Being a Good Writer
- Write a lot every day. You may prefer to write in long or short sessions. Write a short paragraph or an entire page. See which works better for you.
- Read all sorts of things, but really take the time to enjoy an old-fashioned book. Regular reading will influence your style, taste, background, and ideas. It will also helpexpand your vocabulary and improve your grammar.Determine what is good writing and what is not. Find your literary heroes. Read both historical and contemporary authors.Read a variety of topics and styles, with a focus on styles or genres on which you wish to write.Make good use of your local library, both as a source of a variety of reading materials and as a resource.
- Expand your vocabulary. Read the daily newspaper. Purchase a nice dictionary and thesaurus. Your short story will not be nearly as exciting if every character walkseverywhere and says every line of dialogue. A comprehensive vocabulary can help bring your stories and poems to life, enabling you to better describe the world around you. Be sure that you are using words correctly. Some of the alternatives listed in your thesaurus may not have the right shade of meaning or be appropriate for the level of formality. Look up the word in your dictionary to be sure, and if in doubt, use a word that you already know.
- Meet a Writer! A writer could give you tips as well as help. Meet authors at Book launches or Community Book festivals and forums. Perhaps there is a writer living locally that you could meet through a public event, or even write/email them and ask if they are willing to meet you or offer any support.
- Use good grammar. Good grammar can mean the difference between a sentence that is graceful and translucent and a sentence that is awkward and ambiguous. When you first put your ideas on paper, you should try to write quickly so that you do not forget any of them. Be sure to focus on proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in the revision process, though. Dangling modifiers and faulty parallelism can reduce clarity as well as the overall quality of your writing. If you have a question about grammar, consult a good grammar book, such as The Elements of Style by William Strunk and E. B. White or The American Heritage® Book of English Usage.
- Buy two notebooks. One is a "Vocabulary Notebook", and the other is an "Inspirational Notebook".In your "Vocabulary Notebook", write down new words and their meanings as well asmnemonic devices (memory aids) to help you learn them. You may also want to write down some example sentences.In the "Inspirational Notebook", write down bits and pieces from your daily life, such as a fun conversation that you overheard in the mall, or a joke that you were told by a friend. This can also be a diary or a journal. When you read something that makes you laugh or think, or tempts you to read aloud, look at what makes it effective. Jot down all the ideas that occur to you, including the ones that will probably never work.
- Join online or neighborhood writing groups. You can even practice writing at wikis, such as wikiHow and Wikipedia. You will become a more proficient writer as you help people.
- Brainstorm before starting to write. In order to focus your writing, begin with the main idea. While thinking about what to write, put down any idea that comes to you, even if it seems far-fetched or unlikely to be successful. One not-so-good idea may lead to a better one.
- Plan your writing, especially if you are producing an informative piece. Use whatever technique works best for you. You can make an outline, put a collection of notes on cards and arrange them until they are in order, or draw a tree or map. It is possible to rapidly organize a broad topic with a tree or map structure. Try writing nonstop for ten minutes and see how many ideas you can think of.
- Write as quickly as you can for the first draft. Try typing without looking at the keyboard. Do not stop to correct grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Write at least a few paragraphs before going back and correcting or editing.
- Be well-informed about your subject. Your research will make your fictional or nonfictional writing seem that much more real. You can use reading materials such as books, magazines, and online articles and also interview knowledgeable people. You may even be inspired by something that you see on television.Remember that fictional writing will usually require less research than nonfictional writing. Make sure that you have a strong framework for your story before you start researching and filling in details. Try to first develop the main points of the plot. If you are having trouble finishing your story, however, research may give you some ideas for a satisfying conclusion.
- Be specific. Avoid implying or over-generalizing; vagueness and generalizations are less likely to grab your readers’ attention. Which sentence is more interesting to read: "In this town, the crime rate has significantly increased in the last year" or "In this town, the crime rate has increased more than twenty percent in the last year"? At the same time, try to include only the relevant details; say all that you need to say without wasting space.
- Tailor your writing to your purpose and your audience. Just as you change your clothing for the weather and the occasion, you should also change your writing for your audience and your message. Flowery writing, for example, might fit better in a poem than in a status report. Make sure that your writing is not too difficult (or too simplistic) for your audience. Adjust your word choice and sentence length for the given audience and level of formality. Limit jargon, and be sure to give your readers all the background information that they will need to understand your composition.
- Edit Your Writing Once you have a first draft, reread it and rewrite it. You are looking for errors in grammar and spelling as well as style, content, organization, and coherence.Editing is an iterative process. You may edit a piece many times. Just remember, no writing is perfect.Give yourself time between writing and editing, if at all possible. Longer is better, but even a short break can give you some of the necessary distance and detachment to edit well.
- Ask someone else to read your writing. If at all possible, have a second person read your writing. Choose someone whom you trust to be forthright and frank.
- Make sure that people understand and interpret your writing the way you intend. Try it on a test audience and see how they react. Also try taking suggestions from peers and family to help you refine your idea.
- Perhaps some day you will become a famous writer, teacher, storyteller, or whatever your dream may be, but the important thing is that you love what you do.
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