1# Write a lot every day. You may prefer to write in long or short sessions. Write a short paragraph or an entire page. See which works better for you.
2# Read all sorts of things, but
really take the time to enjoy an old-fashioned book. Regular reading will
influence your style, tastes, background, and ideas. It will also help expand
your vocabulary and improve your grammar.* Determine what is good writing and
what is not. Find your literary heroes. Read both historical and contemporary
authors.* Read a variety of topics and styles, with a focus on styles or genres
on which you wish to write.* Make good use of your local library, both as a
source of a variety of reading materials and as a resource.
#3: Expand your vocabulary.
Read the daily newspaper. Purchase a nice dictionary and thesaurus. Your short
story will not be nearly as exciting if every character walks everywhere and
says every line of dialogue. A comprehensive vocabulary can help bring your
stories and poems to life, enabling you to better describe the world around
you.* Be sure that you are using words correctly. Some of the alternatives
listed in your thesaurus may not have the right shade of meaning or be
appropriate for the level of formality. Look up the word in your dictionary to
be sure, and if in doubt, use a word that you already know.
#4 Meet a Writer! A writer could give
tips to you as well as help. Meet authors at Book launches or Community Book
festivals and forums. Perhaps there is a writer living locally that you could
meet through a public event, or even write/email them and ask if they are
willing to meet you or offer any support.
#5 Use good grammar. Good grammar can
mean the difference between a sentence that is graceful and translucent and a
sentence that is awkward and ambiguous. When you first put your ideas on paper,
you should try to write quickly so that you do not forget any of them. Be sure
to focus on proper grammar, spelling, and punctuation in the revision process,
though. Dangling modifiers and faulty parallelism can reduce clarity as well as
the overall quality of your writing. If you have a question about grammar,
consult a good grammar book, such as The Elements of Style by William Strunk
and E. B. White [1] or The American Heritage® Book of English Usage.[2]
#6: Buy two notebooks. One is a
"Vocabulary Notebook", and the other is an "Inspirational
Notebook".* In your "Vocabulary Notebook", write down new words
and their meanings as well as mnemonic devices (memory aids) to help you learn
them. You may also want to write down some example sentences.* In the
"Inspirational Notebook", write down bits and pieces from your daily
life, such as a fun conversation that you overheard in the mall, or a joke that
you were told by a friend. This can also be a diary or a journal. When you read
something that makes you laugh or think, or tempts you to read aloud, look at
what makes it effective.* Jot down all the ideas that occur to you, including
the ones that will probably never work.
#7: Join online or neighborhood
writing groups. You can even practice writing at wikis, such as “wikiHow” and
“Wikipedia”. You will become a more proficient writer as you help people
.#8: Brainstorm before starting to
write. In order to focus your writing, begin with the main idea. While thinking
about what to write, put down any idea that comes to you, even if it seems
far-fetched or unlikely to be successful. One not-so-good idea may lead to a
better one.
#9: Plan your writing, especially if
you are producing an informative piece. Use whatever technique works best for
you. You can make an outline, put a collection of notes on cards and arrange
them until they are in order, or draw a tree or map. It is possible to rapidly
organize a broad topic with a tree or map structure. Try writing nonstop for
ten minutes and see how many ideas you can think of.
#10: Write as quickly as you can for
the first draft. Try typing without looking at the keyboard. Do not stop to
correct grammar, spelling, or punctuation. Write at least a few paragraphs
before going back and correcting or editing.
#11: Be well-informed about your
subject. Your research will make your fictional or nonfictional writing seem
that much more real. You can use reading materials such as books, magazines,
and online articles and also interview knowledgeable people. You may even be
inspired by something that you see on television.* Remember that fictional
writing will usually require less research than nonfictional writing. Make sure
that you have a strong framework for your story before you start researching
and filling in details. Try to first develop the main points of the plot. If
you are having trouble finishing your story, however, research may give you
some ideas for a satisfying conclusion.
#12: Be specific. Avoid
implying or over-generalizing; vagueness and generalizations are less likely to
grab your readers’ attention. Which sentence is more interesting to read:
"In this town, the crime rate has significantly increased in the last
year" or "In this town, the crime rate has increased more than twenty
percent in the last year"? At the same time, try to include only the
relevant details; say all that you need to say without wasting space.
#13: Tailor your writing to your
purpose and your audience. Just as you change your clothing for the weather and
the occasion, you should also change your writing for your audience and your
message. Flowery writing, for example, might fit better in a poem than in a
status report. Make sure that your writing is not too difficult (or too
simplistic) for your audience. Adjust your word choice and sentence length for
the given audience and level of formality. Limit jargon, and be sure to give
your readers all the background information that they will need to understand
your composition.
#14: Edit Your Writing once you have
a first draft, reread it and rewrite it. You are looking for errors in grammar
and spelling as well as style, content, organization, and coherence.* Editing
is an iterative process. You may edit a piece many times. Just remember, no
writing is perfect.* Give yourself time between writing and editing, if at all
possible. Longer is better, but even a short break can give you some of the
necessary distance and detachment to edit well.
