Tip Sheet: Ten Ways to Instantly Make Your Writing Better

These simple tips can energize your work when it feels like a slog.

Photo by Magnet.me on Unsplash

Writer angst is real, and storytelling is complex, but the good news is that some easy-to-use techniques will instantly improve your writing and help you push forward even when the writing feels like a grind.

Here are ten things I pay attention to when crafting my own work–especially when the writing feels sluggish. They might help you too.

1. Start with a powerful scene or anecdote that supports the main point.
In journalism, professors and editors say, “Don't bury the lead.” They want you to get to the heart of the issue or the rising drama of the scene. Too often, we do what some writers call “throat clearing.”

This happens when you load the front end of the story or scene with too much info, background, or other irrelevant information. I almost always do this in the early stages of writing, when I don’t know exactly how to tell the story I want to tell or the essence of a scene.

Fine. Write through it. Drop it all on the page when drafting. Just make sure you revise it later. until the essence of the action remains and your piece opens with a high-energy moment, action, or compelling point.