Writing Tips for New Writers

I have been writing articles for online publications for almost six months now. I am really enjoying writing and expanding my outlook and topic range all the time. I hope with this article to let new writers know that they can do it, to take the chance and put themselves out there.

Here are some tips that I think will help new writers. Hopefully they’ll make the writing journey less frightening.

1. Write about things you know first.

   If you start out writing about subjects you know a lot about you will be more comfortable. It’s easier to write on a topic that is close to your heart because you actually believe you know what you are talking about. Writing on topics that you have to research is a little more daunting for new writers. You can get to that after you have a few articles under your belt on subjects you are good at.

2. Use Word or another program that will help with spelling and grammar.

   It is very important that your articles be as professional as you can make them. Everyone makes mistakes. If you find a spelling or grammar error in an article you’ve already had published don’t worry too much over it, just try to prevent the same from happening again.

3. Write often.

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   The best way to overcome the fear of writing articles is to write more of them. The more you write the more confidence you’ll have in your abilities, and the better your writing will get.

4. Write for different places.

   Don’t just pick one place and write for them exclusively. Pick at least two or three different places so you can learn about submission guidelines and the different styles of writing they like. It’s best to expand your knowledge of article writing sites so you can eventually make more income with freelance writing.

5. Don’t get discouraged if your articles are rejected.

   This happens to everyone! If an article is rejected by one place, you can submit it to another. Look at the article and see if you can make it better. If the publication offered edits, learn from them.

6. Join writing forums.

   A wonderful writing forum that I’m a part of is the Accentuate Writers Forum. The other writers on the site offer help, encouragement, and guidance. The forum also has leads for paid writing jobs, contest you can enter, and writing tips.

7. Read other author’s works.

   The more articles you read, the better your own writing will get. By reading other people’s work you can see different techniques and styles, common mistakes, and find new ideas.

8. Do not copy anyone else’s work ever.

   It is very important that you comply with copyright and plagiarism rules. Copying another’s work will get you banned from most writing sites.

9. Look around you for article ideas.

   Once you begin writing you’ll find that every trip you make, person you meet, movie you see, or book you read is fodder for an article.

10. Pace yourself.

    While you need to write often, you don’t want to burn out. Writing up to five articles a day is a good place to start.

I hope these tips will help any aspiring writers out there. It is fun to write articles. You get to put your opinion and point of view out for others to see, inform people about information they may not be aware of, and leave your stamp on the world. If you are interested in writing, by all means do it! Take the chance, you won’t be sorry.