How to Become a Writer

If you really want to know how to become a writer, I can tell exactly you what to do in a single word: write!

Want to go one step further and become a writer who makes a living from doing what they do? That's easy, too: first you write a novel, then you sell the novel to a publisher or publish it yourself!

Okay, so it's not quite that simple, but the basic message is true: becoming a novel writer simply involves picking up a pen (or switching on a computer) and writing. Hey presto - you're suddenly a fiction writer!

Now for the more serious advice...

I have been studying and practising and teaching the art and craft of novel writing for most of my life, and if there is one thing I am certain about it is this: to become a successful writer takes time and effort.

Sure, there will always be Jack Kerouac-type figures who can reel off a literary classic with little apparent effort and little regard for the "rules" of writing.

The remaining 99.9% of us, though, need to be more methodical and business-like about it.

Creativity is an important element of writing, of course, but so too is being organized and efficient and going about it the right way. And if you are at the very beginning of your novel writing journey, the "right way" means taking your time and not rushing at this critical early stage.

Some of you reading this might already have a good idea of the novel you intend to write. Others will know that writing fiction is definitely something you want to try, but that is about as far as you have come.

Either is fine.

Now, I know you're probably itching to get going on this brand new adventure, but what you have to understand right here and now is that writing a novel is a marathon, not a sprint.

The last thing you want to do is set off too soon and find yourself a few months or years from now headed in completely the wrong direction. (And I should know because I've done it.)

So what is the purpose of this section on how to become a writer?

It is all about helping you prepare yourself for the long journey ahead. In particular, it forces you to confront some basic novel writing issues - not least, why you want to write a novel at all. (Knowing the answer to this one is a crucial part of learning how to become a writer, and will fundamentally affect your approach to novel writing and your enjoyment of it.)
It also tackles some more practical matters - like the tools you will need and how to get organized.

So whether you are a complete novel writing beginner or you already have a few works of fiction in a dusty drawer somewhere, settle back and spend an idle hour or two reading and considering the advice below.

One last thing...

Much of the help and advice below is really all about writing motivation (because if you aren't motivated to go to your writing room every day, you're probably not going to stick at it). But before you can get truly motivated to write, you first need to be sure that you have what it takes to become a writer.

How do you do that? Simply by reading the section looking at the Myths and Secrets of Writing a Novel. (The chances are you already have read it, but I just wanted to make sure you have faith in your own abilities before continuing.)

How To Become a Writer - The Fundamentals

"My first thought about art, as a child, was that the artist brings something into the world that didn't exist before, and that he does it without destroying something else...That still seems to me its central magic, its core of joy."
- John Updike

Why Write a Novel?

This one is the biggie. It takes a lot of hard work to write a novel, so why bother? What is the point? What is the payback? What are the perks of novel writing?

Can You Make Money Writing Novels?

I touched upon this one in the previous article, but let's not beat around the bush here. Is making up stories your key to an early retirement, or could you actually make more money, hour for hour, flipping burgers?

Writing Novels With Honesty

This one is all about the need to be true to yourself. Unless you practice your craft with total honesty and show your fellow humans what this world truly looks like through your eyes, becoming a writer is actually something of a pointless exercise.

Harness Your Writing Creativity

Harnessing your creativity is one of the most important things you must do if you want to become a successful novel writer. More important still, making full and proper use of the creativity you were born with will help you to enjoy your writing so much more.

Overcoming Writer's Block

Does writer's block exist? Almost certainly. Is there a way of beating it? Absolutely. Simply follow the twelve tips right here.

Be the Best Novel Writer You Can Be

The advice in this article is actually very simple but, like all simple advice, is easy to overlook in the rush and tumble of writing your novel. So don't skip it!

How to Become a Writer - Practical Matters

Tools To Become a Writer

One of the first things you will want to do, having decided to be a novel writer, is set up your writing space so you have all the tools of the trade to hand. This article tells you what you need - and what you don't need.

How To Write Fiction the Smart Way

Hands up if you have ever heard of a would-be writer who started in a whirlwind of excitement but then abandoned the whole idea of being a novelist halfway through the second chapter. Most of you, I bet.

It's a fact: most newcomers to novel writing quit before they are very far down the road. But if you write fiction the "smart way", the odds of you abandoning your dream will be drastically cut.

Becoming a Writer Takes Time

The (almost) final article in this section on how to become a writer is about two things. First, it is about taking your time and not expecting to reach the end anytime soon. Second, it is about making the most of your writing sessions (and doing that will help you finish your novel a lot faster).

And in Final Tips on Being a Writer, I offer a couple of pieces of specific advice on what separates those who succeed in fiction writing from those who never will.