Writing is an art and also a business that has earned many people a decent living, some even grand. This is a fulfilling profession whether one has university qualifications in writing and journalism or not.
There are many great writers who didn’t go to school to learn it specifically. But with a few training sessions, they are now excellent at their work.
Have you ever found a story that you struggled to understand? As one seeks to convey a message, it is advisable to ensure that the audience understands the content written.
Kevin Patience is a writer with seven years of experience, and she is of the view that being a good writer means communicating with the public in the simplest language so they can understand.
She says that sentences and paragraphs must be short to allow the reader to breathe while reading. Otherwise, when they struggle to read a piece with poor punctuation, they may lose interest in reading.
Patience notes that the piece must be able to answer the what, when, where, who and why questions, as that way, a reader won’t be left in suspense or half informed.
"If you’re not a reader, it’s pretty hard to learn how to write. Even if you have good spoken English, writing is different, you grow your vocabulary and grammar from reading others essays, books and articles. Writing also has dry seasons, when word compilations are not flowing,” she says.
She adds that just like any other skill, writing gets better with continuous practice, which is why it’s necessary to write every day. "Write about anything, your interests and so forth, you will be surprised by how good it can turn out to be.”
Patience says to try and create styles for different topics, as the tone of writing differs from leisure, adventure, religion, and so forth.
She says that proofreading is key, this is because as you write, it’s easy to overlook mistakes especially if you’re fast. But when you read through your work, once, twice, or more, you will notice mistakes that need correcting, for instance, poor grammar, errors, and repetition.
This goes for any kind of writing, even an email, as people view mistakes as a sign of laziness, she adds.
If possible, invest in learning how to write by taking a short online course, or getting guidance from accomplished people.
According to author Enock Luyonza, sometimes you may get tired and need help from another person to read through your work and give feedback. "Also, check how your editor corrects your mistakes and make it a point to be better, making the same mistakes always keeps you in a stagnant state. Great writers have people who critique their work, so get yourself an editor.”
He says that where necessary, do research on a topic and provide evidence because your readers should be informed and learn from your work.
"It is important to invest in information, there is a lot of material online and in libraries that you can add to your book, poem, or article,” he says.
Luyonza points out that although you plan to write regularly, schedule a specific time to do so, that way, it will turn into a habit.
He also says to find what interests you, as that way, you will express yourself better. Topics that are of one’s interest inspire one to write.