10 ways to
improve your writing skills-quickly
To help
you become the best writer you can be, here are 10 techniques to improve your
writing skills.
1. Keep a
journal.
Believe it or not, writing in a
journal can help you improve your writing skills. It can also help you discover
new story ideas that could be developed into the next best-seller.
When you write in your journal,
don't censor your words. Allow them to flow freely.
2. Participate in
writing prompts.
Writer's
Digest, Creative Copy Challenge, and other writing resources provide
writing exercises and prompts. These are good ways to improve your writing and
to test story ideas.
3. Rewrite your
blog posts.
If you have a blog, go back a couple
of years and find a few blog posts to rewrite and repurpose. You may be
surprised how much your writing has improved over time.
4. Rewrite
newspaper and magazine articles.
Choose your favorite newspaper or
magazine, and rewrite a couple of the articles. Challenge yourself to write a
stronger headline and copy.
5. Activate
Google alerts.
Setup a Google Alert for writing,
writing skills, book writing, and other alerts, and follow the latest stories.
Read what other writers are doing to improve their writing skills.
6. Read beyond
what you normally read.
If you have a hankering for fantasy,
sci-fi, romance, memoirs, YA, NA, middle grade, self-help, or whatever tickles
your writer's fancy, get out of your comfort zone and read something different.
Stretch your mind, and you'll stretch your writing skills.
7. Comment on
your favorite blog posts.
Challenge yourself to write in-depth
comments instead of the familiar, "Great post!" or, "Thanks for
sharing this brilliant information." Such vapid comments do not add to the
conversation, nor do they improve your writing skills. Here's a tip: If you
want to get noticed by the blog owner and taken seriously, write a decent
comment.
8. Join a
writer's group.
Don't be shy about sharing your
writing. One of the greatest ways to improve your writing is to join a writer's
group in which you'll receive valuable feedback such as how to strengthen
introductions, how to develop characters, how to write stronger scenes, and
more. Please note: You may have to try out a few groups before you find any
that work for you.
9. Attend a writer's conference or workshop.
When I lived in Chandler, Ariz., I
was blessed to have found Changing Hands Bookstore in Tempe. The owners
schedule writing workshops throughout the year. Not only did I meet
fellow aspiring authors, I met published authors who would share writing tips
and tricks such as the importance of using an outline, whether you write
fiction or nonfiction.
10. Write.
You must write to improve your
writing skills. Try to write at least 1,000 words each day or every other day.
When you think you've finished writing, write some more. When you think
you've reallyfinished writing, keep writing.
To improve
your writing, you need to write five days a week, 50 weeks per year, if not
more. Writing requires dedication and time. If you're serious about being a
published author, you need to write and write and write.
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