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July 7, 2013

Tips for Becoming a Writer. ~ Sandra Miller

 

Photo credit: Photo Dictionary

In order to become a great writer, it’s helpful to understand what the readers like to read and what they avoid.

There is a way to identify the things that readers would definitely like to read, no matter what the subject is.

I recommend not to look at writing only as a way of generating income, since it is more of an art than a business and you must give your best in order to get closer to perfection. I can help you to become a better writer by providing several factors that make a certain piece readable.

1. Don’t use many words at all costs

Many writers tend to think more of the word count than the actual sense of the piece. In order to understand why quality writing doesn’t need too many and too complicated words, I’d suggest you to read Dostoevsky. His writing is clean, precise and right to the point, which is exactly what made him one of the best writers of mankind.

If there is a word for something, then use it! To make the sentences overly complicated because the readers want something that is easy to understand and read is a bad idea. Avoid writing “He was contemplating the possibility of asking somebody’s hand in marriage,” when you can say, “He was thinking of asking his girlfriend to marry him.”

2. Avoid repetitious sentences

If you already stated something, there is absolutely no need in repeating it. Using redundant sentences is something that irritates the readers and you definitely don’t want to do that!

3. Make suggestions, not commands

Your readers don’t want to be commanded into doing things. I recommend you to never impose your opinion too aggressively, so make sure you rephrase your overly dominating ego into suggestions that would sound more acceptable to your readers.

4. Make a connection with the reader

It is always good to make a connection with your readers and address them directly. That will make them feel important. This means that instead of writing, “Men should make women happy with diamonds,” it would be better to say, “You would make your woman really happy with a diamond ring.”

5. Keep an air of mystery

If you provide your entire point in the first paragraph, there is no point for the reader to keep reading the whole text. Better leave some questions open in order to excite your readers and make them finish the entire post.

6. Use strong sentences

Elaborate your point strong enough so you won’t need to repeat it in order to convince your readers. Think of famous book quotes or movie lines: they have made a strong impact on our culture because they make huge points with few words. If the sentence is strong, it will impact the readers in a way that will make them remember it.

7. Humor is precious

Adding the right amount of humor in your writing will lighten up any topic and keep your readers to the end. You shouldn’t try too hard because your humor would sound too forced; make sure you use it in a natural way. If you put a smile on your readers’ faces, then you can really call yourself a good writer.

8. Don’t bore your readers to death

Even if you are writing on a very serious topic, your piece should never be boring for the readers. Make sure to implement some interesting facts that would keep the reader’s attention without encouraging him to kill himself out of boredom. Some people can make rocket science sound understandable and interesting for the common reader. Now that’s what I call a great writer.

9. Experience means reputability

Before you suggest the reader to try something, you have to try it first! Everything you write puts your credibility on the line, so you should be very careful and confident about the recommendations you make.

10. Read the work of other writers

Reading others’ work will keep you up to date with the current happenings, but you may also learn a thing or two about what people like to read. You can learn something about your writing from every single piece you read, so make sure you invest that time into your own development.

By following these tips you’ll become a great writer! If you have any interesting writing and creating tips, please, share them in comments! Would be great to discuss.

Sandra Miller is a Loyola Law School graduate. Now she is a freelance writer. Always uses editing service Help.Plagtracker to make her writing perfect. Loves creating tips for writers and students. Lives happily with her husband at Brooklyn.

 

 

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Asst. Editor: Edith Lazenby

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