How do you know if you’re a skilled writer? It’s no secret that writers often feel insecure about their work. In 1938, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author, John Steinbeck, wrote in his diary, “I am not a writer. I’ve been fooling myself and other people.”
A YouGov poll found one-third of Americans feel others think they are more capable than they actually are. This is associated with imposter syndrome — a feeling of insecurity about your own abilities and accomplishments.
Imposter syndrome impacted me early in my writing career. The pressure to produce high-quality work that lived up to client expectations caused me to doubt my skills.
But, here’s the thing — being a skilled writer is not about natural born talent. Creating clear and engaging sentences that easily transition the reader from point A to point B is a skill that any writer can master.
With that said, here are 9 tips from professional writers that will help you improve your writing skills and become a stronger writer.
1. Practice writing exercises to improve your skills
As the saying goes, practice makes perfect. Rather than just practicing writing itself — such as by writing an article or a blog post — experiment with different writing exercises. Use this guide to learn some of the most effective ones, such as creating a fake ad and developing a metaphor list.
Writing exercises can improve your writing skills because they encourage you to think more critically about the words and phrases you use. This can help you to create powerful sentences that are more compelling and clearer to understand.
2. Use Wordtune for language proficiency
If you write in a non-native language, it can be difficult to improve your writing proficiency. Different languages have their own nuances which can lead to misunderstandings and misinterpretations. AI writing assistants, such as Wordtune, can suggest ways to enhance your vocabulary and check for grammar and spelling errors.
Wordtune works in multiple languages, including German, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Mandarin, and Hindi.
Besides AI tools, there are many other techniques to improve language proficiency. From reading books aimed at young adults, to learning how to identify your patterns.
3. Follow a logical arc
A logical arc refers to the progression of ideas in a written piece. It’s about presenting ideas in a logical manner to ensure your writing is easy to follow and enjoyable to read.
It would be confusing, for instance, to write a conclusion before describing the main points of an article. How can people understand a summary of something they haven’t read yet?
A logical arc ensures your arguments and ideas are rational and coherent. Learning to spot faulty logic and intentionally use logical fallacy to your advantage can make you a more credible writer.
4. Guide your readers in the right direction with transition words
It takes skill to take the thoughts in your head and turn them into well-structured and organized sentences.
Transition words such as “nevertheless” and “therefore” can help your writing flow from one train of thought to the next. But, skillful writers know that successful transitions are not just about transition words themselves. Effective transitions naturally guide your reader in a particular direction, and explain how two ideas work together.
For instance, If I was writing a paper on why AI is key to solving climate change, I need to decide how to naturally link these two subjects together. Will I first explain the challenges around climate change and then how AI can help. Or, will I break down the key environmental issues and individually describe how AI can improve each one?
Think about what you want your transition to achieve before you add a transition word.
5. Expand your vocabulary using AI
Repetition is boring and so are generic words like “really,” “very,” and “stuff.” They’re not specific, so they don’t add value to a sentence. Using descriptive and unique words keeps readers engaged because they make writing dynamic and meaning clearer.
Plus, descriptive words such as “bleak,” “joyful,” and “delicious” help to create vivid images in the reader’s mind, helping them to visualize a story in more detail.
Increasing your vocabulary will stop you from repeating dull descriptors, and help you to enhance your writing. There are many straightforward strategies you can use to expand your active vocabulary. This includes using the AI writing tool Wordtune which can come up with alternative words and phrases to stop you repeating yourself.
6. Switch from passive voice to active
In a sentence that uses active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. Conversely, the passive voice can make who is performing the action unclear.
Example 1:
Active voice: “John wrote the letter.”
Passive voice: “The letter was written by John.”
Example 2:
Active voice: “The teacher graded the papers.”
Passive voice: “The papers were graded.”
Because active voice makes clear who is performing the action, it is more direct and easy to follow. As you can see from the second example, the person who is performing the action can be more vague in passive voice. This can make passive voice confusing and less concise, making it harder to grab your reader's attention.
Use this guide to learn different exercises that will help you transition from passive to active voice.
7. Learn how to write better sentences
A well-written sentence expresses a complete thought. It’s easy to understand, and integral to your content. Don’t fall into the trap of including lengthy sentences and pointless words that don’t add to your writing.
Trim the fat and pay attention to your sentence flow.
No one really enjoys reading sentences that are difficult to follow because they are really long and include lots of the same words being really repeated throughout — see what I did there?
8. Follow a 3-step editing process
Editing is the icing on the cake — the final magic ingredient that brings everything together. However, writers can struggle with critically analyzing their own work during the editing process.
With that said, if you plan your editing the same way you plan a piece of writing, you can make the process much easier and more effective. Instead of reading through your work and waiting to find a mistake, use a 3-step formula to cover all your bases.
- Developmental edits: Firstly, check if your piece is in line with your writing brief. Have you completed all your brief requirements?
- Copy edits: Now check the structure of your paragraphs. See if all your sentences flow.
- Polishing: The final stage is to proof-read and polish your copy. Can any sentences be reworded for better clarity?
9. Use AI to overcome writer’s block
Fear of criticism and the need for perfection can trigger the writing monster — otherwise known as writer’s block.
Luckily, AI tools such as Wordtune are advanced enough to help spark our creativity and save us from our blank page misery by generating content.
AI tools can help you brainstorm and research topics, and find inspiration through generated text. While writer’s block is a challenge that many writers face, AI offers an effective solution to move past our procrastination.
Maximize your writing ability
Brilliant writers are not born with the innate ability to write. They continually practice, learn, and practice again to harness their talent. But unlike classic artists such as Ernest Hemingway and Emily Brontë, we now have artificial intelligence to help us learn.
From expanding your vocabulary to maintaining an active voice, follow these nine pro-writer tips to improve your writing skills in no time.
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