Podium welcomes Stephen Waddington, Partner and Chief Engagement Officer at Ketchum, Visiting Professor in Practice, Newcastle University, and a friend of Skribe. Today, Stephen brings together 50+ writing tips and tricks from his network. Whether it is research before you write or the best time to write, hacks for workflow or structure and style, there are tips for everyone. Pick up your pens and get writing!
Booze and coffee, Hemingway, mind maps, and machine dictation are all writing tips from my network.
There have been some lovely responses to my A time to write article about mindfulness and my writing habits. Ged Caroll wrote about his motivation for writing, and his workflow.
Encouraged by the reactions, I asked my network to share their writing tips and habits via a Google Form. Amateur and professional writers shared their views; authors, bloggers, copywriters, journalists, and teachers all joined the conversation.
Here’s what I got back, along with web links and Twitter profiles. From style to structure, and from editing to forming habits, there’s something here for everyone.
Thank you to everyone that contributed.
Reading and research
- Read a lot.
Alex Johnson
@shedworking - Keep an open mind and instrument handy when reading or listening to (new) speakers and ideas. Jot down things that give you ah-ha moments. Process evolving concepts “in the air” from a variety of perspectives; amalgamate (attribute!) and create your unique take. Encapsulate in a post title EARLY on.
Judy Gombita
@jgombita - Read! Not just about the topic you write about but read widely – I am a big believer that if you do not read you cannot write. Read novels, read magazine articles, read government reports, read poetry, read anything; the more you read the better you will write!
Isabelle Seren
@IsabelleserenPR
Writing time
- Determine your best time to write – whether it is in the morning or later on. Once you decide what time works for you, make sure to schedule other activities around it. Create a space that allows you to do your best work.
Karen Freberg
@kfreberg - I’m most creative first thing in the morning. The night before I rough out a straw man covering the points I want to cover, and the order. I ruminate overnight then, on waking, I plough through a first draft. The rest is tinkering and style.
Scott Guthrie
@sabguthrie
For the entire list, click here.
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