5 Steps On How To Start Writing (As A Hobby)
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5 Steps On How To Start Writing (As A Hobby)
If you’re looking for tips on how to start writing as a hobby, you’ve come to the right place.
Many of us feel pressured to start something and make money right away from it.
Instead, we should start by making it a hobby, truly enjoy it, enhance the skill and then market it as a service – this is something I did for years.
Writing has always been a hobby to me, it was also one of the hobbies that helped me with my mental health.
Whether you’re trying to become a freelance writer or author, you first need to make writing a hobby you enjoy.
So how do you start writing for fun? You’ll find out in this article!
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links. This is NO EXTRA COST to you. Thank you for supporting my blog and I hope it helps you in your writer’s journey.
Related Articles:
- How To Become A Freelance Writer With No Experience (The Guide I Wish I Had)
- Freelance Writing For Beginners: No Investment Needed!
Is Writing A Hobby?
While some people might find writing a chore, some people actually enjoy it and do it for fun. Writing is a hobby to many.
There is no pressure to be a writer that monetizes their content. You can always be a writer just for the fun of it.
5 Steps On How To Start Writing As A Hobby.
Read More Books
As cliche as it sounds, if you want to start writing, you’ll need to read more books. This is because reading helps you understand how to string words.
They also help you learn new words and strengthen your vocabulary.
If you want to write stories as a hobby, reading books can help you with your imagination, plot and character building.
And if you want to write more poetry, reading other poet’s works may help inspire you.
Reading and writing definitely goes hand in hand. You won’t be able to avoid one or another.
Related Article: Reading More Than One Book At A Time: Pros and Cons To Weigh
Set A Time To Write
If you want to start writing as a hobby, you’ll first have to make it a habit. Easiest way to make it a habit is to fit it into a routine.
This is something I’ve learned from James Clear’s Atomic Habits book.
Set a designated time to write. For example, after you have your morning coffee, before doing any work at your job, take 15 minutes to journal. This is also called habit stacking (mentioned in Atomic Habits as a way to build multiple habits)
Related: 30 Note-Worthy Atomic Habits Quotes By James Clear
Try Different Types Of Writing
There are many different ways to start writing as a hobby.
Some of them are:
- Journaling (recording parts of your day in a journal, or writing about certain favourite things, feelings that arise, and more. There’s many ways to journal)
- Blog Writing (you can start a blog as a hobby and later decide if you want to make money from it)
- Social Media Content Writing (writing and posting for yourself on Instagram, Linkedin and other platforms to share your thoughts and experiences)
- Story Telling (writing a short story or a novel just because you have an idea or imagination you want to bring to live)
- Poetry Writing
There are many more types of writing you can explore when you first start treating writing as a hobby.
Take Writing Courses
Here me out, I’m not asking you to take courses to improve your writing and ultimately monetize your work.
I am asking you to be open to the idea of learning how to write from experts. You don’t need to take a course to learn something and make a monetary return from it.
You can do the course as it is, just take the knowledge and guidance from an expert to teach you how to write better because you simply enjoy writing!
Some writing courses that I’ve taken to improve my writing:
- Come Write With Us (this also comes with a facebook group, great support for writers)
- Freelance Blogging Course
- Writer’s Website In A Weekend
Join Writing Groups
Joining writing groups or following writing blogs can help you with being accountable.
You can meet writers of different backgrounds and interests which may help you grow as a writer.
Some writing groups to network with other writers:
There are many writer facebook groups. Just type in the word “writer (your country)” and you should find some writing groups based on your location.
Some of my favourite writing blogs:
Benefits Of Writing As A Hobby.
Now that you know how to start writing as a hobby, let’s take a look at some of the benefits from writing for fun/yourself.
Expands Your Vocabulary
No matter what language you write in, writing helps improve your command of the language you’re writing in.
Self-Reflection
Writing gives you the opportunity to look inwards. Journaling is a way to explore emotions within yourself that does not usually arise (or you suppress them due to painful events/not having time to acknowledge these emotions).
You Can Monetize Your Writing In The Future
While writing may just be a hobby you’re interested in starting or you’re someone who already regularly writes for the fun of it, you can monetize your writing skills in the long-run.
Writing is a skill in demand for many different types of business.
Digital marketing is soaring and content marketing is huge. Your writing that was once a hobby can be turned into a copywriting or content writing job.
Besides, being an author or poet is also something you can consider if you love creative writing.
Related: How To Become A Freelance Writer With No Experience (The Guide I Wish I Had)
Writing Can Help You Make Better Decisions
Literally, about anything.
Writing down how you feel gives you a clearer insight of the situation. When you’re caught between two options, writing down a pros and cons list will help.
This has always helped me make a satisfying decision
Final Thoughts On Writing As A Hobby
Writing is a hobby that has to be something you want to genuinely do. Not everyone can be a writer because not everyone WANTS to be a writer.
As long as you want it, you can do it.
No matter how good or poor your writing is, a hobby is a hobby and do not let the fear of not knowing if your work is good enough stop you from doing what you truly enjoy.
