“Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on.” — Louis L’Amour

Apart from the spoken word, writing is one of the world’s oldest ways of communication that is still used today. Consider this: while we may no longer send letters to one another, our everyday communication is always accompanied by some type of writing, whether it’s in the form of text messages, daily emails, or social media posts.

Here are 6 simple tips to improve your writing skills!

1. Make Writing a Daily Exercise

It’s true that practice makes perfect! If you compare writing to a skill like cooking or even playing a sport, you can’t expect to progress unless you practice – it’s like expecting to become a professional football player after just one practice with your squad.

Set yourself daily writing tasks — they don’t have to belong and be time-consuming; simply committing to writing a paragraph every day would be enough! You may even team up with someone who wants to better their writing skills and examine each other’s paragraphs to see what needs to be changed.

2. Read, Read, and Read Some More!

We learn best by doing, and developing writing skills is no exception. When we read, we study how other people write in order to deliver their messages as effectively as possible, and we begin to adapt our own writing styles to those with which we connect the most.

Make your practice paragraph a review or summary of what you read that day, using different components of the author’s writing style to build your own voice.

3. Be Succinct

In your writing, avoid using long, difficult words. They frequently perplex the reader and make them uninterested in what you’re saying. Make your sentences as short as possible. Filler words like “very,” “very,” “just,” and others should never be overused. They have a tendency to make sentences long and waste your reader’s cognitive space.

4. Never Underestimate the Importance of a Thorough Editing Session

Editing is a crucial aspect of the writing process that is frequently underestimated and undervalued. Errors in your writing are likely to divert attention away from the message you’re attempting to communicate and undermine your reader’s confidence in your ability to write.

Because the human brain is prone to overlooking minor errors during proofreading, employing an online editing tool like Grammarly is highly advised.

5. Develop a Clear Message

Nothing is more aggravating than reading a piece of writing that does not go right to the point. Consider what you want to say, and what message you want your reader to take away with them, and make sure this message is obvious from the start.

It’s also crucial to consider your target audience: what do they want to hear and how do they want to hear it? Is it necessary to adopt a formal or more relaxed tone? Is it better to use humour to build your message or to go right to the point in a more business-like manner? These are critical things to make before beginning the writing process.

6. Sit Down and Write!

The act of actually sitting down and writing is sometimes the most challenging stage in the writing process. You should have a clear notion of what you want to say at this stage, as well as a rough sense of how you want to convey it.

It may appear intimidating, but keep in mind that the hard work is now complete! Simply convince yourself that you are capable (which you are), sit down in front of your n0tebook or computer, and communicate!

You’ve come to the perfect place if you’re new to writing. Apply now an online writing course and learn about the A B C of writing from industry pros here. They will teach you the fundamentals and provide you with some excellent tactics and tips to help you improve your skills