7 Effective Ways to Improve Your Writing

Want to learn more about how to improve your writing skills? Begin by expanding your word choice when writing. Your writing will have more impact if you use robust language.

Learning words to improve your writing makes projects like essays and assignments seem like a walkover. You would also find yourself revising less frequently during the editing phase. In some cases, it can even improve the quality of your academic work.

As a writer, you can increase your vocabulary in several ways. If you want to sound more authoritative when speaking and writing, consider these suggestions.

fountain pen on black lined paper
Photo by Aaron Burden on Unsplash

7 Effective Ways to Improve Your Writing

There are no such things as perfect articles. But, you can improve your writing with these simple strategies to make your articles more engaging and relevant to readers. These ultimate steps will make your writing go from 0 to 100 in the quality department.

1. Read, Read, Read!

It’s important to read extensively and from a wide range of perspectives. Periodicals, online diaries, weblogs, books, comics, and graphic novels will introduce you to new vocabulary.

As your vocabulary grows through reading extensively, you’ll find yourself with more and more words to utilize when putting your thoughts on paper.

The best way to expand your vocabulary is to read the works of others. 

2. Use a Dictionary

Improve your writing by using a dictionary. You will encounter unfamiliar words when you read a wider variety of texts. Don’t ignore them or try to.

Stop and find out what each unfamiliar word means. If you’re using an electronic reader, you can look up a word by highlighting it and clicking on the definition that appears. 

Having a digital dictionary like Dictionary.com or the Merriam-Webster app is also helpful on your mobile device.

Investigating its meanings before using it will help you remember it in the future. It’s an excellent way to commit the new term to memory. 

3. Keep a Journal of Your Words

You can have a journal of words to improve your writing. Keep a journal where you can write down each new term you learn after looking it up in a dictionary. This will compile your new vocabulary into one easy-to-access location. Review the new words you’ve learned by writing about them in your journal.

Make it a point to use these terms when you write for school, social media, personal journals, notes. Writing sentences using these new words is an excellent way to build vocabulary.

You’ll quickly grow accustomed to deploying your more sophisticated lexicon.

4. Acquire a New Word Daily

In today’s digital age, it’s easier to acquire a new vocabulary term every day. Each day, Merriam-Webster features a different word with a mini-podcast that explains the definition and provides several examples of using the term correctly. Collins also provides a “Word of the Day” feature.

Note any new vocabulary you pick up on these visits in your word journal. If you need some word coaching while you’re on the road, visit an app to expand your vocabulary.

These daily word-learning check-ins will keep you motivated to keep up with your vocabulary-building goals. 

5. Be Open to Expanding Your Vocabulary While Talking to New People

You should practice using your new vocabulary in natural conversation. Challenge yourself to use a new word in everyday conversation.

Repeated exposure to a new vocabulary word will increase the likelihood that it will be permanently stored in long-term memory. There is undeniably a link between verbal and written expression. Your written and oral terms will both benefit from a more excellent vocabulary. 

6. Use Word Games As a Form of Recreation

Doing crossword puzzles daily is a great way to improve your vocabulary. You can go the digital path or the old-school paper one.

Scrabble and Boggle are two examples of interactive word games that might be entertaining and instructive for you and a group of pals. 

Words With Friends and other mobile apps can be a fun way to expand your vocabulary while on the go. A lot of these games are indeed exciting. 

7. Use Clear and Precise Language

Improve the quality of your writing by using more precise language once you’ve begun studying new concepts and expanding your vocabulary. Avoid using generalizations like “large” or “little” and use more specific language.

With a more extensive vocabulary comes improved decision-making options. The reader will have a much clearer picture after reading your work if you use these specific words. This technique also makes for more precise writing. 

8. To the Thesaurus!

Using a thesaurus is helpful if you want to be more particular. Look up the word in a thesaurus and replace it with one that is more specific and powerful if you can.

Outlook includes a comprehensive thesaurus that can be used in many contexts. If you’re having trouble finding the right word, consult a thesaurus. It will help you choose better words. 

Wrapping Up

Using words to improve your writing has actually become easier than ever. There are so many websites that specialize in word games as a form of recreation or just as a hobby.

To improve as a writer, you must refine your word selection. Your work will be more engaging and understandable if you use vivid, explicit language. It’s possible to improve your vocabulary and writing skills with a little bit of work every day.

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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