JD Salinger was a very private person, who tended to express his thoughts and emotions like all other writers do: through writing. Can you imagine the struggles of a half-Jewish man fighting in World War II? It’s no wonder why Salinger was so disappointed in humanity that he withdrew from the public eye when Catcher in the Rye achieved success immediately upon publication.
If we dig into history, we will find many other examples of introverted writers, who felt persecuted by their own popularity. Privacy gives us a sense of focus and strength. When we want to write, we withdraw. The present writer, however, is very different from the classical type. Hey, Sir Salman Rushdie even tweeted a (not so glorious) poem about Kim Kardashian.
Writers are getting in front of their audience in a way that history has never seen. Your privacy is affected, but the connection with readers becomes deeper and more meaningful. “One time I came to a party and saw Salman Rushdie hugging Stephen King. That awesomeness was the party. So I went home,” that tweet paints a clear picture: writers are becoming more popular than ever.
Modern writers are no longer loners. They are leaders who have enough authority to influence people’s opinions about the most random things. They are becoming gurus.
Every writer wants to achieve that status, but there’s a problem: the competition is enormous! It seems like everyone is blogging, tweeting, and connecting through Instagram. How does one stand out in that crowd?
Practical Tips: How to Become a Guru Writer
From today’s perspective, a guru is an influential person whose advice and opinions people respect. To achieve such popularity, a writer must concentrate primarily on his own work and take into account the advice of professional writers. When he has a good foundation in publishing, he can begin to attract a following and raise awareness for causes that matter to him. At that point, you can follow these tips that will make you a guru:
1. Think outside the box!
Your activity on social networks must be marked by creativity. Gary Shteyngart and Joe Dunthorne shine on Twitter, so they’re good role models. Each of her posts elicits some kind of reaction: laughter, affirmation, criticism, anger, or interest from the mother to click on a link. That’s how powerful creative tweets are.
2. Beware of modern trends and novelties
How about you express your opinions on the presidential election? The audience is waiting to see what influencers think about these topics, so you should get involved in the trends. After all, a guru’s goal is to share opinions and ideas that guide people’s reasoning toward a better place. That’s why social media is a great place to share your reactions to current events.
3. Share valuable life experiences
When you respect a writer and find them on social media, you hope it will reveal a more private side of them. You take a look at his personal opinions and struggle through his work, but now you expect something more precise. Bill Bryson is a travel writer, so sharing experiences is his job, but we can all follow his example: travel, see more of this world and bring new destinations closer to our readers.
4. One word: clarity!
There is no place for incomprehensible status updates on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks. If you need to express yourself through a longer text, make sure the sentences are short and sweet; just the way the online audience likes them. Hemingway is the gold standard of style that modern readers like, so try to keep that clarity when communicating with your audience. Hemingway Editor is a tool that you may find useful for that purpose.
Despite the huge competition that modern writers face, there is still a way for them to become true gurus. The good thing about today’s reading market is that there is an audience for all authors. All you need to do is find your target readers in the online world and show them your true personality. The simple tips you just read will help you become the writer every reader wants to follow.
