19 Writing Tips They Don’t Teach You in College

When I was 22 years old, I graduated with an English Degree.

It took me 5 years to finish my college degree. After graduating from college, I discovered the world of ghostwriting and digital writing. Digital writing is different from academic writing. Digital writers write in a conversational tone, but academic writers write in a formal tone.

My college professors taught us the benefits of knowing grammar and reading literature.

But they never taught us these writing tips and here are 19 writing tips they don’t teach you in college:

1. Tell personal stories in your articles.

Look at the first sentence of this article.

I share an interesting fact about myself, and I also used my degree as a credibility. Sharing your personal story will help you gain the trust of your ideal reader. Tell stories about your high school life, work, and struggles.

Readers want to feel different emotions when they read your work.

2. Study digital marketing and copywriting if you want to attract new readers.

Reading books about digital marketing will help you understand how social media algorithms work.

Most of the viral content on social media are stories from successful people and memes. They know how to grab the attention of digital readers because they understand the basics of human psychology. Great copy focuses on selling you a new product rather than sounding smart in your writing.

The best copywriters know how to create a compelling offer for their target audience.

3. Do market research before you write anything.

Research is the foundation of great writing. If you don’t have any data to support your arguments, readers won’t trust you.

4. Learn how to sell if you want to become a professional writer.

If you don’t know how to market your writing services, it will be impossible to monetize your craft. Novelists sell their ideas using stories, and ghostwriters charge a lot of money because they focus on the outcome of their service.

5. Gather testimonials from different editors to build your credibility.

After writing 3 articles to a digital publication, ask for a written testimonial to the Editor-in-Chief. Your ideal clients want social proof.

6. Share your ideas on LinkedIn and Twitter to see if other people find it interesting.

The best way to test new headlines is to share it on Twitter. Based on engagements, you will know the topics readers find interesting.

7. Write 20–30 versions of your headline before you choose one headline for your article.

I learned this from professional journalists. If your headline sucks, you lost the interest of your target reader.

8. Create your own writing system to overcome writer’s block.

Stephen King doesn’t use outlines. John Grisham loves to use outlines. Both of them are best-selling authors.

The lesson? Do what works for you.

9. Solve a problem in your articles.

If you solve a problem in your article, readers will read your work. You probably read this work because you want to improve your writing skills.

10. Focus on one idea in your article.

I learned this tip from Great Leads, a book about copywriting. A single idea can change your life.

11. Write at 4th-5th grade level.

Make it impossible to be misunderstood. Simple writing is powerful.

12. Master new styles of writing after graduation.

Gary Provost, Best-Selling Author of 100 Ways to Improve Your Writing, defines writing style as “In any discussion of writing, the word style means the way in which an idea is expressed, not the idea itself. Style is form, not content.” Master these writing styles if you want to become a great writer: classic style, plain style, informal style, and minimalistic style.

13. Learn how to edit your own work.

If you know how to edit your work, editors will love you. Good writing comes from knowing your subject.

14. Hand-copy viral articles to understand how to write a great article.

This is a common copywriting practice that will help you improve your writing skills. Analyze the work of professional writers to master your craft.

15. Connect with your ideal clients on LinkedIn.

Send a personalized note in your connection requests. Never sell your product or service on your first message.

16. The writers you admire the most have been writing for over 5 years.

Digital writing is a long game. Be patient, persistent, and focus on mastery rather short-term goals.

17. Rejection is normal in the world of writing, so get used to it.

Rejection is an opportunity to learn a new lesson. Keep writing and focus on improvement.

18. In writing, you can control the process, but you cannot control the outcome.

I learned this from Jeff Goins, Ghostwriter and Best-Belling Author of Real Artist Don’t Starve. You can control how many articles you write every single day, but you cannot control how you many readers will read your work.

19. Invest in copywriting courses and writing books.

Investing in self-education will help you learn valuable skills. After you finish a course, apply what you learn to see what works and what doesn’t work.

20. Focus on mastering your craft rather than wasting your time on useless goals.

Watching movies on Netflix is a waste of time. If you want to improve at something, practice your chosen skill for one hour every single day.

21. Learn how to write a cold email.

Cold email is one of the best ways to connect with your favorite writer. Never sell something in your cold email. You should focus on relationships rather than sales. Build a valuable network if you want to have a great future.

This article is for informational purposes only, it should not be considered financial, tax or legal advice. Consult a financial professional before making any major financial decisions.

Thanks for reading!

By the way- I firmly believe the single most effective way to build your thought leadership content is through ghostwriting.

? Save more time

? Be seen as an expert in your industry

? Share your mission and vision on the internet

Send me a DM if you need help in your thought leadership marketing.