Fostering Creativity for Better Writing

Here’s an age-old question: Is creative writing an art or a craft?

Artistically minded writers will say that writing is most definitely an art while those who who think more analytically will claim writing as a skill, a trade, and a business.

My answer is that writing can be either an art or a craft. You can approach writing armed with learned skills and an ability to string words together in a sensible manner, or you can approach writing as a purely creative endeavor and call it your art or your passion.

Both approaches work, and either one can lead to good, strong writing. However, even better writing is a hybrid. It’s both an art and a craft, a marriage between skill and creativity. Read more

Does Knowing Your Audience Result in Better Writing?

It’s an old adage for writers: know your audience. But what does that mean? How well must we know the audience? And does knowing the audience really lead to better writing?

Some writers insist that the best way to write is to just write for yourself. Sit down and let the words flow. It’s true that sometimes a freewheeling approach will result in some of your best work. And writing that way is immensely enjoyable. But there are times when a writer must take readers into consideration. Read more

Collect Writing Resources for Better Writing

If you want to improve your writing, you’re going to have to work at it because let’s face it, nobody gets by on sheer talent. You’re going to need to acquire some solid writing skills and better writing habits.

The best way to consistently improve your writing is through daily writing. When writing becomes part of the natural rhythm of your life, your work will improve in leaps and bounds. And by proofreading and editing, you’ll catch typos as well as holes in the syntax and problems with tone or context.

Some actions you take to make your writing better may not involve writing at all. For example, you should become an avid reader, so you can absorb language, turns of phrase, imagery, and story elements that were crafted by those writers who have gone before you.

Another non-writing activity that leads to better writing is collecting and using plenty of writing resources.

Writing Resources

Where would we writers be without our resources? Fat, hardbound reference books and web-based databases packed to the hilt with facts and information are both bane and boon for us. Love them or hate them, one thing is certain – if you’re a writer, you need them.

Dictionary

There are some resources that we all use — the dictionary, for example. What writer doesn’t have that bible of the language sitting within reach on a nearby bookshelf or conveniently bookmarked in a web browser?

If you’ve ever caught yourself using a word only to realize that you’re not sure whether or not you’re using it correctly, you know what a lifesaver the dictionary can be. In a situation like that, you have three choices – use another word, look up the word to verify its meaning, or take your chances and pray for the best.

Every time you open the dictionary, you’re adding something to your vocabulary. You might be learning a brand new word, verifying what you thought you knew, or simply gaining greater understanding of a word’s meaning. You’ll also build your vocabulary by making good use of the dictionary’s close cousin – the thesaurus.

Thesaurus

When you’re proofreading and realize that you’ve repeated one word three times in a single paragraph, there’s no need to break your brain trying to come up with synonyms. Just take a peek inside any thesaurus and find alternatives to keep your writing fresh.

Writing resources like dictionaries and thesauri help speed up the writing process, and using them will increase your vocabulary.

The result? Better writing.

Style Guides

I’ve sung the praises of style guides more than once on this blog. Style guides exist to help you craft material that is consistent in terms of grammar, spelling, and punctuation.

As comprehensive as the English language might be, there are plenty of holes where the rules are unclear or don’t exist at all. Style guides such as The Chicago Manual of Style set forth standards that you can adhere to and also address many grammatical issues and rules.

There are a host of style guides available and depending on what you write, you might want to start collecting them immediately. Chicago is for authors and general usage; I use it in my freelance work and on this blog. There are other guides that are geared specifically toward journalism, academic writing, and many large companies and organizations have their own guidelines. For more information and a detailed description of style guides, check out Should You Use a Style Guide?

Better Writing Resources

As you build a collection of writing resources, much credence will be given to books that are packed with facts and information. These writing resources are the foundation and structure of your resource base, but what about the fun the stuff, the writing resources that are a delight to peruse and a joy to use?

Writing exercises will stretch your limitations and give you fresh writing ideas. Lots of novice writers forgo these types of writing resources in favor of writing what they want, but the gains to be made by working through writing exercises and other creative challenges are immense and will surely pave the way toward better writing.

In fact, for those of us who aspire to becoming published poets and fiction writers, these creative writing resources may become the most powerful weapons in our arsenal. Make it a point to start building your own pile of such books.

