There are a lot of necessary skills one requires to be a functioning member of society. One of the most underrated ones is writing. Writing, in any language, is the perfect way to express your views on the topics you want to address your listeners on. Writing goes beyond just school purposes. It can improve your communication skills and increases your knowledge and creativity. It can also help you get a job later in life. Poor or weak writing skills can adversely affect you, as it can result in lost ideas or poor communication. Having good writing skills can prove beneficial. A few ways one can do this are:

1. Brush up on the basics

A great piece of writing is engaging and well written. It has good grammar and proper punctuation. One needs to know the basics of grammar and good spelling skills before they can write a good piece of writing. So brush up on your grammar skills by practising daily. Getting a grammar manual can prove beneficial. There are also many resources online which offer grammar games and exercises which can improve your grammar skills.

2. Be clear on the topic you’re writing about 

Having a good topic for your writing is important. But something more important is having clarity on the topic you’re writing about. Often, one chooses to write on a topic without doing proper research on it, and then the write up turns out to be messy or boring. Ask yourself why you want to write on that specific topic, do proper research on it and try explaining it to someone. Have a clear purpose and stick to it.

3. Keep your sentences simple

How many times has it happened that you sat down to read a book or an essay, but after seeing the excessive descriptions and complicated words you just put it down? Not everyone has the writing skills of Shakespeare, and neither do they need it. Long, pretentious paragraphs are no fun to read. Keep your sentences simple and less complicated. Go easy on the descriptions so that you can better connect with the reader. 

4. Read more

A good writer is an avid reader. Reading on a regular basis is an easy way to develop your writing skills. It can help you avoid any potential grammar mistakes, improve your vocabulary and enhance your creativity. It can also help you in realising what kind of writing you prefer to read, and who your favourite authors are, so you can draw inspiration from them and integrate it into your work. Diversify your reading material; don’t just limit yourself to blog posts or articles. The more you read, the more likely you are to realise what makes a piece of writing genuinely interesting to read. 

5. Practice 

Writing is like any other art, it takes time. Regular practising can help improve your writing skills. When you write regularly, you become familiar with your style of writing and the mistakes you are most likely to make. Write blog posts, newspaper articles, social media posts, whatever interests you, just don’t stop practising and believing in yourself.