4 Ways to improve your writing

Aug 17, 2015 | Better Writing

You can always write better. There’s no secret formula but there are some things that most good writers do. Here are four things that work for me. Every one of them has been a new and powerful technique for at least one of my clients.

Plan it

The trick is to have just enough planning. Shorter pieces usually need less planning than longer ones.

Learn what kinds of planning work for you. Then write. Don’t be a slave to the plan, either. Remember that writing is a discovery process.

Revise, revise

Your first drafts are probably crap. Great writing is rewriting. And then rewriting again. And again.

Read aloud

Read your writing aloud and you’ll discover all kinds of things you can do better. The truth is that your mouth will find problems that your eyes will miss.

This technique is the one most likely to be new for my writing clients. It’s also one of the most powerful.

Let it rest

Write with passion. When you’re filled with emotion you’re more likely to write powerful stuff. The problem is that it may not be very good. That’s OK. Let your piece rest and you’ll be able edit it dispassionately.