10 Tried and Tested Maxims for Writers

If I had to distill the writing experience into 10 golden principles, these would be it.

1 – Develop a daily writing habit.

2 – Always fast-write your first draft. Get the content down.

3 – Set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timebound) writing goals.

4 – Actively seek new experiences. It enriches your writing.

5 – Revise, revise, revise…And when you think you’re done revising, polish it one more time.

6 – Research your genre. Know who is at the top in your field, know their work, know who publishes their work, what are the standards of your genre.

7 – Read extensively, within and outside your genre. The more you read, the more you are able to differentiate between good and bad writing.

8 – Write healthy. Balance mental activity with physical activity.

9 – Commit to constantly improve your craft. Sign up for workshops, conferences, lectures, classes. Learn as much as you can about your craft.

10 – Be part of a writing community. Learn from the experiences of other writers.