Writing Resources are a Treat

If you’re truly passionate about writing, then you’ve probably already starting building your own library of writing resources. When you see a book on writing from one of your favorite authors, you snatch it and can’t wait to start reading. In the bookstore, you always make it a point to see what’s new in the section where they stock writing resources, and every time you pull your dictionary off the shelf, your heart does a little leap for joy.

Writing isn’t easy. It takes a lot of self-discipline and it’s a competitive world of writers out there – even if they are the warmest, most supportive community on the planet. You can position yourself to put out better writing by educating yourself with a collection of writing resources like those we’ve discussed here, plus plenty of others that deal with specialized fields (technical writing, copywriting, fiction writing, poetry, screenwriting, etc.) and reference books that provide hard facts so your work is well researched and accurate.

Have a little fun with your writing resources, and treat yourself to one or two new ones each month until you have a veritable library of such works, which will all contribute to your own better writing. Looking for recommendations? Visit the Writing Forward writing resources page. There’s a nice little list of excellent resources there including full, written reviews of each one (yes, I’ve personally read and recommend all of them).

Do you have any favorite writing resources? How have they helped you produce better writing? Share your favorites and your experiences by leaving a comment.

How to Use Research for Better Writing (and Credibility)

Almost all writers rely on research for facts and information. Even fiction writers and memoir authors, whose work is either made up from imagination or based on personal experience, will turn to research to fill in holes and answer questions.

We use writing resources like dictionaries and style guides. We use encyclopedias and reference books, articles from scholarly journals, and we rely on historical facts and datum collected by researchers so we can write truthfully and honestly. We also use Google (and some of us use Wikipedia), and we use blogs and other material found online. All of this research is supposed strengthen our work and lead to more credible, better writing.

We absorb this information and then spit it back out in the words we write. Then people come along and read our words. Maybe they go off and repeat what they’ve read. Maybe they rehash our material in a blog post of their own. Maybe they use it in an academic paper or perhaps it inspires a poem or a short story. The information itself is constantly making rounds, getting processed, filtered, and regurgitated. How are we to sift through it all to find reliable facts? How do we tell the truth from the lies?

The Information Age

We are currently bombarded with information. It’s more accessible than ever before in history — millions of facts can be yours with a few keystrokes and the click of a button. Yet oddly, misinformation seems to be spreading more rampantly than ever. It’s becoming less and less common for sources to be cited and even Darren Rowse of Problogger recently noticed that external links (which are a form of citation) are an endangered species.

I find the spread of misinformation grossly irresponsible (it’s one of my pet peeves). We are so connected and there are so many ways to get the facts straight, there is really no excuse for it. I’m not talking about misunderstanding or making a mistake — I’m talking about either knowingly repeating things that are untrue or failing to get facts straight before reporting or repeating them.

But what does this have to do with you, as a writer? How does responsible research (or lack thereof) reflect on a writer’s credibility, and how does solid research and the use of legitimate citations lead to better writing?

Solid Research — The Path to Better Writing

It can be difficult to know when research is required to back up the facts. There are some things that we know from life experience or from working in a particular field over a long period of time. Other things are simply common knowledge. And much writing today involves doling out advice (tips) based on personal experience (that’s pretty much the entirety of the blog you’re reading right now).

But when you’re presenting any historical data, including statistics, or quoting sources, you have a responsibility to get the facts straight, and to cite them.

Citations are important for a few reasons. First, a citation gives your readers an opportunity to look further into the topic. Second, you are giving credit where credit is due — to whoever compiled the facts for your use. Third, by citing your sources, you are showing your own work to be responsibly researched and therefore credible and accurate.

Online Research and Citation

I want to take a minute here to address research and citation on the Internet, where these practices are sorely lacking (particularly on blogs). Online, there is an added component of citation, which is to include a link back to your source. Even if your research comes from a book or magazine, you could link to the author’s website or to a store (such as Amazon) so readers can take a look.

We can get into a whole discussion about how links are internet currency and it’s considered polite or ethical to link to your sources. There are a boatload of benefits that come from using external links. Among these, building relationships with other writers or bloggers, but perhaps more importantly, making it easy for your readers to follow the information trail.

In any case, we all need to be conscious of link inclusion. After all, hyperlinks are what makes the Web go round. I know that I get frustrated when online writers discuss articles or books they’ve read and don’t bother to include titles, links, or any kind of reference. It’s something we should all keep in mind and practice more often.

