Most people either love to write or hate it. Because it's a communication soft skill, writing is something everyone can do -- with lesser or greater degrees of success.
Whether you jot down a note or text someone, you're writing. But what about those longer pieces, like articles, emails, and creative works?
Having a general sense of good writing skills is a start. That means understanding your context, audience, and purpose. Your writing should be:
- Cognizant of the Audience:
A writer must consider their audience. Failing to tailor the tone, style, and content to the intended readership can result in a lack of engagement. Understanding and connecting with the audience enhances the impact of the writing.
- Clear and Coherent:
A writer's job is to communicate ideas. Failing to organize thoughts in a coherent manner, using convoluted sentences, or neglecting proper transitions can confuse readers. Clarity is essential for effective communication. - Free of Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes:
Poor grammar and spelling errors undermine a writer's credibility. These mistakes distract readers and may convey a lack of attention to detail. Ruthless proofreading is crucial to catch and correct these errors. Writing apps like Grammarly and HemingwayEditor can pinpoint mistakes and suggest corrective suggestions.
Errors can impede effective communication, diminishing the overall quality of the writing. Writers should aim for clarity, correctness, and audience awareness while organizing their message around a single idea.
Your Adverbs Are Showing
Adverbs are a whole different problem, and over-adverbing is a special pet peeve of mine.
Some writing apps are trained to point out your adverbs. Let's use an analogy here to explain how adverbs can saturate your writing.
Imagine that adverbs are a sweet dessert. Many people enjoy eating dessert. They also recognize that eating too many desserts can cause serious problems like tooth decay, weight gain, diabetes, and possibly cancer.
What if there was an app that pointed out every time you ate a dessert?
"Hey, there! I see you're eating a dessert again! Aim for one or fewer!"
That might make the app helpful if you're on your third dessert of the day, but what about the person eating a dessert for the first time in months?
That person would ignore the app, I hope, and enjoy the dessert!
Like dessert, too many adverbs can cause problems. Check out this sentence:
- Naturally, nuclear energy really might eventually be so considered a very, very viable alternative to other types of energy such as fossil fuels, wind, and solar power.
The bolded words are adverbs.
Are there too many desserts in the sentence? Yes.
Which would you remove? While it depends on the audience and purpose, I would remove them all.
Most adverbs, like dessert, don't have any nutritional value. (Have I taken this comparison too far?) Strong writers try to avoid overusing adverbs, just like many healthy people try to avoid overeating desserts.
3 Tips to Improve Your Communication Soft Skills
How do professional writers improve their communication skills? I recommend these three strategies:
- Put down the pen. You are what you eat, as they say, and you are also what you read. Read as much as you can. Exposure to diverse writing styles, genres, and authors enriches your writing. Analyze how different writers convey ideas, structure sentences, and create engaging narratives. Active reading involves questioning and understanding the author's choices, providing valuable insights for your own writing.
- Set aside time for polishing. There's no "one and done." Writing is rewriting. After completing a draft, take the time to revise and edit. Look for clarity, coherence, and conciseness. Check grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Editing allows you to refine your ideas and verify your message. Consider seeking feedback from others for a fresh perspective.
- Practice. Like any skill, writing improves with practice. Set aside dedicated time for writing exercises, journaling, or working on personal projects. Consistent practice hones your writing skills, helps you discover your voice, and builds confidence. Have courage and experiment with different styles and genres to broaden your writing capabilities.
Begin with Courage
People say, "Oh, but I wouldn't know what to write about."
Your topic doesn't have to be grand. The most commonplace experiences and thoughts make for some of the best narratives. Your content will resonate with your audience.
Sylvia Plath said, "And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt."
Go Pro
You'll find value in working with a professional ghostwriter who understands your message and audience. We've worked with clients who send sentences, phrases and sketches, turning the content into letters and campaigns. We create articles and ebooks out of MP3 recordings.
The choice is yours: write your message or collaborate with a professional.
The important thing is to indulge wisely and communicate.