What Is Best Type of Writing for You to Work On?

12 Basic Types of Writing

Writing is never perfect, but if there's a great topic you can write about (something useful, popular, fascinating, important, new, etc.), it helps a lot. I've discovered that often what you write about really is more important (usually) than how it's written (within reason, of course). 

That's not often the message conveyed in writing workshops, especially these days. I attended an almost unbelievably overly critical screenwriting workshop as part of a film festival. During the critique, the participants tore up a young girl’s screenplay, pointing out its endless "shortcomings." She remained silent. You’d have thought the poor girl had no chance of ever becoming a writer. After the workshop, I ran into her and we started talking. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that in fact she had already sold this very screenplay to a television network!

But the workshop participants were left with an inaccurate impression, not unlike the first two writing workshops I took with an extremely talented poet. No matter how kick-ass a poem I turned in, even when she was visibly moved by it, at best her comment would be "good start," as if I was supposed to keep perfecting it. No doubt, this was due to her own training. In retrospect, our time could have been used better by covering more ground instead of trying to perfect every piece of writing.

12 Basic Types of Writing

Different types of writing, require different skill sets. It's very helpful to know what your own strengths are, and how to best apply them. Sometimes, it's just a matter of imagining the possibilities. 

In the Far East, students are guided to select a field of study they can excel in based on their astrological charts. 

Where Mercury is (which represents writing and speaking) in your full astrological birth chart gives insight into the types of writing you can do best. People with mercury in Virgo, for instance, are very detail oriented, totally different from people with mercury in Aries or Pisces.

(You can generate a free birth chart at astro.com, where you can look at other influential factors, too, such as what house your mercury is in, and what aspects it makes to other planets to learn more.)

Mercury in Aries:
Ruled by Mars, there is great energy here, but you're a sprinter, so set your sights on short projects and be careful to finish them! Know that our communications can easily tip into aggression.

Mercury in Taurus:
Ruled by Venus, communications are friendly, balanced, good for business and management

Mercury in Gemini:
Ruled by Mercury, fun, harmonious, friendly and versatile communications 

Mercury in Cancer:
Ruled by the moon, emotionally expressive communications, nurturing, intuitive, a good memory

Mercury in the sign of Leo:
Ruled by the sun, you can shine and express leadership and authority

Mercury in the sign of Virgo:
Ruled by Mercury, this aspect bestows great intellectual and analytical powers to win debates and deal accurately with many details

Mercury in the sign of Libra:
Ruled by Venus, financial communications, diplomatic communications, as well as art, beauty, and women's issues

Mercury in the sign of Scorpio:
Ruled by Mars/Pluto, the occult, investigative journalism, uncovering secrets, the supernatural, shrewd communications 

Mercury in the sign of Sagittarius:
Ruled by Jupiter, open-minded, expressive, optimistic communications such as spirituality, counselling or teaching

Mercury in the sign of Capricorn:
Ruled by Saturn, practical, reliable, objective communication -- you thrive writing from an outline

Mercury in the sign of Aquarius:
Ruled by Saturn/Uranus, innovative, observant, unconventional, independent, and intellectual communications

Mercury in the sign of Pisces:
Ruled by Jupiter/Neptune, soulful, spiritual, intuitive, dreamy, compassionate communications


There are many niche markets, for example, writing about soccer, taking people down memory lane by writing about the music of the 70s or 80s. And new genres are emerging (such as deeply personal memoirs/ handbooks/self-help books about abortion, the supernatural, immigration, pilgrimages like the Camino de Santiago in Campostela, adventure stories of miraculously surviving catastrophic trips down the Amazon and finding God, surviving and overcoming homelessness, overcoming cancer, overcoming anxiety and depression, overcoming addiction, and transgender memoirs) all of which are very eye-opening and worthwhile to segments of the population.

Read More – Understanding Mercury In Houses…