Ten Quick Tips for Inexperienced Writers

One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is simply knowing how to get started. If you've unsure of your writing skills, then here are some quick tips to help you get started.

1. Get yourself a thesaurus-or better yet, two of them. These can be tremendously helpful tools when you're struggling to find the right word. A thesaurus is no substitute for a solid vocabulary, but it is still helpful in a pinch.

2. Avoid using the same word too frequently. This can make one's work sound repetitive. Again, a good thesaurus can be helpful in this regard.

3. Keep your sentences fairly short, since longer sentences can sound unwieldy. I've found that 17 words or fewer is a good guideline. Do remember that this is just a guideline, though.

4. Even as you keep the sentences short, make sure that they flow together well. Sometimes, unskilled writers will simply chop longer sentences up into shorter segments that don't blend together smoothly. If in doubt, try rephrasing the sentences or adding the proper connective phrases (e.g. "then," "so," "as a result").

5. Get a copy of "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White. It's a short book, but incredibly helpful. There is no better reference for aspiring writers.

6. Don't rely too much on your word processor's grammar checking features. They can be quite impressive, but their capabilities are still quite limited. Spelling checkers are also limited in their capabilities, since they cannot recognize a lot of proper names and technical terms. In addition, spell checkers cannot detect situations wherein the user has entered the wrong word in place of the proper one.

7. Proofread, proofread and proofread? over and over. When you're done, have a friend proofread your work as well.

8. Remember your target audience. Ask yourself, "What information will my audience require in order to understand what I'm saying?"

9. Avoid clever wordplay unless you're sure that it will work. In most cases, it is best to gain more writing experience before trying something witty.

10. Remember the artists adage, "Practice, practice, practice"? If you want to become good at writing, then write, write and write!

About The Author

V. Berba Velasco Jr., Ph.D. is a senior electrical and software engineer at Cellular Technology Ltd (http://www.immunospot.com, http://www.elispot-analyzers.de, http://www.elispot.cn). The neighborhood children have referred to him as the "Crocodile Hunter" though, due to his impressive menagerie of magnificent arachnids.

---

Common Writing Mistakes - Are These Holding You Back From Writing Success?

During the years that I've been teaching writing and participating... Read More

Writing the Chapters of Your Life: Surprising Insights Using This Special Journaling Technique

List-making is a favorite journaling technique and is often used... Read More

Editing Secrets

Once you've plotted out your book, developed the characters and... Read More

Does The Title Reflect The Story?

Short Story Writing Tips ?We all have different tastes in... Read More

Writing Tips for your Journey

Tips for your writing journeySo, you'd like to be a... Read More

How to Pitch a Story

Ever wonder why we refer to convincing an editor a... Read More

Is Now the Time for a Play about the War in Iraq?

Everone knows that comedy is mostly about timing. If you... Read More

Going On A Word Diet

There are three ways to write a first draft. One... Read More

Editing

EditingExpect, allow, and accept that every first draft will represent... Read More

In Praise of Personal Pronouns

Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock... Read More

How to Publish a Book: Key Differences Between Publishing and Self Publishing

For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More

8 Tips to Get Publishers to Notice You

If your articles aren't getting published very often, or you... Read More

Open a Vein

If you want to be a writer, you must write... Read More

Common Writing Mistakes

Most books aren't rejected because the stories are "bad." They're... Read More

Character Motivation - Always Ask WHY

For many years, I've been a tutor for students undertaking... Read More

How To Filter Description Through Your Characters

How do you describe a scene without slowing down the... Read More

Rejection ? Have the Right Perspective and Don?t Quit

If you're getting rejections from your submissions, please don't quit... Read More

The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers

How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More

Nobody Likes A Rambler

We all know people who ramble. They include every boring... Read More

Writing For Free: When & When Not to Do It!

Right off the bat, I want to say that there... Read More

Write With Passion: 4 Steps To Emotionally Charge A Nonfiction Article

You have just completed a draft of an article. It... Read More

How to Build A Success Freelance Career (Part 1)

In the current job market, many editorial workers have turned... Read More

Retail Margin, Trade Discount, and What it Means for the Author

DEFINITIONSRetail margin is basically the difference between your book's wholesale... Read More

Boost Your Income With Trade Journals

Why would anyone want to write for trade journals? Aren't... Read More

Why Every Freelance Writer Needs A Website

What do you mean, you don't have a website yet?... Read More

Hero?s Journey ? The Herald

Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More

How New Authors Can Keep Their Manuscripts Coherent

In large publishing houses, many manuscripts penned by first-time authors,... Read More

Write Possibilities

We writers are a powerful lot. We control time. We... Read More

Hero?s Journey ? The First Threshold

Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More

Writing IS a Business

Why is it that so many people don't take writing-as-a-job... Read More

Secrets Of Successful Authors

When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil,... Read More

Italics Part 2 - Using Italics to Show Thoughts

Way back in your early school years, you were probably... Read More

Learn to Talk on Paper: The Art of Effective Business Writing

Rudolf Flesch, a specialist in writing skills, ran classes... Read More