10 Tips to Being a Legendary Writer

In defining my ten tips to being a legendary writer, I think it’s best to evaluate some legendary writers and what they bring to the table. 

Take William Shakespeare for example, who is timeless and legendary for: his way with words, the fact he was a wordsmith who created some words we even use today, and was one of the first writers to use modern prose, his subject matter encompassing love, revenge, death, suicide, adultery, murder, -all still relevant in our era, his colorful characters, his fusion of drama, comedy,  action and fantasy.

Take Zora Neale Hurston as another example who is widely read even today, though born in 1891, whose works are colorfully descriptive, emotionally infused and engrossing.  

Even Oscar Wilde can be called legendary as his works are still well read, his literature being witty, comedic, obscene and controversial.

Langston Hughes was yet another legendary writer best known as an innovator of a new literary art form known as jazz poetry which can be defined as poetry that imitates jazz music according to its rhythm and style and incorporates improvisation as well.  

Walt Whitman is another legendary writer in that he is credited with being a free verse poet, manifesting the idea of the individual self, and being controversial in that his poetic imagery heavily exuded sexuality.

A wealth of knowledge can be gained from these five legends alone, though they are few of many, but to summarize the credence they offer in defining what is required to be a legendary writer, I present the following:

10 Tips to Being A Legendary Writer

1. Timelessness 
2. Substance
3. The Human Experience
4. Innovation
5. Wit
6. Soul
7. Sexuality
8. Controversy
9. Comedy
10. Individuality

These ten tips defined embody the following ideologies:

1.  Timelessness – Produce a work that can transcend all generations and eras, something that all generations can buy into and adopt through the ages.
2.   Substance – Produce a work that has significance, validity and importance, something that matters and can make a difference.
3. The Human Experience – Produce a work that speaks to every human beings’ existence, something we can all relate to on some level, as did Shakespeare with his themes of love, death and vengeance, etc.
4. Innovation – Start a new movement with your writing as did Hughes and Whitman, deviate from the norm, do something different that has not been done before.   
5. Wit – Use intelligence in your writing, infuse wisdom, morals, knowledge and education in your works as people want to learn, man has an insatiable hunger for knowledge.   \
6. Soul – Infuse emotion in your works, be vulnerable, let your intellect and your heart work simultaneously to move your pen, people want to feel and experience your words on the page, not just read words; mental stimulation is not enough, appeal to all their senses.
7. Sexuality – As we all know, sex sells, and honestly, it’s not just sex, -it’s creation, -it embodies our very existence, we would not be here without it, -no wonder it’s a subject that is always on the forefront, it’s what life is all about, -a sacred union for the sake of life going on.
8. Controversy – We weren’t meant to live without it, what human being hasn’t experienced controversy at some point?  Every story has a conflict, just as our very lives are wrought with conflict in reality.  Without it, we would not be propelled or motivated to have or become something better, and a story would lack substance.  
9. Comedy – This is the opposing layer and just as needed as controversy in writing, as in life. We would perish without it, why else would we have dopamine, oxytocin, serotonin and endorphins? Every legendary writer infuses humor in their story as it is an integral part of the human experience.
10. Individuality – All great and legendary writers must separate or distinguish themselves from the norm or mediocre writers who still haven’t discovered their individual voice, or that which makes them different or more specifically, unique.  What is that thing that sets you apart from every other writer out there?

10 Responsibilities Writers Should Take Note Of

1.       You have to take responsibility for what you say, as much as you take ownership of what you write.  That means if you inspired another to detonate a bomb, whether this person was in a healthy mental state of mind or not, you have to be accountable.  That’s not to say assume all the guilt, but it is to say be mindful always.  Words have power, that you as a writer, give them, they can heal or destroy; what choice will you make for your words? 

2.       There is researching and being inspired, and then there is down right thievery.  Picasso said, “Good artists copy, great artists steal” but did not mean it literally.  Always pay homage to the works of other writers by quoting them and using citation.  To take another’s concept and improve upon it making it indistinguishable from it’s original state isn’t down right thievery and is acceptable.  Take responsibility when using the work of others to do the right thing; plagiarism is illegal when it infringes on another writers’ intellectual property rights, copyright and trademark.

3.       Be responsible enough to check your sources and references when disclosing a truth or something factual or statistical.  It’s inevitable you will more often than not find opposing views on the same topic, but that’s when common sense has to come into play and perhaps even checking the credibility of the reporter if need be.

4.       Know that what you say, doesn’t always directly affect you and you alone, but can quite possibly affect your family and friends as well.   Have you ever felt the need to delete a long-time friend on Facebook for an opposing or radical view they had and revealed on Facebook, that made you question if you ever even really knew them at all to begin with?   Or perhaps maybe you received some ill treatment or unfavorable commentary because your spouse wrote something distasteful on a forum or social website or blog.  Be responsible for what you write because it doesn’t necessarily only affect you.

5.       It may seem like long shot but editing and grammar are significant when it comes to responsibilities of a writer because what you write is just as important as how you write it. Readers judge you on how you write, it can exude your educational level, and quite frankly if you aren’t coherent and your writing isn’t an easy read, your writing simply won’t be read. 

6.       It is your responsibility as a writer to remain tactful and in good taste when it comes to responding to your critics about your writing.  If you believe in freedom of speech, you should extend the courtesy to those who find fault with your work as well.  Let them say their peace, don’t take it to heart, not everyone will admire or appreciate your work, so what?  Is it causing you any harm or discord in your life? You wasting energy responding in expletives to your critics could run off your fan base or other potential readers and responders. “Be kind to unkind people. They need it the most.” ~Dalai Lama XIV Check out: Critics, Haters and Constant Debaters, Why You Ought to Love Them.

