How to Improve Your Writing 3 Tips

How to Improve Your Writing 3 Tips Long  before I made a living as a writer, I was passionate about writing. Now that I’m a full-time author, people frequently  ask me how to improve their writing. My advice is simple: 1. Sit in the Chair These four words changed my life. For a long time, I was an aspiring writerâ€"which meant I didnt write much. Sure, I aspired  daily, but I didnt make writing a priority. Instead, I spent time passively parked in front of glowing screens: watching TV,  perusing Facebook, checking email. I didnt become a writer until I developed a writing habit. People dont learn how to write via osmosis; it takes work. So forget word count or page count, and dont worry about creating  the perfect writing spaceâ€"focus instead on sitting in the chair distraction-free, writing for at least an hour a day. Do this for a month and you will improve  more than  you thought possible. 2. Start a Blog Perhaps the best thing I ever did for my writing career  was find an outlet through which I could express myself: blogging. My sole regret is  I didnt start sooner. Its such an inexpensive and effective way to communicate with, and add value to, other people. Plus, the consistency of blogging  strengthens your writing habit. I wrote about my entire step-by-step process here: How to Start  a Successful Blog Today. And its easier than you think. 3. Kill Fear with Accountability For years I wanted to be a writer, but I was terrified to write. What if people judge me? What if my writing is bad? What if, what if, what if? Paralyzed by fear, I remained inactive and unproductive, always postponing until tomorrow. To overcome this fear, find an accountability partner: a spouse, sibling, coworker, or loved oneâ€"anyone who’s willing to help for 60 seconds a day. Then, report to your partner each day via email, and include: a) how long you sat in the chair, b) what topic you wrote about, and c) why it was a good or bad day for your writing. It takes less than a minute to send this email, and the benefits are disproportionately positive. Try it for a month: you’ll watch your fear disintegrate. How to Write Better For more free writing tips, follow @ToWriteBetter  on Twitter. Also, if you’re interested, I teach an online writing class, How to Write Better (syllabus and details), where I’ve taught hundreds of students how to improve their writing (testimonials).