Improve your writing: useful articles for writers
I’ve been searching through the enormous list of articles entered in Darren Rowse’s Group Writing Project held over this last week. I particularly looked for posts dealing with helping writers to improve their writing skills.
I’ve listed here a few of them:
- The Top 5 Free Software Programs every writer should have (go on, admit it – you can’t resist a freebie)
- Top 5 Free ways to promote your writing business (we all need to promote our writing, right? And all the suggestions are free too!)
- Top 5 reasons you should stop calling yourself a writer, right now (If you call yourself a writer but don’t actually do much writing then this article will be challenging).
- Top 5 reasons why writers should procrastinate (if you get actually get around to reading it).
- Top 5 Author Blogs (read how some popular and well read authors write on their blogs)
- When it’s time to stop writing (we’ve all been there – but do we recognise the signs?)
How to be more successful in blogging
There are probably thousands of articles published every week about how to be a successful writer or blogger. I have written on this or similar topics on a number of occasions. Just scan through the contents section or the categories or even the archives (found on the side bar) and you will find many such articles I’ve published over the last year and a half.
Every so often, however, I come across another little gem that takes a new look at the same topic: how to be a more successful writer or blogger. I’ve just read Five Essential Skills for Blogging Success. Take to time to read it a bookmark it. Not only does the author make some very pertinent points, she has included many very useful resources and reference works relevant to both writing and blogging.
Overcoming Writer’s Block
All writers seem to suffer from the affliction known as writer’s block at some stage in their careers. I’ve even written about it myself here.
For a light hearted look at the problem, and some easy solutions try reading the hints in this article:
- Shut up and write – written by Eli James on the Novelr blog.
Top 5 Writing Hints
Darren Rowse on his ProBlogger site has challenged his readers yet again with his Top 5 Group Writing Project. This time around there is a single prize of $1001 to some lucky contributor to the project. This writing project has inspired me to write this article on what I consider to be five top writing hints. This post will NOT be entered in Darren’s writing project; my entry on a totally different topic has been posted on my Birding Blog here.
Top Five Writing Hints:
- Read every day: writers are readers. This is a vital part of your apprenticeship. Read my articles called “Lurking with books” and “The importance of books.”
- Write every day: writers write. Even if you only write a few paragraphs a day, every sentence will go towards improving your skills. Read my articles called “Practice every day” and “Write every day.”
- Rewrite what you write: very rarely will that first, rough draft be your best work. Rewrite, rewrite rewrite until you get it just right.
- Edit your writing: no matter how careful you are, errors will creep in. Edit your working meticulously. Then get someone else to check your work with fresh eyes. Read my articles called “Proof Reading” and “The importance of Proofreading.”
- Set realistic goals: remember to set goals that are achievable and measurable. Read my article “Aiming for the stars.”