The mark of a promising writer is his constant yearning to get better at expressing himself. In this article, I have shared some tips on how to improve writing skills through self analysis and practice. This article is dedicated to all those of you who have discovered the beauty of the written word and the power it holds, as well as to the many writers who have influenced my own writing. A pen is mightier than a sword if one knows how to wield it! Just like swordsmanship, a mastery over penmanship requires practice, introspection and perseverance. If you want to know how to improve writing skills, this article will be an interesting read. I am in no measure an authority on writing and I do not claim to be. Through this article, I share some insights in improving writing skills garnered from my own humble experience as a writer. It is partly an introspective look at my own shortcomings as a writer and efforts to improve my own writing. How to Improve Writing Skills? Here, I would be discussing about writing in its most general form. All that I say here is applicable to every form of writing; be it fiction or non-fiction, creative writing or formal writing, script writing, feature writing, letter writing, essay writing and even report writing. These are hints that apply broadly to every form of writing. Though I prefer to write in English language, these tips apply to writing in any language. Let me begin my half introspective take on how to improve writing. Read Voraciously Reading is essential if you want to enrich your writing style. Reading books written by master writers is like learning hands on. It is akin to watching a sculptor work and learning to sculpt from him. It is about learning how he has given shape and form to his raw ideas and imagination. You can profit from studying narrative styles and literary techniques used by these amazing writers. The ease of expression and the beauty with which they spin the yarn of words and thoughts to create beautiful tapestries of stories is awe inspiring. Most of all, you should enjoy reading. Take in the book without analyzing in the first reading. Just experience the book and the story. First read as purely a reader should and second time read as a writer. If it's a novel, study how the plot is set and write about what appealed to you in the book. Join book clubs and discuss what you felt after reading. Analyze from the point of view of a writer and not just a critic. Study the core idea of the book, as well as the way it has been presented. Try doing this and see yourself evolving as a student of writing technique and literature. If you ask me how to improve basic writing skills in children, read out stories to them and introduce them to the world of books. Encourage reading by gifting books and reading with them. Assisted reading at the start helps until they have picked up enough to read on their own. Once a kid is hooked to the opening into magical worlds that books provide, he will stay hooked for life! So one of the key tips on how to improve writing for kids is 'Read as much as you can'. Even though a kid may not take up writing, reading will give him joy and support him for life. Observe and Reflect Just reading books is not enough of course. A special skill that great writers have, which they develop through practice is 'keen observation'. They don't just observe, they absorb! They have an eye on what happens around them at a personal and social level. They think about the underlying dynamics that makes the world the way it is. They are keen observers of people and are gifted with the power to empathize and understand them. They are basically very much interested in people, the things they do and yet have the ability to sit back and analyze impassively. A part of them is experiencing it, while a part is observing impartially. Learn to observe and reflect on what you feel about things. Take a stand and dare to form an opinion! Research Thoroughly Research is the factor that makes your writing credible. It is one of the most important writing process steps. If you are writing a short story or a novel, your in-depth research and detailing, makes your writing more real. When writing a report, it is obviously necessary to know all the facts clearly, before jumping to any conclusions. You may be high on emotion, imagination and write flamboyantly but without thorough research, it may all seem hollow. So researching is vital for any writer. Learn to Appreciate Artistic Expression Writers and especially fiction writers are no different from artists who sing, paint or dance to express themselves. It is just one more form of human expression. You may not be as gifted with the brush as you are with words but you can appreciate the thought and feeling behind the brush strokes of a great painter! What you could never express through words may have been expressed through the plucking of violin strings or a beautiful musical composition. Watch plays, movies, dance performances and listen to great music. Nourish the artistic expression within you by learning to appreciate all forms of art. Enrich Your Vocabulary An exposition on how to improve English writing skills cannot go ahead without a talk about vocabulary. I am not saying that becoming a better writer is learning to use big words and constructing abstruse sentences. No sir, nothing could be far away from the truth. Knowing more words is not important because you can bamboozle people with your obscure scholarship but because they sum up things excellently. There are some words in the English language that say things so aptly that no barrage of more words is necessary. To illustrate my point, let me say that it helps make your writing 'succinct'. Economical use of words with maximum effect is made possible through an enriched vocabulary.
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