How do I improve my writing

1. 61

   sin_minposted 13 years ago

   Is their a to go person for editing or reviews of books?

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      Jeff Berndtposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Same way you get to Carnegie Hall.
      
      Practice.

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      smcopywriteposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      you can have outsource editing and reviews for books. freelance outsourcing around writing is taking on a life of its own. there are publishers that may work for professional publishers and take work on the side.
      
      post a freelance writing job for an editor on one of the writing job boards and get your work edited.
      
      you can also outsource reviews if you would like. guest posting is a wonderful way to get free reviews for your books.

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2. 60

   tobey100posted 13 years ago

   Not really.  You improve by doing.  Just like anything else.  In my opinion no one can tell you or teach you how to write.  Write the way you think and the way you talk.  Don't try to immitate or put on airs because you think there's an expected style.  If you're writing, you have something you want to share.  When you tell a story to your family or friends that's exactly what you do....tell it.  You don't worry about style or method or any of that garbage.
   
   Read Mark Twain.  That's how you write.  Just tell it.  Jez, today Twain probably couldn't get a publisher to even read one of his manuscripts. 
   
   Just keep writing.

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      marpaulingposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, I definitely agree wiith you.

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      ljv21posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      put it perfectly...get it out and listen to your readers....if they like something then you are doing it right

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         tobey100posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         Well said!

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   johnnypennposted 13 years ago

   Just practice. A lot.
   Writer's will never stop practicing their craft. In order to get better, you have to do. YOu have to sit down at your computer and just write. It doesn't matter if its pages upon pages or simply a sentence or two. Just do it.

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4. 79

   Aficionadaposted 13 years ago

   Actually, Website Examiner offers a service as a Mentor-Editor (for a fee, but I believe with a free trial period available).  If you are interested in having some frequent suggestions, help, insight, etc., to help you improve in a rather organized fashion (as opposed to hit-or-miss do-it-yourself improvement), you could check that out.  See his profile page.
   
   In addition, he has recently reviewed 100 Hubs (in an incredibly short time, with very excellent results) and has opened a new account specifically for the purpose of reviewing Hubs.
   
   There are also other Hubbers who have worked as editors, and you might be able to contact one of them to see what they offer and/or suggest.

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   Alhamoraposted 13 years ago

   Check poorly written hubs by poor writers and do not do the mistakes they did. And you will become a good writer. Plain and simple.

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   Emmahub1posted 13 years ago

   Hi there, I am new to this and can not write but everyone has to start somewhere.

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7. 79

   Aficionadaposted 13 years ago

   Practice is important, but just remember that you become good at what you practice a lot.  So, if you do a lot of practice writing sloppy, poorly-conceived ideas in a vague, mumbly style, you will become very adept at writing vague, mumbly expressions of sloppy, poorly-conceived ideas.
   
   It's fine to read some poor examples of writing to know what not to do, as long as you know which aspects should be avoided.
   
   We tend to write like what we read the most of, unconsciously imitating it; so, it wouldn't hurt to read a lot in a style that you admire.

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   Pierre Savoieposted 13 years ago

   To improve writing, build up your language.  As a child (unless you were in a British Commonwealth country where people have inordinate pride in the language), you may not have paid attention to all that you could have concerning spelling and grammar.  Today's "Internet texting" kids are even worse!  But information and help exist for adults.  Reader's Digest used to print the popular column, "It Pays to Increase Your Word Power."  Things like that.
   
   You can build up your vocabulary -- but then DON'T use it!  Or at least, don't use it too frequently.  To reach the greatest number of appreciative readers, you have to keep sentences short, easy to absorb.  You need to keep asking yourself:  is this sentence too long?  Break it into two.  Sometimes a fancy word describes something exactly and beautifully -- but you have to wrap some context into it so a person unfamiliar with the word can guess at its purpose.
   
   Lastly, once you have the vocabulary and grammar skills in your toolbox to be able to write, you have to figure out WHAT to write and how to do it.  Use a top-down approach.  It is disastrous to write a story or a how-to guide by writing, "Well first I did this and then I did that and then this happened..."  This is aimless and horrible.  Plan your piece like any project:  top-down.  Figure out the main goal (telling a story, or covering a subject, not too broadly!) Then write out several main parts, then in each part figure out the sub-parts you should cover, down to the details, and then you have a logical sequence to get the sentences moving naturally, part by part.  HubPages helps by letting you set up several blank blocks of text in a row.  Each block should be a section, and the section titles are exactly the main ideas that you planned beforehand.
   
   You don't have to use point-form to plan things.  A more beautiful method is a "branch" method using a piece of paper.  You learn to use different branching structures for different tasks, and it gives you a lot of two-dimensional flexibility to plan different branches of the topic or to link branches together.

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   Uninvited Writerposted 13 years ago

   There are lots of places online that will show you how to write book reviews. Also read lots of other people's book reviews.

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10. 60

    Y. Kajitakaposted 13 years ago

    There are as many ways to improve as there are to fail, to be honest.  ^^;  Here are some of my tips:
    
    1. If you have trouble getting things edited, ask for second opinions- beta readers are a godsend.  If you have an account on FictionPress, they make it easy to find a beta reader for whatever category you need, as well as giving you a place to post your works!
    