Let’s Get Curious

Back to research and citations. How do you know when research (and therefore a citation) is required or warranted? Use some common sense and foster a little curiosity. Start by asking questions:

• Did this really happen? Is it true?
• How can I be sure?
• Who compiled this research and are they credible? What are their qualifications?
• Are there any potential conflicts of interest in the reporting?
• Is there any corresponding research to back this up?
• Is there any conflicting research that can provide contrast?

If you simply start firing off questions (yes, be a cynic), you’ll eventually stumble across the answers you’re looking for. Remind yourself daily: question everything.

Here’s What Writers Can Do

1. Make a commitment to being a responsible and therefore credible writer.
2. Check your work for claims or statements that are debatable or that warrant proof. Are you quoting a person or a text? Are you citing statistics? Are you making a claim?
3. Be smart about the research you conduct. Establish credibility of all your sources.
4. Double check your facts (and their sources) to see if claims have been countered. Try not to be one-sided.
5. Cite your sources in the text, in footnotes, or with a bibliography (for books). On a blog or website, you can include a list of sources at the bottom of your article.

What Readers Can Do

Misinformation is not only the fault of writers and reporters acting irresponsibly. If the audience blindly soaks up information without questioning it, they too bear the burden of responsibility. We all need to be more aware of fact versus fiction.

1. Be cynical. Ask questions like: where is the proof?
2. Evaluate the sources, if they are provided.
3. Do a little googling of your own to see what other facts or opinions are out there.

Credibility Matters

It’s important for writers to work responsibly. If you’re writing in the nonfiction genre, it pays to get your facts straight. In recent years, some memoir authors have come under heavy fire for changing the details of their own personal experiences in an effort to make their material more enticing. Readers didn’t like that at all and careers were damaged (we’re not going to name any names!).

There will always be irresponsible people and audiences who are willing to hang onto every untrue word they utter or write. You can be one of them if you choose, or you can opt for the ethical route — and be a credible, trusted writer.

The way I see it, the choice is yours.

Now, what I want to know is, does credibility matter to you? Do you feel research and citing sources are important tasks for writers or do you feel that writers should let anything go? Share your thoughts by leaving a comment and let’s discuss!

Proofreading Tips for Better Writing

The best way to achieve better writing is through daily writing and reading, but proofreading is near the top of the list too.

Revising, editing, and proofreading are essential to better writing, and if you want your work to improve, it’s imperative that you review each piece to check for typos, mistakes, syntax, and tone.

Creative writing tips often fail to mention the mechanical side of writing. It’s fun to focus on language, plot, characters, and rhymes, but polishing your work diligently will make you a better writer. And once you nail grammar and develop a habit of proofreading, you can focus on coming up with creative writing ideas rather than worrying about the technical aspects of your work.

Proofreading Tips

These proofreading tips and reminders will help you produce better writing – work that is polished and professional but still creative and compelling.

Catch Your Typos

Nobody likes typos. They look like misspellings, only it’s usually obvious they are mere oversights, the result of tapping the wrong key. It happens a lot when writers rush, and it happens a lot less when writers proofread their work before submitting or publishing it. Most writers are going to miss a typo every now and then. Nobody’s perfect. However, when you read a writer’s work regularly and typos are just something you expect every time, that’s a sign of poor or nonexistent proofreading.

Read Out Loud

One of the best ways to edit and proofread your work is to read it out loud. If you enunciate every word, you’ll be better able to catch mistakes. It’s common for writers to leave words out while composing a first draft. During a review, the mind automatically inserts the word because the writer knows it’s supposed to be there. Reading out loud will help catch missing words. Oft-repeated words often stand out while reading aloud as well. It’s also helpful for determining whether a piece lacks clarity or if phrasing doesn’t sound quite right. It’s your chance to make sure everything makes sense and that the language flows smoothly.

Proofread to Perfection

I’ve been teased for being so enthusiastic about proofreading and editing. Yet if I want to produce better writing, shouldn’t I keep reviewing each piece until I don’t catch a single error or need to make any more changes? Sometimes I reread a piece once and everything’s fine. Other times, I go over it five times, maybe ten. It also depends on the piece and where it’s going to be published or submitted. But I edit just about everything I write — usually more than once.

