Welcome to an exploration of The Business of Creativity!
This week, I’m diving into one of the most common questions I’ve received: How do I discover my unique strengths as a writer?
The journey to understanding your creative strengths can feel daunting, especially when you’re bombarded with advice on everything from voice to structure to trends. But the truth is, your writing strengths are already part of you—they’re just waiting to be identified, embraced, and polished. Below, we’ll go beyond basic techniques with a deeper, step-by-step approach to help you unlock the skills that make you uniquely powerful as a writer.
1. Analyze Past Work to Find Your Patterns and Preferences
Your previous writing, whether it’s published work, personal journaling, or unfinished drafts, contains invaluable clues to your strengths. Here’s how to extract these insights:
- Collect & Review: Pull together a variety of your pieces. Aim to include different genres or formats if possible—everything from formal essays to short stories or blog posts.
- Look for Themes & Styles: Identify recurring themes, types of characters, or narrative techniques. Maybe you notice that your characters often explore complex relationships, or perhaps you tend to use rich sensory details.
- Reflect on Tone and Mood: Do you naturally gravitate toward humor, suspense, or introspection? The tone and mood in your work can reveal whether you’re a natural at crafting emotional narratives, creating tension, or writing with wit.
Taking time to uncover these patterns will show you what flows naturally, offering clues to your strengths and preferred writing style.
2. Seek Thoughtful, Constructive Feedback
Outside feedback provides perspective on what others see as your strengths—often things you may overlook in your own work.
- Select Trusted Readers: Ask people who are familiar with your writing (a writer friend, editor, or trusted beta reader). Their constructive feedback will be more objective and specific.
- Ask Targeted Questions: Don’t just ask for general feedback. Instead, ask pointed questions like:
- What do you think is the strongest part of this piece?
- Is there a section that drew you in immediately?
- Do you feel a particular emotion or atmosphere in my writing?
By asking detailed questions, you can collect concrete examples of your strengths, helping you understand what readers appreciate most about your work.
3. Experiment with Genres and Styles
Exploring different genres or writing exercises can illuminate unexpected strengths. Here’s how to experiment strategically:
- Genre-Specific Exercises: Try short pieces in genres you haven’t written in before, like flash fiction for concise storytelling or poetry to work on imagery and emotion. Notice what feels easy or exciting.
- Reflect on Each Experience: After each experiment, reflect on how the process felt. Were you energized by crafting dialogue in a play format? Or did descriptive language in poetry feel especially satisfying?
Track Emotional Responses: Pay attention to whether a certain style or approach leaves you feeling proud, accomplished, or more in tune with your voice. This kind of joy is often a sign that you’re tapping into a natural strength.
4. Document and Assess Your Progress
Creating a record of your reflections will help you see patterns, especially if your strengths evolve or change with new experiences.
- Create a “Strengths Journal”: Document your reflections on each piece, experiment, and feedback session. Write down which techniques came naturally, which styles felt uncomfortable, and which compliments you consistently receive.
- Review Periodically: Every few months, revisit your journal. Are you consistently praised for the same elements? Are new strengths emerging as you try new things?
This record will give you a clear, long-term picture of your strengths and help you track your growth over time.
5. Consider Working with a Coach for Personalized Insights
If you’re feeling uncertain about your strengths, a coach can offer personalized guidance to uncover your hidden talents. Here’s how a coach can be an asset:
- Objective Perspective: A coach provides neutral, expert feedback, helping you see strengths you may have been blind to.
- Guided Exercises and Targeted Assignments: Coaches can guide you through exercises designed to reveal your natural talents, making the discovery process more effective.
- Ongoing Support and Accountability: A coach will provide structured support, helping you identify, cultivate, and refine your strengths as you continue writing.
If you’re interested, I offer a FREE discovery call to see if coaching could be a good fit for you. I’m here to support you on your journey and would love to help you uncover what makes your writing shine.
6. Above All: Trust Yourself and Embrace Evolution
Your strengths are likely to evolve as you write more and explore different themes and techniques. Embrace this evolution, and trust that your strengths will reveal themselves over time.
- Stay Open: Be open to shifts in your voice and strengths. Maybe you’re currently strong in dialogue but will discover a love for plot twists.
- Give Yourself Permission to Grow: Recognize that strengths are not static; they develop alongside your experiences and goals as a writer.
Writing strengths aren’t about perfection—they’re about alignment with who you are, how you think, and what you want to communicate.
Final Thoughts
Finding your writing strengths isn’t a one-time revelation. It’s a continuous process of exploration, reflection, and growth. By analyzing your work, seeking feedback, experimenting boldly, and documenting your journey, you’ll uncover the unique gifts that make your writing impactful and authentic.
Whether you choose to walk this journey on your own or alongside a coach, remember that your strengths are already within you, waiting to be uncovered and amplified. I’m here to support you every step of the way, and I can’t wait to see where this journey leads you.
Thank you for inspiring me to dive into this topic. Keep writing with purpose, and let your strengths guide you.
If you have any questions or specific topics you would like help exploring, email me at amber@burdhousemedia.com
We make it our mission to help writers stay in their creative space so the hard parts of writing don’t stop you from sharing your message.
Join
Work With Me
