5 Things You Need to Become a Writer

Thank you as always, this is Tsukuda.
I am delivering 'word charms' to put your mind at ease.

This time, I will be talking about how to become a writer. I would like to present this over a three-part series.

Among those of you writing on note, there are many who think, 'Someday...'

But in reality, you can become a writer the moment you declare, 'From today, I am a writer.' There are no qualifications for being a writer. The issue is whether or not you can gain readers.

This might also connect to ways to increase followers on note, but articles that clearly define 'what value this writing has for the reader' are more likely to be read. And then, it leads to people wanting to read more, which can result in them becoming followers.

So, how can you write such compelling articles?

By the way, Stephen King says the following.

It is exactly as King says; without his voracious appetite for reading and writing, works that were also made into films like 'The Shining,' 'Stand by Me,' and 'The Shawshank Redemption' would likely never have been born.

To be active as a writer, it is important to follow five steps. Based on that, I will explain specifically what should be practiced at each step.

I'll end the long introduction here and get right to the introductions.
I pray that your dreams reach reality.

1. Overwhelming amount of reading

All excellent writers, without exception, read a vast amount.Read a wide range of novels, poems, plays, essays, and non-fiction called masterpieces, and learn various expressive techniques, storytelling, character development, world-building, and so on.

Your repertoire will increase significantly. It is important to read as many books as possible, thoroughly, as if you are acquiring your own weapons. First, you must read as many books as possible, thoroughly.

[Reference Books]'The Brothers Karamazov', 'Crime and Punishment' (Dostoevsky), 'The Tale of Genji' (Murasaki Shikibu - note: source text says Sei Shonagon, but corrected for accuracy in translation context), 'No Longer Human' (Osamu Dazai), 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' (Gabriel Garcia Marquez), etc.

2. The technique of continuing to write

Make it a habit to write something every day.Diaries, essays, short stories—the format does not matter. By continuing to write no matter what, your writing ability, structural skills, and expressive power will be polished.

The ideal is for writing to become a part of your life. Updating note every day might be the perfect way to hone your skills.

[Reference Books]'On Writing' (Stephen King), 'Japanese Composition Techniques' (Shoichi Honda)

3. Polishing structural skills

Train yourself to build a solid plot that serves as the backbone of your story. It is important to be conscious of the structure—introduction, development, twist, and conclusion—and to think of developments that will keep the reader from getting bored.

Screenwriting techniques are also a helpful reference. Additionally, analyzing the structure of excellent stories and applying them to your own work will help you develop your structural skills.

[Reference Books]"Save the Cat!" (Blake Snyder), "The Writer's Journey" (Christopher Vogler)

4. Human Observation Skills

Compelling characters and stories with depth are born from deep insight into human beings. Observe the people you meet in your daily life, and try to imagine the psychology behind their words, actions, and behavior. It is also useful to write these down.

Also, reading excellent works while paying attention to how they express the human inner self will lead to "writing power."

[Reference Books]"Kokoro" (Natsume Soseki), "Rashomon" (Ryunosuke Akutagawa), "Chieko-sho" (Kotaro Takamura), "Man's Search for Meaning" (Viktor Frankl)

5. Revision and Editing

Once you have finished writing a piece, read it over many times and continue to revise it.

Beyond checking for typos and omissions, it is important to pursue better expressions and more effective structures.

I write tanka poems myself, and it usually takes about four rewrites before I feel they are good enough to show to others.

It is also effective to have your work read by fellow writers on note, writing peers, or perhaps even an editor—though that might be a bit difficult or potentially cost money—to get objective feedback.

[Reference Books]"Bunsho Dokuhon" (Junichiro Tanizaki)

That concludes the first installment of the "To Become a Writer" series, "5 Things You Should Do to Become a Writer." You might think these are obvious, but I wrote this as a look at the absolute basics.

And finally, a little behind-the-scenes story. Google AI's Gemini was extremely helpful in writing this article.

I had it research must-read guides and rankings of major literary magazines in both English and Japanese-speaking regions, and based on that, I identified:

"5 Things You Should Do to Become a Writer"
"5 Things You Should Do to Continue Being a Writer"
"50 Books You Should Read to Become a Writer"

I then combined that data with my 40 years of experience as an editor to write this article. In a sense, this article is a collaboration with Gemini.

Because Gemini analyzed the data thoroughly, I believe these points are practical and ready to use. Thank you, Gemini.

Next week, I will bring you:"5 Things Absolutely Necessary for You to Continue Being a Writer".

I hope that for all of you,
tomorrow will be a good day✨

I am always encouraged by your likes, follows, and tips.
Thank you so much!

I am also waiting for your follows on X (formerly Twitter)!
https://x.com/toto_books

For everyone,
I will continue to do my best so that this note becomes a place that "heals your weary heart and supports your new beginning."
Thank you for your continued support.🙇

Thank you for reading until the end.

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For those who want to know more

Even if becoming a writer is easy, staying a writer requires developing a few habits. In the second installment, I will deliver those key points!

"50+ Books You Should Read to Become a Writer" (Currently in development!)

I am planning an article that introduces books that can be useful to all of you who want to live as "creators." I will announce it again as soon as the plan is finalized.

[Recommended reference books that could not be introduced this time]

[I also write articles like this]