Connie Ragen Green…on Becoming a Writer

As the author of more than a dozen books, as well as contributing to almost a dozen others I have now reached the point where my writing flows in a natural way. This is not to say that I know everything there is to know about writing or authorship, but the tactics and discipline of sitting down to write each day are firmly in place. This came as a result of my focus on making writing a priority in my life and becoming a writer to change myself from the inside out.When I started out on my path as an online entrepreneur in 2006 I quickly realized that I would need to become a writer in order to succeed. I challenged myself to write one article or blog post of two hundred-fifty words each day for one hundred days in a row. I did not do that…I wrote one hundred articles in only seventy-eight days! I knew that I had gotten into the habit of writing once I longed for my time in front of the computer before I did anything else that day.

Becoming a Writer: Find Your Prime Time

My best hours to write are early to mid morning and for me this is anywhere between six and eleven each morning. Most times I already have in mind what I will be writing about, such as when I am working on a book and using notes and an outline to guide me. Other times I prefer to write from my stream of consciousness, such as I am doing here. I never know what thought might pop into my mind, and when it does and I am able to share my thoughts as words on a page or a website it can be truly magical.

I was a child who longed to write but did not. I would spend hours in my backyard telling stories to my inner consciousness that seldom transitioned into print. My mother would help guide me to this part of the writing process, but typically it was only poetry that resulted. If only I had been disciplined enough to spend the additional time to flesh out the stories that wanted to get out.

But I have no regrets, as I believe that everything happens in its own time. I was simply in preparation during those years for the writing that would pour out of me at a later date. I did accomplish some writing goals during my high school and college years, but refused to go through the editing process in order for my work to be considered seriously by others. I can still hear the professors saying “writing is rewriting” and can feel my enthusiasm waning as a direct result. It would be decades before I understood that the rewriting can be more joyous and productive than the original writing.

If you want to be known as a writer, you must write. Long ago I had a friend who kept a pen and notebook with him at all times. When someone would inquire about this he would tell them that he was a writer and that he needed to be ready at a moment’s notice. I caught with him recently and it turns out he wrote very little over his lifetime. I encouraged him to go back in time and find the passion he once had for writing to make it happen now. It is never too late to devote yourself to becoming a writer.

Becoming a Writer Means Becoming a Reader

I teach people that great writers are also avid readers, so if you have this desire to write you may wish to engage in more reading. I like to always have a book in progress and find great satisfaction in reading for pleasure, whether it is a non-fiction book for business or a mystery by one of my favorite authors. Reading has also improved my spelling and vocabulary skills which I see as an unforeseen benefit. Take a look at my reading list for entrepreneurs to get some ideas for which book you will read next.

If you truly want to write, then write every day. I can say from my personal experience that your writing skills will improve, your writing style will emerge and take shape, and the words you share will come from your heart and soul. Writing and becoming a writer is at first a very personal experience and over time a very public one. Your words can affect people you will never meet in ways that you did not intend or imagine. Allow the part of you that can only come out though your written words to guide you to the next level of your life over and over again. And once writing becomes the thread of your life you will be forever changed.

This article was originally published on my site at https://connieragengreen.com/connie-ragen-green-on-becoming-a-writer/.

I’m author and online marketing strategist Connie Ragen Green. I work with entrepreneurs to create multiple streams of online income and would love to connect with you. Pick up my Online Entrepreneur’s Blueprint and get started right away.