Tips to Improve Your Writing
As a public relations professional, it is crucial to be an effective communicator, especially when it comes to writing. As a second-year writing consultant at the Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors, I find myself giving writing tips to students almost daily- and that’s what I aim to do for you in this blog post.
Tip #1: Write Your Passion
It doesn’t matter what the style of writing or what the assignment calls for, always write about a topic that you are passionate about. This may seem like a feat at first; however, the key is to always tie your passion into your prompt. This will make anything that much easier to write about; if you’re interested in what you are writing about, you will find that you will write a better paper in the end.
Tip #2: Check Your Grammar
Correct grammar is arguably the most important part of writing for an agency, assignment, blog, or anything in general. If your grammar is incorrect, it could undermine your credibility as a professional and as a writer. Always check your grammar, with sites like grammarly.com or by having another person check over your work before you submit it if you’re unsure.
Tip #3: Read Aloud
Nobody likes to read out loud- it’s a critical fact that we all can relate to, dating all the way back to the roots of our education. However, reading aloud is one of the most important steps to improving your writing. It’s easy to get caught up in your thoughts when reading in your head, and not catch vital flaws in your writing. When reading out loud, it’s much easier to find mistakes and fix them.
Tip #4: Don’t Be Afraid to Rewrite
Starting over and rewriting may seem like failure to you, but actually, it’s the complete opposite. Rewriting is a critical tool when becoming a better writer, as it allows you to clear up your original thoughts and possibly write something better than you came up with the first time. There is absolutely nothing wrong with rewriting sentences, paragraphs, or even whole pages.
Tip #5: Practice Regularly
Even if you don’t consider yourself a regular writer, to write well takes practice, just like anything else in life. If you find yourself feeling the need to express something, put it down on paper. Take some time to write for yourself, not just for assignments or projects at work or school. The best writing often stems from an unplanned place; allow yourself to practice writing and enjoy it.
With these tips, hopefully you will find yourself a little less stressed about writing and a little more excited about all of the amazing places great authorship can take you. Don’t be afraid to go out and place a mark on the world with the words you write.
About Kayla:
Kayla Brown is a junior at Grand Valley State University studying advertising & public relations, with an Emphasis in PR. She also is heavily involved in PRSSA, GrandPR, and works at the Fred Meijer Center for Writing and Michigan Authors on campus. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @kaylakays17.