Do you dream of serving up great communications that score big points with readers? Get your writing-game in shape with these two simple practices.
Let’s face it, great writing gets great results. Whether you’re raising brand awareness, persuading customers to act or building staff engagement, a well-written piece makes it easier for you to achieve your goal. In fact, a recent study found that companies who communicated effectively had 47% higher total shareholder returns!
But there’s more to good writing than simply putting pen to paper. You could say that writing is a bit like a game of tennis. Anyone can whack a ball with a racket, but to win points, you need to hit the right spots.
The truth is, any communication expert will tell you that improving your writing game starts with these two simple (but important) practices:
1. Read a lot
Imagine having your favourite writer as your professional coach. Well, if you regularly read and study their work, you’re already drawing on their expertise. Pay attention to their word choice and flow. It will help you to add variety and originality to your prose, and express yourself more clearly. Quite simply, immersing yourself in good writing will equip you with the tools you need to write well. So, above all, remember to read high-quality books, magazines and industry publications.
Also, think about broadening your reading list. If you read to expand your mind, you'll improve your general knowledge, gain fresh perspectives and enhance your writing skills. All of which will earn you praise and credibility.
Consider subscribing to a range of business writing blogs. Concise and loaded with useful content, blogs are a great way to source tips. This Business Writing blog provides good guidance on business writing skills. While the Online Writing Training blog can help you to master the bones of writing—grammar.
2. Write a lot
Writing, like any skill, improves with practice. A great way to practice writing is to regularly keep a journal. Journal-writing is like a warm-up stretch, it keeps everything flowing—ideas, words and stories. If you get stuck on topics for your journal, try this list of writing prompts and kick-start the creative process. If journal-writing is the warm-up, your main training comes with deliberate practice. Write at least five times a week, with the aim of reducing errors and pushing yourself to improve. Becoming a better writer takes time, but as tennis champion Andre Agassi once said, “There’s a lot of good waiting for you on the other side of tired.” So, hit the books and blogs, and practice writing your way to better business communications.
About Victoria
Victoria believes that great communication has the power to change the world. She's passionate about helping organisations to lift their profiles, inspire action and achieve remarkable results by crafting and delivering their stories and messages in a clear, compelling and persuasive way. If you've got a question about how to produce high-quality communication plans or content, you can contact Victoria here or connect with her on LinkedIn.