Writing is the most prevalent form of communication on the planet, so knowing your way around a pen and pad of paper (or a keyboard) can serve you well. The benefits to upgrading your writing game are innumerable, from being able to tell amazing stories, to starting your own travel blog, like me. Or, if you’re not necessarily the creative type, you’ll be able to improve your communication in general, in the workplace and beyond. Whether you’re a beginner with minimal skills or you’ve been writing for years, you should always strive for improvement. So here, I’m offering a couple of personal tips on how to get better at writing.
How to Upgrade Your Writing Game
Write as often as you can
The first (and most obvious) tip is to write as much as you can. Like anything, improving at writing requires practice, and without it, your progress comes to a halt. When you set aside time daily to flex your writing muscles, you start to see your skills develop. It may not be overnight, but the improvement is certainly there. Consistency is key. Writing, and writing well, isn’t the easiest thing in the world. Training yourself to use language effectively requires dedication and effort, but it’s undeniably worth it in the end.
Enroll in courses and workshops
As helpful as solo practice can be, you can only go so far on your own. I find local courses and workshops to be excellent resources in improving my skills. Not only do you have the opportunity to study under an educator and ask questions, but you’re entering a community full of people trying to do exactly the same thing you’re doing. You can share your work and learn as a group. It’s a massive confidence booster and a pleasure to exchange ideas with like minds. It’s always been said that two heads are better than one, but how about an entire room of them?
Always be reading
A long time ago, asked me a question: “Why would you ever want to write stories if you don’t like to read?” The question was rhetorical, but it’s never left my head. Indeed, reading is critical to improving your writing. Studying sources with your desired style can make all the difference when developing your own voice. Vocabulary, verb tense, sentence structure. All things you should be looking out for. As you become more well-versed in proper form and grammar, it’ll begin to show in your writing. Now, it goes without saying that you should never try to emulate someone else’s style, but there’s nothing wrong with taking inspiration, is there?
Keep it simple
When I was first starting out as a journalistic writer, some of the best advice I ever received was this: Never write anything unnecessary, make sure every word serves a clear purpose. While this is more of a stylistic tip than anything, it’s still something I find important. It’s very easy to get caught up in flowery language that distracts from whatever message or story you’re trying to convey. This might bump up your word count, but it can confuse the reader. As you write, keep this in mind. Consciously writing with the goal of making it easy to understand will help you pare down your prose into its most essential parts.
Get your writing published
Once I felt confident in my writing, I started reaching out to potential clients, offering my services to them. Eventually, after a lot of rejections, I came into contact with a mid-sized newspaper willing to take a look at my work. A couple weeks later, and I started writing articles for them weekly as a contributing journalist. Putting yourself, and your work, in the public eye can be scary, but it’s critical if you want to take the next step and get serious about your craft. Getting published means gaining exposure and the opportunity to grow. Also, the people publishing you will be able to offer constructive criticism, which is invaluable to writers of all skill levels.
How to Upgrade Your Writing Skills – Final Thoughts
I’ve been writing for my entire life. There’s something about using the English as a tool to weave stories and convey thoughts and ideas that appeals to me. But no matter your age, skill, or motivation, the art of writing is an essential instrument in navigating an increasingly complex world. You’ve taken an excellent step in reading this blog post. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and get to work! The world wants to know what you have to say.
Thanks for checking out the blog. If you like what you see, click here to choose what to read next. I’m hoping to go from making nothing with this “blogging” thing to traveling the world full-time, and I’m documenting my entire journey here. And I’m inviting YOU to join me! Yes, you, reading this article! Consider it, won’t you? I promise it’ll be worth your while!