    2. If finding a story idea gets you stuck, settle for some imagery.  What really hits your spot at the moment?  Is it the horror of a blood-spattered wall, or a warm fireplace on a winter evening?  Start from a mood.  Whether that mood will break or continue is up to you.
    
    3. If characters aren't staying "in character," write a profile.  I find writing profiles a good way to not only know the character, but know them so well that they seem real to you.  Real enough that, when you're putting them on paper, you know exactly how they'll react to everything without having to think so hard about it.  There's a character template you can use on my DeviantArt account, if you like!
    
    4. Often times, authors will come out with their own writing guides; if you have a favorite writer, wiki or Google them, and see if they've put one out.  E.B. White (author of Stuart Little) and Phyllis Whitney (a major mystery/romance novelist) have both put out volumes on writing and character creation.
    
    If there's any other questions you more specifically wanted answers on, let me know; I've been writing for a little over seven years now, so I should be able to assist in some way, at least.  Good luck!

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    nitin.guptaposted 13 years ago

    I've written a hub on the same. Maybe it might help you.
    http://hubpages.com/hub/writing-an-essa … nt-affairs

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12. 79

    FaithDreamposted 13 years ago

    In order to write really well, read a lot. Read what interests you. The more you read, the more you will find what you like and don't like.
    You will come out knowing your writer's voice. It is a distinct style. Don't try and copy anyone else. Just keep practicing and write as often as you can.

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    Christian H.posted 13 years ago

    I definitely agree with FaithDream.  Read a lot.  But I would add, don't just read one style of book.  Read widely and from a variety of places.  You can learn some lessons by reading mysteries and crime fiction, and you can learn others by reading the Divine Comedy.
    
    The best writers are the ones who are able to synthesize elements of writing from different places and put them into one coherent whole.  The better-rounded you are as a reader, the better-rounded you will be as a writer.
    
    And yes, write a lot.  Write as much as you can.

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    AdeleCosgroveBrayposted 13 years ago

    To improve as a writer, read regularly and as widely as possible and not just in your favourite genre.
    
    Learn the rules of grammar and punctuation.  When you understand how these rules work, you'll then know how to break them effectively.  The end result is not the same as writing badly.
    
    Write every day; a set routine helps many writers to achieve this.  Give yourself a daily wordcount and stick with it.  Like others have already pointed out here, practice is the key.
    
    Read worthwhile 'How To' books, such as Stephen King's "On Writing" or Michael Knost's "Writers Workshop of Horror" (which is useful to writers of any genre.)
    
    Join a writers circle, where you can receive useful feedback.  Take a few creative writing courses at college.

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    sitelaunchsystemposted 13 years ago

    I agree with what others have said, you get better at writing by writing. I consider myself a hobby writer, and I do offer certain writing services through my marketing firm. My methods for improving might be different from what other more professional writers would suggest, but they work for me and they might work for others just starting out.
    
    First off, I read a lot. Reading helps to give me perspective on different writing styles and topics. Reading also gives me ideas for new topics to write on and how to approach different topics. I follow blogs from leaders in my various industries, I read fan fiction and novels, I read lots of magazines and current event articles I even listen to audio books to give me ideas for how to write "conversationally."
    
    Next, I write - a lot! I blog several times a week for multiple businesses, I write articles and press releases, and I even write fan fiction for some of my favorite series.
    
    Finally, I have trusted friends & mentors beta everything I write. My father was a foreign language teacher and very involved in the language arts department for the school he taught at as well as the college he graduated from. So I go to him to help with grammar. I'm pretty good with vocabulary because I read so much. But I go to others I trust to beta my fan fiction and blog posts to make sure they make sense and aren't too wordy.
    
    All of this helps me to get better and better. When I first started, it would take me several hours to finish one article and I wasn't the best typist. Now I type nearly 70 wpm and it takes me about 15 to 20 minutes per article. I can easily write 7 or 8 articles or blog posts in a day.
    
    So just keep at it, get help from others (proofreading and such), and try reading a lot to expand your perspective.

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    LeeWallsposted 13 years ago

    Write and then write some more. Everyone on this site does their best when they write. I don't think I've run into someone who's judged or been critical. I guess they realize their work may be frowned upon if they were to develop that attitude. Ask yourself if you're a Writer or a Hubber, then take it from there.

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    BigSeriousposted 13 years ago

    There's a lot of good advice here. The best is always to just practice; try to write every day. Like anything, that's what it takes. I wrote a hub about writing practice that even gives some topics to get you started. A great book - one that got me started when I was 13 - was Natalie Goldberg's Writing Down the Bones. Much of what I wrote in my writing practice hub was learned by her, then used by me for years. It's incredibly freeing. Remember too: write for yourself. It's always better writing.

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    Ryn Taylorposted 13 years ago

    Practice is good advice. 
    
    Sometimes it's easier to see problems in other people's work than in your own.  If you can find a friend or two or three, exchange your writing.  You can get great tips from them, and even better, you'll gain a new perspective on your own writing.

