The question on the minds of most writers is “How do I improve my writing?” Becoming a better writer is essential for lots of reasons, including better reader appeal, improved output, better self-expression and expanding one’s range. Here are 5 writing hacks that you can learn and apply to your next write-up:
Learn New Words
Number one on our list of writing hacks is to learn new words. Although this is an age-old tip for writers, it is still very valuable. Learning new words will help you appeal to a wider range of audiences. It will also help you extend beyond just one kind of write-up and expand into many other topics and genres.
Having a vast vocabulary will also help you reach a wider audience and not be confined to writing for only people who understand basic words and simple structures. A rich vocabulary will give you the words to speak to all kinds of people, from all walks of life, in a language that they will understand. This will improve not just your writing but also boost your credibility and readership.
Write After a Good Rest
One of the most overlooked writing hacks is to write after a good rest. Many writers are so random about when they write that they miss out on the wonders that a good sleep can bring to their writing. The art of writing is a creative one that is best done after you are well-rested. The mind works better when it is refreshed, especially in the early hours of the day, before other activities commence. If you want to see increased productivity, better ideas, and good flow from mind to paper, begin writing first thing in the morning, after you have had a good sleep.
Avoid Lengthy Sentences
Avoiding lengthy sentences is one of the writing hacks that will bring you clarity of expression. Lengthy sentences can be long-winded and confusing. They convey too many ideas all at once and leave the readers wondering what exactly you are trying to say, and actually forgetting a huge part of what you said in the sentence. Always make your sentences short or mid-length and straight to the point. The idea of a good sentence is to communicate, and that goal is forfeited if the reader fails to understand what you are saying. The fewer the words and ideas in a sentence, the easier it is to understand the sentence.
Put Yourself in the Shoes of Your Audience
For number four of our writing hacks, we want you to imagine that you are the reader who is reading your work. Picture yourself picking up a book you have never read before. Have an open mind and be unbiased. Ask yourself, “Will this book be easy to understand if I were not the one who wrote it?” If you find it difficult to understand the book, then your readers will also find it difficult to understand your book. Look out for those things that make it difficult for your readers to understand and actually enjoy your book.
Are the sentences too long? Is the grammar bad? Is the plot disjointed and non-sequential? Are the words too sophisticated for the audience? Do you need to have your write-up edited and proofread? Answer these questions honestly and find solutions to them. That way, you would make your book more reader-friendly and have returning readers for your next book.
Read Aloud
The last of the writing hacks for this piece is for you to read aloud. Did you know that reading your article aloud can reveal some mistakes that you may have overlooked? When you write in silence, it is easy to assume that what you intended to write is what is on the page. However, reading your work aloud will make your mind concentrate, and your lips articulate exactly what is written down, and not what you intended to. Always take out time to read your work to your hearing because your brain will quickly pick up something that doesn’t sound right, as soon as you say it aloud.
Improving your writing involves much more than wishful thinking. It requires certain practices. Try out these writing hacks and give us feedback in the comments on how they have helped improve your writing.