There is a common misconception that writing skills are an asset only valuable to professional writers.
This can’t be further from the truth. Yes, professional writers definitely need writing skills, but the rest of the world does, too.
Even if your profession doesn't involve writing, being able to convey messages effectively is highly important for successful communication.
On the other hand, if you write for a living, you know that writing skills are much more than grammar and spelling.
So, if you want to become a better writer, upgrade your writing skills and stay ahead of the curve, you’re in for a treat.
We’re going to share 6 tips on how to improve your writing skills to help you create content that performs.
Let’s dive in!
What Do Writing Skills Consist Of
Writing skills enable you to express your thoughts and communicate clearly and effectively.
Moreover, writing skills cover a wide scope of categories, but the major ones are:
- Grammar
- Vocabulary and Spelling
- Sentence structure and construction
- Research and accuracy
- Clarity and effectiveness
- Persuasiveness.
The good thing is that just like any other skill, you can learn how to improve your writing skills with time and practice.
So let’s see how to do it in 6 simple ways.
How to Improve Writing Skills in 6 Simple Ways
Although the set of writing skills may vary depending on your type of work, the ways to improve them are the same.
1. Create an Outline
One of the most challenging things about writing is organizing your thoughts, ideas, and findings into a coherent copy.
Furthermore, the last thing you want is to end up with a copy that seems all over the place and hard to follow.
This is why creating an outline or a draft is so important. An outline provides you with a framework and helps you put things in perspective.
And it doesn’t have to be anything complex.
Start with the intro and add sections you want to write about.
For each section, jot down a few words or bullet points you will develop later.
Once you’ve done with an outline, go through it to see if the order is logical and if it has a natural flow.
Nowadays, you can also get great help from AI-powered writing tools like TextCortex using its ‘Create an Outline’ feature.
The process is straightforward:
1. Once you signup, click on the logo in the right bottom corner
2. Choose the category Blog outline
3. Click the Create button.
When you enter the title and keywords, you will get a basic outline that you can further tweak and edit.
What’s more, you will get suggestions you can include.
Another option is to leverage the Blog outline directly from the Zeno AI writing assistant.
Simply press and hold Ctrl + Shift + K to activate it within any textbox online.
When the drop-down menu appears, select the type of blog post you wish to have written by AI-bots and enter the keyword.
The outline ideas will automatically show in your textbox once you hit the “Generate” button.
2. Pay Attention to the Introduction
You should definitely pay attention to the introduction of your copy. The introduction is the first thing your readers see. Therefore, it is crucial.
You need to captivate your readers and pique their interest.
For example, you can use rhetorical questions to awaken their curiosity.
On the other hand, they are a great hook to keep your readers’ attention when done right.
Of course, introductions will vary depending on your niche and the type of writing, but overall, try to make them informative and exciting.
3. Create Compelling Headlines
Headlines are introductions to the sections they describe. Therefore, treat them as an introduction.
Make them compelling and attention-grabbing. Try the following:
- Use dynamic words
Apart from dynamic words, numbers are also popular in headlines. So:
- Use numbers - they make an article specific and unique
- Show the benefit - make the value clear in a succinct way. For example, 10 Neck Exercises to Prevent Tension.
- Speak to your audience - don’t forget your target audience. If possible, include them in the headline. For example, 5 Website Risks Every eCommerce Store Owner Should Know About.
4. Keep The Structure in Mind
It is important to keep the structure in mind when writing. Again, the structure may differ depending on the type of content.
For example, a blog will likely have an introduction, a body, and a conclusion.
However, the structure is so much more than the layout and outline.
It also refers to the sentence and paragraph length, use of the right tone and voice, etc.
Therefore make sure to:
🎯 Shorten sentences - Try to say more with less. Shorter sentences are more punchy and easier to comprehend.
It is much better to link the sentences with versatile linking expressions than to “stuff” your sentences with too many words.
As a rule of thumb, each sentence should be short and carry one idea.
🎯 Shorten paragraphs - Shorter paragraphs are more comprehensive and understandable.
Moreover, they should revolve around one topic or the main theme. Naturally, different writing forms have different norms.
In academic writing, longer paragraphs are preferable, whereas in semi-formal or informal writing, they aren’t.
