How to Improve as a Writer: Ten(ish) Tips

Writing Woes

In the academic writing classes I used to teach, most of which were for nonnative English speakers, many of my students came to the first class of the semester with this adamant stance: they did not like writing. Why? Their worries were plenty. I don’t have the right (academic) vocabulary. My grammar isn’t good enough. I’m worried about citations and plagiarism. I don’t know how to write a thesis statement.

While those are all valid worries, I’ve said it before (and I’ll say it again and again and again): Writing is a process, and the act of improving as a writer, as with anything, is also a process.

At the end of one particular semester, I was delighted when a student mentioned to me that the class had helped them gain a new perspective on writing. They had even signed up for an elective creative writing course the following semester. The student told me that I had taught them that writing wasn’t so bad; in fact, they learned that they actually enjoyed it! Of course, I was thrilled—as both a writing teacher and a creative writer—but I also recognized that these positive feelings were not necessarily representative of all of my students.

Regardless of what your writing background is or whether or not you write academically, creatively, professionally, or some combination thereof, my tips for improving as a writer are the same.

Ten(ish) Tips for Improving as a Writer

1. Read!

You’ve probably heard this advice before; after all, it’s good advice. It’s sound advice.

Read! Read the kind of writing you want to write. If you want to write better essays, read essays. If you want to write fiction, read fiction. If you want to write in English, read in English. That’s not to say you should limit yourself to only reading certain types of writing. Read all kinds of stuff, but make sure some of it is representative of what you want to write and how you want to write.

Read to learn by studying the way other writers write. When you read essays, for example, consider questions such as the following: Is there a thesis statement? What information is included in the introduction? Why does the author use specific kinds of details or examples—how do they help you as a reader?

The idea is to consciously analyze the writing. Doing so helps you learn what techniques other writers use and how you might use those techniques in your own writing.  

2. Write!

Maybe this should really be tip #1 because the truth is this: You’re not going to become a better writer unless you write. As noted in previous posts, I’m a proponent of freewriting and of the use of writing prompts. To me, freewriting is a low-stakes way to practice writing, as freewriting is generally not shared with others.

With prompts, it’s easy to practice on your own. The key is to do it consistently, even if it’s just for five minutes at a time. No one needs to see your writing; you’ll improve just by putting pen to paper on a regular basis and writing about whatever comes to mind.  

3. Learn the art of revision.

Very few people’s first drafts are their final drafts. And in most cases, they shouldn’t be. If you want any reassurance in that regard, check out this essay by Anne Lamott. Even my blog posts involve revision, sometimes extensively. I care about communicating effectively and clearly; therefore, I spend time ensuring that my meaning is clear. I also try to do it in a relatively interesting—or meaningful—way. Sometimes that involves restructuring a sentence or paragraph or picking different words. Sometimes it involves deleting whole paragraphs or adding new ones.

Editing one’s own work, though, is not an easy task for most people. That said, learning about revision and learning to offer feedback on other people’s work is a great way to learn to self-edit, similar to the way that reading and analyzing writing helps you become a better writer.

I could write a whole post on “feedback etiquette”—how to give good feedback (as a reviewer) and how to receive feedback (as a writer). Here’s an abridged version though:

• Be kind and respectful, and keep the writer separate from the writing. That is to say, don’t criticize the writer (e.g., Don’t say, “You don’t make any sense here.” Instead, say, “I’m confused by this sentence. Do you mean . . .?”).
• Always point out what the writer does well in addition to what they can improve upon. Don’t just say nice things about a piece of writing, though; look at it with an analytical reader’s eye.
• Be honest, but know that there are ways to offer constructive feedback while still sparing the writer’s feelings. See the first two bullet points.
• Be specific. If you like something, tell the writer why. If you don’t like something, tell the writer why. Examples: 1.) The organization in this paragraph seems a little off because it sounds like you’re talking about X, but I think you’re really talking about Y. 2.) I like your introduction because it really draws me in. It’s clear what you’re going to be talking about and why it’s important to you.

