10-radical-ways-to-turn-yourself-into-a-better-writer-785X391

Your biggest content opportunity lies in knowing this, “Your Competitors Are Chickens!” Most content writers out there are scared of saying something that will get a reaction. They are afraid of something that looks different from that of everyone else’s content. They are terrified of putting together an article or blog that will get people to pay attention, or make visitors come back again to see what you have to say.

But what if taking that chance in creating that unexpected content differentiates you from other writers? Think about it, this could bring in 100% more clicks and increase leads by maybe 20%. It’s certainly worth thinking about! To help you create that wonderful content, the kind that turns heads, we offer you ten tips to make you the best writer you know.

1. Bleed in that first line

A computer can do many things, but it can’t write a novel, no matter how hard the developers try to make it so. If you want people to relate to your content then you have to make sure your human side shines through.
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How Do You Do This?
Don’t ask for permission. In other words, don’t start out by saying: “In my opinion.” The reader understands it is your opinion, after all you are writing the content.

2. Write a Lot

practiceWrite a lot. I spent years writing bad novels, bad stories, but I learned how to write. The wonderful thing is that on blogs, people don’t expect you to write perfectly. They just want to share in your thoughts, hear your opinion. Write every day. It’s a practice that’s almost spiritual. You are going deep within and bringing out the words. If you don’t write every day you lose the ability.

Put a lot of emphasis in that last paragraph. Believe me that last line needs to go BOOM! It all sort of goes to waste if that last part doesn’t kill. Read a few great authors to see how that last line goes BOOM! Here’s another secret when it comes to practice. Make your sentences short. Use a lot of periods. Forget those commas and semicolons. A period makes your reader pause and think. On the web short sentences are the order of the day.

3. Read a Lot

You can’t ever write well unless you read a lot. Read everything you can get your hands on.  Read articles that relate to your industry. Spend between 30 to 60 minutes a day reading before you start writing.

4. Break the Laws of Physics

There is no real time line in text despite what your English professor taught you. Nothing has to go in order. Don’t worry about the order of your paragraphs when you first put your thoughts down. Remember you can always fix it later.

5. Be Honest

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Put into writing what people think but are too afraid to speak about. Some people will react negatively but most will give you that big hurray.

6. Don’t Hurt People with Your Words

This is a crucial law every writer needs to stick to. Don’t be a bad guy.

7. Get your Opinion Out There

Most people have strong opionions about one thing or another, but they don’t often express that opinion. Write about that strong opinion. Write about something you are passionate about. Risk it all. Most writers play it safe, almost too safe. When you risk bringing your real opinion into things, the reader senses it and knows that your piece is worth reading.

8. Pay Attention to Your Title

Spend some real time working out those titles. Make your titles stand out; have them shock their audience. Start wth the most outrageous title you can think of and then take it from there. Start with something like “How I Torture Women.” Remember a title that creates a reaction, means that your audience is more likely to read the entire article.

9. Make Your Content Emotional

Make your readers cry. If you’ve ever been in love, you know what emotional pain can be like. Bring your readers to that moment. Bring on that bittersweet moment where everything in life changes. Be funny whenever possible. This is also a way of writing your emotions.When I first started Salsa dancing, I was horrible; It didn’t help that I was in a city known for salsa dancers.  Everyone I saw was a Salsa dance hero and I felt like a total nerd. I wrote about it in a humorous way and my readers loved it. How do you make yourself funny? Write about your failures, your misgivings and that fear; these are the feelings we can all identify with.

20. Relate to People

As a society, we’ve had a bad ten years. The country has suffered since 9/11 and in 2008 things got even worse. I’ve had hard times just like everyone else. I survived, had children to care for and fought off depression. But this is not just my story, it’s the story a lot of us have. Show people that they aren’t alone in their struggle that we are all trying. It’s so nice to know that we aren’t alone. Refer to events ad experiences that you’ve had in the past. Remember, time heals all wounds; talk about these past events. Let me tell you a secret the further you go back the less you have to worry about what people think.

Let it Go

Once you finish writing don’t sit there and hash over every little word. Get up go for a walk, do something else then come back and take out every other sentence.  Rework it a bit so it’s concise but powerful.