How can I become a better writer?

Answer 1

Reading. You have to read a LOT. From newspapers to magazines, from fiction to non-fiction, fantasy to politics, sports to fashion, there is nothing you can miss out! Of course, it helps if you have a good command in the language you're going to write in. Then there's the vocabulary. It's good to have a wide, extensive set of vocabulary stored inside you.

Then there's the problem of inspiration. You can't just expect to become a good writer just like that, the ideas have to come to you! It wouldn't do any good if you are a great writer, with wonderful vocabulary if you don't have a story plot or inspiration. You'd end up with major writer's block. Many different things inspire different people. You can't just look for it, you can't expect to find it. It'll come to you, slowly but gradually. Once it comes to you, it hits you so strongly that you'd be surprised.

Then lastly, never give up. You might fail once or twice, but never ever give up. Failures happen to all of us when we least expect it. Everyone has to go through it. If you can live through your failure, learn from it, hey, one day you might turn up to be a wonderful writer.

I hope this helps! Continue writing, always try and never give up.

Answer 2

Challenge yourself. There are oodles of books and websites out there that give guidance on how to write better. Stephen King, Elmore Leonard, Janet Evanovich, and several other well known writers have published some great writer's guides. Writer's Digest is another good site, http://www.writersdigest.com/
that gives prompts for writing challenges. Preditors and Editors is another great site that covers the entire spectrum from idea to publication and then some. http://anotherealm.com/prededitors/
Vocabulary improvement is also key, though try not to write over your target audience's heads. There are a few books that are good for this, but a proofreader friend of mine showed me a site that is not only good for improving vocabulary, but helps to feed the hungry through the UN World Food Program.
http://freerice.com/

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Practice. I truly believe writers are born, but it takes training and practice to hone and shape that gift into a skill and a talent. Did you go out and drive a Formula 1 racecar the day you got your drivers' license? Of course not. That takes years of practice to perfect. So what makes you think writing is any different?

If you go to my profile, you will find many great Q and A starred on writing and publishing. I star them for novice writers. Many good authors have come here and contributed to this forum. You can learn a lot by going through them and reading. Print out some that seem to apply to you.

I also recommend Stephen King's masterwork On Writing and a wonderful novel called The Novelist which is actually a tutorial on writing written in the form of a novel. Very good book.

And READ those classics.
----
They're, Their, There - Three Different Words.

Careful or you may wind up in my next novel.

Pax - C

Answer 4

Reading is great. But don't forget to write and write and write. Even when you have nothing to write, start writing. This is one situation in which "practice makes perfect" is actually true.

See if you can become skillful at writing without switching on your "internal editor." Most professional writers admit that their early drafts are horrible, but they end up with good stuff because they allow themselves to write badly and copiously, then spend a lot of time editing later in the process.

If you edit yourself too much in the early drafts, then you'll never get some of your best writing on paper. You'll rob yourself of the chance to explore until you find just the right words.

Remember... when you're typing on a computer and nobody's looking, there's really no reason to limit your writing at all. Don't be afraid to type out every stray thought that comes into your head. Save the editing until somebody important sees the piece.

Also, find people who are willing to give you honest feedback on your writing. Remember, you're in control of your writing, so you don't have to take all of their advice or criticism. But you should allow yourself to hear it, just in case it helps.

Answer 5

Be sure to read quality books that teach the principles of good writing. I highly recommend "On Writing Well" by William Zinsser. This book is a classic and Zinsser has recently updated it. It is available at Amazon.com for $10.17.

Additional recommendations include: "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White and "100 Ways to Improve Your Writing" by Gary Provost.

Best wishes and good luck.

Answer 6

Read. A lot. It gives you so much inspiration and you can notice certain techniques that different writers use. I used to not like to read so much, but I found now that it is essential.
Good luck!

Answer 7

Read everything you can so you know what your competition is. But most importantly write. Observe the world around you and practice describing it in a journal. This will help you develop your skills. Write what inspires you.
Good luck.

Answer 8

You've already had people tell you to read - read the good stuff, read so much of it that your brain is steeped in it. The next thing, is to write. Write every day - either keep a journal or find some other writing exercises to practice.

Answer 9

Write more and share more. Set aside time every day, and stick to it. It also helps to join a group or take a class. If you don't feel like paying for a class, check out your local artsy coffeehouses, or bulletin boards at bookstores. Advice and criticism are always good.

Answer 10

read.
read anything & everything.

reading makes you a better writer because the more familiar you are with how things are written, the better you will be able to write.