Writing is a skill that requires constant improvement and practice, but sometimes you may not have access to feedback from others. How can you evaluate your own writing skills without relying on external opinions? In this article, we will explore some strategies and tools that can help you assess your strengths and weaknesses as a writer, and set goals for your future progress.
One of the first steps to evaluate your writing skills is to ask yourself why and for whom are you writing. What is the main message or goal of your piece? Who are you trying to reach or persuade? How do you want them to feel or react? By answering these questions, you can clarify your purpose and audience, and then review your writing to see if it matches them. For example, if you are writing an informative blog post, you can check if your writing is clear, concise, and accurate. If you are writing a persuasive essay, you can check if your writing is logical, engaging, and convincing.
Two things that top my list when writing are the audience and why I am writing something. I also pay attention whether my writing is clear to the reader, so I pay attention to grammar and style. These are skills I teach my students as well.
Writing, like other skills, is something you can get better at with time and practice. The following are some of the ways of evaluating one's skills without feedback. * Review grammar and spelling basics. They form the foundation of good writing. Writing with proper grammar and spelling communicates your professionalism and attention to details to the reader. * Read what you want to write. Knowing what a finished piece of writing can look like can guide your own. If you want to write a humourous short stories , read humourous short stories. * Proofread. Try to step away from your writing for a day or more so you can come back to write with fresh, objective eye. * Think about structure. It ensures the big ideas get across to the reader.
Your first and biggest fan of what you write should be YOU... Write what you want to read. If you read what you wrote and it feels right then you are on the correct path as others are likely to appreciate it as well. As with all things the way you can improve is by writing more and you can then compare what you have been writing with when you started and see if there is progress or consistency. Also read widely for comparison and to see what you like or dislike in other people's writing and improve on that in yours. Most importantly have fun.. the reader is likely to pick up on it that this is a work is body of passion and not just another chore....
Yet it would not be easy to evaluate our writing skills without feedback, still, there are a lot of ways to get it done by ourselves. Keep rereading and editing the copy for better flow and readability. -For example, if you write the copy today, reread it tomorrow, and edit it. Check the structure of your writing piece. -Make sure you have included relevant facts, images, and examples. Remove difficult words. -Keep it simple. Read your copy aloud. I have been following the above to evaluate my writing piece, hope it will help others too.
One easy way to check your writing is stepping back and pretending you know nothing about the subject you just wrote about. Ask yourself this: Does your paper both clearly introduce and explain concepts and background? And if not, how will you fix it?
Another way to evaluate your writing skills is to use a rubric or a checklist that outlines the criteria and standards for good writing. A rubric or a checklist can help you identify the specific areas that you need to work on, such as structure, content, style, grammar, or mechanics. You can find various rubrics or checklists online, or create your own based on your purpose and audience. For example, if you are writing a narrative story, you can use a rubric or a checklist that covers elements such as plot, characters, setting, dialogue, and point of view.
Sometimes, i find that building a checklist is crucial for writing projects. My advice would be adapting such lists to fit the needs and preferences of every author. During collaborations, i noticed that some prefer in-text notes or comment boxes. Others, prefer building a to do list in every section of the article. Whatever is your preference just make sure it helps you to become a critical, but constructive self-editor.
A checklist is like a to-do list for your writing. On LinkedIn, it helps ensure your posts are clear, useful, error-free, and interesting to your professional audience. It's your guide to making great content!
Think of using a rubric or checklist for your writing like playing a video game with secret missions. Each item on the list is like a level you need to beat. Does your story have a beginning, middle, and end? Check! Are your sentences more than just "See Spot run"? Double check! This is like giving yourself a high-five for each thing you do right. It's a super cool way to see where you're a writing wizard and where you might need to level up. Plus, it's like having a map so you don't get lost in the jungle of words!
Using rubric, outlines is another way that helps you Marshall your thoughts in a chronological manner, it helps give directions, coherence, coincisness, precision, direction. Moreso, it helps maintain a particular standard ensuring that all elements listed in the rubrics are followed to attain the objective of the write up, as well as guiding the process of gathering information. Rubrics in features, film, article writing, enables the writer to observe the basic elements in the write up such as, selecting the characters, plots, dialogue, theme, settings. In film making it helps to determine the various elements of film production which are, sound, lighting, character, settings, theme, etc
What's nice about a good rubric is it gives you the Big Picture. Because it's easy to get lost in the weeds while searching for the perfect sentence. While rubrics aren't the most exciting form of writing help, they may be one of the most reliable because rubrics force writers to aim for practical purposes rather than personal whims. And if your writing is towards a goal (such as a resumé or portfolio example), this will ensure that you don't frustrate your reader by including unnecessary information or stylistic flourishes.
