Important Tips for Becoming an Effective Writer
There are different writing styles, and each one has its own set of challenges. However, the key to becoming a great writer doesn’t lie in mastering all these styles; instead, it’s about understanding how your brain works to write well in whatever style you prefer.
There is no single type of writing that anyone should try to master, but rather an understanding of how we think and remember things so that we can use this knowledge when we’re thinking about what to write next. The more often you practice any form of creative thinking, the better at it you will become.
To become a successful writer, or even just improve your skills as one, certain habits must be broken by following these tips:
1. Get to Know Yourself
Know yourself and write for your audience. If you know what things in life you overreact about, overanalyze, stress about, etc., then write about that because it will help your readers.
2. Don’t Give Up
Even after people have told you what to do to improve your writing and how you should never give up on writing, keep trying no matter the cost. Keep at it until you feel satisfied with your work for the day. As long as you try again tomorrow, your progress is inevitable. Someday, you’re taking the steps in self-publishing a book.
3. Ask Questions
Ask questions when you’re stuck or don’t understand something in a book before dismissing it completely. It may be an integral piece of information that could lead you down the correct path if you only reread that section with a new perspective or understanding of what’s happening in that scene.
4. Do the Work
The only way to become an effective writer, or improve your writing, is by doing it yourself. And that means reading other people’s work too! Expose yourself to all types of writing styles and genres to help you learn how to write in different forms and layouts for readers.
5. Read Books… a Lot
Books are the best teachers, especially when it comes to learning about efficient ways of communicating through language. Whether they’re works of fiction or non-fiction doesn’t matter (but if you like non-fiction more than anything else, make sure you read some fiction every once in a while). The more books you have under your belt, the better a writer you’ll be!
6. Think About What You’re Reading
When you read, especially long works like books and essays, stop to think about what the author is saying. If you don’t understand something, then ask yourself why that might be or reread that section with a different perspective because it could be possible that your mind was somewhere else when you first started reading. If all else fails, adding a question (or two) at the end of a line will give you something to focus on while still allowing your mind to wander.
7. Be Consistent
Like we said earlier, becoming an effective writer isn’t something you can just jump into. It takes time, so keep practicing every day, even for just 15 minutes before bedtime or during lunch. Consistency is the only way to become an effective writer.
8. Practice
A surefire way to get better at writing is by doing it over and over until you get it right. The more you practice, the better you’ll become. Plus, if you’re looking for a good time waster after lunch or before bedtime, then try practicing your writing skills.
9. Render Yourself Useless—If You Can
Don’t overload yourself with schoolwork, extracurriculars, etc. This will make becoming an effective writer challenging because there simply won’t be enough time in the day to practice writing effectively when you should be sleeping or studying.
10. Read Aloud to Yourself
Practice your writing skills by reading aloud to yourself. This is a great way to find problems with syntax, sentence structure, and flow. Reading directly from a piece of paper can be hard on the eyes, so use a computer monitor or tablet instead. Just make sure you read it out loud!
11. Get Feedback from Others
You’re not going to become an effective writer overnight, so don’t expect hundreds of positive remarks from friends and family about how great your work is. They love you unconditionally, so they would never say anything negative about what you’re doing behind closed doors. Get feedback from people who are more experienced than yourself in writing, especially those who have been involved with an English teacher and writing workshops and classes. You can also join an online critique group or forum to get feedback from other writers who want to help you learn how to become a better writer.
12. Use Your Own Voice
No two people write the same way. That’s what makes writing such as creative process! That being said, as long as you’re communicating clearly and effectively with your readers, then use your own voice. Don’t be timid about it because this is your story, after all.
Becoming an effective writer takes time and practice, so don’t get discouraged if you’re not instantly great at it. Just keep practicing your writing skills every day, and you’ll become the best writer that you can be.
