If we want to develop and master our ability to look eloquent on paper, that is, perfecting writing skills, be it for a school essay or for creative writing, we all need to listen to some pieces of advice. Indeed, success does not come at once. Like any art or skill, writing requires a deep devotion and practice and sometimes even innate talent, even though on the latter opinions may vary. Another question is how to make yourself write, and how do the people who achieved everything in this field started out on their work, and kept pushing? Here are some useful pieces of advice that could boost your writing skills in no time.
Reasons for Writing
Let us first explore the reasons why a person chooses to compose a text. They are plentiful, and depending on them, you could adjust your approach or pay attention to diverse aspects of your skill building training. We all have our reasons, but we strive for the same result: a coherent text that has an impact on our reader.
Assignment
School teaches us to spell and read the proper way, and when the time comes, you are also taught how to create a whole story. Then you come up on the next stage, which is writing a full essay, which can vary in themes and composition requirements. Most of the people will never write anything expect the assignments they wrote for school. However, we should not undermine its effects, because the reason of placing such an important role on writing assignments in schools comes from the fact that it helps develop your logical skills and creativity.
Fame or Money
Some people just want to get recognized on the street. Even though it is tough to succeed in the real world where competition plays a big role, some people look at such examples of writing successes as the Harry Potter franchise or Dan Brown’s books, and immediately think that by writing a best seller they will carve themselves a name in the granite of history and will never have to work again. Such stories are plentiful, but there are thousands more stories of failed artists and writers, so you should not concentrate all your efforts on such trivial reasons. Although, if it gives you enough motivation, you can always try to make the best out of it.
Self-Expression
More often than not we are misunderstood by our peers, have something to vent about, or need a distraction from the real world. Writing can be an amazing tool to lose yourself for some time and be productive in the process. In our stories anything can happen, and we are in charge of the rules. This is a potent tool to express ourselves in ways we cannot do in our daily lives. Writing can even be therapeutic. Writing with the purpose of self-expression is a powerful tool and you can realize its importance by counting how many personal blogs there are in the cyber space. Everyone needs a place to vent!
Criticism of the System
Many big writers of all times wrote because they wanted to persuade people of their ideas and make them realize big truths about our lives. By reading a book you can reevaluate your life, thoughts or how you thought about a person before. A good piece of writing in most cases is informative and entertaining, it makes you learn new things while enjoying yourself. The power of books can be seen just basing on the fact that so many books were banned during history, because those books could incite rebellions, protests, movements or even wars.
Practical Advice
Now that we have laid out the main reasons for writing, let us concentrate on some of the best pieces of advice for novices by masters. Isn’t it better than looking for thousands of abstract tips on the Internet? Let us start.
Stephen King
One of the main advantages of listening to this man is that he is the true king of thrillers and horrors, having written more than fifty novels and plenty of other works. His main points include caring about an inviting first phrase that lures in the reader. A second tip is to stick to your own style no matter what, and writing for yourself. You will never please everyone in the world, but if you write something that pleases you personally, you already have one ally in your endeavor. Also, he advises to read a lot, as it is the key to successful composition. You should read a lot if you want to be successful in essay writings as well.
Ray Bradbury
One of the most light-hearted writers of fantasy and science fiction in our history, Ray Bradbury is a man with a massive bibliography as well. A great hint from this potent author would be to start small. It is an incredibly hard task to start from a big novel. Write a couple of short stories first; try yourself in something smaller. The same goes for your research essay, you will never write it in one sitting! It will be easier to write more and in a bigger way when you grasped the mechanics behind the scenes.
Agatha Christie
Perhaps, the queen of detectives will appeal to you more. She is one of the best-selling novelists of our time and her works have been translated in an impressive list of foreign languages. Agatha advises to focus on your main storyline and carefully consider the plot, and this tip is also relevant for essays. Do not overcrowd the reader with side stories that do not benefit the plot. Also, if you are writing a creative story, introduce someone who the reader can relate to. In no time your audience will be hooked!
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