Just as important is what to do with the feedback you receive on a piece. Respect the feedback you’ve received. Consider it. But remember that the reviewer is not always right. Ultimately, YOU are the writer and can reject opinions that don’t seem valid. It’s often helpful to get multiple people’s opinions because you can see if some of their feedback matches. At the same time, though, too much feedback can be overwhelming, especially for novice writers.

4. Be consistent.

As mentioned previously, consistency is important. If you want to improve as a writer, it’s best to create (and maintain) a writing habit. Along those same lines, I also recommend assessing and reassessing your goals as you go. Have you met a goal and need a new one? For example, maybe you had the goal of filling one full notebook page in a five-minute freewrite. If you’ve met that goal, challenge yourself in other ways. Ask yourself: What do I want to achieve?

5. Know that you won’t be perfect.

This is important. Know that your writing won’t be perfect (because no writing is), and know that that’s okay. I’d also caution against comparing yourself to other writers. Sometimes it can be motivating, but sometimes not. Accept improvement for what it is, and recognize that you will become a better writer at your own pace, not someone else’s. Writing is a process.

6. Use a dictionary (and a thesaurus).

Reading and writing are great ways to increase your vocabulary. I would encourage you, especially when writing, to make use of the dictionary, even if it’s just to confirm how to use a word. The internet can be especially helpful in this regard, though you’ll want to make sure you’re getting your information from a reputable site.

In my editing work, one of the things I see is writers using the same word (or words) over and over again. It’s human nature to get into habits, to be comfortable with certain words and structures, and to avoid new ones. But word choice should be precise; it should convey the nuances of meaning that you want to convey. To that end, I recommend using a thesaurus in conjunction with a dictionary.

It’s important that you use words accurately and that their meaning makes sense in the context. So don’t just substitute a word with another one because the new word “sounds smart,” and don’t do it for every word or you’ll risk sounding like Joey in Friends that time he used a thesaurus—in a humorous scene that very accurately portrays the dangers of using a thesaurus incorrectly.

7. Know when to take a break.

This is not to contradict the idea of consistency but to complement it. If you’re having trouble with a scene, a character, or a section of an essay, leave it. Let the ideas percolate in your mind for a while—an hour, a day, a month (depending on your deadline). A solution might come to you at the most surprising time—when you’re stopped at a red light, when you’re in the shower, or when you’re out for a run. Our minds are wonderful and magical entities—they work even when we’re not forcing them to.

8. Have a support system.

For students, this is often your classmates/peers and your teacher. Ask questions. Visit your teacher during office hours.

If you have access to a writing center or community center/library that offers writing assistance, use those resources.

If you’re a creative writer, join (or start!) a writing group where you can share your writing and give and receive feedback. You don’t have to be a skilled writer in order to offer astute feedback, and you can get practice in the art of revision (see tip #3).

9. Read and learn.

Yes, I know I already told you to read, but it’s not just about reading to analyze the writing; it’s also reading about what you want to learn. For example, if grammar is your weak point, read a grammar book. There are a lot of grammar books available—some are fun and humorous, and some are merely practical. There are also great websites, articles, and blog posts (ahem!) about writing, too. The importance of reading is often undervalued in some writing curriculum, but I can’t stress it enough. That’s why it earns two spots on my tip list.

10. Write!

Yes, this is another repeat. But you have to write in order to improve as a writer. You can’t just take classes, read, go to writing groups, but avoid the actual act of writing. I’m a procrastinator. I get it. I’ll do the laundry, walk the dog, or vacuum the house to avoid writing sometimes.

But you’ve got to write if you want to improve as a writer. Put your thoughts down, and see what happens. Sometimes you’ll surprise yourself with the magic you’ve unleashed.

Now go out there, and write on!

[Post updated on 3-12-21 by the author.]