Yup, there’s only two things…
… that any writer that wants to improve their writing should do.
Two things that, if done effectively (and effectively, can mean different things for different writers) will almost certainly improve your writing. I’ve seen quite a few writers overlook these two simple things.
Mostly one of them, but still.
Alone, they could each improve your writing, but together make for a powerful one-two punch.
So, what are the two things?
It’s simply to read more and write more.
That’s it. Done. End of story.
Feel free to move on to another blog post, because that’s really all there is to it.
But…
(Like with many things in life)
That isn’t the entire story.
If you’re like me and like to follow your curiosity, allow me to indulge you further.
Read on.
If you’re a writer (and you probably wouldn’t be reading this if you weren’t, lol) then you’ve probably heard that you need to write more. Brilliant. Writing will improve your writing won’t it?
Absolutely!
Writing WILL improve your writing!
(I couldn’t help but laugh as I wrote that).
The more you do something, chances are you’ll improve at it. It’s a law of nature, I suppose.
What about editing? Won’t that improve your writing?
Well yes, that’s definitely something that will improve your piece. Whatever you’re working on. Whether it’s fiction or non-fiction or whatever. But for the sake of this post, I’ll be keeping editing as a separate phase of the writing process. Separate from the craft itself.
In his book On Writing, Stephen King famously wrote that “If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.”
(See? I’m not entirely crazy).
Regardless of how you feel about him or his work, that is a powerful statement from one of the best authors in modern times. Even though he was mainly referencing fiction, it can still apply to other types of writing. In fact, he goes on to mention that the more you read and write, eventually you’ll get to a point where the paragraphs will form themselves.
(Now that’s crazy, lol).
Moving on…
How much reading and writing should you do if you really want to improve your craft?
That’s really up to you. However, there are two fundamental ways that I know of that can help answer that. I’ve mentioned the differences between the masculine and feminine approaches to writing in a previous post, but I’ll go ahead and quickly summarize it here.
Masculine energy is basically when you’re logically coming up with a solution to a problem (in this case, how much reading and writing to do). Using this type of energy, you would simply make a schedule for yourself or a goal to hit a specific word count during a specific set time and day. It may or may not work for you.
Feminine energy is about allowing the solution to come to you by giving it time and space to form and really going with what feels right. Going with the flow, essentially. Again, this type of energy may or may not work for you. The important thing is to just put yourself on the path.
Either way, read, read, and read some more. Write, write, and write some more. The more the better. Read whatever you like. Write whatever you want. When and however you choose.
Fun Fact: I love to read not only to connect with other writers. From one heart to another. But also to travel through time. Words are one of the few things that can actually do that.
The more you read, the more you’ll see what’s out there and the more you’ll develop a sense for what the craft of writing looks like. From those that came before you and those who come after.
The more you write, the more comfortable you’ll get with taking ideas that are in your head and putting them on the page. You’ll even develop your writing voice.
So, no matter what level you’re at in your writing journey, if you want to be a better writer… please remember to not only write… but to read.
Besides, how else do you plan on traveling through time?
Jeff Aybar is a writer, Sci-Fi/Fantasy nerd, INFJ, veteran, and all-around creative. You can get a free copy of his guide for writers and other creatives on starting the creative journey by signing up to his newsletter HERE.