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    Salocaposted 13 years ago

    To write you have to read...everything. Not just what interests you, but what doesn't too. Check out the latest best sellers, brush up on the classics, venture to that never-before-seen corner of the library and pick up the first book you see etc etc.
    
    Writers - they write what they know, so what do you know? What have you experienced in life? Walk out the front door, jump on a bus and see where it takes you, record that experience and every other experience you have from this day onwards. The writers greatest tool is their writers journal - carry it everywhere with you, use it as a diary, a place to record ideas or to work on existing projects.
    
    And of course, write. You can't be a writer who doesn't write. Practice, daily if you can. It doesn't have o be the same on going project, starting your day off with a little stream of consciousness writing or a writing prompt/burst can be enough to grease the cogs and spark off a new idea that you'll be itching to work on.

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    sin_minposted 13 years ago

    Thank-you all for giving such good tips. I really want to one day be a good writer and ill keep trying

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    hoodieweatherposted 13 years ago

    Explore your boundaries and break them. Put yourself in the box and step outside of it.
    
    Practice!
    
    

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    angel Grahamposted 13 years ago

    Write. Keep writing. Join places like HubPages and Examiner.com to learn how to publish short articles that are concise and well written. This can help you to learn to write concise and pertinent information.(Examiner.com articles are normally 200-400 words)
    
    Start a blog at Blogger.com or at Wordpress.com and start blogging about a subject you know. I chose to do Reviewing of books for my blog. Others do food, reading, writing. Find what works for you. Blog at least once a week. More is better.
    
    Read blogs and articles by those you think are good writers. See how they write. Study it. Learn it. Now, go write. Write in YOUR style. Not theirs. 
    
    Find places that cater to the type of writing you wish to do. Do you want to write Non-Fiction? Find a Non-Fiction writers forum and go talk to them and learn from them. Romance? Find Romance Writers forums and do the same.  Learn from those who already do what you want to do. 
    
    I have been a member of a romance writers forum, even though I want to write Non-Fiction. It has helped me tremendously, because they cover different things about writing. Even when writing NF, you still have a "voice" that you write in.  I'm learning to let my natural writing "voice" out.
    
    These are just some of the things I suggest.

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    newwriter2posted 13 years ago

    I love the advice given to the individul who wanted to know how to improve his/her writing.  It is true that practice will truly improve  writing skills.   However, try getting  constructive criticism from friends or other writers.  Some business or writing forums will have sections that will allow you to solicit people to review an article, chapter of  book or ebook, etc., free of charge.  Do you have a mailing list?  Ask one of your readers who follow your blog, etc., to critique your work.  I hope I have answered your concern appropriately and I hope it helps!

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    SaMcNuttposted 12 years ago

    I just wrote a hub about a book that I thought really helped the process of writing. It is called "The Fire in Fiction" by, Donald Maass. It really keeps me writing and growing with my own work. Good luck.

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    Moms-Secretposted 12 years ago

    Many moons ago, when I was in college, my professor had a site called chompchomp.com.  It helps with grammar rules that will help brush up your writing. 
    
    Writing, like everything else in life, gets better with practice.

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    jeromicusposted 12 years ago

    I agree with Moms Secret, in that you should refer to grammar rules that you can internalize. To help you do that, you should start reading literature

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    Shadesbreathposted 12 years ago

    Yep. Read great writing, not popular writing. Read the "hard" writers whose work is still being read a century or more later. There is a reason those works survived despite not being "relevant."
    
    And write every day.
    
    Everything else, even classes and "how to write" books, will do far, far less for you, far more slowly. There is no secret. It's work and discipline.

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    Brett.Tesolposted 12 years ago

    The two techniques I recommend, other than practicing, is to read other people's work and read your own out loud! (or get someone to read it to you)
    
    We learn a lot through mimicking the behaviors and styles of others. This also applies to writing, so you can learn a lot by reading the styles you want to try.
    
    When you are finished, try reading it out loud. Yes, you will feel like an idiot, but when you read something out loud, you will hear your mistakes or 'trip over' badly written sentences. You can also get software that will read out loud for your, which real stumbles on badly written sentences!
    
    Hope it helps...

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    platinumOwl4posted 12 years ago

    One of the best ways to improve your writing is  to write it , lay it aside for awhile then read it again. You will be surprised by the error you made. re-read  your work twice. Something I am guilty of not doing sometimes. Then you will see improvements.

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    Open Thoughtsposted 12 years ago

    write, read, proof, write again! I agree with platinumOwl4.  great advice I read in a book by Stephen King in his book on "Writing."  The best way to get good is to practice what you write everyday and read what you write every day. Read what others have done and build your own writing Identity.  Best wishes, take care.

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    PiaCposted 12 years ago

    Reading your own work aloud - whether to yourself or to friends - is an excellent tip. You suddenly become aware of things that dont sound right! I also like to read with a goal in mind - for instance, if I am working on a story on mothers and daughters, I read stories that do a great job of that (like Pride and Prejudice). If I'm working on a story on race, I read books by writers who have dealt with the topic (James Balwin) etc, and try to learn what they did right and how I may apply it to my own work. Good Luck!

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