Ever wondered what it takes to go from just being competent to good and popular? There’s only one way to do it, and that is to learn what has worked in the past and emulate it. Am talking about learning from the greats. One of the best books out there that every serious writer should have on their bookshelf is Stephen King’s “On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft.’ The dude’s a genius and in this post, I cover some of the lessons learned from this amazing book and why I believe all writers should be reading it.
1. Do it for the Buzz
can’t get any deeper than this. Given no choices, I believe every popular blogger does what they do for the fun of it. They would do what they do for free. Don’t get me wrong; the money, adulation, and prestige that come from it is welcome, but these are not the driving forces. Money is simply a product that comes from a work well done. Writing is all about the buzz. Its the joy that comes from creating an idea and watching it grow and eventually shape what your readers think and feel. Anything else that comes out of a great piece is just a bonus.
3. Enrich the Lives of Others Stephen King says: “Writing isn’t about making money, getting famous, getting dates, getting laid, or making friends. In the end, it’s about enriching the lives of those who read your work, and enriching your own life, as well.” Can’t get any truer. Zig Zigler’s old saying says, “You can have everything you want in life, if you help enough other people get what they want.” Giving your readers what they want and learning what their fears and goals are will help you write for them, and in turn, they will love you for it. They will not help but share your work…….. but only if you blow their mind. Answer your readers’ questions and you will not worry about traffic.
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4. Write for Some of your Readers
It takes discipline to cultivate this ability. In order to do this, jot down a list of blog topics you want to write on, circle the ones that most of your readers will love to read, and write on those topics. Period. The more you cultivate this ability and level of discipline, the more popular your writing will get.
5. You Must Not Come Lightly to the Blank Page The King says: “You can approach the act of writing with nervousness, excitement, hopefulness, or even despair – the sense that you can never completely put on the page what’s in your mind and heart………come to it any way but lightly.” Yes, your writing deserves respect. Your writing should not just be a journal where you jot down thoughts without thinking. That is easy and harmless and will get you nowhere. You need some emotion behind it all. You need to feel nervous, excited, or desperate. You need to approach writing with fists clenched, and ready to kick butt. You need to approach writing with a sense that is hard to describe. You need to feel something in your heart and mind. You must not approach the blank page lightly. Take yourself seriously and write as if you want to change the world. Write as if the whole world is listening. And listen it will.
6. Explore
Writers don’t run out of ideas. Why? It’s simply nonsense. The world is full of things to write about. As a writer, your job is to let others know of your discoveries and draw them into those experiences. And it starts with exploring. Watch a movie, a documentary, read a book, go on a trip. Do anything and you will have material to write. Talent is never static. It’s always growing or dying
6. Short Your Television While I did that years ago when I started writing, the King says it better than I could: “If you’re just starting out as a writer, you could do worse than strip your television’s electric plug wire, wrap a spike around it, and then stick it back into the wall. See what blows, and how far.” Television kills creativity. If you truly want to be a dedicated writer, you need to limit, or better yet, get rid of television. Your creativity will explode and you will have more time to read more and write more.
6. Read more and Write More
This is sage advice. Popular bloggers read, on average, a book a week, and write at least 1,000 words every single day. You might be thinking, ‘that is a lot of work. I could never do that.’ You are right. That is a lot of hard work and you probably don’t have the time for it. But that is why good and popular bloggers are few and spaced out.