I’ve been writing articles on the Internet for a good few years now and it’s something that I put in my bio. I’d like to think that in that time I’ve successfully improved my writing skills for the better, instead of the lacklustre writing ability that I honed before. Not only do I think that I’ve improved, I also think that I’ve outlined my key mistakes as a writer and I’ve found out how to eradicate them too. Hopefully you’ll be able to take these tips on board and become a better writer too!

1. Grammar & Spelling

Reading an article full of bad grammar and spelling mistakes is the worst thing to come across. That’s right, it’s worse than fingernails on a chalk board, more annoying than a baby crying (though not your own because it’s adorable!) and is more cringe-worthy that squeaky polystyrene. Just me? Ok then… You wouldn’t expect to see articles in the New York Post (if you’re in the US) or in The Daily Mirror (UK) with mistakes so why should your readers on the Internet or anywhere else, have to put up with them? My advice is to proof-read your writing, leave it for 30 minutes and then come back to it and re-check it for errors. Spelling and grammar errors can make a reader stop reading instantly. Want a reader to make it through a whole piece of your writing? PROOF-READ IT!

2. Note-Pad

Write down 5 of the cheapest things you could buy from Walmart (US) or Tesco (UK), was a notepad or jot-pad on your list? If it was, go and buy yourself one, even if it wasn’t do the same! As I mentioned with the 1st point, walking away from your writing for a short amount of time can really do it some good. Even if it’s only for a few minutes, when you go back to your writing you may have come up with something to add to it or simply have realised a new perspective. If you do decide to walk away from your project, make sure you take a notepad to write down your ideas. This can be vital to your remembering of the great idea you had during a ‘lightbulb moment’ because if you forget that genius thought it could be lost forever. You can make a lot of money from a great post and a notepad only costs a dollar so invest in one now and save yourself from losing out!

3. Take a Break

If you’ve bought a notepad for all of your brilliant ideas but haven’t come up with any yet, taking a break can really help. Go to the beach, take a short nap or even go on a peaceful, scenic walk (if you can) not only will it clear your head, you might come up with some great ideas because it’s a proven fact that the brain can produce its best ideas when you are distracted. Plus, it’ll bring down your stress levels. No one likes a stressy writer, especially your readers. If you’re stressed out when you write, your posts will show it as they’ll be full of sarcasm and angst. And nobody wants that, do they?

4. Be a Reader

I came up with the idea for tip number 4 by being a reader. In the time I’ve spent writing on the net, I’ve also spent too many hours getting distracted by reading some truly excellent posts! We all know what it’s like to be a reader, you’re reading right now (!) and it’s important to think about that when you’re writing. Think to yourself ‘how would a reader feel by reading this’ or ‘what would they say?’. Some of the most successful writers have become successful by making their audiences and readers love them because the writer has managed to know what they’re thinking and make a great post (or article) about it. The next time you write something, be sure to think about the affect your words can have on a reader, I guarentee that you’ll be surprised!

5. Keep It Fresh

Tips on how to become a better writer are all over the Internet but with this article I hope to be original, providing tips that you may not have read before. This is something that I hope we can all do with our writing because while we may be surprised by our own words, it’s our job, as writers to make our readers feel the same. No one wants to read the same old pieces of writing that have been done before and offer nothing new, we want to see something unique, an opinion or viewpoint that no one has ever thought of talking about before. Opinion pieces or just general posts that air my thoughts are something that I try to feature regularly on my blog because they encourage reader discussion whether that be on a blog or in a magazine, interaction is incredibly important. Being original can be difficult sometimes but even if you can’t come up with something 100 % your own, always voice your opinion, people will appreciate your honesty and respect you more as a result.

Do you have any more ideas on how to become a better writer? Feel free to add them in the comments section!