9 Pieces of Advice I Treasure as an Aspiring Writer

1. Turn your ideas into a rough draft.

by Cyril Adavan | Feb 27, 2022

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Maybe you're planning to enroll as a Writing major in college, or you just love to write. We're just as excited as you are, and we hope that you keep on writing. When I began to pursue writing, I always loved getting writing advice. It helps a lot when people around you are encouraging. So here are eight valuable pieces of advice I am happy to share.

1. Turn your ideas into a rough draft.

Remember that time when you stumbled upon a good idea? I guess you also wrote it down on your Notes app, piling up among other great ideas (IYKYK). I'm pretty sure you can't imagine your favorite films and series if their creators abandoned them as ideas. If you aim to tell a noteworthy story, you must develop your ideas into a rough draft. Turn it into a short story or a non-fiction piece. If it's a line, write a poem around it. Do it your way as long as you turn it into a draft. You’ll also test how good an idea is once you flesh it out.

2. Writing techniques are your tools. First, learn them. Next, make them your own.

Here's what to expect as you enter the university as a Writing major. Contrary to popular belief, writing classes are heavy on the technical aspect. To be able to write, you need tools. These tools are called techniques. To understand how these techniques work, you'll read a lot of literature. And to apply it, here comes the workshop class. Of course, this is your opportunity to break the rules you have learned and make them your own.

3. Proofreading your work is a necessary step in writing.

If you want to communicate your thoughts effectively, proofreading your work is the way to go. This stage sharpens your skills in everything grammar-related, which is a foundation of good writing.

4. Dedicate a certain time for writing.

One of my professors said she wakes up at 3 a.m. to write. It does not necessarily have to be early in the morning or an hour-long writing session. You can set your dedicated writing time depending on your schedule. You can learn so many things during these sessions that you do not usually learn in class.

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5. Put a watermark of yourself in your work.

I will never forget my Poetry professor when she said this on the last day of class. Like a watermark, think about what makes your work you. You can start by asking yourself, "What do you love to write? What would help readers identify your work?" I also discovered that you could master it through time (plus more writing, of course!), so I hope you will not be too hard on yourself.

6. Send out your work.

If you believe in the vision of a digital or print publication, submit your works to it. You may also enter writing competitions. In my case, calls for submission give me an adrenaline rush that I use to start a rough draft. Sending your work out to multiple publications will help you produce new work to combat the comfort zone of wallowing in your existing pieces.

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7. Do other things, fr.

Now is your sign to take a break. Explore other facets of life like playing games with your family and friends, binging films, and learning how to dance. During this period of rest, you may do anything but write.

8. Inspiration is not necessarily bad for your craft.

I know the fear you get with the idea of your voice getting drowned by other voices. Here's a story. My greatest songwriting hero is Taylor Swift. I listened to all her albums, including her unreleased songs on YouTube (yep, they exist!). I feel like listening to her songs is more helpful than crippling. Don't be afraid to find your inspiration and role models. They will also help you to find your voice.