Writers, like all creative professionals, always have room for improvement and development. Even acclaimed or widely published authors may find themselves hitting a creative wall at some point in their career. While writing obviously requires many attributes that go beyond concrete techniques, such as skillful use of intuition and a sense of the reader – many characteristics of a good writer are also well within the realm of craft. Following are some craft pointers and exercises that both beginning and established writers can use to grow their writing skills:
- Read Widely – Reading as much as possible with as much variety as possible is a prerequisite for writers of all stripes. Perhaps you are already “well-read” but in what sense? Perhaps you have read all the classics, but there is still much to be learned in the ways of sentence structure, diction and the human condition. Consider reading periodicals or genres that are outside your normal reading material. If you write primarily realistic fiction, pick up a book of abstract stories. Inspiration can be found in trade journals, science fiction, nonfiction journalism, and nearly all types of reading material.
- Utilize a Dictionary – If you find yourself using the same words and images in your work, it may be time to refresh your vocabulary. Most writers have a wide vocabulary, but they may be prone to using some words more than others out of habit. Find a quality dictionary and spend some time going through it. Look for words that are common, but that you rarely use in speech or in your work. In this way, you will add fresh language to your work, without it sounding stilted or overdone.
- Set Deadlines and Schedule Writing Time – Perhaps your writing struggles stem from an issue of motivation or structure. Since writing is a vocation of choice for many people rather than a traditional job, it can be difficult to complete projects in a timely manner. Practice setting deadlines for pieces of writing that you are working on; allotting a particular time every day to write or a particular word count to complete, can also act as motivation. Examine literary journals from art colleges or writer’s websites for writing competitions you can enter. The hard deadline of a competition can motivate you to work.
- Examine Sentence Cadence – Even if you are not a poet, you should take some time to examine the cadence of the sentences in your work. The stressed and unstressed syllables in your sentences may make your work read faster or slower, depending on their placement. They can also make sentences flow more easily or make them sound halting and displeasing to the ear. It also makes sense to pay attention to the length of your sentences. Short sentences are more urgent and punchy, while long ones can add a flowing effect.
- Use the Tools of Plotting – Consider how you normally plot your work, if you are a writer of short stories or novels. Changing up the plotting tools you use can add new insight to your writing. Many writers generally start their stories from the ending or from some traumatic beginning event. Others do not work with causal events at all, but instead start with a particular philosophical idea. Still others intersperse non-causally related incidents to form a rich texture. Whichever device you normally use to structure a story, consider a different approach, even if you only use it as an exercise.
- Get Academic Support – Pursuing an academic degree in writing or even enrolling in a single class can also serve to improve your writing. While a formal education is not necessary to become a writer, the advice and guidance of an experienced writer can help the new writer gain traction and realize key themes apparent in their work.
Sources
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign – The Center for Writing Studies (2012)
Jerz’s Literacy Blog (2011)