Improving Writing Skills
- Thread starter openyour
- Start date
Grammarly is a really good add-on
Writer4Hire
Junior Member
- Jun 7, 2009
- 171
- 100
Grammarly is a good option. Hemingway app is another (their web version is free). If you are a beginner, I recommend you read and write as much as possible - it's the only way to get good.
PaintedBlack
Regular Member
- Dec 5, 2017
- 211
- 383
Personally I don't know of a specific website I'd recommend but there are many ways to improve your writing. As a writer myself, this is something I talk a lot about, and you can probably find some other replies on the topic in my post history.
First of all - the tools.
There are of course Grammarly, Hemingway app, and very importantly - Thesaurus.
Tools can polish your writing a lot, but the core has to be good to begin with.
Writing is essentially processing researched or accumulated information/experience, and writing it in a way readers will enjoy, find informative, etc.
I feel like the single biggest improvement to writing is practicing explaining things (in English). Before you write some content, try to talk to yourself about and pretend you're explaining it, just like when you're studying for school for example. Being able to process information well is what separates a good writer from a 'meh' one. Anyone can recreate an existing article by merely rewording the sentences to make them unique.
Get into the mentality of the reader and ask yourself what existing knowledge do they possess, what they are looking to learn in the article, what could put them off in the intro and what would interest them to keep reading, etc.
If you're writing for SEO purposes, practice the language with the help of things like Duolingo, skillshare, youtube lessons, online tests, the tools mentioned in this thread etc.
If you're writing for readers knowing the language is secondary. Practice processing information and explaining it the best you can in an engaging way. You can always hire a proofreader or get a friend to proofread for you. Take the pay cut and end up with superior, more expensive content in general.
First of all - the tools.
There are of course Grammarly, Hemingway app, and very importantly - Thesaurus.
Tools can polish your writing a lot, but the core has to be good to begin with.
Writing is essentially processing researched or accumulated information/experience, and writing it in a way readers will enjoy, find informative, etc.
I feel like the single biggest improvement to writing is practicing explaining things (in English). Before you write some content, try to talk to yourself about and pretend you're explaining it, just like when you're studying for school for example. Being able to process information well is what separates a good writer from a 'meh' one. Anyone can recreate an existing article by merely rewording the sentences to make them unique.
Get into the mentality of the reader and ask yourself what existing knowledge do they possess, what they are looking to learn in the article, what could put them off in the intro and what would interest them to keep reading, etc.
If you're writing for SEO purposes, practice the language with the help of things like Duolingo, skillshare, youtube lessons, online tests, the tools mentioned in this thread etc.
If you're writing for readers knowing the language is secondary. Practice processing information and explaining it the best you can in an engaging way. You can always hire a proofreader or get a friend to proofread for you. Take the pay cut and end up with superior, more expensive content in general.
Roger Marquez
Elite Member
- Apr 17, 2017
- 5,123
- 7,820
Yes it does.
I am currently developing my skills as a writer and i use both apps every single day!
One thing that has helped me a lot if read, read and read a lot!
Especially, novels.
And depending on what area you want to put all your writing skills to use (blogging maybe?) I would also start browsing lots of sites related to your theme and read their content, start spotting patterns like the writing style, its tone, how they structure their content, etc.
And just start writing, writing and then, write some more.
The only way to fully develop a skill (even if you have a natural talent for it) is by nurture it by practicing like a maniac.
Something that has also helped me a lot is to define my client´s nature of their business as well as who is their target audience.
Be able to build a "Buyers Persona" has come a long way for me in order to identify my client´s ideal customer by defining their interests, expectations, fears, desires, issues, problems, etc.
And just make sure to build content around it!
PaintedBlack
Regular Member
- Dec 5, 2017
- 211
- 383
Just want to point our your reply was well written. If you remember me, we exchanged a few words about content writing before, great progress mate ^^!
Pennyliu1993
Junior Member
- Jan 4, 2020
- 175
- 38
Improving your writing skills broadens your horizons in both your personal and career-related pursuits. To help you improve writing skills in English, we have collected some of the best web-resources dedicated to this mission.
1. Grammarly
Grammarly is easily one of the best online resources to significantly improve your vocabulary and writing skills. Grammarly is basically an online word processor, which goes beyond your ordinary word processor in correcting your English mistakes. Grammarly fixes over 250 types of English errors, which the Microsoft Word application could not correct. The app also suggests synonyms for your chosen words to improve the context of the phrase.
Since Grammarly app is also available for your web browser, you can simply install the extension and have Grammarly edit all of your Emails, social media posts or any content that you create from your web browser.
The spell-checker and vocabulary enhancer are the standout features of Grammarly that will definitely make you a better writer over time. Although Grammarly is offered as free installation, a premium plan also does exist which costs around $29.95/month.
2. Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl is one of the best web resources to help you improve your writing skills online. Although now renamed to QuickandDirtyTips, Grammar Girl is how this blog is known well. Mignon Fogarty, who is behind Grammar Girl, is a very well-known personality with different books and mobile apps to her name. Grammar Girl offers short and friendly tips to help you improve writing skills on the web. All the complex Grammar questions are answered adequately and interestingly by Grammar Girl.
