How to Improve Writing Skills: a Guide for Young Writers

Benefits of Good Writing Skills

There are so many benefits to having good writing skills. You will fare much better on your papers and other classroom assignments for one thing. If you work, the ability to effectively communicate in writing is always a boon. There are even situations in everyday life where good writing skills are extremely useful. Many college students enjoy writing for pleasure. Having well-developed writing skills is a great way to make sure that all writing projects go smoothly, and that the end results are a pleasure to read. Many clients have contacted us for advice on how to improve writing skills.  As a result of these requests, we have decided to produce this brief guide on how to improve your writing abilities.

Three Quick Ways to Improve Writing Skills Quickly

It takes time and practice to become an excellent writer, but there are a few things that you can do to improve your writing abilities rather quickly. Here are three things that you can do to kick start the process of becoming a better writer.

1. Read First Edit Later

Many students become frustrated while they write because they are trying to get their thoughts and ideas down on paper, while attempting to edit their writing at the same time. The resulting back tracking, and changing interrupts the flow of writing. When this happens, your ideas stop flowing freely. So, when you are writing, just write. Focus on being accurate, clear, creative, and thoughtful. Do the best you can with spelling and grammar, but don’t obsess over it. Then, when you are finished with a paragraph or passage, do your spell-checking and editing.

2. Read More

If you are already an avid reader, try expanding your horizons and reading some new things. You could try a new genre, or simply give a new author a try. If you are not a reader, make an effort to become one. You do not need to become a voracious reader who goes through multiple books each month. Try picking up a magazine that looks interesting to you and a read short article or a page or two each day. As you read more, you will notice the things that professional writers do in order to:

• Move from one paragraph to the next
• Convey emotion
• Describe things
• Use similes and metaphors
• More

You can then incorporate these actions into your own writing.

3. Write Daily

Some people suggest that you must start a journal or spend time free writing every day. This isn’t true. You can improve writing skills by simply taking advantage of opportunities to write every day. Here is an example. Your friend posts a touching video on Facebook. You could simply click the like button and move on, or you can take a few moments to write a thoughtful response to the video as a comment. If you pay attention, you will find that you probably have a dozen or more opportunities each day to write. All you need to do is tell yourself “I am going to improve my writing skills”, then get to work.