How to Boost Your Writing Skills
Nothing sows panic in the writer’s heart like being in front of a blank paper, not knowing from where to start and what to write. I can bet that continuing to stare at that paper will make you cringe and want to get rid of it right away, which is entirely wrong. You do not have to stand idly by while allowing the fear barrier to become tighter around your heart. Instead, you have to break that barrier. Bolstering your writing skills is not impossible unless you decide it is. However, it will not be done out of nothing or by a magic wand since you have to take further steps to reach your goal. Below are a bunch of simple strategies that will not take much of your time, but it will make a considerable difference in your writing skills.
Practice Writing on a Daily Basis.
To be an expert in any field, one of the first things you have to do is practice. Writing continuously is a powerful weapon you can use to combat your fear, significantly reinforce your writing skills, and speed up the process of writing. All you have to do is to set aside a time, even if it is only ten minutes to practice writing when you have a fresh mind. It is not necessary to write an entire page, paragraph, or sentence, which might be intimidating at the beginning. You can only sketch an outline in which you jot down all the thoughts that pop into your mind. Then you will find it easier to reformulate the outline as a paragraph. Go ahead and decide which is the best time for you to practice writing.
Do Not Quit Reading.
As you read some of the works written by the masters in the field, one question will keep swinging in your mind, which is, “How can they write in this way?” and then your question will be followed by “I cannot do that. There are a hundred light-years between us”. Indeed, one of the first steps these experts have taken to reach this level is what you are doing right now, which is reading. The more you read, the more experience you will get in writing. Being abreast of other writers’ styles of writing, the tricks they use, and the approaches they adopt will undoubtedly inspire you, broaden your horizons, and enrich your vocabulary. Lisa See has confirmed this when saying, “Read a thousand book, and your words will flow like a river.”. However, keep in mind that emulation is different from plagiarism. In other words, you can take an idea, but you have to rewrite it in your own style.
Let Others Criticize You.
Editing your work is an indispensable must that you have to do several times to correct any mistakes relating to grammar or spelling or structure. However, there will be some minor mistakes that you will unconsciously overlook, as you are the writer at the end; hence, an urgent need for an outside party to cast a firsthand look at your work has emerged. In fact, getting feedback from others plays a significant role in the improvement of your writing skills. Although writers always prefer to hear compliments and positive feedback regarding their works, constructive negative feedback is still an integral part-even if it is agonizing- of every writer’s success. Therefore, you have to take into consideration every single word said to you to get rid of your weaknesses and enhance your writing.
These steps are the magic potion that makes you an unparalleled writer. You have to know that there is no perfect writer. You always have to develop yourself and learn constantly as there is no end to learning, and you can always be better than what you are now.