3 Quotes That Will Transform Your Writing Forever
Simple maxims to make you a better wordsmith.
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I hate listicles.
Most of them are generic, many of them are boring to read, and they rarely offer any information that we didn’t know already.
Alas, I present to you a listicle. But I think you’ll like this one. It’s about writing.
See, we writers have a difficult task before us. Namely, writing content that stands out in a sea of infinite articles, blog posts and journals.
As the owner and editor of one of Medium’s largest personal development publications, I see tonnes of writing every single week.
And the thing is, most of it sucks.
From that, we can deduce a reassuring truth.
You don’t have to be the best writer on the planet to do well. You just have to work on becoming better than the competition. And the competition isn’t quite as skilful as you think it is.
So how do you become a better writer? Well, it’s really quite simple.
To get you started, below are three quotes from three of the best authors that helped to change my perspective on writing and surpass the competition.
“If you don’t have time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write. Simple as that.” — Stephen King
In the same way that lifting weights strengthens our muscles to be able to handle heavier loads, reading trains us writers to be able to produce better stories.
If you aren’t an avid reader, don’t expect to become a talented writer.
It’s not just about passively reading, though. When you read a piece of text that impresses or entertains you, scrutinise it:
- What about that section of writing got my attention?
- What words stood out to me?
- How was it structured?
- What emotion did it evoke?
- How can I use something similar in my writing?
Read like a writer. Because you are one.