The Summarizing Feature by TextCortex can assist you in summarizing larger pieces of text while staying true to the main idea.
🎯 Use the active voice - Active voice helps you create more dynamic and, therefore, more exciting content.
Again, the passive voice is more dominant in academic writing because it is considered more formal and less personalized.
Another aspect you should have in check is vocabulary.
5. Choose Your Words Wisely
When we say to choose your words wisely, we mean everything from the words themselves to redundant words, word repetitions, and tone.
Academic writing calls for more complex and formal words and phrases.
However, that isn’t the case in less formal writing.
Your words should be clear and simple so that an average reader can understand your point. In other words, go for familiar expressions.
Redundant Words
In addition, steer away from the so-called redundant words: they repeat the same idea.
Here are some examples:
- Forever and ever
- Unexpected surprise
- End result
- Period of time
- New innovations, etc.
Furthermore, the redundant words can also be filler words such as really, very, that, etc.
They are overused and don’t add additional value to your copy. They weaken it.
Of course, none of this means you should never use them. Just make sure not to overuse them.
Word Repetition
If you write text that needs to be SEO-optimized, you probably end up repeating the keyword too many times.
Unfortunately, having a repetitive word or phrase leads to monotonous and dull passages.
Go for a synonym instead and make your writing more diverse and dynamic.
Furthermore, too much repetition comes across as unnatural and can be penalized by Google.
The Tone
Speaking of unnatural, your word choice and sentence structure will set the tone of your text. Regardless of the text type, you don’t want it to sound unnatural.
Your target audience is the key factor in determining what tone and voice you need.
For example, with TextCortex’s Tone Changer, you can easily change the tone.
Furthermore, you can choose from more than 10 tones.
One of the final steps when it comes to your writing is to proofread it and make any necessary changes.
6. Proofread and Edit
Proofreading and editing are essential for your writing. They help you spot mistakes and do the final touches.
Pay attention to the length of your sentences, the choice of words, and all the nitty-gritty details we’ve covered.
A useful tool to have is TextCortex’s Paraphrasing feature which gives you a fresher perspective on your text and provides suggestions.
Furthermore, you can use it in any textbox.
Nonetheless, proofreading is quite a boring task, especially since human minds tend to read the lines error-free.
Luckily, the Text-to-speech feature by TextCortex reads your content out loud so you can catch mistakes and errors more precisely.
This phase of proofreading is also great to improve the readability of your content.
What’s more, TextCortex has a readability checker that shows you the readability score, word and character count, and reading time.
Furthermore, you also get an overall assessment of your text.
Bonus Tips
These bonus tips aren’t related to the art of writing directly but are definitely invaluable in developing and upgrading your wiring skills.
- Do research - In order to produce high-quality, informative and credible content, you must do research and double-check the information, especially if you state statistics.
- Read similar content - Reading similar content to the one you write can help you get a general idea about the layout, special vocabulary, style, and voice.
Underline the parts you like and get inspired.
The more you read, the more you’ll realize what works and what doesn’t.
- Write a lot - Writing is a skill. So if you want to advance and upgrade you should write and practice as much as you can.
It will help you get more creative and less worried when writer’s block hits. More importantly, it will boost your confidence if you are a beginner.
Consequently, as you gain more confidence you will be more inclined to find your voice and make your writing more unique by stating your opinions.
Wrapping It Up
From reading more often and practicing writing regularly to paying attention to grammar and structure, the above strategies will help you improve your writing skills.
Furthermore, they’ll make sure you choose words that are effective, compelling, and well-received.
And TextCortex can assist you and make the road less bumpy for you.
What are some of TextCortex’s highlights?
- More than 60 AI templates you can use for every niche and industry
- More than 30 platforms where TextCortex is accessible.
Besides this, with TextCortex, you can:
- Rewrite your content
- Expand your content
- Autocomplete your text
- Generate long-form posts from as few as 5 words
- Turn bullet points into an email
- And many more.
Combining our tips and TextCortex’s robust features, you can create engaging pieces of writing that will help you stand out in any situation.
Interested to give it a try?
Download Text Cortex add-on so you can put these tips into practice and write like a pro!