Don’t Make Excuses

Young and new writers often have issues with editing. I don’t want to change the original, they’ll claim. That’s like a furniture maker not bothering to sand a table. If you’re truly attached to that first draft, then just save a copy, but don’t get so sentimental that you go and submit or publish it with all its errors and imperfections.

Don’t Be Too Hard on Yourself

Even though editing and proofreading are important to your professionalism and essential for better writing, they aren’t everything. Mistakes slip through now and then, and you shouldn’t beat yourself over the head about it. Great writing will always outshine the occasional error.

A Better Writing Habit

When I was much younger, I never proofread anything. I could whip up a term paper or report and get an A, mostly because I had a natural talent for writing that many of my classmates lacked. This, of course, was the result of reading like a fiend throughout my childhood, but as I grew older, my writing was less and less able to stand up to the work my peers were producing, and I quickly realized that editing was the key to bringing my writing up several notches.

Since then, editing and proofreading have become habitual steps in my writing process, and I’ve come to enjoy this part of the process since I now know that it leads to better writing. And that makes it more enjoyable for my readers.

Every time I fix a mistake, I feel good about it, knowing I just made my writing a little better and a lot easier to read. That’s another thing — editing is considerate to readers. Typos, misspellings, and poorly placed punctuation marks throw readers off and jars them from the flow of a piece. So don’t skip the revision process: proof, edit, and repeat. Then, if necessary, do it again!

Do you have any better writing or proofreading tips to share? Please leave a comment.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March, 2008. It has recently been updated and therefore republished for your reading pleasure.

Better Writing Through Revision

Some writers love the revision process; others think it’s a drag. Regardless of how you feel about revising your work, one thing is for certain: if you want to produce better writing (and become a better writer), then revision is absolutely essential.

Revise What?

We use the terms “first draft” or “rough draft” when we are composing a piece of writing because almost every single project is going to have to go through a revision (or two, or three, four, or more). But what does that mean? How is it done? And what are the benefits?

We’ve already discussed the difference between proofreading and editing. Where does revision fit into all of that?

To revise means to change or alter. In the world of writing, to revise means “to alter something already written or printed, in order to make corrections, improve, or update: to revise a manuscript.” (dictionary.com).

Generally speaking, revision involves making substantial changes to make the writing better. In fiction, this could involve changing characters’ names, realigning the plot, or re-sequencing the scenes. In other types of writing, revision might involve major structural changes (moving chapters around) or a content overhaul (adding, removing, or changing information). Sometimes, revision means rewriting a project entirely.

Editing and proofreading are part of the revision process. They are the polishing steps that you take to give your writing that extra shine.

Revision Matters

When I first started writing poetry, I believed that each poem was sacred in its original state. It seemed blasphemous to change a poem once I’d captured it and scrawled it into my notebook. Then, one day I was flipping through my poems and it became clear to me that they could be a lot better if I made a few minor changes.

I’m not sure why, but it felt all wrong at the time. I remember keeping the originals as well as every revision that I made. It seems ridiculous now to shy away from improving something that I created. Luckily, my desire to produce better writing was stronger than my silly, emotional attachment to my rough drafts.

I found that as I rewrote my poems, I noticed lots of little things that I could change to improve them. I tightened the rhyme scheme, sharpened the images, and chose more colorful language. I wasn’t always happy with the end result (in which case, I simply kept on revising), but did consistently improve each and every poem. And I learned something else — my first drafts were getting better too.

Better Writing

As you revise, you catch all the things in your writing that don’t work. We all have bad habits, and as you go through multiple revisions, you’ll start to notice patterns in your own writing habits. Maybe you have a tendency to leave words out. Perhaps you use too many words (or not enough). Maybe you repeat words too often or use obscure language that readers won’t comprehend. You could have grammar weaknesses, holes in your syntax, gaps in continuity, and a host of other problems that occur in writing.

Over time, revision teaches you what your weaknesses are. Early on, I realized that I had a problem with word repetition. I would notice a word used several times in a single poem. It didn’t sound right, so I fixed it. Then I saw the same problem in another poem, then another, and another. Eventually, I started catching myself not during the revisions, but during the initial writing.

And I realized that revising what I’d already written improved what I had yet to write.

Change is Good

We all want to achieve better writing, and there are many ways to do that. You can read books (and blogs) on writing (or just read — anything). You can study grammar, collect writing tips, and write every single day. All of these things (and many more) will make your writing better and will make you a better writer. But revision is where you truly grind your writing into something dazzling.

