Writing is not just a skill nowadays but it has become a full-time profession for many. People who love writing, pursue the same as their careers. So, it is not just a form of expressing something, but it is also a way to earn or make money. But, writing is not everyone’s cup of tea. Not everyone who writes is a good writer. Though, Brushing up on any skills is a good way to learn and upgrade your existing knowledge.
To become a good writer, one needs to work toward enhancing their skillset. It will take time, effort, and practice to become better at writing. And there is always learning. You can never stop learning in the field of writing. There are many varieties of options in writing, which you will want to explore and you can explore. Every day you can learn something new in writing. However, there must be a curiosity to learn.
You can’t learn anything unless you don’t want to learn it
11 Different Ways To Improve Your Writing Skills In English
- Keep on writing
Write every single day and write even if it doesn’t make any sense. Writing is a continuous process. You can’t just write one day and not write for another few days. It doesn’t work this way. Write incomplete sentences, incomplete stories, or even half quotes. Just pen it down. However, you have to complete it someday when you feel like completing it. Someday, you will write half word, and other days you will write a full sentence. Hence, it is just a matter of time and your mind.
2. Reading and research
Reading is a vital part of improving writing skills. Read novels: fictional or non-fictional. It is recommended to read as it helps in writing better. We learn to structure our sentences properly and we learn how to write efficiently. Further, whenever you write on a topic, do a bit of research. Search relevant content similar to your topic. Now, read the content and understand how you have to write, and what you have to cover.
3. Observation and Imagination
Observe things around you. It helps in writing things. Most fictional novels are based on observation. Observation helps in building a story from what we see around us. Not everyone writes from their experiences. Some people wonder and write it. Imagine a scenario. For instance, imagine what your protagonist will look like, what will he do, where will be located, etc. Have you noticed, that when we read, we imagine whatever the writer wrote in the story? So, this is the way you need to write.
4. Proofreading and editing
Proofreading after you are done writing will help you find your mistakes and correct them. Use tools like Grammarly to proofread your content from any grammatical errors. No one likes to read any document with errors. Edit your content if you don’t think it is up to the mark. In addition, rewrite it as long as it becomes good enough to share or publish. Also, try using different fonts and font sizes to edit it effectively. You can also try using text-to-speech on your laptop or phone to proofread content as we are not so fond of editing or content.
5. Use simple language
Don’t try to add big words to your writing. Writing must be simply put into words so that audience can understand it. Your message must be clear, not complicated. However, for that to happen you must use simple yet effective words. For instance, go for the words which are used on daily basis. You must use layman’s language which everyone can understand.
6. Never stop learning
Learning is a continuous process. A teacher, as well as a student, learns every single day when they read books or do their research. You should not and you cannot stop learning if you want to grow in life and in your career. Moreover, writing is also a continuous process.
7. Attend workshops
To improve any skill, you need to learn. In order to learn, you need to attend workshops, and sessions, take up a short-term course online, see what experts have to say on writing, and improve your skill. Look for online or offline workshops and attend them. Various sites provide sessions on writing. Therefore, Keep Googling.
8. Write as you are a reader
Write from the perspective of your readers. Think it this way, you have to retain the attention of your readers. You want them to connect to your piece. But for this, you need to write as if you are going to read it. What all do you want to read on the topic? What is relevant for you? Should you use complex terms? Ask yourself such questions.
9. Read it out loud
Reading whatever you wrote can make your brain understand how it is going to look once it is published. As mentioned above, try text-to-speech. Just like you hear the music, hear your own words in someones else’s voice and understand if it does make any sense or not.
10. Outline
Make an outline or a rough draft of what your writing would look like and what will it include. Create structure adding your headings, sub-headings, etc. Jot down points that you will include in your piece. Many times we can’t remember what we wanted to write and what we wanted to include. So, therefore, write down whatever comes to your mind about your topic and try to include that later when you write. Use sticky notes if you need them.
11. Paraphrase
Never copy anything. Read. But don’t copy whatever someone wrote. Copy the idea and write it in your own language (not the case with the stories). Rewrite the line you liked. Paraphrase it. Or you can give them credits or hyperlinks.
Also Read: List Of All Poems/Poetry by Pooja Chandak
Conclusion
In conclusion, no one can really teach you writing, if you don’t desire to. You must willing to do so. You have to dedicate time to writing and you have to actually sit down and write. It is not necessary that you write it on paper. You can write it on your phones or laptops. Remember, practice makes it better. Thus, write, read, read it out loud, proofread it, edit it, and so on. At last, don’t leave your readers mid-way lingering and searching for answers.
Pooja Chandak is an avid reader and an experienced content writer. Apart from blogs, she writes quotes and poems. She started writing when she was in school. Pooja currently works as a Content Development Executive for a Mumbai-based company.