A third way to evaluate your writing skills is to compare your writing to samples or models of similar genres or formats. By reading and analyzing other writers' work, you can learn from their techniques, strengths, and weaknesses. You can also see how they address the same purpose and audience as you, and how they achieve different effects and outcomes. You can find samples or models of writing online, in books, magazines, or newspapers, or in your own previous work. For example, if you are writing a resume, you can compare your writing to samples or models of resumes from your field or industry.
It's like using examples to learn. On LinkedIn, see what posts or articles get attention. Look at resumes like yours to make yours better. Learn from what works but also try to be unique and creative rather than copying anyone just make a difference on your own. In the end, what I want to convey is to try to "Be Creative and Unique."
To become a great writer, you must first be a great reader. By reading other people's work, you can improve your own. This exercise will help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Pam Allyn has said that reading is like breathing in, and writing like breathing out. To write an article on "Brazilian Futebol, a profitable passion", I had to read other articles on the same subject, or around the subject in question. This documentary research gave me enough literary material to build my argument. If you don't read others, you won't be able to innovate in your writing. On the contrary, it's by reading others, i.e. by comparing your writings with other model writings, that you'll develop your unique style.
It's not about copying a model, but immersing yourself in formats and samples will ultimately help clarify the elements you've come across which you wish to replicate, emulate, or avoid altogether in our own writing. I once met a working screenwriter who claimed to have read 1,000 produced scripts before writing their own. Perhaps that is overkill, but ensuring you inherently understand the structure of successful writing (whether creative, professional or both) will strengthen and streamline your own effort to follow.
I would say one needs to seek feedback. Ask your family your friends your neighbors and even if they're not professional, even if they're opinion might be biased... hopefully they'll also provide you with some indication. If you're alone with your manuscript, read it out loud. How does it feel? Are you stumbling on your sentences, are they flowing nicely? then ask yourself: is there a consistent, coherent main voice in your manuscript? Do you have a hook for the reader in the first page? Is the speed alternanting between a slow and a faster pace? and finally check your verb tenses.
Comparing your writing skills with those of professionals if you are a beginner is not a good idea. Instead, you can just read more quality content and note areas of improvement. Practicing constantly and working on your mistakes will help you write the way you always dreamt of.
A fourth way to evaluate your writing skills is to use online tools or apps that can provide you with instant feedback, suggestions, or scores. There are many online tools or apps that can help you improve your writing in various aspects, such as grammar, spelling, punctuation, readability, vocabulary, or plagiarism. Some examples of online tools or apps are Grammarly, Hemingway, ProWritingAid, or Quillbot. However, you should not rely on these tools or apps entirely, as they may not be able to capture the nuances, context, or tone of your writing. You should always use your own judgment and critical thinking to revise and edit your writing.
Online tools are like helpers for your writing. They can find mistakes and give advice. For example, Grammarly helps you fix errors. But remember, they might not catch everything, so trust your judgment too.
UX Writer (Content Designer), Teacher, Mother, and Runner, - Living Life Purposefully
One thing that I have found helpful is using ChatGPT to find out certain things about my writing. By copying and pasting my work and asking questions, like is this clear, what is the reading level, what's the tone etc..you can garner some basic, but useful insights.
Utilize grammar and style-checking applications to identify potential errors, enhance sentence structures, and improve overall coherence. Some tools even provide readability scores and suggestions for refinement. Incorporating these digital resources into your self-evaluation process ensures a more comprehensive analysis of your writing, allowing you to address specific areas of improvement.
Write every day-it's a learning curve. Don't expect to write a best seller on the first go. Just keep writing and your skills will improve; you will find your own, unique, true voice. Don't give up, keep writing and learn from your mistakes.
Various online tools and apps are available to assist and provide insight into evaluating your writing skills without direct feedback. Although these tools can provide insightful information and support, it's essential to remember that they cannot substitute the in-depth comments given by human readers. Thus, you ought to trust in your writing abilities. Maintaining your writing and reading habits is the best way to improve your writing skills since it will help you become a better writer and reader. As you progress, you will pick up new skills that will help you refine and assess your writing.
A fifth way to evaluate your writing skills is to track your progress and set goals for your future improvement. By keeping a record of your writing projects, feedback, and achievements, you can see how far you have come and what areas you still need to work on. You can also set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals for your writing, and monitor your performance and results. For example, if you want to improve your writing speed, you can set a goal to write a certain number of words in a certain amount of time, and measure your progress regularly.
Give yourself both large goals and small hourly/daily goals that amount to the larger vision. This way you can act and track a little each day until the grand vision is actualized.
