Why Many Writers Struggle to Improve

The race for attention is fierce. Merely being a decent writer won't suffice; you must cultivate exceptional writing skills. But how does one become proficient?

If you observe closely, a common theme emerges across various fields. Over my 30 years of coaching, I’ve seen a harsh truth: most individuals fail to act on what they learn. If you were to ask a colleague for three specific ways they’ve improved after taking a course, 95% would struggle to provide an answer.

The issue isn't a lack of knowledge.

Upon enrolling in my first writing course, I joined a Discord learning group, completed the first module, and shared my insights. While I received positive feedback, few participants shared their own learnings, and many didn’t even finish the course.

We often underestimate the difficulty of skill enhancement. There’s an innate resistance to mastering new skills. The thrill of learning new concepts provides a dopamine rush, but this can backfire—once you receive that reward, motivation to take further action diminishes.

Curiously, guess how much dopamine you earn from applying what you’ve learned?

Zero.

Skill development doesn’t yield immediate gratification—only the discomfort of hard work. This explains why you enjoy reading writing tips but feel your energy drain when you think about putting them into practice. Many give up, but if you can discover a way to improve, you can unlock the growth you crave.

The Simplest Path to Improvement

The encouraging news is that anyone can become an excellent writer.

I’m living proof. I transformed from an unreadable writer to one who receives feedback like this:

This change occurred when I adopted the 1% rule—a remarkably simple approach to enhance your writing.

Consider this: if you start with $1 and it grows by 1% each day, what will you have after one year?

You might instinctively calculate 0.01 × 365 = $3.65. However, the actual total is $37.

This astonishing growth results from compounding—gaining 1% on your previous gains. You can leverage this principle to become an outstanding writer with minimal effort.

If you improve just 1% each day, you’ll be 37 times better by year’s end. Keep this up for 30 years, and the results will be astronomical.

Here’s how to achieve that 1% improvement:

1. Identify a small idea.
2. Display it where you can see it.
3. Implement that idea every time you write.
4. After a month, introduce a new idea and repeat.

Commit to this for a year, and you’ll emerge as a remarkable writer.

For instance, I recently learned that readers are particularly drawn to metaphors. Every time I incorporate one, I receive a flood of comments.

Consider these two sentences:

• When I began writing, my words had little impact.
• When I started, my words were as impactful as a feather landing on a frozen lake.

The latter vividly engages the imagination—a simple yet effective technique.

Make it a point to include one metaphor in each piece you write; this is my 1% focus for this month. I have a Post-it note on my desk to remind me daily. Next month, I’ll adopt another technique.

The 1% rule is transformational. Improvements multiply rather than simply add together. Ten 1% enhancements don't equal 10%—it’s actually 1% x 1% x 1%... This process can turn you into a skilled writer through a series of minor enhancements, and anyone can undertake this journey.

Embracing the 1% rule ensures that greatness is inevitable over time.

You don’t need sweeping changes—small, incremental improvements yield tremendous rewards. And remember, most people won’t take this approach, which gives you an edge.

I’ve gained 12,000 followers in just eight months, earning $1,200 per month. If you’re interested in my five-step writing system, join 1,907 other writers by signing up for my free course:

Free Email Course

Invest just three minutes a day to equip yourself with the tools necessary to become a captivating writer and elevate your craft.

www.derekhughes.biz