Tools of the Trade: The Ultimate Guide Any Writer Needs

Writing is an amazing career, but it’s easy to become disheartened. The hours spend crafting out an impressive piece of writing, only to find nobody reads it is very frustrating! However, practice makes perfect and we’ve got loads of writers’ tips for 2019 to give you a head start.

Technology has been kind to writers, and there are loads of useful tools to make life easier for you. In this guide, we’ll cover some fantastic secrets to great writing and show you some of the best writing tools around.

Mindset Tips

The most important part of succeeding as a writer is thinking like a writer. You may not have a best-selling novel, but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a writer. Once you change your mindset, you’ll take a more professional approach to your work.

Open Your Mind

Every writer dreams of becoming a top-rated author, but the harsh reality is most of us won’t make it. Instead of focusing on becoming famous, look at all the opportunities available. Maybe writing for a small blog isn’t your idea of success, but any writer that’s getting paid for their work is successful. We all have to start somewhere, so consider settling for lower-paid work until you build a strong portfolio.

Be Your Best Critic

Some writers don’t take constructive criticism well and end up losing favor with clients because of their attitude. Others are way too harsh on themselves and spend hours trying to create the “perfect” piece of writing – which doesn’t exist. One of the best writers’ tips for 2019 we can offer is to be your best critic.

Accept criticism from others and don’t be disheartened when they ask you to make edits. We all make mistakes, and you’ll never be able to please everyone! Don’t be too hard on yourself and reward yourself when you finish a project.

Ways to Get Your Writing Noticed

In an ideal world, you’d spend hours creating a brilliant piece of writing, publish it online and receive thousands of likes and comments. This will never happen unless you promote yourself. It’s a frustrating process, but the only way to build a career is to let others know who you are and what you do.

Social Media is Your Friend

One of the best writers’ tips for 2019 is to make the most of social media. It’s one of the most popular ways to promote your work and Facebook has loads of great groups. Posting your work to these groups means you’ll be able to find your target audience and gain a following. Pinterest has grown in popularity, and many people are finding it’s an excellent place to post their work. Click here for Pinterest writers’ tips for 2019.

Join Writing Groups

Writers all need help and are often willing to promote each other’s work. This gives you a chance to gain more followers and get advice from other writers. Sometimes they might work with you or offer to give you a referral.

Build Your Own Website

Having a blog used to be how writers promoted themselves, but professionals have websites. The main difference is that most blogs are on hosted platforms, but a professional website is self-hosted. This is important for potential clients, and it makes you look more credible. One of the most popular self-hosting platforms is Bluehost, which enables you to connect WordPress.

Email Marketing

Our writers tips for 2019 promotion are all about getting yourself noticed. Email marketing is a great way to build a following and keep your readers interested. If you want to build a list, then get people to subscribe to your blog or website. You can then send offers to your followers and promote your new writing. There are loads of useful email marketing tools around, but our favorite is MailChimp.

Medium

Medium is a god-send to new writers and we can’t recommend it enough! Creating powerful content takes time, and nobody gets it right constantly. However, the writers on Medium are supportive, constructive and can teach you a lot. Medium also has publications you can join and build a following.

Organization Tips

Balancing writing with your day job and other responsibilities can be difficult, but there are many ways to organize yourself. Here are some more writers’ tips for 2019.

Plan Before Writing

When an author prepares to write a novel, they always plan their characters, outline their plot and think about how it will end. Why don’t content writers do the same? Knowing what you’re writing about and planning your subtitles will make your job a lot easier.

Make a List

You’ve got loads of projects to juggle, but no way of organizing them. The old-fashioned ways of writing lists are long gone and today it’s all about technology. There are loads of amazing apps to keep track of your tasks and boost your productivity. Here are some of the best apps on the market.

Make An Office

Working at home gives you freedom and flexibility but it also provides a lot of distractions. If you want to make it as a writer, then you need to treat it as a proper job. Be your own boss and set yourself professional boundaries. When it’s writing time, turn the TV off and leave the phone in another room.

Make yourself an office and use it for work only. It doesn’t matter if it’s in another room or the corner of your living room. The main thing is you don’t allow for any distractions and your attention stays on your writing.

Set Yourself Goals

Setting goals gives you something to reach for and it enables you to track your progress. Instead of just writing your life goals why don’t you create a life map? Use drawings and arrows to make it more readable and set yourself targets for the next ten years. It’s important to set goals because you’ll be able to evaluate why you’re not meeting them and change how you work.

Build Your Toolbox

Every writer needs useful tools to make their job easier. From spell checks to organization apps we have an arsenal of writing weaponry at our disposal. Here are some of the best writing tools around.

Building a Portfolio

If you want to impress potential clients, build a portfolio. It’s a great way to showcase your work and gives people an idea of how you write. The best portfolio building tool is Clippings.me.

Keep on Track

Sometimes we need an incentive to make us complete that boring article! Write or Die makes you stay on track by punishing you if you stop writing. There are various levels, so you can set yourself light punishments or go all in. While it doesn’t sound appealing Write or Die will scare you into getting your work finished.

Cold Turkey

Another fantastic app is Cold Turkey. It locks you out of websites while you’re writing, meaning you can’t procrastinate. If you’re one of those people that can’t resist distractions, then this is the app for you.

Stay in Style

The best writers have raw talent, but that doesn’t mean everything they create is perfect. Learning how to communicate through writing takes time, commitment and some help along the way. The Economist Style Guide is the writers answer to Cosmopolitan magazine. It will help you write better, communicate with clarity and add some flair to your content.

Create Better Content

Writers’ tips for 2019 include using the Ulysses app. You can try it free for 14 days and the monthly cost is equivalent to a coffee. Writers say Ulysses is a fantastic editing app and it can make suggestions to boost your content.

Don’t Give Up

Nothing is more important than perseverance. Writers don’t become successful overnight, they work on their craft, build their skills and become the best they can be. The secret to making it as a writer is wanting it. Work hard, never stop learning and take advice from others. These writers’ tips for 2019 will help you on your journey, but it’s down to your perseverance.