So keep on writing, and don’t forget to revise, revise, revise!

Good Grammar Equals Better Writing

Have you ever read a piece of professionally published writing and found a grammatical mistake? I’ve seen it in novels, magazine articles, even in textbooks, and (especially) on blogs.

Now, a lot of these errors are typos. It’s not that the writers or editors didn’t know their way around the English language — they just let one (or two) mistakes slip past. I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt, but when mistakes appear to be more than mere typos and instead seem to be a deficiency in good grammar, then I find myself questioning the quality of the work.

There are many things that lead to better writing, and there are a few things that raise the red flag to signal poor writing. Bad grammar is one of those things.

Good Grammar and Professionalism

We’ve all heard about how diligently a resume should be proofread. This is basic advice you get in any book, article, or course that teaches you how to land a job. It makes sense, too. If the hiring manager finds mistakes in your application, that reflects poorly on you as a potential employee. It could indicate laziness, poor attention to detail, weak written communication skills, and a generally irresponsible attitude. After all, if you really wanted the job, you would have found a way to ensure your resume (and cover letter) were absolutely spotless.

I remember receiving this advice in high school. Years later, when i was a hiring manager at a video store, I put it into practice. My thinking was that if a college student couldn’t spell “Work Experience” or “Education,” then that student might not be a good worker. Sure, there are exceptions, but I was doing the hiring, and I’d rather be safe than sorry. Why not hire someone whose application reflects positive qualities and a solid skill set?

In other words, I can tell you from personal experience that good grammar matters and it can affect your career. Not that working at a video store is your life’s dream or anything. But we’re all writers here. So think about this: if I didn’t hire applicants to work at a video store due to poor grammar, then how do you think mature literary agents and editors respond to faulty grammar?

That’s right, they reject it and move on in search of better writing.

Better Writing

Of course there are exceptions. Some people are born poets or born storytellers and their ideas are so mesmerizing that nobody cares about a few grammar infractions. But most of us need all the help we can get to get our work noticed and (hopefully) published, and that means strong, comprehensive writing.

Learning the rules of grammar might be a drag (I happen to find grammar fun and interesting), but it’s a worthwhile pursuit if you want to get your work published and find a reading audience for your writing. Take a little time each week to study grammar and in no time, you’ll achieve better writing.

The best part is that once you nail down good grammar, you don’t have to worry about it anymore. It becomes a natural part of your writing process. Proofreading and editing become less of a chore, and your writing practices will feel more relaxed and less tense.

Acquiring Better Grammar Skills

To improve your grammar, you have to know where to look so you can get answers to all your nagging grammar questions. Sometimes you’ll find answers to questions you didn’t even know you had. Here are a few writing resources I recommend for learning grammar:

• Subscribe to Grammar Girl’s podcast and listen to a few quick and dirty grammar tips each week.
• Read the grammar section here at Writing Forward (all articles are carefully researched).
• Start collecting writing resources that touch on (or focus on) grammar and writing properly.

But don’t get too crazy. Remember that rules are made to be broken, and some old grammar rules just don’t fit modern language. As you study and expand your grammar skills, you’ll get a good sense of when bending the rules is sensible and when it makes you look senseless.

Do you think good grammar leads to better writing? Do you have any grammar resources that you recommend I add to this list? Share your thoughts, questions, and suggestions by leaving a comment.

Daily Writing Equals Better Writing

Recently, we talked about developing better writing habits and I shared five writing tips to help you improve your writing over time by developing beneficial habits.

Today, I want to talk about why the number one tip on that list was write every single day, and I’ll explain why it’s the best path to better writing.

Writing on a Whim

I started out writing poetry just before I hit my teens. Writing was a sacred outlet, and I poured my dreams, frustrations, and desires onto the pages of my notebook. During those years, I developed a very unhealthy attitude about writing, one that I believe many young or new writers cling to — that talent is all that matters. You had it or you didn’t, and it never occurred me that something that required talent would also benefit from hard work. So, I wrote, but only when I felt like it. Weeks would go by and I wouldn’t write a word, and then in just a few days, I’d half fill a notebook with my amateur poetry.