#15: Ask someone else to read
your writing. If at all possible, have a second person read your writing.
Choose someone whom you trust to be forthright and frank.
#16: Make sure that people understand
and interpret your writing the way you intend. Try it on a test audience and
see how they react. Also try taking suggestions from peers and family to help
you refine your idea
.#17: Perhaps someday you will become
a famous writer, teacher, storyteller, or whatever your dream may be, but the
important thing is that you love what you do.
* If you want to be a good writer put
it in your heart and all good things will follow, just try and try until you
reach your goal! Never quit and always ask for help of those professionals.
* Just write! Don't worry about
editing when you've started writing. If it sounds weird and awkward the first
time, don't worry about it. If it's every single sentence you write you edit
the first time, you're just going to drive yourself crazy. Think of it as a
creative guy and a editor guy in your head. First, let the creative guy, the
writer, go crazy first with writings and ideas. Then, afterwards, let the strict,
critical editor guy come out
.* If you have trouble motivating
yourself to write every day, start a blog. For example, you could publish parts
of a story serially online. The thought that other people might be looking for
updates will inspire you to provide them.
* Read about writing. There are many
good books on the subject for a variety of writing styles and genres.* Write to
a particular audience. You may want to practice writing to an imaginary
audience, such as people in the future, or a general audience. Having an
audience in mind will help immensely in focusing your writing.
* Consider your purpose for your
writing. It will help you to have focus
.* Experiment. If you normally write
short fiction, try a poem now and then. Write nonfiction sometimes.
* Write letters. The Internet makes
it easier than ever to find a pen pal with similar interests in another
country. In addition to practicing your writing, you will very likely get a new
perspective, as well.* Write when you feel inspired. Keep a notebook handy and
write, write, write. At least scribble some notes for later.
* Write about what is most important
to you. What bothers you? What inspires you?* Do not leave the page blank. If
you do not know what to write, start writing anything at all. Even if you begin
with "This is boring and I don't know what to write," you may soon
find yourself writing something more.
* Make lists. Are you writing a short
story? Create an outline of the events. Are you a poet? List vivid adjectives
or rhyming words for your poem. Are you working on an informative piece? Use a
list to narrow down your topic or organize key facts. Are you unable to find a
topic? Keep a list of topic ideas. Try brainstorming with the following
ideas:~Questions that you would ask someone famous~ Things that you would do if
there were no risk~ Things that you would do with a million dollars~ Names that
you would give an exotic pet.
* Create a setting and take your
reader there. Vividly describe the setting to your reader. If you are writing a
story that takes place in another region or another time, add some local color.
If you are working on a nonfictional writing about Morocco, tell your reader
about the charms of Morocco. Write about it as though you have traveled to
Morocco yourself. Pretend that you are writing a travel brochure, and do some
research. What would make your reader want to visit Morocco?
* Writing fiction? Need some
inspiration? Try writing in a colorful room. Believe it or not, it brings out
your imagination!
* Don't get discouraged. Every day I
hear that it's almost impossible to get published or even write a book. The
truth is it's hard to write a book, but it's not impossible. Keep writing,
don't listen to those people, and don't dwell on the negatives.
* Screw the publishers. If you can't
get someone to publish your story that's their problem. Keep trying and soon
enough you'll find someone that will give you a chance. It just might take a
while.* Sometimes it helps to not try to work at all. All you have to do is
write you don't have to save stuff like that for your journal. Just write.
* To be a great writer you could find
out other people's desires. You could try writing about amazing experiences
that you have been through and then twist it around a bit to make it a more
exciting moment. One other piece of advice on how to be a great writer is that
you should love it. Don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Write what you
want to write about, and you'll get it right.
* Above all, don't be afraid. Sit
down and write. But write at least one or two paragraphs every day, if possible
at the same hour of the day.
* Discipline will be necessary.
Writing everyday at the same time regardless of how you may feel will help you
to gain this discipline and the will power you need to continue and finish
whatever you begin to write.
* You cannot write one week and
forget the next or skip a day because you don't feel inspired. Just sit and
work whether it's a short story, an article or a book.
* Don't sit on it too long or you
could end up doing something else. You may simply give up and continue day
dreaming the rest of your life.
* If it's an article make sure you
have all the facts in front of you. Interviews, research and any background
information you can find. Make sure there are no doubts in your mind as to the
veracity of your facts.
* Since your mind is a complex yet marvelous
computer, you will discover that as you move along in your writing, words will
flow and appear from ether itself to help enhance your writing and inspiration
whatever this may be.
* Sure, you need discipline but don't
solely look at writing as work. It actually is fun. Don't stress yourself out.
If you are not at all willing to write at a particular moment (not even a
little bit) then don't write. The real things won’t flow if you're not ready
for them to.
* If you want be a good writer just
read a lot, write every day, and do not give up.
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