Words

LegacyUser

Hi there,

I am well educated and quite articulate myself quite well in conversation. However, I would like to improve my written communication. I can spell and use the correct grammar but if I want to express myself eloquently, it takes quite an effort. For example, writing an email or letter to someone takes me quite a while if I want it to read well. I am really impressed by some of the people who post on boards, how they articulate and communicate their messages. Does anyone have any tips how I could improve my writing skills?
Thanks in advance

Karmafaerie

write11 wrote: »

Hi there,

I am well educated and quite articulate myself quite well in conversation. However, I would like to improve my written communication. I can spell and use the correct grammar but if I want to express myself eloquently, it takes quite an effort. For example, writing an email or letter to someone takes me quite a while if I want it to read well. I am really impressed by some of the people who post on boards, how they articulate and communicate their messages. Does anyone have any tips how I could improve my writing skills?
Thanks in advance

One of the simple ways would be to take a creative writting class.
While not the same as composing emails or letters obviously, it will really help with getting used to articulatng yourself on paper (or in typeface as the case may be).

Classes are very easy to come by too, with many taking place in adult education, centers or senior college, and costing very little.

I'd imagine that most people who find written comunication easy would be very avid readers, and possibly wannabe writters also.
For me writting is great.
You get to express your point with nobody cutting accross or interupting you!

Unregistered39

As Karmafaerie said, read, read read*. Absolutely the best way to pick up good writing skills. There's a book called The Elements of Style by Strunk and White. I think it was first published in the 1950s, but it's the best guide I've ever read for cutting out the crap and getting your point across.


* Well written stuff obviously; Heat mag doesn't count.

LegacyUser

Hi Op here,

Thank you for taking the time to reply. I know this was not exactly an exciting personal issue compared to other posts. Thanks also for the book recommendation - will check it out.

smemon

How about a blog OP? It's done wonders for my writing... started a few years ago and i'm still writing daily some 520,000 words later

wordpress.com, pick a subject you love and just write, write, write. It can be anonymous or personal, either way it'll benefit you greatly!

My old english teacher used to say you should always write every day and i never really understood why he said that until i started writing every day. It's just good to get the old brain working and to get in to the habit of thinking, creating & reflecting.

Hated books myself and still do. With a passion. I just find them boring and don't have the patience to read things line by line. But i turned out ok.

If you want my advice, don't get trapped in to writing in a formal style (unless of course it's for business / applications etc..) Focus on expressing yourself in language that anyone can understand. The ability to simplify things is the biggest challenge i find.

And as for dwelling over how to put sentences together, that's a positive sign, it's normal. Writing rarely comes naturally. If your hand can keep up with your brain, there's something wrong