By the time high school was over, my belief in talent and the habit I’d developed for writing only on a whim or whenever the fancy struck me were embedded into my thinking and my behavior. Later, my whole perception of writing would be shaken.

Daily Writing

Eventually, I entered the creative writing program at university. For the first time in my life, writing was more than a casual fling; it started to become challenging. Surrounded by peers of equal or even greater talent, I started pushing myself. I suddenly realized that I wanted produce better writing — I wanted to be a talented writer, yes, but also a developed one. My coursework required that I write constantly. In one semester I would have anywhere from two to four writing classes, with lots of homework and plenty of projects, which kept me busy writing — every single day.

Immediately, I began to see a change in my own work, a shift. The poetry I wrote was consistently better than what I’d written the day before. My short stories, once flat and lifeless, started to take on some energy, and my essays, which had always been strong, reached new heights.

There were many reasons for this rapid growth. I learned the value of editing, of being a choosy reader, of using resources, like books that were packed with writing exercises designed to improve different aspects of my writing or help me discover new terrain in my work.

The feedback from peer reviews and critiques were invaluable. But these practices ebbed and flowed. One course would be laden with critiques, and other courses wouldn’t involve them at all. Some instructors liked to see the raw footage, the unedited stuff; others made you proofread and revise incessantly. One thing, however, was completely consistent: daily writing had become an ingrained habit for me.

Better Writing Happens When You Do it Every Day

It was making a habit out of writing daily, making it a priority in my life, that had the greatest impact on improving my writing.

There are thousands of tips out there for how to be a better writer. You’ve all read the books, or at least heard of them. There are articles and lists, websites (yes, like this one), and short courses that say do this, do that, write sideways or upside down. Write in a park, or try a cafe, use a thesaurus, burn the thesaurus…

All of that advice does have value. Sometimes you’ll find a golden writing tip that works perfectly for you, but it’s rare for those tips to prove helpful for everyone. Only a very few bits of advice are truly applicable for every writer across the board, and writing daily is first and foremost among them.

What are You Waiting For?

It almost seems obvious if you think about it. You want to be a writer, so uh — yeah — you should write. A lot. Yet many don’t.

Daily writing is by far the best way to become better. Writing regularly will even increase your creativity. Some people worry that if they write too often, they’ll run out of ideas. But the truth is that the more you create, the more creative you become. Writing daily will only give you more writing ideas than ever before.

Are there a few extra specially talented writers out there who can just produce mind-boggling work without practicing regularly? Of course, they’re prodigies. Should you let a day go by without writing a single word? Yes, occasionally, that’s probably a good thing to do. A little break now and then can give you some perspective.

If your goal is better writing, then commit to writing every single day. Whether you write for five minutes or an hour, doing it daily ingrains writing as a regular part of your daily life. Stick with it and eventually, you’ll master it.

So, keep on writing (every single day)!

Do you have any tips to share for better writing? Do you write every day? Occasionally? Only when you feel like it? How has your writing frequency improved or affected the quality of your writing? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March, 2008. It has been updated and revised, and therefore republished.

How More Reading Leads to Better Writing

If you want to develop better writing habits, you’ll have to do more than just write.

There are lots of things you can do to improve your writing. You can join a writing community, work on your grammar skills, and you can collect writing resources and useful writing tips and ideas. Put all these things in your writer’s toolbox and you’ll be in good shape. But it will all be for naught if you don’t ever take the time to read.

Reading is the single most important activity that leads to better writing. In fact, it’s just as crucial as actually writing. So, let’s talk about why it’s essential for writers to read as much as possible.

More Good Reading

The glasses in the picture up there aren’t mine, but I do wear glasses when I’m reading or working at the computer. My eyes are shot and the reason for that is because I’ve worn them out on books. That’s right, I read so much that I actually damaged my eyes. As a child, I used to read by poor light if necessary. I was supposed to be sleeping, but as a lifelong insomniac, I opted to read by a dull night light instead of heading off to dreamland.

A friend of mine recently told me that she believes adult writers who were childhood readers have acquired a natural talent for word craft. She went on to explain that she didn’t read much as a kid; her love of writing drove her to read more as an adult and she feels she has to work harder at writing than her writer friends who grew up with their noses buried in books. Makes sense to me, but then again, I was one of those reading kids.

