I'm not the best writer out there. I haven't read from many great writers but there are a few I follow are quality:

• Nat Eliason's ability to research and write in depth. 
• Julian Shapiro's ability to create a reading experience. 
• Josh Spector's ability to write actionable advice without fluff. 
• Christine Trac's ability to take you on a trip with a single story and arrive at a simple yet profound insight.

When I try to write like any of them, I end up writing nothing. I just get stuck thinking that what I have isn't good enough. But when I write without trying to emulate them, there are days when I can crank out 5 blog posts.

I'm not a pro, but at least my ideas are published.

You don't have to be someone else. You are enough.

But... how do you improve if you just write as you are?

The problem with trying to emulate my writing idols is that I can't be like them immediately. Their ability overwhelms me. I've heard Josh Spector said he's been writing since 1999. Christine Trac is a professional email marketer. Julian Shapiro is an authority in writing. Nat Eliason is a prolific reader and thinker.

Me? I'm in writing infancy.

If I try to be like them I wouldn't know how to write. 

But I can absorb a little bit of my idols. 

You can't drink from a gushing hose. You'll choke.

But you can take small sips each time you write. And over a hundred articles, you'll realise you're better than you used to be and have your own unique voice.

• From Nat Eliason I learned that I need to read more to inform my opinion, so I don't write what everyone else is saying.
• From Christine Trac I learned the power of telling ordinary events as stories to set up a learning point.
• From Julian Shapiro I learned that it's possible to write and immerse your reader in the experience in the moment. Like how the world fades away while you're watching a movie.
• From Josh Spector I learned about thinking in systems and formulas so that I can teach effectively. 

I can't be fully like any one of them. I can't be a combination of all of them at once. But I can try and emulate one small manageable aspect that I enjoy each time I write.

One small step at a time will lead to a giant leap 100 essays from now.