Blogging and Writing 101 Part 2: 14 Things You Can Do to Help You Write Better

Quote: Writing is the pen serenading paper, telling it endless stories of how they'll always be together; of how they were meant for each other and how they are going to shape the hearts and minds of men – Bonface Morris.

Blogging and Writing 101

Read the first part of this series of blogs on blogging and writing here.

Also, if you've been having a problem with consistency in writing and you’ve been getting stuck, read this article I wrote sometime back on writer's block.

In summary, this blog is about bettering your writing process and how to maintain your writing mojo.

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I wouldn't call 50% of today's cropping bloggers writers. I don’t think I am overstretching the truth by saying so because the reason people blog today is quite different from the intended purposes of writing. What most of us bloggers are doing today is actually doing writing a lot of disservice. A writer should see the world as a culmination of words put together to define and give meaning to life and not just a thing to use to pass time and gain fame. Everything in the world of a writer matters. It matters because it can be refined, defined and redefined by use of words. Everything can be compressed down into words, and those words should have both relevance and meaning to the reader. If anyone is not seeing writing in this way, and they are using it for other purposes other than what it is intended for, it deteriorates its meaning and purpose in society.

Having said that, I think the very first question every writer should ask themselves is not "How do I write?" or "What do I write about?" but "WHY am I writing?" It is this question that later defines the relevance of whatever anyone is writing and it also determines the zeal and approach one has towards writing. I may not be a great writer, but I honor this art well enough to know it matters in any given society.

Here are a few things to do to shape your writing (I’m still working on mine);

1.    Own a pen and a notebook or a good note-taking app on your phone.

This is writing, and you’ll either need a pen and a notebook or a phone/tablet with a good keyboard app (I use TouchPal keyboard – it has never let me down) or a laptop/desktop with a working keyboard. You need them everywhere you are.

I use GNotes app on Android (it autosyncs at www.gnotes.me on my PC once connected to the internet). GNotes is small, perfect, and it's free (unlike Evernote which has its own couple of clogs and limitations). It also has the ability to create folders, attach files into notes, search for words and phrases within the app, backup notes on SD card, create widgets, have a 'notes' shortcut on your status bar... Yes, GNotes is perfect. It ensures that I have all my notes and writings everywhere - whether I have my phone or not – so that I can always continue from where I left wherever I am. Please get it.

After owning a good place to begin your writing, start putting down ideas, quotes and words as they come. Write down titles to imaginary posts. Anything your mind thinks, your ears hear, your nose smells, your body feels and your eyes see is valuable material for something to write about. Put down random notes. Remember to save as you proceed. Don’t hesitate to wake up at night and write down stuff when it hits you in the middle of the night (yees, all writers are very crazy people when it comes to moments when inspiration floods in).

2.    Accumulate stories in your head and your heart - ones which you tell only to yourself and smile about.

As your writing begins to grow, you’ll realize that you can hold on to an idea and run around with it for days as “it accumulates flesh”. This keeps your writing momentum on a certain subject refreshed so that you can put across multiple views on an issue by seeing it from different angles. It helps kill writer’s block.

3.    Read. a. lot. Read and research on a whole lot of things.

Read everywhere. All the time. Everything meaningful. Read, then have fun playing with words and phrases. This helps you get conversant will the flow of a story. You also learn from others on how to pick up a story and build on it until you reach a good conclusion.

It will cause you to have a passion for words. It will help you know how to twist them, imbibe them, kill them, resurrect some and even become – so to say -  a god of words. The more you read and research and become informed, the more authoritative you become in your area of interest.

Writers who don’t read have a very limited perspective on issues in whatever culture they live in. I have also realized that watching movies assists in understanding how to create a compulsive plot and tell a good story. So, yes, watch TV shows and compelling movies: watch them with subtitles if possible.

4.    Put emotion to it. Become vulnerable.

Write something you can read. Write something you can still smile about in 10 years from now. Now you are moving... Write something that'll make you stand up and yell while slightly hitting yourself (just for fun). Write something epic. Write something that will cause you – yees, you as the writer – to cry, or to take a deep breath. Write something that will cause you to jump or walk around because it is soooo deep and profound. There is nothing greater than passion and emotion when it comes to using words to capture someone’s attention.

Also, remember that there can never be impeccable writing minus vulnerability. You need to be normal, not perfect. Personal stories and experiences make readers realize that you are a normal person with kawaida challenges but with a different approach to life.

