Writing is one of our main areas of expertise at this Cincinnati marketing and communications agency. Writing is a powerful form of communication, and it’s something that I believe everyone can, and should, feel confident doing. Whether you’re volunteering and need to send out an email to your team, you’re checking in with your child’s teacher via email, or you’re writing a summary report for your employer, clearly communicating your thoughts in writing is a critical life skill. Below are a few tips to get you started on a path to becoming a stronger writer.

1. Read more.

I can hear you now. “But Kaity, I don’t have enough time.” Yes you do. You’re going to have to cut down your TV watching by a half hour, or stop scrolling through Facebook sooner than usual, but I know you can find the time.

I’ve also heard a lot of people say they’re discouraged because they can’t read for long, or they get tired or bored. I have those same problems! Sometimes I’ll read a paragraph and have to read it again because I spaced out, and sometimes I fall asleep while I read. Just because you don’t feel like the perfect reader doesn’t mean you’re not cut out to read.

Don’t limit yourself solely to technical books or books related to your industry, unless you find those books really exciting. Some of my favorite books have been biographies, and even children’s books are fun to read. I’m a big fan of “Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.”

I suggest diving into books rather than only reading blogs, because reading a book will encourage you to read for longer. If you just read blogs, you have a greater chance of becoming distracted and only reading for a few minutes a session.

 2. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Take fifteen minutes or so a day to write what happened, your thoughts, plans and things you learned. Getting into a rhythm of writing daily will make you a stronger writer.

 3. Don’t be too hard on yourself.

Be nice to yourself while you’re on your journey of becoming a better writer, and don’t give up!

There are dozens of specific writing tips, such as: avoid passive voice, read your writing out loud, write the way you talk, etc. But, if you read more and write more on a regular basis, these things will come to you as second nature. I’m proud of you for working on becoming a better writer!