Once upon a time, a writer needed stacks and stacks of books if they wanted to have reference material available. These days, you can simply use internet resources to look up what you need to know.
There is really no excuse for misspellings, poorly researched articles and horrible grammar from writers on the internet.
So you’ve been practicing writing. You actually know the definition of a pronoun and an adverb and have started collecting both like stamps. You know more about your chosen topic than anyone else alive. Your quest to get paid for writing is well on its way and you are anxious to start calling yourself a professional writer.
But hang on a second…
Are you absolutely positive that people will want to read what you write? You may, indeed, be a talented writer; I do not know. But did you know that people tend to overestimate their abilities in an area? The less you know about something, the more likely it is that you’ll think you’re an expert.
Please don’t think I am trying to keep you from actually writing. Not at all! But I am saying that you should do some research first to find out if you need to improve anything.
How?
Write something short and give it to a friend to read. Give it to two friends to read. But don’t tell them that you wrote it; unfortunately, most people tend not to give honest feedback to someone they know, for fear of offending that person. If they do ask where you found it, tell them you found it on the internet somewhere. Wait for them to give some sort of feedback.
If they say it was really bad, don’t get defensive! You want real feedback, not an argument. Say something like ‘I didn’t think it was that bad. What about…’ and actually listen to what they have to say.
But what if the person says they really liked the article? Don’t pat yourself on the back just yet. Say something along the lines of ‘I didn’t think it was that good. What about…’ and see what they say. Remember to listen.
This technique may not be 100% effective, since there will always be people who love or hate your writing no matter how bad or good you are, but it should at least help you get some idea of your strong and weak points.
Emphasize your strong points, work on your weak points.
If you want to write well, you’re going to have to know what you’re talking about. The concept may seem redundant to you, but I’ve come across many sites where the writer clearly had no idea what they were doing.
This includes, yes, even writing fiction. You need to know how to put a plot together, with a beginning a climax and an ending. You should know how to write dialog so as not to confuse or bore people. You should know how to describe a setting in minute detail, so that the reader can see it.
You don’t have to do this with every single scene or you’ll bore readers. But if you don’t do it at all, you’ll bore them even more. Is the sunset ‘pretty’ or is ‘the sky aflame with a spectacular show of crimson and orange’? Using the second could be the difference between whether a reader actually feels your story or not. This is what I mean by being an ‘authority’ in writing fiction.
Non-fiction can be slightly easier, but you still must know about the topic at hand. If you love eel fishing
If you don’t have a passion for what you are writing, your readers will be able to tell and will quickly lose interest.
Before you attempt to get paid for writing, you should first make certain that you can write well. While nobody is perfect, you are your own editor now. You need to make sure that your spelling, grammar and punctuation are good enough that visitors can understand your points.
Fortunately, nearly every word processing program today includes a spell checking function. However, do not rely on this. If you use a word that is spelled similar to several other words (like veil/vale/vile), the spell checker will often suggest an incorrect word. If there is any doubt, use a dictionary. Some people prefer Dictionary.com, but I tend to prefer Answers.com.
Grammar and punctuation are a bit more difficult. If you have problems with these, you may want to consult a style manual
If you have a regular job, try to write a short story or article during your breaks or during lunch. Every day, try to pick a new topic to write about. It doesn’t matter if you don’t finish, you are getting yourself into the habit of writing.