Today, the internet is flooded with tips as well as the ways to improve writing skills. Having so much information is definitely overwhelming, but it also makes it difficult for a person to decide which one to follow. The very first dilemma that one comes across is to know ‘where to start,’ and the list goes long. Well, if you are also wondering how to improve your writing skills, we bring you the 5 useful ways to do it in 2019. Let us have a look at them in details:
Practice, practice and practice writing:
It is said, ‘practice makes a man perfect,’ and how true is that. Deliberately practicing writing will help to accelerate your writing skills. Remember, the more you write, the better you will get at it. To improve your skills, first of all, try to understand what is it that weakens this ability. Once you can identify the gaps, then set a goal to fix the issues. You might need to refer other authors’ work, take guidance from their write-ups as well as writing techniques, etc. Practice all of that and pen down again. Compare your writing and develop a growing mindset. Repeat this until you can see the improvement. Being in the comfort zone won’t let you rise above your shortcomings. Get out of your comfort zone and work hard to improve your skills.
Create an Outline:
Create a proper outline of your work. First, determine the purpose of your writing and then create a structure for the same. Getting the appropriate flow throughout your work is the most essential part of any good piece of content. Ask yourself questions like what is it that I am writing about? Who is my target audience? What specific result am I planning to achieve? Before you actually sit down to note the points, have a clear purpose, and then stick to the same. Put yourself into your readers’ shoes and anticipate their questions. If you believe your words can convey the message you are trying to give, go ahead or work on the outline first and then proceed accordingly. For impeccable writing quality, you can even opt for affordable Canadian writing services.
Follow writing Ethics:
Like everything else, even writing also have certain principles and ethics, following which you can convert an average piece of content into a professionally written work. The very first thing in this aspect is to avoid filler words and phrases completely.
Another thing to avoid is ‘dead words.’ Dead words are words like very, a lot, etc. that are generally used with adverbs or adjectives. You can use them once in a while, but utilizing them frequently shows a poor choice of words worsening the quality of your write-up.
Another tip is to use simple words in a direct tone. You need to understand the difference between a rich-vocabulary article and the one that is just bombarded with difficult-to-understand words just to show off.
Mind the length of your sentences. There is no point writing super long ones using conjunctions or commas more than required.
Last but not least, read out loud your words. Most of the times, we read what is there in our head and not what is written in front of us. Reading enables a person to catch his mistakes or errors while writing.
Invest in an Editing Tool:
Editing is a tough task for beginners as they invest a lot of time in writing. Then editing is like making an extra effort for them. However, they fail to understand that screening your work with a cold eye is crucial to ensure you hear the least critics out there. There is nothing more harmful than your readers catching out those grammatical errors or pointing out the redundant phrases in your content. Invest in some editing tool like Grammarly to edit all your work online. It will not only help track your errors but will also aid in receiving a higher grade.
Moreover, editing is not always about detesting those errors. It is also about knowing what to eliminate or delete. Delete what seems to be useless so that what you are left with is a substantial piece. Accept the fact that the first draft is never the final and that’s OK if the quality or wording is not 100% perfect. It happens with the best of the authors too. Writing is not a one-time process, it’s somewhat iterative, and all the authors spend time to rework their own work before making the public see it.
Remember, Doing is better than Perfection:
Undoubtedly, you should take proper time in creating your piece of work and pay close attention to details. Proofreading and editing thoroughly are crucial to ensure that the content flows logically from one point to another. However, that doesn’t mean you should keep working on the same piece of writing for months. No paper is ever perfect, and you should know when it is the time to take a pause and label it as ‘final.’ Slowly and gradually as you become more confident in your writing, your skills will improve with a faster turnaround. Always remember that though the quality of the write-up is very important, you cannot just ignore the deadlines.
So, these were a few tips and tricks that can help you weave a masterpiece. Don’t be disheartened if you don’t get it right the first time. Remember that Rome wasn’t built in a day, and every good thing takes time to develop. We are pretty sure that with the guidelines mentioned above, you will improve your writing skills.