exercises to improve writing skills

What separates good writing from great writing? You’ve got the fundamentals down and then some. Your grammar is flawless. Your flow is impeccable. Your source formatting is perfect. Those are all fantastic qualities – but they aren’t all you need to produce outstanding content. For that, you need something more, or, in some cases, something less. The key to creating top-notch content your clients and readers will love is to lose the fluff. Replace your empty phrases with power words. Cut out the filler, and make room for more actionable, insightful language. Trust me, it works. Power words and stronger language tap into our emotions. Harvard research has proven that emotions are a bigger driving factor in our decisions than logical calculations. A style of writing like this doesn’t just come to us. It takes research, practice, and dedication. Today we’ll discuss steps on how to improve your writing skills and transform your content. 6 Steps on How to Improve Your Writing Skills 1.    Understand the Basics of Good Writing and Why They Matter 2.    Take a Closer Look at Your Language 3.    Cut and Cull Filler, Fluff, and Fallback Words 4.    Use These Exercises to Build Better Habits 5.    Proofread with Power Words in Mind 6.    Final Checks: See How Your Work Measures Up [bctt tweet=”The key to creating top-notch content your clients and readers will love is to lose the fluff. Learn transformative #writing skills in this post by @JuliaEMcCoy ” username=”ExpWriters”] Starting Out: Make Sure You Have the Fundamentals Down I did mention that good grammar, flow, and citing practices are fundamental to good writing. So before you set out to empower your content with stronger words, make sure you’ve got all the basics taken care of. This isn’t to say you won’t ever make a typo or fail to link to a source properly – everyone does it. Yet, we need a solid base to work off of. Think of the blog you’re creating like a house you’re building. Even if you paint and clean the exterior, it won’t cover up for using old materials. Consider it like a piece of music. You can have the best mastering toolkit out there – but a poor mix can only be polished so much. If you’re wondering how to improve your writing skills and grammar, I recommend a tool like Grammarly. It’s a free add-on for Chrome that’s helped millions of people improve their grammar, and even find better word choices. I also wrote a book for online content writing beginners back in 2016, the book I wished I’d had when I started out, called So You Think You Can Write? The Definitive Guide to Successful Online Writing. Check it out on Amazon. For sourcing your work correctly and getting better flow, there’s nothing better than analyzing the experts. I love Jon Morrow from SmartBlogger, and Henneke at Enchanting Marketing. Stay original, but draw inspiration from the content you want to emulate. Now onto the main part of our guide – how can you take a piece with perfect grammar and great fundamentals and make it even better? [bctt tweet=”If you’re wondering how to improve your writing skills and grammar, I recommend a tool like Grammarly. – @JuliaEMcCoy” username=”ExpWriters”] Examine Your Vocabulary and Pick Power Words Great writing isn’t just about saying something – it’s how you say it that is important. Take the following example – examine the difference between the first and second image. Images from OptinMonster Those power words trigger something in our psychology. Think about how bad it would feel to miss out on something – or how good it would feel to get a freebie. Power words can activate positive or negative responses. In either case, they drive some type of reaction. They can take the same message and magnify it, enriching the copy and facilitating a better connection with the reader. I get this question all the time. How do you know what constitutes a power word? Admittedly, some subjectivity is in play. If you want to get a quick start on empowering your vernacular, check out this resource from my agency containing 120 amazing power words – plus 10 calls-to-action you can use for more results. The importance of writing skills for content creators doesn’t just mean the ability to crank out thousands of words per day or follow client instructions. It means being able to go above and beyond with language that commands reactions. Here are some tips for choosing power words: Be Unique and Ultra-Specific: The more your words stand out, the better. If you can choose a word that describes what you’re talking about in more detail, do it. Remember, being as specific and precise as possible strengthens the overall message of your writing. Express Urgency and Describe Degrees: As shown in our last example, power words can reinforce the time-sensitivity of a message. You should also look to reinforce the degrees of what you’re talking about. If something is better than good, or worse than bad, pick a word that expresses it. Always Stay Relevant and Useful: Remember, we aren’t beefing up our vocabulary just for the sake of it. Don’t use elaborate words just to be using them. Make sure your choices reflect the content you’re writing and the mood you’re trying to create. Otherwise, you’re being wordy for the sake of it, which could count as fluff – but more on that later.   Image from Pinterest [bctt tweet=”‘Choosing power words tips: Be unique, specific, express urgency, and stay relevant’  – @JuliaEMcCoy on improving writing skills” username=”ExpWriters”] Mood is another thing to keep in mind. There are different power words to use depending on what emotion or vibe you’re trying to cultivate. Creating a step-by-step guide? Give your readers amazing advice to help them command results and see incredible changes. You can do this for the entire spectrum of emotions and human urges. Fear, excitement, lust, bravery, and more. Even with a general idea of power words, you … Read more