Throwback time: take a look at one of our previous blog posts, filled with info that is still relevant today!
Whether you write as a full-time job, as a hobby, or hardly at all, we can’t escape the fact that writing is a part of our everyday lives. Strong communication is a great tool to have in any field or situation, and writing plays a huge role in how we communicate, especially with the rising influence of social media and emails in our day-to-day activities.
But what if you don’t feel confident in your writing skills? We’ve included a multitude of ideas below to get you on the path to feeling confident in your writing and hopefully enjoying it more as well.
Write!
This is one of the tips most often given to aspiring writers. If you write often, especially creatively, getting into a regular writing practice is a fantastic way to boost your writing skills. Whether that means setting aside twenty minutes a day to work on a longer piece, or devoting a few hours a weekend to drafting articles or essays, consistently working on your writing is one of the best ways to become better at it. The best part? What you are working on doesn’t necessarily have to be perfect or usable. Let your creativity flow and see where your writing goes. At best, you’ll tap into an idea that could become a future masterpiece. At worst, you’ll simply get better at identifying your strengths and weaknesses as a writer.
Blog
So perhaps novel writing isn’t your thing, but journalism or content writing is. A blog is a great space to practice writing shorter articles that you want an online presence for. You can learn a bit about HTML and CSS, practice writing, and get your thoughts out of your head and on to the Internet, all in one go.
There are a few things to note about blogging. First, it is an online platform, so you might want to be a little cautious about what you post. If a blog post isn’t your best work, you might want to work on refining it, or keep it as a draft. Blogs can be great platforms for future employers to peruse to get a sense of your writing style, but that can backfire if you don’t have quality content uploaded. Be sure to protect your work and your privacy.
Additionally, blogs tend to have a theme, whether they are lifestyle blogs, food blogs, or almost any other category. If you are blogging just to practice your writing, then this isn’t such a big deal for you. However, if you are trying to build a following through your blog, you should do some research about what kind of blog you want to create, what will make your content stand out, and how you want everything to be formatted. There are tons of articles and posts online about how to become a successful blogger, so make sure you do your research before jumping all in.
Journaling
Not only can journaling be great for your mental health, but it can also improve your writing skills. Through journaling, you can get your thoughts and emotions out, but you also might find that you are able to articulate them more clearly when you are putting them down on a blank page. Learning this articulation is key for writing assignments and can help both your personal and professional life.
Like blogging, journaling can be as public or private as you want, and journaling can also incorporate other creative outlets. Your journal can include drawings, diagrams, quotes, lists, or other items that can potentially give you some great ideas and memories to look back on.
Join a writing group or class
Getting together with peers and discussing your writing can be huge for your writing process. Outside readers and reviewers can catch mistakes or inconsistencies that you may not see, and they can offer opinions that you may not have even considered. If you are in college, taking a creative writing class where peer feedback is included can be a simple way to improve your writing skills, even if your major isn’t directly tied to writing. There are also groups for adults that are writing full-time or as a hobby. Facebook can be a great source of information and can give you connections to others who can provide virtual feedback. Of course, always make sure to be cautious with the information and work that you give out online, but, if you can find the right group of people, your writing can really take off with a little feedback.
Read
Aspiring writers are often encouraged to read as well as practice their writing skills, as it gives them a sense of the voices of other authors and exposes them to different techniques and ideas. The same applies to anyone looking to improve their writing skills, even if their job doesn’t directly involve writing. Reading books and stories in general is a great step to take, but also consider reading about writing and the writing process. There are numerous magazines, articles, and books about how to become a better writer, some of which you can probably find for free online or at your local library.
Consider getting a degree or certificate
Depending on your field of work or what you are looking to do in the future, a degree or certificate in English, creative writing, or technical writing can be a solid place to start. Many universities offer online courses, which can prove useful even if you aren’t looking to complete a full program. If it works for your budget and life, more education is always a good idea, and you can never know what opportunities might open up to you once you have a degree or certificate on your resume.
Hire a professional
This is where a service such as Wreath Writing and Marketing Services comes in. If you’re short on time and need a solid piece of writing quickly, you may not be able to beef up your writing skills and still make a deadline. Or, you might be writing for a field or audience that is outside of your comfort zone. That’s where we come in. We can draft written content for you, including blog posts, website descriptions, and more, and we can also walk you through a writing process and help what you are envisioning for your written work come to life on paper.
Wreath Writing & Marketing Services 