9 Things Great Writers Do Every Day [Part 2]
Written by Neil Patel | @neilpatel

You’re a writer, a content creator. People expect you to churn out really good, really engaging, and really awesome content.

What they don’t realize is that it takes some serious effort to create great stuff. That article that is so easy for them to read is actually really difficult for you to write.

Thankfully, through the sheer power of habits, you can get to the point where creating awesome content comes naturally. Habits have the uncanny ability to stick with you. They’re a pain to implement, but they flow effortlessly after that. In the interest of making your tough job a little bit easier, here are a few daily habits that will make your content much better.

Remember, these are daily habits. Skip the weekend if you want, but be sure to put these into practice during the days that you’re expected to produce content.
6) Force yourself to talk to someone.
Talking is different from writing. But talking can help you become a better writer, too.

If you want to write better, then talk better. You can’t improve your talking skills by staying silent all day.

If you work by yourself, call up a friend. If you work in an office, shoot the breeze over lunch or coffee. Just pick someone, and be conversational. Using your writing skills to some verbal interchange will actually help your writing become better.

7) Go for a walk.
Science has proven that taking a walk helps us think better. Some even say that it makes us smarter.

Let’s face it. Writing is a mental challenge. You must be in keen mental shape to be able to produce the kind of stuff that you’re producing.

So, if you want to sharpen your mind, then get out of your chair, head for the door, and don’t come back for at least 10 minutes. This isn't a brainstorming walk. You don’t have to think about anything, let alone your subject matter. Instead, you just move your body, and your mind will take care of the rest.

Write fast.
It may sound strange, but some of my best content is stuff that I wrote really fast.

Obviously, it had tons of typos and grammar errors, but overall, the content itself was pretty darn good.

I’ve recently discovered the reason for this. The mind can generate thoughts way faster than the hands can type them. If, however, you’re able to type faster, you're able to transcribe more of those thoughts, along with extra nuance and clarity.

Your fingers will never be able to match the speed at which you think, but when you do produce content rapidly, it has a much better chance of aligning with what you’re thinking.

I’ve met people who say “Oh I can’t write. It just comes so slow!” Actually, I bet they could write, if only they type it out faster.

You don’t have to turn on your supersonic speed all the time, but it’s helpful to get in the habit of writing fast.

Write fast. Edit slow.

9) Google any grammar questions.
An important part of writing is the mechanical stuff -- making sure you’re not breaking any grammar laws or violating any rules.

(A few well-intentioned rule breaking is okay, but if you’re being sloppy, that’s just bad form.)

If you come up against a grammar issue while you’re writing, do a quick Google search on it. It will only take a few minutes, but you’ll definitely learn something and possibly avoid an embarrassing mistake. Get into the habit of double-checking your grammar, even if you’re only slightly suspicious of your potential mistake.

Conclusion
Stay positive. Nobody becomes a better writer automatically. It takes months, even years, to form habits. But once those habits are in place, things can flow without any thought and hardly any effort. Before you know it, your writing is improving exponentially.

What things do you do to become a better writer?