How to stay passionate about your writing when it is your full-time career?
(Art Credit: Karen Fischer)
As writers, we spend numerous hours on our computers to produce a piece of writing which is influential as well as attractive. However, in the race to being a popular writer, we often lose track of our niche which leads to the loss of productivity and creativity. Similar to other jobs, one needs to be passionate about pursuing writing as a full-time career.
While initially the passion is readily reflected in our writings, with time there are chances that the passion will fade away. To make sure you do not lose the grip of your writing, here are simple tips that will keep your passion ignited throughout your writing career.
Define Your Goals
Before starting your career as a full-time writer, understand your scope and define your goals. Decide whether you want to be a specialist writer or a generalist writer. A specialist writer only specializes in a particular niche and prefers to write with specified standards. Whereas, a generalist writer is open to topics based on a wide range of interests and is flexible with different writing formats and standards.
If you prefer to be a specialist writer, then start by narrowing your interests and by gaining a deep understanding of your preferred subject. However, if you wish to be a generalist writer, explore different areas and widen your horizons to learn multiple topics in your career.
Understand the Impact of Your Writings
To make yourself feel more passionate about your work, try to understand the impact that your writing will make on a larger group of people. Think about how you can positively influence society or the community. This will help you connect with the purpose of your work and will boost your imagination which will be further reflected in your work.
Stick to Your Niche
Once you have found your niche, stick to it. Rather than trying your luck in different areas, keep your mind focused on a single area. As when we venture off in areas that are not of our interests, we lose our creativity and radiance towards work. Whereas, when you stick to your niche, you will only write about the topics which you enjoy writing about. This will not only help you gain specialization in your selected niche but will also save you from going off-track.
Identify Your Writing Qualities
Identify the kinds of writing that you enjoy the most. Nowadays, a full-time writer is not only bound to write news articles or a novel. As digital content makes its way to every corner, the scope for full-time writers and content creators has improved drastically. From creating blog posts to digital content for a website or a social media campaign and technical writing to academic writing, there are several options to explore. Once you identify the writing qualities that you possess, just stick to your writing formats and follow your passion.
Embrace Your Talent
Not everybody is gifted with the same kind of talent. So, rather than envying the work of other writers, try to get some inspiration from their work. Check the tactics other writers use in their work and implement the ones which will complement your writing style. However, do not lose your originality. The audience does not appreciate the work which is copied or imitated from others. Always value your talent and intuition to make your presence noticed.
Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks
Instead of leading an ordinary life and following the norms of your writing industry, try to experiment with your writing style. At times, it's good to go off-road and follow a path that others are not following. Step out of your comfort zone and do things that are a little difficult or uncertain and might take a longer time than usual. As you take risks you will feel more adventurous and passionate about your work. Also, you never know when an uncertain attempt might lead you to a hefty reward.
Be Inquisitive
Despite the experience you possess, never assume yourself too small or too experienced to learn new things. As we grow, the things, the technology and everything around us grows. This makes space for more learning and new initiatives. Keep yourself open to learning new things and stay updated with the latest happenings in your field. Constantly learning new things will make you feel more excited about your work and will keep giving you new ideas throughout your career.
Remove the Obstacles
Always keep your mind clear before starting your work. Do not allow unresolved issues, emotional reactions, or limiting beliefs to affect your thoughts and writing. Include lessons from your learnings and experiences in your writings. As you become more authentic and transparent, the audience will find it easier to connect and resonate with you.