songs) but remember: there's no such thing as too much Taylor Swift (unless she's singing about how much she hates snakes).

-Don’t forget about nutrition. Remember you are what you eat, and you write what you are! Eating healthy foods helps keep our bodies running smoothly.

-SLEEP! Get enough sleep so that your brain functions at its best when you're writing, which is typically in the morning hours before noon (for most people). Without enough rest, your brain won't be able to focus as well on complex tasks like writing or problem-solving—and especially not when you're working on something new!

Remember there is no bullet-proof guide to become the best, but in my personal opinion, if you make these tips and practices a habit, you could upgrade your writing from, or at least, make it a more bearable task!