Need to Improve Your Writing Skills?
Writing is a hobby – and a skill – that continually progresses. Take a look at the very first draft of your book, or the first story or paper you ever wrote, and you’ll likely be surprised by how far you’ve come when it comes to your writing abilities!
But even the best writers in the world recognize that there is always room for improvement, and for new authors, flexing your writing muscles is especially essential.
So to polish your writing abilities, and have a little fun in the process, try these easy writing exercises and tips that will both inspire you and improve your work in no time at all.
Vivid descriptions are often listed as one of the biggest challenges for new writers, as it’s essential to ensure that your reader sees exactly what you want them to see.
So brush up on your descriptive abilities by taking an image from a magazine, website, or even a photo album, and describing it with as much detail as you can, without going overboard.
By doing so, you can hone your ability to create perceptions, especially if you add your own personal feelings about a particularly striking or memorable image.
The bigger your vocabulary, the more words you’ll have at your disposal when it comes to conjuring up the perfect description or phrase.
So try out your word power know-how by creating a quick thesaurus!
Think of a word or phrase, and then try to come up with as many words or small groups of words that also convey the same message. Once you have your list, check a thesaurus, (either online or in book form), to see which words you may have missed.
Editing is a great way to train your brain to proof your own work, as it helps grow your ability to catch errors before they go to your copyeditor and partner publisher.
So offer to proofread someone else’s work via online writing groups or chat rooms, or simply review some of your older writing to see if you can catch any mistakes you missed the first time around.
Being able to convey a feeling or message can be tricky, especially if you need to focus on a countering point of view that might not align with your own.
So practice your ability to share thoughts and expressions of all varieties by playing a little Devil’s Advocate. Pick a topic or belief you feel strongly about, and then write about it from the exact opposite point of view.
As a result, you’ll receive a boost in empathy, as well as a better ability to develop characters and messages that might not always match with your own feelings.
Attending a writing workshop is a truly immersive way to learn a lot in a short amount of time. From reviewing the basics to learning about the publishing world, an in-depth workshop can truly take your writing skills to new and unimagined heights.
Need a little extra inspiration? Then be on the lookout for future details about an upcoming Book Bound workshop in June in Plano, Texas that will enhance your writing abilities in a myriad of ways. You’ll also make a network of other authors just like you! You can reserve a spot here!