I surprised myself recently when a stranger asked me what I do and I heard the words “I’m a writer” come out of my mouth.

I had never summed myself up in those words before and it felt good to say. The only reason I did is because I’ve been doing this writing gig. But even if I wasn’t writing for publications, I hope I would have realized that I’m still a writer, simply because I love to write.
I recently read a great little article by James Altucher entitled “33 tips to be a better writer,” so here are some of them. If you’re a writer too maybe some will grab you. And if you’ve never considered yourself a writer but love to write, maybe you’ll shift your thinking a little. I’ve added my thoughts after each.
Write whatever you want. Nothing is off limits. Let go of ‘what’s proper.’
Bleed in the first line. Writing should grab people by the heart.
Don’t ask for permission. Leave out ‘in my opinion.’ Just say what you want to say.
Write a lot. Writing is like exercise—daily or at least a few times a week is the goal.
Read a lot. Expose yourself to great writing. Be a fixture at the library.
Don’t be afraid of what people think. If you feel it, write it. There are bound to be others that feel the same. Connect with those people through words.
Be opinionated. Have strong feelings on at least a couple of subjects.
Risk. When you put your strong opinions out there, you’ll open yourself up to criticism and sometimes that’s hard, but ultimately that is the best thing about writing—evoking emotions in people.
Take what everyone else thinks and explore the opposite. Question the status quo—I love to do this.
Paint. Or draw. Explore other artistic endeavors. Since I love hoopdance, that is what I often do.
Let it sleep. Come back to it. Tweak it.
Coffee. Lots of coffee.

See full article here.