The human brain is like a sponge. We soak up everything that we observe and experience throughout our lives, and each thing we are exposed to becomes part of the very fiber of our beings. What we read is no exception. You may not be able to recite the Mother Goose nursery rhymes you read as a child, but they’re still somewhere in that head of yours. When a little voice whispers jack be nimble, jack be quick, there’s a good chance you’ll recall that jack jumped over a candlestick. It’s embedded in your brain.

Better Writing

By reading a lot, you will develop a familiarity with language. Your vocabulary will expand and turns of phrase will wedge themselves into your memory. Even grammar sinks in. Forget memorizing all the rules, just read writers who are grammatically adept. Eventually, it all will become part of your mental makeup.

If you know exactly what kind of writer you want to be, you’re in luck. Your best bet is to read a lot within your favorite genre. Find authors that resonate with your sensibility and read all their books. Notice that each writer has a very distinct voice, one that makes their work recognizable. If you read enough of one author’s work, you’ll probably be able to pick them out of a quotation lineup (I had to take that test in college).

At the same time, you don’t want to rope yourself off from experiencing a wide range of styles. You might like high literature and want to pen the next Pulitzer-Prize-winning work of fiction. You should read the classics, of course, but don’t completely avoid the bestsellers. There’s a mentality among some writers that you should only read that which you want to write. It’s hogwash. Reading outside your chosen area of specialty will diversify and expand your skills, and you’ll be equipped to bring new techniques and methods into your craft. If you so choose, you’ll even be able to walk, or perhaps cross, genre lines.

Read and Write, Read and Write, Repeat

I think all writers benefit from reading (and writing) poetry. It is one sure way to develop a killer vocabulary, the ability to formulate vivid imagery, and infuse other types of writing with creativity. I know, some writers don’t love poetry, but I have to pitch my passion, right?

Reading also makes for invigorating conversation. You can join a book club or visit Booking Through Thursday, a website where you share your reading adventures with other passionate readers.

Do you ever read for the sole purpose of improving your writing? I usually just poke around for reading material that interests me. I try to read a little bit of everything from fiction to nonfiction to poetry to journalistic pieces. I like to open my mind and let it all in.

What are you reading these days?

Do you have any writing tips to share for better writing? Any stories to tell about how reading has helped you improve as a writer? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in April, 2008 but has been updated with new information and insights, and therefore republished for your reading pleasure. Keep on reading!

Better Writing Habits

Every ambitious writer strives to consistently produce better writing. We work to master grammar, develop a strong voice, and build sentences and paragraphs that captivate readers.

There’s a lot to learn, and in order to establish the skill set that every successful writer needs, we must foster beneficial writing habits.

Better Writing

Better writing simply doesn’t happen overnight. Sure, there are quick tricks and fast fixes that you can use, but developing smart, long-term writing habits is a much more effective way to generate better writing.

So, what habits can you foster to continuously improve your writing over time?

There are lists, articles, and entire books that will tell you countless ways to cultivate better writing, and most of the suggestions out there are legitimate. But I’ve scaled all that advice down into just five simple ways that you can refine and build your writing skills.

Tips for Better Writing

1. Write every single day.
2. Proofread. Edit. Repeat.
3. Read as much as you can.
4. Collect useful writing resources, including grammar and style guides.
5. Get feedback from other writers, and from readers.

Foster Better Writing Habits

Most of these tips are beneficial to all writers – whether you’re a poet, a novelist, or a copywriter. In creative writing, we often lose sight of the technical aspect of writing because we’re so heavily focused on making our work compelling and coming up with interesting writing ideas.

But by mastering the mechanical stuff, like spelling, punctuation, and grammar, and by taking in a whole lot of writing (reading a lot), our creativity will be more at ease and will flow more naturally.

It would be an impossible challenge to try and work all of these habits into your daily life immediately. You are likely to become overwhelmed. Instead, work each practice into your schedule slowly.

Start by setting aside ten or twenty minutes to write every day. After a week or two, make revising and proofreading a regular step in your writing process. Set aside time each week to read – either in the evenings before bed or on the weekends when you have time to relax with a good book. When you visit bookstores, make it a point to stop by the writing resources section, and when you have questions about writing, find the answers. Finally, when you’ve polished a piece to perfection, show it around and get feedback.

Before you know it, your writing habits will be ingrained and you will be on a steady path to better writing.

Feel free to share your ideas for better writing in the comments.