Learn everything about English Grammar, from punctuation, vocabulary, writing style and other tips needed to make you a better writer. Although QuickAndDirtyTips now does cover a wide range of topics, Grammar Girl was solely dedicated to the act of making English grammar easy for everyone.
3. The Purdue Writing Lab
Universities often have their very own writing centers on-campus to help people with their writing skills. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab, or better known as the Purdue OWL is an online writing center dedicated to the mission of helping people with their writing skills. Purdue OWL provides users worldwide with their writing resources and guides. This website targets all of the common English grammatical queries arisen by people with their second language as English.
Tackling issues like Writer’s block, development of an outline, thesis writing, proofreading, etc are some of the topics covered by Purdue’s OWL. The website also is home to the APA and MLA style guides which are used worldwide for publishing thesis and dissertations. Divided into two sections – General writing and the Writing process, both of these cover issues that most of the people face while writing in English.
1. Grammarly
Grammarly is easily one of the best online resources to significantly improve your vocabulary and writing skills. Grammarly is basically an online word processor, which goes beyond your ordinary word processor in correcting your English mistakes. Grammarly fixes over 250 types of English errors, which the Microsoft Word application could not correct. The app also suggests synonyms for your chosen words to improve the context of the phrase.
Since Grammarly app is also available for your web browser, you can simply install the extension and have Grammarly edit all of your Emails, social media posts or any content that you create from your web browser.
The spell-checker and vocabulary enhancer are the standout features of Grammarly that will definitely make you a better writer over time. Although Grammarly is offered as free installation, a premium plan also does exist which costs around $29.95/month.
2. Grammar Girl
Grammar Girl is one of the best web resources to help you improve your writing skills online. Although now renamed to QuickandDirtyTips, Grammar Girl is how this blog is known well. Mignon Fogarty, who is behind Grammar Girl, is a very well-known personality with different books and mobile apps to her name. Grammar Girl offers short and friendly tips to help you improve writing skills on the web. All the complex Grammar questions are answered adequately and interestingly by Grammar Girl.
Learn everything about English Grammar, from punctuation, vocabulary, writing style and other tips needed to make you a better writer. Although QuickAndDirtyTips now does cover a wide range of topics, Grammar Girl was solely dedicated to the act of making English grammar easy for everyone.
3. The Purdue Writing Lab
Universities often have their very own writing centers on-campus to help people with their writing skills. Purdue University’s Online Writing Lab, or better known as the Purdue OWL is an online writing center dedicated to the mission of helping people with their writing skills. Purdue OWL provides users worldwide with their writing resources and guides. This website targets all of the common English grammatical queries arisen by people with their second language as English.
Tackling issues like Writer’s block, development of an outline, thesis writing, proofreading, etc are some of the topics covered by Purdue’s OWL. The website also is home to the APA and MLA style guides which are used worldwide for publishing thesis and dissertations. Divided into two sections – General writing and the Writing process, both of these cover issues that most of the people face while writing in English.
Roger Marquez
Elite Member
- Apr 17, 2017
- 5,123
- 7,820
Thanks a lot for your kind words!
I´ve been working a lot in my writing. Reading like a maniac, trying to analyze patterns on articles from top-ranking pages for certain keywords, breaking down their content and see how they structure it.
I´ve learned a lot this past couple of months and I am actually looking forward to starting building a shit lot of content for my journey thread site!
Ofcourse there are plenty of resources available..make use of YouTube ...you could find plenty of courses and tips...read more...develop your vocabulary...improve your narrative style...ltry writing more ..you will eventually improve..All the best!!
KaleidoJack
Junior Member
- Nov 21, 2020
- 165
- 101
Read George Orwell's Politics and the English Language and write one page of content everyday. In three months you'll be better than 80%.
Lets Make it
Regular Member
- Nov 4, 2020
- 305
- 88
I think learning the language itself, reading books and practising writing consistently is the right way to become a professional writer 
Rahat48050
BANNED
- Nov 26, 2020
- 78
- 44
Damn! I have to know a lot more. And I think I'm in a right place.. It's overwhelming.
Well said.....gaining more knowledge with research will give one a broader view and enhance one writing skill.
rajkumar31
Supreme Member
- Feb 15, 2014
- 1,242
- 423
1. Tools - Grammarly, Hemingway
2. Technique - Comes with experience. Keep writing. I'm just about to finish 100 long form content in 3 months in one of my websites. Your speed and accuracy and research time will improve as you write.
3. Inspiration - Look at your competitor. When they keep posting and you lag, you can't win. That should make you competitive and write more
4. SERP - Eyeball the SERPs for what you can rank with your domain authority and only write on those topics. Smart work is needed more than hard work
2. Technique - Comes with experience. Keep writing. I'm just about to finish 100 long form content in 3 months in one of my websites. Your speed and accuracy and research time will improve as you write.
3. Inspiration - Look at your competitor. When they keep posting and you lag, you can't win. That should make you competitive and write more
4. SERP - Eyeball the SERPs for what you can rank with your domain authority and only write on those topics. Smart work is needed more than hard work