Best writing techniques are one of the most effective abilities you can develop, whether you want to persuade a new client, get the promotion you’ve been eyeing, land your ideal job, or build your blog on Google or social media.
Over the years, I have published thousands of articles on a variety of topics, including writing itself, digital marketing, travel, insurance, and more. Some of the most well-known marketing blogs in the world, including Maps of Arabia, have featured my work. I’ve based my entire professional life on writing.
I don’t say anything to brag; rather, I just want to prove to you that I am an expert writer. And now I’m going to tell you what I know.
SEO Agency will go through 21 techniques in this article to help you write better. Let’s first talk about what “excellent writing” actually is.
Why the Best Writing Techniques are Good for you?
The best writing techniques are a blend of science and art. Although there are no ideal words or sentences, good writing can be distinguished from bad writing.
Exemplary nonfiction writing:
- is simple to comprehend.
- is formatted properly.
- possesses correct grammar and spelling.
- straight to the point
- keeps your interest.
Successful editing is actually the foundation of the best writing techniques. A first draft that is polished and ready for publication is uncommon.
But excellent writing has some added flavor because it fascinates and inspires the reader to take action and makes you ponder.
Moreover, it’s simple to write well and takes time and commitment to become a great writer. In either case, improving as a writer begins with adhering to some fundamental advice and regular practice.
Writing better and more quickly with 21 pro tips
I’ve learned a lot about how to write better during my ten years of the best writing techniques (and many more years before that writing for fun). And I’ve condensed my best guidance into the next 21-pointers. Read on!
1. Commence with your end in mind
Always have a clear understanding of your objectives before putting pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
Why are you writing this book, email, or article? What do you want the reader to remember after reading your work?
For instance, I hope that this article will make you a better writer. That implies that you will (hopefully) use some of these suggestions the next time you write.
2. Create a plan
When you have a general understanding of your objective, it’s time to structure your ideas using an outline.
You may organize your work rationally and make it flow more smoothly by using a content outline. Additionally, it’s beneficial to complete most of your research prior to beginning to write. This will prevent you from becoming sidetracked while switching between writing and research.
Additionally, having a plan while creating a blog makes it simpler to optimize your material for search engines from the start rather than doing it later.
3. Remain totally focused
It’s crucial to give your writing your undivided focus once you get started. Avoid distractions like kids running around or checking your phone or email. This may sound straightforward.
I prefer to put on noise-canceling headphones, silence my notifications on my phone, and listen to jazz music while doing this. You can perform an experiment to see whether light instrumental music or complete silence is healthier for your brain.
Regardless, try to keep distractions to a minimum and give yourself permission to concentrate on your work.
4. Cut the flowery language
Fluffy writing and ornamental words don’t help to foster an intellectual dialogue; instead, they sound bloviating and obscure your message’s true meaning. Alternatively, complicated terms merely confuse people.
The intention of being plain and succinct is compromised by the use of certain terms, which may make your work appear intriguing. It makes it more challenging for the reader to get your point.
Instead, make an effort to convey your message with the fewest, most precise words possible while still doing so.
5. Make sentences shorter yet vary their lengths
You should strive to make your sentences shorter, which is similar to utilizing shorter words. This is one of the best writing techniques ever.
Imagine if I wrote something that required your brain to keep reading, with multiple commas, multiple ideas, and varying concepts, all in one long run-on sentence that just didn’t seem to end, no matter how much you wanted it to, not giving you any time to take a deep breath or digest the concepts you’re learning, and it just keeps dragging on.
With the previous sentence did you feel comfortable reading? Of course not.
Makes it difficult to follow stuff, right?
Instead, communicate no more than one or two ideas per sentence, and keep sentences between 16 and 25 words unless absolutely required.
However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to short sentences. If you do, it might grow monotonous. Similar-length phrases are boring. View my actions here, okay? These sentences are all essentially the same length.
Contrast that with the wording and length of this paragraph. Quickly share something. Then, follow it up with a lengthier, more in-depth sentence to keep the brain active. Maybe add a sentence that is about three sentences long.
Sentence length shouldn’t be a major concern, but it should be at the back of your mind. Making your writing sound more intriguing and rhythmic will help.
6. Use a conversational style of writing
I notice inexperienced authors striving far too frequently to sound “professional” in their writing. They strive to sound overly buttoned up when they write, as opposed to writing in their genuine voice and manner. One of the best writing techniques is to be real.
This seems uninteresting!
Write instead as you speak, but only within reason. Don’t format your research paper in this manner. The writing should sound natural and flow as if you are talking to the reader directly rather than delivering a lecture if you are writing a casual email or blog post.
7. Compose each day
Do you recall when I stated there was a distinction between excellent authors and great writers? Good writers pick up a few tricks and write occasionally. Great authors invest time in their craft.
This does not necessarily entail producing new content daily. Writing in whatever format—whether it’s an email, a blog post, or just a journal entry—counts. Take pleasure in it.
8. Master changes
A smart copywriter will tell you that a paragraph’s goal isn’t to make a point or communicate a concept. Instead, the purpose is to entice a reader to continue reading.
