So You Want to Write: Writing Tips to Get You Started
Written by Cedric Solidon on September 29th, 2008 at 6:33 PMSo you want to write? Sure it’s easy if you’re just somebody trying to write down your own thoughts on your journal. But if you want to write for a living, there’s more work involved in that.
The difference between the two is that in journal writing, you simply write for yourself. There’s no need to explain anything to anyone. On the other hand, you write with an audience in mind when you write for a living. It is therefore important that they understand what you are saying.
So here are a few general tips that will help you get started with clear and effective writing.
Learn the Rules, Break Them Later
They say that you should know the rules before you break them. The same thing applies to writing. Grammar is the set of rules that will guide you every time you construct a sentence. So it’s important that you’re well-grounded on this basic tool. Once you get comfortable with the rules, feel free to experiment with writing that’s out of the box.
Review Your Work
Isn’t it fun when your ideas seem to simply flow and you just type them away on your keyboard? Of course it is but you’re sure to miss some things along the way like errors in grammar and spelling, and unclear statements. In my case, my thoughts are sometimes faster than my fingers that I actually fail to type down some of them! So make sure that you re-read your draft before you publish or submit it.
Have Somebody Else Review Your Work
So you already checked your draft and you can’t find any errors or whatsoever there. But don’t publish it yet! Have somebody else read it a couple of times. There might be some iffy sentences in your draft that only you can understand and having somebody else read it can help point that out to you. Edit it and make sure you get your message across clearly.
Read, Read, Read
If you want to stay inspired writing, read as much as you can. Make sure that you read good books and blogs because you can pick up a thing or two from the way good writers write. For example, I read Ernest Hemingway (the writer who wrote books such as The Old Man and the Sea
Just Do It
And for my final tip, well, keep on writing. The only way you’ll get better with your craft is by practicing it as often as you can. I personally write everyday, be it a simple blog entry or for my writing gigs. So sharpen your skills by writing regularly.
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2 Responses to “So You Want to Write: Writing Tips to Get You Started”
By Gem on Oct 16, 2008
I’ve been always finding tips on how to write, particularly on blogs. This is new – “learn the rules and break them later” – and I surely agree to it.