Tips for becoming a better writer

There’s no one who will argue one of the best things you can do to better your blog is improve your writing technique. Remember there are more people writing today than ever before, but that fact doesn’t need to be intimidating. Write well in your own voice and there’s no need to worry about the competition. Here’s how.

Read

There’s no excuse for copying the style and tone of other bloggers or writers you enjoy, but reading all you can has a way to helping you absorb style through some kind of osmosis. You need to read the stuff of people who are writing a little over your head as well so you can lift up your own style.

Don’t worry about what people will think

If you write like someone is looking over your shoulder, you won’t write well. The point here is that if you’ve got something you want to say and you’re worried about how it will be received, you’ll water down the message. People reading your blog will be able to sense you’re writing in a tentative way and they’ll turn away for someone who is expressing themselves more honestly.

Cut words where you can

Less is more. That means there are virtually no instances where using less words doesn’t make your blogging more impactful. Of course you should master self-editing since that’s one of the best ways to see where you can write something in tighter sentences, but there are other techniques to master as well. Look for places where you can replace explanations with one word. For example, “yields that surpass what was required,” can be replaced with one word, “surplus.”

Avoid certain words

Getting long winded is something that happens to the best of us. There are certain words and phrases you can red flag right away because they earmark sloppy writing. “There is”, “There are” and “It is” are primary examples. Along those same lines, when you’re writing dialogue the only attribute you need is “said.”

Find a Routine

Good writing lends itself to a familiar routine. That’s not to say you need to write in the same physical place everyday, but productivity seems to need some kind of schedule to keep moving forward. That’s not only good for you as a writer, but it makes your readers more comfortable as they know when to expect your blogs on a regular basis.