Establish clear and measurable objectives, such as improving grammar, expanding vocabulary, or enhancing overall clarity. Regularly assess your work against these goals, noting areas of improvement and areas that may require further attention. This ongoing self-assessment allows you to track your development over time, providing valuable insights into the evolution of your writing skills.
Think of it as a writing journey. Keep track of what you write and how it goes. Set clear goals, like writing a bit faster or better. Check how you're doing every now and then, like a check-up. It's like leveling up your writing skills.
Stats are much stronger than feedback in creative writing. Some might like your writing. Others will tell you that you’re awful. How many people are reading? Is it increasing? Are they spending more time? These stats are factual and would tell you the most important feedback.
We can maintain the records of the writing pieces in a separate space where we can actually evaluate the mistakes, progress, and the areas we still need to make more efforts. This self introspection and evaluation will surely bring improvement in our writing skills. After keeping track, we can set goals to improve further. For example- Writing an article of 1000 words in a pre-set time period to assess the speed and accuracy.
A sixth and final way to evaluate your writing skills is to seek feedback from others, such as peers, mentors, teachers, or editors. Although this article focuses on how to evaluate your writing skills without feedback, feedback from others can still be very valuable and helpful for your writing development. Feedback from others can provide you with different perspectives, insights, and suggestions that you may not notice or think of yourself. Feedback from others can also motivate and encourage you to keep writing and improving. Therefore, you should not be afraid or shy to ask for feedback from others, and be open and receptive to their comments and critiques.
Write some short pieces and send to friends. Be specific on feedback you would like? Style? Interest? Impact? Appeal? Tone? Applicable?
- We underestimate the power of feedback a lot - Feedback helps us to measure the solutions for the setbacks - Feedback helps to recognize the setbacks, the less improvised areas & perspective from every angle - Getting feedback for your work, whether good or bad could be taken in a workable manner & if it adds value
From my point of view, it is hard to make progress without the help and feedback of others in your field. It is important to seek advice from those who inspire you. Don't be afraid to seek out opinions on your work cause it may open you up to other possibilities. Above all, don't be scared of constructive criticism. Writing can be solitary but it is mainly a collaborative endeavor in which ego has no place. If you're lucky enough to have a mentor, it is also essential to keep your own voice. Refine your style but don't plagiarize. Originality is key.
Something that I've found valuable as an administrative professional is knowing who I can go to for writing advice. If I'm trying to convey a change in protocol to those in my department, I want someone to look over the email before I send it to make sure all of my thoughts make sense. I'm someone who tends to go into hyper-detail when writing instructions, but many situations call for brevity which is when I look to colleagues to help me adjust my prose to make it more digestable. We live in a collaborative society, and if you are someone who is not usually receptive to feedback, this is an entirely different skill outside of writing that you need to work on!
The most important feedback is unsolicited but asking people who you know will be honest is always helpful. Then of course the crucial step is listening adapting and taking the feedback onboard and trying to improve.
Don’t wait for inspiration to get started. Put all your thoughts down even if they are a scribble or scratch! You can always fine tune it. Idea is to not let go of your flow of thought.
Empathy and understanding are essential for good writing. Remember: you're not writing for yourself but for people who need to easily understand what you have to say. If you don't have the luxury of asking for feedback, check the following: 1) Do you have a clear idea of who the audience is, what they understand, how they speak, etc? Don't move forward with that piece until you can answer in the affirmative. 2) Read your piece through the eyes of the intended audience. By channeling your audience's perspective, you will reduce the possessiveness you have for your words and see instead what must be communicated and understood.
I always say to new copywriters that if they don't have enough inspiration – they really don't have enough INFORMATION. So search for it! Here are some sources I use to look for it: - I read the existing articles on that or similar matters. And think – oh, I'd do it better THAT way (and the brain starts working!) - I find out more about the topic in general. What else might be said? - I refer to my favorite writers, who are breathtakingly good, so I feel excited just reading their materials. When I lack inspiration, I read 1-2 texts – and see my inner writing engine immediately starts working! One thing to keep in mind – is to adjust the style more relatable to my audience. But you can change it when editing. It's creativity time! :)
I'm not sure who conjured up this discussion, but I am wondering whether they were high at the time. The question posed is how to evaluate your writing skills without feedback, but then readers are advised to seek feedback from others. Hmm... who'd have thought it? The first five recommendations are all effective ways to improve your writing without outside help, but there's another powerful tool you can use for feedback: read what you have written aloud. This allows you to assess it for errors while experiencing it as a listener. If it doesn't flow, sends you to sleep or confuses you more than a set of flatpack instructions (written in Aramaic), you probably need to go over it again and make some adjustments.
Leave it overnight - or at least take a break. Coming back to your work with a fresh eye for a final edit will make for a far more polished piece.