Whether you are looking to be the next J.K Rowling, run a top-notch blog that everybody wants to read or just want to pass a writing essay due next week, having the right writing skills is the most fundamental first step towards being an impeccably good writer.Some people were born natural writers while others have to struggle to get their writing skills on their fingertips. Either way, we all need a little training to help us tremendously improve our writing.
With content marketing taking over the online market, writing is turning out to be one of the most fundamental skills every marketer should have. But it is not just enough to know how to write. Knowing what to write, when to write and who to write for are some of the things you should keep in mind to be the kind of a writer that every reader is looking for.
Though not guaranteed to design a writing guru out of a green you, the following tips, when followed to the latest can help you improve your writings tremendously. I did my research and came up with the best tricks for improving writing skills. I have personally tested almost all of these tips, I still use them and I can therefore comfortably guarantee that they are the best for beginning writers. Let’s get you learning...
- Be an active reader
To be a good writer, you got to be a reader- a really good reader- too bad there seems to be no short cut around it. The best writers ever known are actually the best readers ever known. Reading is fundamental to develop your writing creativity and also help you sharpen on your grammar, spelling and other writing errors. You get to know your favorite writers through their writing and in the process you try to be like them. Though I suggest you try being better than them.
Do not just read for the sake of it. Try taking note of different writing styles from different authors. Try finding out what makes them stand out from the crowd. What they are doing differently and what they are not doing that you think they should be doing. Collect as many ideas as possible and work towards improving them- not copying them!!
Sometimes it is good not to always read for the sake of learning a new vocabulary. Reading for fun is also good. You will unconsciously develop a writer within you and before you know, you will be what you exactly admire to be- a good writer.
2 . Let others read and edit your work
Sure you can write and edit your own work. Many writers are not in good terms with the thought of having their work being edited by others. I mean, your sexiest sentences being scrapped off, favorite quotes deemed unnecessary- it can be disappointing. But trust me, you cannot see all the errors on your own. Other people will be able to see errors that may escape you attention. If you wrote the article yourself then you won’t be very keen on words and small errors while editing because you already know what the word or phrase is supposed to be and you may ignorantly pass it without noticing the errors.
You don’t have to hook up with professional editors. Friends and family members will just be fine. Only you need to be open minded, accept corrections and work on perfecting them.
Hiring editors can also be a great option if you are really into professional writing. Look for a good and understanding editor- some are merely harsh critics- and let them have a look at your work.
3. Attend writing workshops
Attending writing seminars or workshops can be a great way not only to develop your writing skills but also to develop the necessary passion for writing. Writing workshops are wildly on the rise. With market professionals and company owners discovering the power of content marketing, every one of them is working towards developing the right skills to adapt o the new market trend and the best option to achieving this is attending numerous workshops and seminars. Writers are always organizing this kinds of events and you are always welcome to attend. There is a lot to learn there. You always get the chance of meeting other professional writers, have a chat and in the process they might rub some inspiring stuff on you. Be active and you won’t come back like you went.
4. Join some of the many online writing forums
If you are the lazy or too busy type who does not have time for workshops or seminars, online writing forums can be a great option. All you have to do is join the forum, then a whole community of passionate writers will be right there on your mobile device or laptop ready to help you become a better writer. There are millions of writing forums online and you can’t miss out on one that satisfy your needs. To benefit most from the forums, you need to be an active member, posting discussions and commenting on other people’s posts. Ask as much questions as you feel right because that is precisely why forums are there in the first place.
5. Edit your work as if you hate it
Well, maybe hate is a bit too harsh- I couldn’t find a more descriptive word. But look at it this way- you need to be your own worst critic. You are not perfect as a writer and anything that does not make sense in the writing is better considered crap. If you are not going to edit your work with a more critical that passionate attitude, you might just end up not doing any editing at all. People look for information.- good information. Not exactly good quotes or phrases. Remove anything that does not make sense. Filler words should be avoided like contagious maladies. They will only make your work longer and boring to read.
6. Stand out, don’t be like everybody
Many writers prefer to follow the traditions, styles and rules that have long been set by other writers. They fear doing things differently because they think they cannot stand criticism that often come with new ideas and inventions. Come up with your own unique styles- good unique styles not crappy unique styles. If you think you have just found a new way to share information in writing, do not be afraid to be the first one to implement it- that’s how legacies are made dude. Share your new ideas, opinions or styles with others and develop an open mind. Being like everybody means you are doing the same boring stuff people have been doing for ages. And if you are not a household name already, nobody might notice your work- because it is what they are already used to, what they have been reading ever since reading began. So if you wanna be noticed, to things differently- stand out from the attention seeking crowd and let readers point you out.
7. Criticism means your work is getting some attention.
Writers are probably the most criticized people. But this does not mean that writing is a no go zone for new talents. Criticism does not necessarily mean that you are doing the wrong thing. Sometimes it might mean that someone is feeling threatened and is trying to bring you down. Many critics will jump on the slightest opportunity to pull you down, and if you are not that firm, you might just come down. Do not give too much attention to negative criticism. All good stuff drag enemies along with them. The best you can do is shrug the crap off and move on.
Critics do not attack people who are doing the same things that everyone else there is doing- they have already probably criticized . So if someone criticizes you, it is because you did something new, so instead of giving in you need to press on and sooner that you know, the same critics will turn back to be the ones praising you.
8. Do your research
There is not a smart short cut to being a good writer. You need to do your homework boy. If you are looking to be a professional writer, then research is what you should be doing more than anything else. Many good writers do their research well. Jumping into random and sketchy facts is the perfect way to get jumped over by readers. But you have to be cautious when it comes to researching. A research that is clumsily done might as well turn out to be plagiarism. Research does not necessarily mean you have to copy what others are already doing. Remember you got to be unique. Actually research means looking at what others are already doing and looking for ways to do it differently. Look at what is making your favorite writers flourish and work at not copying exactly that but rather improving it- now that is research.
9. Write an outline.
An outline is like a writing map. Good writers love outlines. So next time before you start writing anything, take a pen and a blank paper and start outlining your work- what you want to write and how you intend to write it. Do not be rigid. An outline is supposed to open your mind to more ideas. Do not make it complex like some algorithm- it’s not worth it. A good outline will not only save your writing time, but will also make your ideas flow smoothly and easy to understand.
Basically an outline should be a rough sketch of how you want your work to flow. Try to think of how you want your chapters to be, the sections in each chapter, what should be contained in each chapter. Write few descriptive sentences of what each chapter or section is about. And for easiness sake, try making it as simple as you can.
10. Procrastination is your worst setback
Good writers are not made out of wishes, admiration or endless planning. Good writers are made by starting to write. So if you want to be a good writer, stop thinking about it, stop wishing and stop trying to look for the right time. Right time might as well be forever. There is no a right time to start writing. Start right now!! And the moment you start, try not to look back. Do not try finding bogus reasons why you should stop, or give yourself more time to gather ideas. The more you think about it, the more you get convinced that writing is not what you should be going for and the further you wander away from your writing career. Start right now and do not stop!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment