Essentialism for Writers

The creative work of writing often requires writers to focus on numerous aspects of the job at once. From developing a daily writing habit to honing your voice, identifying your audience, executing a marketing strategy, and connecting with publishers . . . it can feel overwhelming, especially for writers who are new to publishing their work.

One of the keys to success as a writer can be found in applying the principles of essentialism, a word coined by Greg McKeown, the bestselling author of Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less. 

 

What is essentialism?

Greg defines essentialism for hope*writers, saying, “For so many of us, modern life produces the undisciplined pursuit of more . . . Essentialism is the disciplined pursuit of less, but better.” 

How does this apply to writers? At hope*writers, we believe essentialism means doing the right things in the right order.

Why does it matter?

Every writer is at a different stage of their development, and what is essential for one writer may not be essential for another. We know that multitasking in our daily lives doesn’t work, but sometimes we forget that it doesn’t work in our writing lives either.

If you’re a writer who wants to pursue writing as a career or build a significant readership, then you’ll need to develop habits and writing rhythms that support your goals as a writer. It’s easy to become sidetracked and make decisions based on what other writers are doing, or based on the latest writing tips found in a Google search.

Your path is unique to your stage of writing. There are essential skills you’ll need to develop at each stage before taking on the tasks of the next one. 

 

What’s essential to you?

Great question! At hope*writers, we’re here to help you discover the answer. We created a six-stage path to help writers determine what is essential at their current stage of development as a writer. 

We walk writers through the process of developing a daily habit of writing, uncovering their unique voice, identifying their ideal reader, honing their message for their specific audience, and developing know-how when they decide to pursue publishing. 

At hope*writers, we believe in focusing on the essential tasks for your current stage of writing so that you find a healthy balance between the art of writing and the business of publishing.  

In addition to the hope*writer path, we regularly invite authors and publishing industry experts to teach our members live every Tuesday. In our conversation with the ultimate essentialist, Greg McKeown, he shared his expert thoughts on what it means to be both a writer and an essentialist.

Greg tells hope*writers, “The idea of an essentialist is that you keep coming back to what’s essential even though what is essential can alter, improve, and adapt over time.”

We're here to help you determine what's essential to you at every stage.

 

If you’re a writer struggling to do the right things in the right order, our interview with Greg McKeown offers the best advice for writers from the essentialism expert himself. Click here to watch the entire interview and take your next step towards balancing the art of writing with the business of publishing.





 
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