5.    Consistency is key.

Like with every other art, writing requires discipline and consistency. You cannot survive as a writer or blogger writer by writing once a week or “once in a while”. You can’t. You may need to learn to force words out of you even when they do not want to come out. It is a sacrifice; it is some sort of war. It is a war that you need to be determined to win before it surfaces. A mature and unique writing style is a product of consistency.

6.    Come out wanting to have your own voice, not to copy others.

Don't come into blogging and writing while wanting to copy Bikozulu or C. S. Lewis or me (hehe). You'll flop badly. Everyone has their unique voice, identify and grow yours.

7.    Write for yourself, but also, write for your readers.

In order to escape the quest for vain glory, write mainly to excite yourself but with the intention to reach a specific audience. If your writing doesn't excite you, it won't excite anybody else. I always approach blogging this way: I'm writing for fun, yes, but if touches and changes a life, glory to God.

8.    Have a niche, an area you specialize in, and become an authority in that area.

People will read more whenever you write posts in that area. But also, in order to have more readers from other fields and to grow your readership and audience, develop interest in other areas and write about them too. You may have your specialty, but never limit yourself to it.

9.    Be your number one fan.

Write stuff that will thrill you; something you'll read over and over and over again. Write something you would love to read. But be careful not to make everything you’re writing all the time to be all about you. Write less about yourself and more about issues that affect all kinds of people. Also, do not get stuck in yesterday’s glory. Whatever you wrote yesterday that kept people hooked should encourage you - or mostly, even terrify you - into writing something better and more intriguing tomorrow.

10.  Blogging and writing are for the opinionated.

If you fear talking about, giving your views and sharing your opinion on issues and many other arising matters; if you are not excited at all when you share these views, then writing and blogging are not your thing. It is in the nature of a blogger/writer to have an opinion on almost everything. If you don't have an opinion on anything, stop writing and stop blogging altogether. Also, if you expect everyone to agree with you on any given matter, you are in the wrong place. Writing seeks to pull people into our world views but it iis not guaranteed that they will all agree with what we are saying. No. Whatever we say will remain around for long periods of time to shape so many thoughts, desires and lives; therefore, if our opinions are God-shaped, nothing will limit us from helping change the world! And, anyway, everyone doesn’t agree with God on many issues so they shouldn’t agree with you either.

11. Don't plagiariz.

Don't copy-paste someone's written work and fail to credit it to them. Don't be a fake who survives on other people's work. The internet, to most of us, is such a small place. We'll always know copied stuff.

12. Develop these good writing habits;

a)    Paragraphs are important. Learn to hit ENTER every so often.

b)    Give main points in bold. It makes reading easier.

c)    Check for spelling and grammar mistakes before posting. Use an app/extension like Grammarly in Google Chrome or in Office Word to help you correct spelling and grammar mistakes. It is very efficient in checking all kinds of writing errors.

d)    Think and read through your writing over and over again before posting it. Remember that there is always stuff that you may never post although it is really good for reading or learning.
e)   Always (or when time, convenience and ability allows) have someone read through your posts to correct simple grammar and spelling mistakes. It may not end up perfect, but at least it won't be shoddy. I use my girlfriend for this (yes, she's my number one underground fan). Like she once read through and told me that she never understood what this post "Concoctions" was all about. My bad. Pride made me leave it as it was (yes, every writer has such pride.). All in all, she has really been helpful in my writing as an editor and a "proofreader". 

13. Always have a good dictionary with you.

The most basic dictionary that is free for both Windows PC and Android is WordWeb Dictionary. Very basic, but quite useful. I have recently realized that Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary for both Android and PC is way up there in its game too. Having a dictionary will ensure that you don’t keep repeating the same words and phrases over and over again. Monotony kills interest. (And if you write directly from MS Office Word, right clicking on a word will always give you quite a score of synonyms.)

14. Be attentive to grasp stories from various sources.

Sometimes people will suggest (directly or indirectly) what they need you to write about. Make it a priority to write about such things/topics. It will act as a source of devoted readers. Sometimes an issue in your society may arise that captures your attention. Note down things about it and build on it with time (you can actually work on one post for a whole year, if you choose to.) Just be keen enough to know that anything can inspire you into writing. Anything.

Remember: Anyone who has been great either wrote something worth reading or did things worth writing about.

Further reading notes:

1. 7 Reasons to Keep a Journal

2. 40 Timeless Quotes About Writing

3. Seth Godin's Simple Questions for Writers

Bonface Morris.