Writing tips from a writing dummy

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I’d like to start by saying that I am by no means a writing expert (see title). My advice is purely based on my experiences and may not apply to everyone. However, I encourage you to give it a try and you may be surprised by the results you get.

Tip 1 - Do a brain dump

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The first step in writing is not to think about writing at all. Just put to paper all the thoughts that are in your head. Do not worry if you are using the correct term. Write whatever comes into head. Some people may have trouble with literally putting pen to paper. If you are one of those, I suggest that you use the notepad on your smartphone or better still, turn on the voice recorder on your phone and just speak like you are conversing with a friend. Then, listen to your recording and transcribe it.

Tip 2 - Come back to it at a later time

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Once you have done your brain dump, leave what you have written alone. Step away and go do something else. Doing this allows you to clear your brain and possibly forget all you have written down so that when you come back to it, you are able to easily identify errors and improve on your work. After about 24 hours or so, come back to your content and read it through.

Tip 3 - Improve on your Initial draft

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Some people are good at spitting out excellent write-ups on their first try and that is awesome. But, for the rest of us who are still struggling to get the hang of writing, I suggest that you do not accept your first draft. When you re-read your draft, be sure to make adjustments even if they are just minor adjustments. Believe me, doing this improves the overall quality of your work.

Tip 4 - Read it out loud

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This may sound ridiculous but actually, it works wonders. Reading your piece out loud allows you to hear any mistakes that you may not have noticed while quietly reading your write-up. There may be inconsistencies in your argument that seemed okay on paper but do not sound right when spoken out loud. Performing this step will allow you to spot those inconsistencies and further refine your work. Note that it works better if you get someone else to read it to you. If you can’t find someone to do so, then feel free to read loudly to yourself.
Once you have completed the above steps and made final adjustments, your content is now ready to be viewed by the world.

This applies to all types of writing not just posts. In case of more serious writing exercises, I suggest that you keep going back to your work and making improvements here and there. The more times you go back, read your work and make little improvements, the better the overall quality of your work will be.

Final thoughts

I hope you found these tips helpful. Like I said at the beginning, I am still a work in progress but I make an attempt to write something each day. The more times you write, the better you will be at it. No one learns to dance or play football by just thinking or reading about it, you have to keep practicing in order to improve your dance moves or your dribbling techniques. The same applies to writing. You have to keep writing in order to be better at it.

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Thanks for reading and I hope you are able to pick up that pen/smartphone/computer and write something today.