7.       Protecting your writing.  Be sure you write your name on every publication you put out and even © if need be, whether publishing in print or online. 

8.       Your response, this is beyond your control, and maybe there is no way to prepare for an astronomical response or no response whatsoever to your work, and that’s not to say don’t have expectations, but you never know how a written work or publication will do.  Never count your chickens before they hatch as the old adage goes, but know there are steps you can take to gain a bigger audience for your works, or if your response is beyond your wildest dreams and you are suddenly flung into a multitudinous frenzy of book publishers hurling book contacts your way, you can always hire a publicist and lawyer to help you navigate those hurdles. 

9.       Your rejections.  Taking ownership or responsibility for your rejections is no easy task, but the key is to never give up, it’s like finding your prince or princess, you either have to kiss a lot of frogs or a lot of booger-wolfs before you find your perfect mate, a.k.a. book deal or publisher.  If you didn’t adhere to the company’s or website’s publishing policies or writing criteria, be it word criteria or format, you have to own your mistake and try to do better next time.

10.   Where you publish your works is just as important as what you publish and should perhaps sit hand in hand.  It’s best to make sure what you publish and where matches the target market of the website or publishing company, otherwise your writing may fall on deaf ears or not gain a big readership.  This is a mistake I make time and time again, however, it can still work out for you in the sense you may draw in your target market in the future and at least it lends you a bigger and stronger presence on the web. 

Happy Writing & Write Responsibly!

10 Tips on How to Stay Current as A Writer

1. Do your Research Meaning stay abreast of present events and what is going on in the world right now, know your topic inside and out to include the history, challenges, benefits, present day views on the subject matter and so forth. Review trends, statistics, unusual factors, oddities, and the trendsetters in the arena your topic of interest incorporates.
2. Benchmark those whose level you’d like to evolve to Study and survey those who impress you in the same arena or circle of interest you are in; it doesn’t mean carbon copy, just take away the things they do that you feel confident in including in your agenda or strategies to get you to the top of your game.  What are they doing that makes them effective? Can you do the same?
3. Think outside the Box When you think about all the famous cat characters from Garfield to Tom (from Tom & Jerry), to Sylvester (from Warner Brothers), Hello Kitty and even Heathcliff, they all differ in some fashion, -not just from one’s standard viewpoint, but personality as well, though they may share some common ground, such as how Tom and Garfield are always at someone else’s throat, be it Jerry or Odie.  You have to use that same kind of comparison to differentiate yourself in your standard arena.  What are you doing differently?  How can you differentiate yourself and what you bring to the table, whether it’s a different look or persona?  
4. Innovate What has not been said?  What has not been done in your industry or on your topic?  What can you bring to the table, that has never been brought to the table before?  Go deeper than a table setting, bring a whole new dish. What are others afraid to say or discuss?  Take on a forbidden topic on the matter?  Debate an idea on the topic you don’t agree with.  Whatever it is, bring a brand spanking new, fresh and untouched topic or idea or theory to the table.
5. Read, Read, Read The more you read the more you know, how else is knowledge acquired?  It doesn’t have to just be the news or educational resources, sometimes ideas and knowledge are acquired through imagination, -read a fantasy or sci-fi novel, sometimes these kinds of books spark ideas you hadn’t previously thought of, or they bring about a new awareness.
6. Watch, Watch, Watch If you have little time or quiet space to read and comprehend what you are reading, you can always watch: documentaries, news, non-fiction flicks about real world events and the like, while you work, that are pertinent to your subject matter or industry.
7. Honesty This is an important one to staying current as a writer, report the facts, tell the truth, support your statements with proof, facts, statistics, events, quotes, -even a picture is worth a thousand words, better yet incorporate video footage if need be, but always show and prove, be honest. Be a writer and resource readers can trust beyond a reasonable doubt, it makes you credible, thus keeping your current and relevant.
8. Vulnerability As much as I personally hate getting personal about my own experiences, sometimes it creates a connection with your reader or audience.  If they know you, they come to trust you, and an article or blog piece starts to have a feel of a letter from an old friend.  Take those “Dear Abby” columns for example, they were close and personal were they not?  Would anonymous writers have written her if they didn’t feel comfortable with her or if there wasn’t a level of trust or familiarity?  Vulnerability will allow you to stay current as a writer in the sense it shows you have real world experiences, no different from the average Joe, you become relatable and more human and that is a quality that never gets old.
9. Rationality Logic is key in staying current, if you bring nothing else to the table, readers want to read intelligible scribe that they can relate to or learn from.  That doesn’t mean you have to use overly sophisticated language that would require a Dictionary or Thesaurus to write, always consider your audience.  Use layman’s terms, something the average reader can comprehend and understand.  Use slang and clichés sparingly and only if it fits the feel or theme of your piece and appeals to your audience.  Be a smart and witty, intellectual writer to stay current, that’s something that spans through the hands of time.
10. Challenge the Status Quo Without a challenge how can anything or anyone get better, improve or grow?  Decipher or identify a fresh and progressive means to accomplishing your goal or writing endeavor.  This adds value and helps you stay relevant, useful and thus current.  It goes hand in hand with innovation. How has it always been done and why?  How can the process be improved upon? Can you do the total opposite and acquire a larger viewership?