One of the major tricks for keeping readers riveted to the page is knowing how to go from one concept or paragraph to the next. Transitions are now finished.
One of the best writing techniques to improve your transitions is to read your writing aloud to identify any abrupt changes or difficult passages, then edit to eliminate them. In the following tip, I expand on it.
9. To improve your writing, read it aloud
Recall: Good editing is the key to good writing.
Reading my blog aloud and editing was one of the best things I’ve ever done for my writing. When you hear your work aloud, it is immediately clear where it sounds clunky, doesn’t transition smoothly, or just doesn’t sound nice.
Use this advice if you only implement one piece of advice from this article.
10. Begin a diary or journal
It has been demonstrated that keeping a diary physically provides a variety of health advantages, including lowering anxiety and stress levels, assisting with thought organization, and even coping with depression.
But it also improves your best writing techniques.
There is something amazing about actually writing with a pen on paper. My second-largest writing increase came as a result of doing this (after the advice to “read work aloud”).
11. Use the active voice
This will help you write better after you’ve finished. The more you write after reading this, the better.
Which of those two phrases sounds more appealing? Unlike the former, which is written in passive voice, the latter is written in active voice.
Always more impactful in a smaller compact, active voice. It discusses a current activity rather than a potential future, making it more exciting to read.
For more information, read Grammarly’s article on active vs. passive writing.
12. Make use of initial drafts
Good editing results in the best writing techniques. Without a first draft, editing cannot be done.
Expecting something to be written, never read over, published, and sound fantastic is unrealistic. 99% of the time, it just doesn’t work that way.
Instead, draft your ideas down and then go back and modify them several more times.
13. Remove adverbs
When you truly need to accentuate a point, adverbs are fantastic. I made it, did you see?
Adverb overuse just serves to detract from the main argument you’re attempting to make and is simply not necessary.
Or: Using adverbs excessively detracts from the argument you’re attempting to make and is not necessary.
Try using the word without the adverb instead of “very,” “extremely,” or any other modifier. Simply remove the adverb and read the passage aloud. Additionally, you’ll discover that the adverb isn’t always necessary and that dropping it makes your writing more direct.
mastery of punctuation
Commas, dashes, colons, and similar punctuation are all excellent tools. However, you must be proficient with the tools. If not, they take away from your work rather than make it better.
I frequently observe novice authors overusing commas and lengthy dashes. How frequently you can simply remove commas and yet be grammatically correct will amaze you.
Here is a helpful guide to assist you in improving your punctuation; in other words, your best writing techniques.
15. Carelessly remove fluff
It’s probably fluffed if taking a word out of a sentence—or a sentence out of a paragraph—doesn’t change the argument you’re attempting to make.
Too frequently, we tack on extra words or sentences to make our work longer or sound more educated. Avoid doing that.
Great non-fiction writing, in my opinion, aims to convey the most information possible in the fewest possible words. Editing comes up once more. As though your life was on the line, edit out the filler.
16. Have a second reader go over your draft
When you look at your work with new eyes, you may gain insight that you would not otherwise have. Have someone read it, even if it’s just a friend or coworker who isn’t a brilliant writer, and provide you with criticism.
Either the compliments will give you a lovely dopamine rush, or you’ll learn what stinks. Either way, everyone benefits.
17. Know your audience
Although peer review is crucial, your target audience is what matters most.
In addition to increasing reader retention, this will also increase the likelihood that your content will appear in Google search results. Your content can better match search intent by conducting some simple research.
The purpose of the query is its search intent. Why did they look up that term? What specifically are they looking for?
18. Encourage curiosity
How many times have you had to write a paper for class or anything at work that you have no interest in doing? How nicely was the paper produced?
It probably could have been better. Genuine curiosity about the subject they are writing about inspires great writers to discover the proper words and seem more engaging.
Find a means to become curious about whatever it is you need to write about if you’re having trouble doing so. View some intriguing YouTube videos or intriguing news articles there. Try anything to spark your curiosity.
19. Read renowned authors
Reading the works of other great writers will help you become a better writer. Start reading the works of the top authors in the subject matter you intend to write about.
Google is here to help you improve your best writing techniques.
20. Post a new piece of writing
When I started writing at coffee shops, restaurants, hip hotels, and even outside, my writing improved to the third-biggest.
Something about entering a new place jars your head and makes it easier to come up with better sentences. The next time you’re having trouble writing, try writing somewhere fresh.
21. Sleep on it
Finally, if you’ve tried all of these strategies and are still having trouble finding the appropriate words, take a short break. A restful night’s sleep is quite beneficial.
Funny how many times while trying to write something, I felt like I was hitting my head against a brick wall. But simply setting it aside until tomorrow completely changed my perspective.
It’s best to put the pen down for a while from time to time.
Last Thoughts
The most successful authors write frequently and aren’t hesitant to harshly revise their work.
Out of the 21 suggestions, reading aloud, keeping a notebook, and experimenting with new locations for writing are my top three recommendations. Hopefully, those three easy tips will enable you to write more effectively.
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