There are a number of techniques skilled writers use to make their words compelling enough to grab the attention of readers and to effectively convey their messages. If you master 7 key writing tips, you will enhance your ability as a writer and stand out from the crowd.
Practice Your Craft Regularly
We’ve probably all heard the saying, “Practice makes perfect.” While it is cliché, there is no doubt you should take this principle seriously and make a habit of setting aside some time each day to write.
Writing daily will enable you to practice your craft consistently and become efficient at it. Most professional writers say that setting aside merely 20 minutes each day for writing can significantly boost a person’s writing skills. For example, established author Jeff Goins writes a minimum of 500 words per day.
Being consistent with your writing enables you to learn from your flaws so that the more you write, the better you get over time.
Be Authentic-Be Yourself
Don’t feel like you have to copy the style of another writer. Each person has a distinct writing voice; it just takes practice to develop it.
One method that can help you develop your style is to write as if you are speaking aloud. Imagine that you are explaining something to a person sitting in front of you. Doing so will help you to keep your wording as natural as possible.
Use Conversational English
Developing your style by speaking aloud will help you to write in conversational English rather than in jargon- filled or formal English. While this goal might seem challenging at first, it is definitely worth the effort because people will relate to your content better.
Quite often you will have to break some grammatical rules to sound more conversational. That’s fine as long as you have a valid reason for doing so.
Keep Your Phrases, Sentences, and Paragraphs Short
When you write the way you speak, you might end up writing long paragraphs. The key to writing well is keeping your content short, simple, and precise.
It’s usually best to tighten up your work after you have completed the first draft and are revising it. Eliminate any words that do not add meaning and are taking up unnecessary space.
Use Powerful Rhetoric
As you are working on writing short, precise sentences, also aim to include strong verbs. Action verbs will add variety and energy to your writing.
Again, it is helpful to spruce up your writing in this way during the revision stage after you’ve initially drafted the content.
Challenge Yourself Often
If you want to grow as a writer, it’s helpful to write about topics that get you out of your comfort zone, rather than sticking to easy subject matter.
You should take notes on any topic you happen to be dabbling in and add to them later as you discover new facts. The power of learning should never be underestimated, so as you write, do what you can to educate yourself.
Put Yourself Out There
Ideally, you should not write for yourself alone, but also for others so that they can benefit from whatever you have to say. Guest posting on blogs is one proven method you can use to have your writing read by many people, especially if your work is on a site with a high amount of traffic.
Having a personal blog is beneficial, but if it is not receiving sufficient traffic, then people won’t discover your articles. In that case, you will have to look for alternative ways to get your writing before a larger audience.
Putting yourself out there means that you will receive feedback regarding your writing. While getting feedback can be unpleasant if you don’t like what people have to say, constructive criticism can ultimately improve your writing ability.
These 7 Key Writing Tips Will Improve Your Style
Everyone loves a good story. The reasons why stories captivate us vary from person to person, but a significant factor is the author’s writing style. Following the above steps will both boost your writing skills and make you stand out from the crowd.