In all honesty, there are so many ways to answer the question of how to become a professional writer. While there is something to be said about luck and timing, being a successful writer also involves education, patience, and passion. Whether you are a budding writer, a student hopeful, or already on your path to becoming a professional writer, take a look at the tips below and see how they can give you a boost.

Top tips for becoming a real writer

While everyone’s path to success will be a little bit different, these tips will help you along your journey to becoming a professional writer.

• Figure out what kind of writer you want to be: One of the most exciting things about professional writing is there are so many different types. I highly recommend exploring them all. Some may come more naturally to you than others. There are many options, including business content writing, script writing, technical writing, novel writing, and more.

• Practice, practice, practice: You knew this one was coming, right? Is it annoying? Yes. Is practice essential in how to become a better writer? Also yes. Practice independently and with small writing gigs with friends and family. It’ll help you fix beginner’s mistakes and boost your confidence when you see how happy your “customers” are with your work! These people can also offer testimonials for future, real customers to see.

• Read as much as you can: I mistakenly thought that I had to read a lot of content similar to my professional writing. In my case, that would be blog posts, website content, and product descriptions. Indeed, it is crucial to keep up to date on trends and content within your writing niche. But you don’t have to limit yourself! Personally, I’m a hard-core fiction lover. Even though fiction has nothing to do with my professional writing, it still helps me strengthen my writing skills. Learning how other writers use their craft will only improve my own, after all.

• Have a support system: Making a go of it as a writer is hard work. Just like any other artist, it’s important to have a supportive network in your life for when you need it. You can find them online if you don’t have an in-person network. I mention more about this in my book, The Starving Freelancer, since I firmly believe this is essential to mental health as a writer.

Have a plan for being a professional writer

Unless you have exceptionally good luck or have a slew of professional writer contacts, it will take time and patience to earn income from writing. But it will definitely be worth it when the time comes.

It really helps to have a well-thought-out plan when it comes to your writer goals. I didn’t do this until later in my freelancer life, and I really wish I had started earlier. Having a plan with realistic, attainable goals (and a plan to achieve them) helped me see my progress even when it didn’t feel as though I was making any.

Fellow writers, what do you think? Do you have any writer tips you want to add to this list? If so, feel free to do so in a comment!