EASY WAYS TO IMPROVE YOUR WRITING SKILLS

Writing is an art. It is an innate capability of a person who has the flair to conjure up a concoction of the right words and expressions to depict something, some thought, someplace or some character. Writing comes naturally to some and not to others. If you have the flair for it, you are likely to be a good writer. If not, you are stuck!

How many times have you heard this?

This will sound great to all those who do have this skill. However, it is bad news for those who do not have the inherent skill. For all those who feel that they are not expressive when it comes to using the pen on paper, it is a challenge. When writing does not come naturally, it poses a complex problem and can be a cause for low self-esteem in today’s global environment. Will they forever be gripped by this inadequacy and handicap?

The answer is NO.

Writing is as much a science as it is an art. It is a blend of both and this is the good news that I wanted to share with all my readers.

Anyone can learn to write. Everyone can improve their writing skills. What I am going to reveal today, will help you improve your writing skills. It will also help you develop writing skills if you do not have any as yet.

For any skill to reach good levels, we have to keep a toolbox ready and our tools sharp. So let us see what tools you need to improve your writing skills.

A sneak peek into the toolbox of a good writer-

1. Human beings have 5 senses. To improve your writing skills, you must make use of all 5 senses. The five senses are- the sense of taste, smell, sight, touch, and hearing. In any particular situation or observation of a place or a person, observe carefully while making use of all these senses.

As an example-

It was a dark, moonless night. Sammy was breathing hard as he ran out of the old house. A strange cooing sound and followed him. He tried to run faster. But the sound did not become faint. Sweat beads lined his forehead and he could feel his heart throbbing erratically. Suddenly a shadow crossed his path. He stopped and gulped hard. As he turned to see what had crossed his path, he saw smoke rising out of the chimney of the old mansion. A rotten, nauseating smell reached his nose.

Note how we have used the phrase breathing hard, cooing sound, and heart-throbbing sounds. Here the sense of hearing has come into play to create a dramatic effect.

Note how we use the phrases- dark moonless night, old house, smoke rising out of the chimney- to create a visual. Here we make use of the sense of sight.

Note how we use sweat beads lining his forehead to bring the sense of touch on the skin.

Note how we have used gulping down hard to create a taste in the mind of the reader.

Can you tell me how and where we have used the sense of smell in this passage?

2. If you are a beginner, simple sentences are good. However, as you start to write more, you should try to construct sentences that are complex and involving.

Example-

A simple sentence- The ant crawled into the anthill.

How do we improvise the sentence to give more information to our readers? Take a look at how we can play with this sentence to make it interesting.

The tiny ant, with swift legs, crawled into the large anthill, carrying a crystal of sugar.

Another example for you-

The man ran slowly.

The man ran slowly, his heavy, sluggish body slowing him down further.

3. Capture your reader with a vivid description instead of telling him.

Example-

The boy was angry.

Here we are telling the reader that the boy was angry. Instead of telling, we can try to draw a picture of the angry boy with words.

The boy’s face turned red with rage. He clenched his fists and screamed loudly, his nostrils flaring and his breath becoming uneven.

4. Read more and more to improve your vocabulary, grammar and your grasp of the language. This will go a long way in improving your writing skills.

5. Watch English movies with well-written subtitles and try reading and listening simultaneously. This will help you correlate the written and spoken and your sentences will flow more naturally. This trick helps to enhance writing skills in a big way.

6. Every time you write a piece, read it repeatedly and edit it several times till you reach satisfaction. Editing and re-editing go a long way in improving your writing skills.

7. Connect each sentence to the next one. Any thought worth sharing must find the right words. The right words must find the right sequence to construct the right sentence. The first right sentence must be followed by another right sentence that builds and nurtures this thought.

8. A few right sentences clubbed together into a paragraph must be followed by another paragraph that adds value and enhances the thought or brings out a new one that is linked to the earlier.

9. Pick out a paragraph from a well-written book. Analyze the sentences carefully. How are the sentences constructed? How has the author combined simple and complex sentences to produce an interesting and involving passage? Do this regularly to enhance your writing skills

10. Now, try to pick a setting: a coffee shop, a mall, a desert, a jungle, a beach and try writing about this place using the first tip that I have given you to improve your writing skills.

Writing needs a lot of focus and effort. With patience, one can become a good writer who can grip the reader’s attention. Remember that writing is as much a science as it is an art and can be learned and practiced. The ten tips that I have shared are practical and very doable. With regular adherence to the suggestions, you will soon find yourself writing great passages and eventually longer pieces. So let us embark on this journey and start improving your writing skills. Go on and try writing your narrative now!