Do you feel that your writing isn't as good as it can be?
Have you been getting Bs and Cs on your latest writing assignments?
If so, then follow this advice, and see what you can do to improve your writing.
If so, then follow this advice, and see what you can do to improve your writing.
When it comes to writing, there isn't necessarily a right or wrong way to write. However, that doesn't mean that all writing is perfect. As you learn to write, you are taught that it will be incredibly important as you move through your life, (if you are a high school student you will feel this on a very personal level) and it is. No matter a person’s occupation or level of education, writing is necessary. During your academic career, especially, the ability to write well is crucial. In all circumstances, writing errors are unavoidable, but if you confront them, analyze them, and learn from them, you can avoid them in future work. Though these three writing tips might not be able to magically raise your grades, they will definitely push you in the direction of becoming a better writer.
Step 1:
Remember to watch for and correct little errors. These errors can range from incorrect punctuation use, to not using parallelism, to forgetting about the subject-verb agreement. Small errors don't necessarily take away from the message expressed by a piece of writing, but they can interrupt its flow. Once you have an understanding of what these errors look like, it's only a matter of practice and careful proofreading. Where there are long sentences, incorrect comma use isn't hard to find. For example, “…William Shakespeare’s Macbeth and Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio’s painting Judith Beheading Holofernes, have quite a lot in common” (McGrath, Macbeth Essay). This is an example of how not to use a comma. The comma before “have” isn't needed, as it interrupts the flow of the sentence by creating a pause where there shouldn't be one. This is one type of error that can be easily fixed to improve a piece of writing. Another example shows the use of clichéd words, “She is also very self-critical, judging her music harshly, trying to create a final product that meets her expectations” (McGrath, Reaction to Grimes Article). Instead of writing “very,” (which isn't very descriptive), you could replace it with stronger terms, like “extremely,” or “incredibly.” This simple mistake can make the writing sound less significant, but it can also easily be fixed.
Step 2:
Think about diction (word choice) and syntax (the arrangement of words in a sentence). These are important parts of writing, and are usually harder to notice when editing your own work. Instead of writing a sentence like this, “She has been called “the next Lady Gaga,” due to her eccentric outfits, unusual voice, and her image in general” (McGrath, Reaction to Grimes Article), you should think about switching the two parts of the sentence. The edited sentence, “Due to her eccentric outfits, unusual voice, and her image in general, she has been called “the next Lady Gaga,” is much easier to read. Along with word choice and sentence structure, you should also remember to use the literary present. Using the literary present keeps all descriptions of events in a single tense, as you can assume that the events exist in an eternal state of presence. One example of a sentence with the wrong tense is, “...(and an act she was so intent upon committing)” (McGrath, Macbeth Essay). This passage describes Shakespeare’s Macbeth, and all discussion about literature should be in the literary present. To fix this, you would change “was” to “is.” All of these elements, including the length and flow of sentences, their diction, and the tense in which they are written, combine to make up your “voice," which is arguably the most important part of your writing.
Step 3:
Make your writing say something. It's easy to waste time and paper with summary when writing about an event or literary work. Well yes, it's informative, but it also takes away from your writing. Instead, you should give a brief summary before moving on to connect the events with your own ideas. Here's an example of unnecessary summary: “Grimes (also known as Claire Boucher) is a Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer” (McGrath, Reaction to Grimes Article). This sentence is gratuitous, just pointless summary. It doesn't express anything about the author’s thoughts or opinions concerning the article. Also, writing doesn't have to be limited to just one topic or thought, in fact, it can be interesting and beneficial to include connections you make to broader ideas. This is a good example of that process, “Comparing works of art or literature helps us to process and appreciate them” (McGrath, Macbeth Essay). This statement takes an idea and analyzes it, generalizing. This can help both an author and their audience absorb the ideas that are expressed, and push them to raise questions of their own.
Writing, whether it's being used for communication, education, or even self-expression, is an important part of our lives. Though using a comma the right way and remembering to capitalize are not at the front of everyone’s mind, perfecting basic writing skills definitely benefits all writers, especially students. Although it is really improved through practice, proofreading, and studying, fixing minor errors and strengthening your voice are still important steps in the process of improving your writing.
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