Nobody’s born knowing how to read and write.
Sure, the lucky ones have talent, but we all start out learning our ABCs. We memorize the sounds that letters make, and we learn how they come together to form words. Pretty soon, we’re reading. Someone puts pencils in our hands and then we’re scribbling letters on paper. At last, we can write.
It takes years of study and practice just to be able to write a simple sentence. So, what does it take to become a proficient and professional writer, to compose thoughtful and meaningful pieces of writing?
It takes commitment and a willingness to work hard at the craft. There are big things you can do to write better, like go to college and study literature or creative writing. But there are also quicker, simpler ways to improve your writing a little bit at a time.
Write Better with These Techniques
There are innumerable techniques that we can apply in order to write better. I started writing a short list of some quick and easy things we can all do to improve our writing and suddenly found that list approaching 100, so that’s where I decided to stop. The list below is not exhaustive. In fact, if you think of anything to add, please do so by leaving a comment.
1.Be willing to invest in your writing. Buy a book. Splurge on a professional critique.
Be willing to make sacrifices.
2. Give up one of your TV shows or skip your vacation and stay home to write instead.
3. Start with a vision or a concept. Let that be your guide as you write.
4. Keep it simple. Tight writing is clearer and easier to read. Let readers get lost in the story instead of getting caught up in the words.
5. Be logical. If a character is hiking in the Appalachian mountains, she might slip and fall but she probably won’t break a heel on her high heeled shoes.
6. Write better by avoiding clichés.
7. Read books, articles, and essays on the craft of writing. But don’t spend more time reading about how to write than you spend writing. I recommend a book every three months for beginners.
8. Be aware of how you structure your writing. Start with a compelling introduction and end with a closing or summary that will linger in the reader’s mind.
9. Set word counts or time minimums for your writing sessions. Experiment to find what’s comfortable for you. My minimum is 500 words, but I can produce up to 2000 words in a one-hour session if I’ve planned what I want to write.
10. Find out whether you work better with an outline. Many writers find that their writing is more focused when they use an outline. You can also establish mileposts (main points you want to address or significant plot points you want to reach).
11. Stop talking about what you’re going to write. Stop thinking about what you’re going to write. Sit down and write.
12. Avoid passive voice unless you’re writing historical fiction. This is what passive voice looks like: She was invited by her boyfriend to the concert. Active voice is far more effective: Her boyfriend invited her to the concert. You will almost always write better in active voice.
13. There’s more to writing than just writing. Some of our most important work is done away from the keyboard. Make sure you set aside time for prep work, outlining, note-taking, research, planning, and revisions.
14. Find your best routine. Some writers work well in the morning. Some work better at night. Some like to write in short, 20-minute spurts. Others do better with longer sessions.
15. Write about topics and themes that you’re passionate about. Don’t set out to write a zombie book because zombies are hot right now. Write what genuinely interests you.
16. During the first draft, allow yourself to be messy. Don’t worry if you haven’t named all your characters or if your punctuation marks are in the right places. Just get it written.
17. Use the first draft to find your voice, discover your characters, and unearth your plot and themes. You can dig into the details later.
18. Be flexible: many writers say their best stories take off in unpredictable directions. As the saying goes, let the characters take the reigns. The discovery process is often what makes writing fun and magical.
19. Allow yourself to write badly. It’s better to write badly than to write nothing at all. You can fix it up later, and if it’s beyond redemption, you can move on having learned something.
20. Do not abandon one project just because you had another brilliant idea. Stay focused and finish what you start.
21. Know your limits. Can you work on several projects simultaneously? Some people write better when they’re working on one project at a time. Others can manage multiple projects.
22. Keep adjectives and adverbs to a minimum. Go through an old piece of your writing and highlight all the adjectives and adverbs. How many of them could be deleted or replaced with more precise nouns and verbs?
23. Connect with other writers. They will keep you going. Find them in book clubs, writing groups, classes, workshops, online and offline.
24. Get an alpha reader (or two) and a few beta readers. Have your work critiqued. Feedback is essential!
25. Be willing to rewrite — not just tweak, edit, and make minor changes, but completely rewrite either large portions or an entire book.
26. Set deadlines. If you can’t meet your own deadlines, get someone to hold you accountable: a writing coach, teacher, or writing group or buddy. Most of us are less likely to let someone else down.
27. Don’t stop for anything. Some days you’ll be too tired, too hungry, too stressed out to write. Give yourself some slack (cut your writing session in half) but don’t skip it!
28. If you get stuck, find something in your project to explore. When my story hits a brick wall, I stop and work on character back-stories, world building, research, and brainstorming.
29. If you need a special writing space, then create one. Make it a priority. But know that not having a special writing space is not an excuse. Many writers have worked in undesirable conditions. Be committed!
30. Explore relationships and internal struggles in your writing. This is where readers connect with what you’ve written.
31. Make readers feel or think. Preferably, make them do both.
32. Pull out your old writing every once in a while to see how much better you write now (I do it every few years).
33. These days, self-publishing is free and easy, and I applaud people who take the DIY route. But get someone else to publish your work at least once. You’ll learn a lot through the submission-rejection-acceptance process.
34. Put yourself in other people’s shoes. The best writers are empathetic.
35. Show the scenes that really matter. Don’t spend three pages with your characters engaging in meaningless small talk and then spend a single paragraph on a major event that is central to the story.
36. Don’t skimp on research. I was just reading reviews on a historical novel, and I discovered that readers are knowledgeable about facts and aren’t afraid to call out writers who fail to get them right!
37. Be curious. Ask questions. Get a cynical friend or sharp-minded family member to check for holes, gaps, inconsistencies, and inaccuracies in your writing.
38. Rewrite to make the substance of your work deeper, clearer, and more concise. I recently read an essay by a writer who rewrote an entire book twelve times. Twelve times! That’s dedication.
39. Do you want to change the world with your writing? Look for injustice and inequality (you won’t have to look hard or far). Find real stories about real people and let them inspire you.
40. Edit your writing to make it flow smoothly. Work at the sentence level.
41. Take breaks between drafts and between every revision.
42. Be engaged with your work. If you’re not engaged, your readers won’t be, either.
43. Use the dictionary and thesaurus, even when you’re not writing. Look up words you hear in conversations or see in books and online.
44. Here’s a bonus tip: use online dictionaries with audio pronunciations. Many heavy readers are prone to mispronounce words they’ve read but never heard.
44. When you proofread (and you must proofread multiple times), train your eyes on words and punctuation marks.
45. Know the difference between form (fiction, poetry, blogging) and genre (romance, science fiction, mystery).
46. Think and daydream. Writers must make time for thought and imagination. If someone asks what you’re doing, say “I’m working.”
47. Listen to conversations. How do people talk? Dialogue feels like real conversation but it’s an illusion. Record and transcribe a real conversation and then compare it with a great dialogue scene from one of your favorite books.
48. When you read a book that doesn’t meet your highest standards, analyze it to determine what could have been better.
49. Keep a notebook or journal. Small paper notebooks that fit into your purse or pocket are great (don’t forget to carry a pen). In the digital age, most of us have app-capable devices. I recommend Evernote for note-taking and web-clipping because it’s easy to use and syncs to all your devices.
50. Always stay way ahead of your deadline, unless you do your best work under pressure.
Source: http://www.writingforward.com
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