Five Ways to Improve Your Writing

“Writing, the art of communicating thoughts to the mind, through the eye, is the great invention of the world.”

--Abraham Lincoln

?Writing is the key to knowledge. We learn, we share ideas and educate others through writing. The progress of our species depends on the written word. Almost every man and woman know something about writing.

?Knowing “something about writing” is not the same as knowing how to write well. The struggling writer who fails to use the right word correctly and in the correct order cannot communicate effectively. They may even risk miscommunicating entirely.

?Being able to write effectively means using words correctly. Writing is an art, and the best writing communicates forcefully and effectively. Good writing tells others precisely what you want to express and share.

?Writing is a skill that requires effort and practice. Even in the world of Tic-Tok, Instagram, and the ten-second clip, people still have to write something sometime. Most of us don’t write articles or short stories, but we do have to occasionally write a cover letter, a report, or even a short Social Media caption. So, it’s worth spending the time brushing up your ability to write well. Learning to write effectively is an important skill to have and will serve you well for the rest of your life.

Here are five ways you can improve your writing.

?Build a Proactive Reading Habit

Probably the most fundamental principle about writing is reading. In Stephen King’s excellent book?On Writing, he talks about the importance of reading. King writes,?“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There’s no way around these two things that I’m aware of, no shortcut.”?

?Of course, it’s best if you like to read. If you’re out of the habit of reading, it’s going to seem like a chore at first. Like anything else that’s good for you, like exercise, the more you do it, the more you will start to look forward to the activity. You’ll feel good about it because you know you’re doing something good. It’s an investment in yourself.?

?Follow your natural curiosity about and select subjects accordingly. Find the time and a quiet place for you to focus and concentrate on what you’re doing. Reading is a skill, and it too requires diligent practice. If you’ve been away from reading for a while, start slowly with just a chapter at a time. Read a magazine article. Read authors you have never read. Choose topics you know nothing about to become a learning opportunity. Reading is a fun way to explore.

?Read for the content, but also read to study the craft of how writing. It may take some time, but eventually, you’ll look forward to your reading time.

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Omit Needless Words & Get to the Point

Brevity and getting to the point are essential aspects of good writing.?

?Pulitzer Prize-winning American author?David McCullough ?cautioned writers to be direct. “Beginning writers do a lot of toe-tapping before they get up to dance.” Don’t get fancy or use unnecessary words to make the sentence longer. Good writing is direct and to the point.

?The author of the classic book?On Writing Well , William Zinsser was a believer in brevity. He explains, along with his disclaimer, “breaking the 200-age barrier is against my principles,” why subsequent editions of his classic book became more extensive than the first. The book Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr and E.B. White, listed as one of the 100 best and most influential books written in English, is less than one hundred pages. Zinsser justifies the added pages by offering two thoughts, “One is that it’s still a tiny book, its weight won’t cause internal injuries to anyone reading it in bed. The other is that I’ve learned a lot since the Second Edition that has helped me in my writing and will help other writers, editors, and teachers.

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?Bring Value to the Reader

Unless you’re writing in a journal, it’s essential to consider the value delivered in your writing.?Larry McEnerney, ?Director of the University of Chicago’s Writing Program, stresses the importance of thinking about your readers. Writing has to offer value more than anything else because if it isn’t, nothing else matters. Before you start writing, know your audience. Who’s going to read what you’ve written? What’s their background? What’s their knowledge on the subject? The answers to these questions will help shape the content. Knowing your audience influences the tone and structure. It will tell you what information to include and how much detail you should add.?

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Develop a Structure

Writing is meant to be read by someone. As the information comes together and the framework takes shape, think about the reader’s journey. Remember, you don’t need to write in the final order at the beginning. Nothing is set in stone. Ask, What can be done to improve the flow of information? Develop the data flow into a framework designed to keep the reader engaged. Of course, solving the structure problem becomes more complex the more extended the document in question becomes. Writing a 90,000-word novel is more structural than writing a 500-word blog post or a 75-word letter. That’s why many writers will start with a rough outline before beginning something as involved as a novel or a play. If there is no outline to follow, one will have to be created as the writing continues. Developing this framework will help you structure the paper, whether an essay, a report, an article, or whatever, for the most impact possible. Here are some tips on how to determine the structure:

• Who is the audience, and what do they need to know
• Decide on your conclusion and work backward.
• How much background will be included?
• Will you include an argument in your conclusion?
• Check the flow of your ideas throughout the writing process. One section should flow to another in a logical stepwise progression.
• Structure helps grab the reader’s attention and keeps them engaged as they make it through the document. ?

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Use Vigorous Language That Paints a Picture

This last tip relates to writing more concisely. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words. The words should be purposely chosen for maximum impact.

The writer’s knowledge, understanding, and connection with the material make it easier to use strong, active, robust, energetic, and forceful language. Choose words consciously to evoke images in the mind of the reader. As you research and collect information, be aware of your understanding of the topic. How do you feel about it? What’s your intent with the content you’re writing?

The choice of words matters. They have to do with:

·????????Meaning

·????????Specificity

·????????Audience

·????????Style

David McCullough recommends,?“…all writers should take a drawing or painting class to learn how to paint with words. As Charles Dickens said, ‘Make me see.’ I try to make you see what’s happening, smell it, and hear it. I want you to know what they had for dinner. I want you to know how long to walk from where to where.”

Next week will offer some suggestions for business leaders who don’t like to read.

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