13 Unconventional Content Writing Tips From a 150k Follower Creator
by charles miller @writingtoriches
1. Use bad grammar. Start sentences with “and” and “but”. Leave out commas when they mess with the flow of your writing. In general, if breaking a grammar rule makes your writing more effective, do it.
2. Repeat yourself. Don’t copy-paste content, but rewrite it with a new angle and post about that idea again every few weeks. Find 1,000 ways to say that crucial thing.
3. Write low-engagement content. Creation isn’t all about getting likes. Sometimes, it’s best to write something that doesn’t appeal to a wider audience. Don’t be afraid to occasionally do this.
4. Do nothing. Your top enemy as a writer is distraction. When you meditate or avoid stimulus, you’re indirectly training yourself to be a better content creator.
5. Take long walks. I’m not sure what the mechanism is, but walking turns me and every writer I know into an idea machine. It’s also great for mental and physical health. Walk more, preferably in nature.
6. Do the same thing (almost) every day. People think that successful writers have to live interesting lives, but it’s usually the opposite. Most of us go through the exact same routine 90% of days, and it leads to better writing.
7. Write poorly. Unsurprisingly, people don’t like writing things that suck. What they don’t realize is that being bad is the only way to get good. Writing something terrible is always better than writing nothing.
8. Talk to yourself. Most writers hit roadblocks. Ideally, you get through these by talking with an expert, but that’s not always an option. The weird solution is talking to yourself as if you were a writer you were trying to help.
9. Have a way to take notes at all times. A notepad and pen is fine. The notes app in your phone is too. Just have a way to write ideas down when you have them. Good ideas are gold, and you don’t want to lose them.
10. Write off-topic. If you’re having trouble writing about your standard subject, write about literally anything else: why you love your dog, how your eggs tasted this morning, etc. Just put words on the page.
11. Write fast, edit slow. To me, “write drunk, edit sober” is more about mindset than actually being drunk. I see it as “write quickly and boldly, then edit slowly and carefully”. That’s how you increase output and improve the final product.
12. Read everything. Reading other people’s content is fine, but branch out. Read romance novels, Greek philosophy, the bible, and everything in between. This will make you a more well-developed person, and that will make you a better writer.
13. Live an interesting life. Great writers rarely just sit inside all day writing. Instead, they travel, go skydiving, hike 15 miles in a day, etc. The more experiences you have, the more material you’ll have to write. Do cool stuff.
CREDIT: Charles Miller @WritingtoRiches