Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot on the subject of growing as a writer. Mostly prompted by some excellent books on writing that I’ve been reading. There’s such a lot that we writers could be doing to get better at our craft. Everything from taking classes and going to conferences to buying and devouring as many writing craft books as possible. And while these are all great ways to grow as a writer, there are some more basic things we can do for no cost at all that can help you become a better writer. In no particular order, here is my list of suggestions.

Fail a Lot

Failure is just a part of writing. Every writer has to accept that. But to never fail is to never try. If you try, you’re going to fail a whole bunch of times before you succeed. But every failure teaches you a little more about writing, what works, what does, what suits you, and what you should leave to other writers. Failing is disheartening. But also a necessary part of growing as a writer. If you’re not failing, you’re sitting square in the middle of your comfort zone. And no one learns anything when they don’t try new things. The more you fail, the better you get. So don’t be afraid to fail. Learn from it, and try again.

Finish Things

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut when writing, working on the same project for months, years. Without diversity in what you’re writing, you’re not learning on growing. At some point, enough has to be enough. Finish things. Start new projects. You learn more by writing and finishing a variety of works than by spending years painstakingly perfecting a single novel. Finish and move on. Finishing projects and starting new ones pushes you, stretches your capabilities, and forces you to grow and learn as a writer.

Write What You Love

Too often writers don’t write the ideas that they’re really interested in because they might not sell, or people might think they’re weird. Don’t be afraid to write what interests you, even if it’s a bit out there. One, the world need more diverse books. We don’t need the same plots rehashed over and over again. And two, there is more value in writing a book you love than a book that is designed to follow popular trends. One will be mediocre because there’s no passion, and the other will be a work of art as your pour your soul into it.

Hang Out With People Who Inspire You

Creativity is contagious. Hang out with creative people, people who chase their dreams, people who make you want to do better, be better, write better simply by being around them. Make friends with people who inspire you to believe that you can be great. If there aren’t people in real life that can do this for you, try social media. Twitter is a great place to find awesome writing communities. Talk to creative people, help them, and learn from them. Hanging around with great creatives is a good way to grow the habit of being creative.

Love Yourself As Well As Your Work

You are a writer, and you love your work. And that is awesome! But at the same time, you’re not a machine. Take care of yourself as well as your writing. Make sure you’re rested, healthy, and happy. Good writing doesn’t have to come from being a tortured soul. In fact, your mind is much better suited to creating when it’s relaxed and well cared for.

Learn Constantly

Never lose your inquisitive nature. Learn new writing techniques. Experiment with other writing forms. Look up strange biology facts. Learn how to ride a skateboard, code a website, or speak another language. Learning keeps your mind sharp and open to new ideas and input. Plus learning is a great way to find new inspiration for your writing.

Read A Lot

Read everything. Read bad magazines, read good fiction, read books on the craft, read textbooks. Open yourself up to all kinds of writing, not just fiction, and not just good writing. You can learn as much from bad writing as from good, and find inspiration and knowledge everywhere. No reading is ever wasted.

Take Time Out To Live

Writers write. But good writers also take time away from writing to go out into the world and live for a while. How can you write people if you’re never around them to know how they work? How can you write emotions if you never feel them? How can you be a well-rounded writer if you never see the world? Take a break from writing sometimes, go and live for a while, and then come back refreshed, renewed and stronger than ever.

We all know bloggers who are so distinctive that even when they’re posting on another blog you know exactly who they are and where they’re from. They have a strong voice that identifies them instantly. And they’re unique. Cait@Paper Fury’s voice is completely different from that of Liz@Out Of Coffee Out Of Mind. Their blogging voice is so strong that it is impossible to mix them up with anyone else no matter what part of the blogosphere you find them in.

You blogging voice is part what you write, part how you write it, and part how you format it. Writing on blogs isn’t like writing a novel, or an essay. You have more leeway to break the rules, use unusual formatting, coin odd turns of phrase and let your personality spill out into your writing. Whether you’ve been blogging for a little while now and want to hone your blogging voice, or you’re just starting out and want to make sure you sound unique, here are some tips I’ve found helpful in my quest to find my own blogging voice.

Find What You Like To Write

What type of posts do you most enjoy writing? Long analyses of the story elements in popular books and movies? Witty discussions about your favourite character tropes? Lists of tips? Personal stories? If you’ve been blogging for a while, look back at the posts that you’ve already written and note down your favourites, as well as posts that other people have particularly liked. Which styles of blog posts are your best?

If you haven’t been blogging long, experiment. Try different types of posts. See which ones resonate most with you and your audience. You don’t have to be tied to one particular kind of post. Many bloggers write multiple kinds of posts. But you will tend to favour certain kinds. I won’t write book reviews or huge analyses of an entire plot, and rarely personal stories from outside of my writing life. I tend favour list posts and discussions on story elements. Find what styles of blog post work for you.

Write How You Like

What are your writing quirks? Do you like to end your paragraphs with ellipses? Do you use run on sentences, asides, sarcasm, or out and out fangirl squealing? These all make your writing much more distinctive. What turns of phrase do you tend to use in real life? Are you writing as if it’s an essay, or as if you’re speaking to someone? Are you more comfortable writing in a serious, more formal style, or conversationally? Find what feels natural to you to write. And don’t be stifled by what you think other people will think of your writing. If you find yourself adding sarcastic asides and trailing thoughts to your blog posts, allow yourself to.

Draft Without Censorship

When you draft your blog posts, don’t censor yourself. Write whatever comes to mind. Let yourself wander off topic if that’s where you seem to be going. It can all be fixed in edits. Put in those terrible jokes, weird examples and digressions. While much of it may be cut in edits, allowing yourself the freedom to write what comes to mind means that you’re allowing yourself to think creatively. And you might come up with some surprising things that are a lot more personal to you, and unusual than you would have if you stuck to a rigid plan and worried about people’s expectations.

Because here’s the thing. No one is going to see that early draft. Your draft is a place to get things down and have those weird, confused thoughts. Even if you’re more a planner and prefer neat drafts, giving yourself a little leeway to crack a joke, or get off topic can allow your personality through, and readers tend to connect more when they can see your personality behind the writing. And if the draft is terrible, that’s ok. That’s what editing is for, sorting through the bad, saving the good and creating a polish product you can share at the end.

Don’t Be Afraid To Be Different

Being different is a difficult thing. Sometimes it seems that every blogger is so much better at making jokes, at sharing authentic stories, or personal parts of their writing process. Being you might not seem like the best prospect. Maybe you seem boring to you. Or you maybe you seem too different, your blog isn’t enough like the others for people to come and read it. But the truth is, the world doesn’t need another Paper Fury. We’ve got one of them and one of them is enough. We need diverse blogs and diverse bloggers. We need different personalities and points of view. We need people to be fearlessly themselves in their writing. We need you to be you.