Though it may seem as simple as combining a string of words in your typical subject-predicate structure, writing can be quite difficult. This task, crucial in many aspects of life—from storytelling to composing an email for work—takes a significant amount of practice to master. This being said, even the most accomplished writers rely on numerous drafts and editors to help them perfect their work. However, if you’re just hoping to hone in on your writing skills, you don’t necessarily need these aids yet; just follow these six simple steps and watch your writing improve!
Step 1: Find yourself some good, reliable writing references.
Online references can be your saving grace when it comes to checking tricky grammar rules, reminding yourself how to cite something (because let’s be real, citations can be HARD), or even just verifying the meaning of a word. Some of our favourite online tools are:
If you’d prefer to have physical copies of this information, head to your campus bookstore or check out Indigo’s writing reference books!
Step 2: Get some cute writing materials!
If you’re anything like us, you’ll be much more inclined to write (and to write consistently, as we’ll discuss in step 3) if you love what you’re writing in and with! In addition to the writing reference books mentioned in step 1, Indigo also has whole sections of their website devoted to journals & notebooks and to pens & writing supplies. If you’d prefer to support small businesses (good choice, btw!) we’d suggest browsing Etsy’s plethora of notebooks, some of which are personalized—writing supplies simply don’t get any cuter than this!
Step 3: Commit to writing regularly
As is the case with just about anything, practice makes perfect. Ask any accomplished writer what their top tip would be for new writers, and they’ll likely agree with us: writing a bit every day is the best way to improve! Keep in mind that this doesn’t mean you need to be writing 1,000 words a day, but try to establish a minimum word count or amount of time that you want to write each day and stick to it as best you can. If you find yourself having a hard time staying on track, you could get a writing tracker to help you out—Etsy has quite a few!
Step 4: Read, read, read!
You may be thinking to yourself: If this article is telling me how to become a better writer, why are we talking about reading? The truth is, there’s no better way to expand your vocabulary and expose yourself to a variety of sentence structures and writing styles than to read other authors’ writing. If you know what kind(s) of texts you want to write most frequently, try getting books in the same genre or on the same topic to reap the most benefits.
Step 5: Get help from others.
There’s no harm in seeking help from others if you’re struggling to write or if you haven’t quite grasped certain grammatical concepts yet—believe us, we’ve all been there! If you’re just looking for a quick answer to a question relating to your writing, first see if any of the resources mentioned in step 1 could help; they’re definitely worth getting familiar with. If you’d prefer more in-depth help from another writer, we recommend checking out writers on social media, like @thewelcomingwriter on Instagram or the web for writing services and assistance, or @sethwrites for helpful tips.
Step 6: Join a writing club.
As we mentioned in step 3, writing regularly is super important if you’re hoping to improve your craft, and what’s a better way to hold yourself accountable than to join a writing club? If you’re a University of Ottawa student and want to write articles about just about anything that tickles your fancy, you can join us at HC uOttawa by emailing hc.uottawa@hercampus.com! Otherwise, a quick Google search of “writing clubs in [your area]” should bring up a variety of opportunities both in your area and online.
We hope that these six simple steps help you to progress as a writer, but always remember that you don’t need to know exactly what you’re doing to write: you just need to start writing!