How To Know, Become And Stay A Social Writer For Life?
The Soul vs Social Writer Series - Part 5
In my previous essay, we discussed who a Social Writer is and why you should be one. In this essay, we will discuss how to know you are a Social Writer, become one and stay one for life.
How To Know You Are A Social Writer?
Are you an expert in some field, with years of experience, knowledge and value to share with others?
Are you a teacher of some subject, looking for a way to help more students?
Are you a professional who wants to show others how it is not as complicated as it looks and how it works?
Are you a person who has cracked a code or solved a problem in their own life and now wants to share your findings with others?
Are you passionate about some aspect of human life and can't wait to share it with others?
Then you are a Social Writer.
Unlike Soul Writer, the thought of writing as a profession grows on you. It may not have been on your to-do list when you first started out, but you knew it was possible in the future.
If you reread the above examples, you'll realise that Social Writers are problem solvers. You may have got an education in a particular line - let's say, Mathematics - you know the ins and outs of it and are helping others understand the subject. Or you faced a problem in your life, researched the heck out of it, trialled and tested it for yourself, figured out the golden solution for you, and are now sharing it with others. I fall under this example.
When I started learning about Writing, all the information I was getting was about how to write a novel, character, scene, plot, etc. I tried to use these findings to help me write my novel, but it didn't work out. It took me years to realise that I didn't need a class about how to write. Instead, I needed help and guidance on how to become a writer. Once you crack the code of who you are as a writer and what your process looks like, then what you should write about and how to write becomes easy questions to solve. And now, through essays like this, I am sharing what I am learning.
As a Social Writer, your audience and the market are important. You need them as much as they need you. There are always problems to solve, and there are many areas of life we need help in. So technically, you are never without an audience. They made rotate, with old ones going out and new ones coming in, but you always have someone to help.
You should also know that no matter how niche or off-beat your field is, you have an audience and a market. How is that so? Because you are one of the members of that market.
Like in my case, more people are looking for how to write a book than how to become a writer. I thought I was the only one asking this question. But when I started looking for my "how to become a writer" question, I found out that not only are there people in the same boat with me, but some of them are even a century old.
Since you are a Social Writer, you are more on the extroverted side of human personality. Having conversations with others comes effortlessly to you. Chances are you are also or can be a speaker. And social media comes in handy in your spreading the message.
How To Become A Social Writer?
Becoming a Social Writer is a path you can direct. Which means you can create a map to follow.
There are two places to start with - your interests or your pain.
With your interests, you need to dive deep into researching, analysing, and making notes about the things that excite you. And then you get to share this excitement with others.
With your pain, again, you need to dive deep into researching, analysing, and making notes about what's irritating you and needs solving. Once you find your solution, you can share it with others who can try it.
Deep diving into a subject is essential.
You need to understand the subject as much as possible before sharing your thoughts with others. You don't want to share half-baked knowledge and be looked at as a fake.
This is also the time to put your people skills to use.
You can't do the above two steps and hope your findings reach the masses. It would be best if you got it to the masses. Find your sweet spot of social interaction - offline and online - and get the word out.
How To Stay A Social Writer?
Continuing with the above points, there are four more things you need to keep in mind to stay a Social Writer for life.
Keep updating your knowledge.
Always keep in touch with what's happening in your industry - read new books, watch new interviews and documentaries, and conduct research wherever required. You don't want to sell outdated and unhelpful information to your readers.
Keep an eye on the market.
Every day you wake up, and the market changes. A new trend will pop up. Further new research will come out. People will change their tastes and/or mode of digesting information. Keep an eye on that. You don't need to jump on every new thing, but know what's happening and choose wisely what fits you.
Don't let social media hijack your life and career.
If using social media, know it's more fickle-minded than the market. It keeps changing policies and algorithms at the drop of a hat. Don't let that get to your head. Again, see what's out there and pick what sits well with you.
Stay in touch with your readers.
Interact with them. Acknowledge them. Ask them what more help they need. Celebrate their wins. Encourage them to keep going. Let them know that you hear them and see them.
The Soul vs Social Writer Series -
Which Kind Of Writer Are You? - A Soul Writer Or A Social Writer?
What Does It Mean To Be A Soul Writer?
How To Know, Become And Stay A Soul Writer?
What Does It Mean To Be A Social Writer?