To be an excellent writer, you can never rest on your laurels. You need to be constantly working on your craft, improving every day. This sounds like an insurmountable task, but it’s not too difficult at all. Here are 10 ways you can improve as a writer and create excellent work every day.
- Read Every Day
This should go without saying, but every writer is a reader first. You should always be reading, whenever you have a spare moment. Read widely too, going outside of your preferred genre whenever possible. Everything you take in is fuel for your creativity, so ensure that you’re reading as much as possible.
- Shut Out Distractions
“Many people never even start writing as they’re so distracted by other things,” says professional writer Katy Boson from Best Australian Writers. “If you’re letting yourself get distracted, then you’ll never improve as a writer.” Make time every day for writing. Turn off your phone, shut off the internet, and just write. The more time you can devote to your writing the better.
- Work With Others
Writing can feel like a lonely pursuit, but it doesn’t have to be. You can meet up with other writers online, and start improving by sharing your writing with them. There’s plenty of writing communities out there, such as State Of Writing, which offers writing guides as well. Sharing with others helps you get useful critiques of your work, which will help you improve your writing drastically.
- Don’t Let Writer’s Block Strike
Every writer has heard of the dreaded ‘writer’s block,’ but the good news is it’s not as terrible as you think. Sure, you’ll sometimes feel like you’ve hit a dead end, and don’t know what to write about next or where to go with a piece you’re writing. Online there are plenty of tools you can use when writer’s block happens. For example, UK Top Writers can help you generate writing ideas, and writing communities can offer suggestions when you’re stuck.
- Ignore Your Inner Editor
Many writers say it’s hard to write, as there’s the nagging doubt that what they’re writing isn’t good enough. That’s your ‘inner editor,’ and you need to learn to ignore them. When you sit down to write, just focus on getting as much down on paper as you possibly can. Once the piece is finished, then you can go back with your red pen and make changes.
- Look At Improving Your Grammar
Good grammar is the foundation of good writing. If you feel your grammar isn’t as good as it could be, now’s the time to look at improving it. You don’t have to go back to school, but you can take advantage of resources online that can help you out. Grammarix, for example, examines your writing and suggests changes you can make to improve your grammar. Use resources like these to ensure your writing is as good as it can be.
- Dissect Your Favorite Authors
Not literally! However, it’s well worth examining why you keep going back to the same genres or authors. What is it about them that really grabs you and keeps you reading? You can print out a piece of writing and start marking sections that you like. What is it about the words, turns of phrase, or style that speaks to you? You can then begin looking at how you can incorporate this into your own writing.
- Create Outlines
There’s nothing worse for a writer than a blank page. It’s intimidating, and you just don’t know where to start. Stop this from happening to you by creating an outline for everything you write. It can be as minimalist or as detailed as you like, but create an outline that shows you what should happen at every step of your story. This will help you beat the dreaded blank page and get started.
- Take A Look At Your Older Work
When you feel as though you’re not improving, take a look at your older work. Many writers cringe when they do this, as they feel their older work just isn’t up to the standard they expect of themselves now. However, it’s a very good reminder that you have improved, and will continue to improve in the future.
- Always Edit & Proofread
Finally, you must always ensure that you’re editing and proofreading your work. No writer will get it right on their first try, so check your work once you’ve written it. Tools like Elite Assignment Help can help you edit, and Boom Essays, as recommended by the Huffington Post, will help you proofread.
These tips will help you improve as a writer every day. Take them to heart, and start writing with a purpose every day.
