How to Become a Writer – Paul Hook

3rd Feb 2023

How to Become a Writer

You can view more of Paul’s work here. 

So, you want to become a writer. Congratulations on the first step to fulfilling a lifelong dream.

I know it may seem daunting, but trust me – anyone who has a little bit of drive, dedication and the will to seem something through to the end, can do it.

In this lesson, I’ll tell you a little about myself and then give you the first tip to becoming a full-fledged writer.

Who is Paul Hook?

My name is Paul and I’m an indie writer. I’ve been writing for about 10 years, but really hit my stride two years ago. Because I have a full-time job, I carve out blocks of time to write and do all of the other things – social media, learning, editing, and marketing.

In 2020, I published my first book – The Island of Rubies – which is for sale on Amazon. I’m an indie or independent author, meaning that I do not have ties to a literary agency or publishing house. I have to do everything on my own, from writing the first word of a novel, to ensuring that the format looks great, to getting the word out to the world that my book has been published.

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. You haven’t even started yet. Here is Tip #1

Start Writing

I know it may sound simple, but the art of writing is exactly that, an art form. Some people write gripping thrillers, others write DIY manuals on computer coding. Bookstores are filled with tens, hundreds of different genres of writing. What all of the authors have in common is that they put pen to paper or finger to keyboard. If you don’t like typing, you can even use a great App on Android or IOS that does speech to text. The options are endless.

So, write. 

Set a Small Goal

You don’t know where you are going unless you follow a route. So, set a small goal – 500 words or 1,000 words. Or maybe you want to set a time – 15, 30 or 60 minutes. 

And that’s it, it is literally that easy. Authors – whether they write short stories, novels, series or blogs – all set goals for themselves. Achievable ones that they can then follow up on. So, what are you waiting for? Stop listening to me and get started on your first story. 

Once you’ve achieved your goal, come back for Tip #2!

Read Paul’s second tip!