9 Ways to Become a Better Writer

Would you like to become a better writer? Whether you’re an experienced content writer wanting to up your game or a complete beginner looking to launch a new writing career, there are lots of things you can do to build and refine your skills.

In this blog post, we’ll discuss nine ways to become a better writer.

What Skills Do You Need to Be a Freelance Writer?

Making a career as a freelance writer is an attractive option for anyone who enjoys writing. In a previous post, we considered the hard and soft skills required to be successful in such a career, which naturally include strong writing skills. It’s never too early – or too late – to work on those, so let’s have a look at some ways in which you could improve as a writer.

How to Become a Better Writer

We don’t intend this to be an exhaustive list, but here are some tips to get you started:

1. Identify your weak spots.
2. Know your audience.
3. Make an outline.
4. Don’t stress about the first draft.
5. Read your writing out loud.
6. Ask for feedback.
7. Read more.
8. Write more.
9. Take a course.

Let’s have a look at each of these in turn.

1. Identify Your Weak Spots

We all have aspects of our writing that we could improve. Maybe you’ve always struggled with spelling or punctuation and need to brush up on those skills. Perhaps you have a tendency to waffle and need to work on your clarity and concision. Or you might suffer from writer’s block and need to find inspiration. Being honest with yourself will allow you to focus your efforts on the skills you need to improve.

2. Know Your Audience

Who do you hope will benefit from the piece you are writing? The answer to this question will inform not only the topic but also the tone of voice you adopt (whether formal, informal, or humorous) and your word choice. Using lots of jargon for a piece aimed at the general public might be a turnoff, and using examples or idioms peculiar to your region may confuse a reader from elsewhere.

3. Make an Outline

Before you plunge headlong into the writing, try making an outline of the piece. Sketching out the headings and main points can help you to organize your thoughts, keep the piece on track, and avoid any gaps in the information to convey. With an outline, you can also easily see how the piece will flow, which will help your readers follow the finished article.

4. Don’t Stress About the First Draft

Sometimes the word or phrase you want escapes you. Don’t worry about it. Write down something – anything – that will remind you and move on. No one else needs to see your first draft. You’ll enjoy the satisfaction of completing the piece and can hone it later.

5. Read Your Writing Out Loud

Or, if you don’t like the sound of your own voice, use the Read Aloud feature on your device. By reading your piece out loud, you’ll hear how it will sound to others, and you’ll likely catch little errors that your eyes may skip.

6. Ask for Feedback

And don’t be shy! You are undoubtedly your own worst critic, so any feedback from others is unlikely to be as bad as you imagine. Make use of your friends and family, but try to find a good match for your potential audience (see Tip 2).

7. Read More

Whatever weak spots you may have identified in your own writing, reading the work of others is a good way to improve. You’ll pick up on spelling, grammar, punctuation, tone of voice, clarity, concision, and (depending on what you choose to read) expertise as you go.

8. Write More

It may be a cliché, but practice really does make perfect – or, at least, it can help you to improve. And it doesn’t matter what you write; it’s developing the habit that counts. Try keeping a daily journal – that way, you won’t have the added pressure of anyone else reading what you’ve written.

9. Take a Course

To borrow the closing line from Some Like It Hot, nobody’s perfect. You may not even realize you have a particular weak spot but simply want to improve your skills or keep up to date with technology. Whatever aspect of your writing you wish to improve and however you prefer to learn, there will be a freelance writing course for you. To help you consider your options, we’ve curated a list of 5 of the Best Freelance Writing Courses for Beginners.

Becoming a Freelance Writer

Following these tips on how to become a better writer is something you can do at any stage of your writing career. If you are still at the stage of wondering whether such a career is for you, why not give our Becoming a Freelance Writer course a go? You can even try it out for free.