Saturday, May 6, 2023

TIPS REPORT 47: BECOMING A BETTER WRITER

This report includes nine powerful tips and three actionable steps you can take right away. It also includes a list of suggested readings for those who are looking for even more information. 


This article is from a Series of 52 tips Report on the subject of self improvement. If you want to receive a file with all 52 Reports at once, you can subscribe to my e-mail list.

TOP TIPS

The Internet and remote working situations showcase the need for better writing skills in the workplace. Companies conduct different business matters via email, while authors and online entrepreneurs put content out on the web. We all need strong writing skills to communicate our messages effectively. Whether you email clients and co-workers daily or dream of writing the next New York Times bestseller, becoming a better writer is possible with the following tips.

 

1. Write Daily

Writing is a skill. You might think of it like a muscle. Strong muscles require exercise, and strong writing requires daily practice. Consider setting aside time each day, say 30 minutes, and dedicate it to writing down your thoughts in a journal or drafting a professional blog post. The more you do it, the easier it becomes.

 

2. Read Daily

Reading what others have written expands your vocabulary and thoughts. You gain new perspectives that can enhance your writing. Read everything you can, even the hard stuff. Your brain is a muscle that will relish in the time you spend feeding it new ideas.

 

3. Develop a Writing Routine

Find the time of day that works best for you and make it a routine. For example, if you are an early bird, choose to write early in the morning before others awake and cause distractions. Night owls may prefer to write after the house quiets down.

 

4. Eliminate (or Reduce) Distractions

You may sit at your laptop, but distractions will quickly sway you from the task at hand. Turn off your phone, shut down all programs on your computer except for your chosen writing program, and eliminate as many distractions as you can. Then, you can work without interruption and make the most of your time.

 

5. Study Other Writers

Besides reading other writers and soaking in their thoughts, you can slow down and study how they put certain sentences together. For example, you could print out a blog post or article you resonate with and take a red pen to it. Look for those sentences or phrases that stand out. Study their techniques.

 

6. Utilize Outlines

You do not have to dredge up horrific memories of high school English and outlining your term paper. Instead, please keep it simple. Write out the basic plan with sections and one or two sentences describing what you want to cover in each. That’s it. Easy and Simple.

 

7. Revise, Revise, Revise

Daily writing is great. Ruthless revising is better. Remember that your first draft will not be perfect. To ensure ideas come across clearly and proper grammar and punctuation are used, determine to edit and revise your work with a stern eye for errors. You will find that the more you revise, the better writer you become as you learn from your mistakes.

 

8. Read Your Writing Out Loud

It may seem odd, but you slow down enough to catch misspellings, typos, and poor phrasing when you read aloud. If you shrink at this idea, ask a friend, co-worker, or family member to read your writing. A third party can point out things you may have missed.

 

9. Brush Up on the Basics

Most of us probably hated grammar in school. However, excellent writing depends on good grammar skills. It is a good idea to brush up on capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. Review sentence structures and learn to use concise language. Poor grammar can distract your readers instead of making your writing stand out.

 

FAST-ACTION STEPS

 

a) Choose a time of day that works best for writing and schedule it on your calendar. By making an appointment with yourself, you are sending your brain signals that this is important.

 

b) Pick a book and dedicate 10-20 minutes a day to reading. The goal is to broaden your horizons with great literature and other pieces that stretch you.

 

c) Do the work. Gathering ideas is good, but putting them into practice is better. So, grab your computer or go old school with pen and paper and get to writing.

 

FURTHER READING

 

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