6 key writing skills and how to improve them

Photo by lilartsy on Unsplash

Photo by lilartsy on Unsplash

Everyone has a set of writing skills. And the cool part about skills?

We can improve them with practice.

I’ve been writing since I could define exposition. Over the years, I’ve written over 40 books for schools.

And there are still days when I feel like a writing rookie.

Learning how to improve my writing skills is why I love to write. The creative journey is ever-evolving.

I learn and change and grow and improve as I write.

There are standard writing skills you can improve.

Certain practices will help any writer write better.

  • Reading books from different genres.

  • Practicing your writing on a consistent, weekly basis.

  • Using well-known story structures, like the hero(ine)’s journey.

  • Keeping an eye on your grammar.

But in this article, I’ll cover 6 unique writer skills.

These are the key writing skills in my toolkit. They’re the “special sauce” for my stories.

And anyone can learn and improve these skills.

Here are my 6 key writing skills and actionable tips to learn and improve each one.

 

1. Write with a clear and concise voice.

“Easy reading is damn hard writing.”
- Nathanial Hawthrone

 

Have you ever read a book and stumbled over the words? Maybe the vocabulary was too complex. Or the sentences seemed mismatched.

The best writing is easy to read. It flows smoothly. Your reader glides through the prose. 

If your reader is ever confused, your writing rhythm is likely off.

Your main goal as a writer? Write clear and concise sentences.

Clear writing is easy to read. Concise writing uses words that cut to the point.

I love to write long sentences. I can write long, flowing paragraphs of prose.

And I then edit without mercy.

Here are my rules for editing any sentence:

When editing, I always ask myself:

  • Does this word or phrase need to be here?

  • Is there a word I can use that’s shorter and more precise?

My first draft is long and wordy. My second draft is where I highlight excess text. My final draft is a clear and concise sentence.

Here’s my editing in action:

  • First Draft: Write without reservation.

    • Truthfully, I’ve never been one to call myself a true writer, even though I do tend to write and dabble in the arts whenever there’s a brilliantly full moon in the nighttime sky.

  • Second Draft: Look for excess words or phrases.

    • {Truthfully,} I’ve never {been one to} call myself a {true} writer, even though I do {tend to} write {and dabble in the arts} whenever there’s a {brilliantly} full moon {in the nighttime sky}.

  • Final Draft: A clear and concise sentence.

    • I’ve never called myself a writer, even though I do write whenever there’s a full moon.

See the difference?

Unwieldy sentences are tricky to read. I never want to lose my reader to a furrowed brow.

If your writing is packed with confusing adverbs and adjectives, you will lose your reader.

As a writer, it’s always a challenge to write clearly and concisely. But here are some tips to make it easier.

 

Tip 1 for clear writing: Read your writing out loud.

Unsure if your writing is clear? If you’re in doubt, read what you just wrote out loud. This is one of the most effective ways to find confusing and unclear sentences in your writing.

As you read out loud, listen for sections where your writing feels “off.” 

If you stumble over a word, so will your reader. If you feel confused with your word choice, so will your reader.

Read your work out loud. It’s the most efficient way to crystallize your writing.

 

Tip 2 for clear writing: Let go of your favourite sentences.

Stephen King has said, when writing, you need “to kill your darlings.”

A) This is gruesome, but, B) Yeah, you need to do this.

As writers, it’s excruciating to self-edit. We all have beautifully worded prose and paragraphs that tug at our heartstrings.

But when writing, the paragraphs you love most are often the paragraphs you need to let go.

If you feel stuck while writing, try deleting the paragraph you love the most. Remove it from the literary equation.

Life often mirrors the creative process. In life, letting go of past concepts creates space for new growth and life-giving change.

Same applies to our writing.

When we let go of a paragraph that’s holding us back (even though we love it dearly), there is space for new words. And these new words are often clearer.

Remember, in our digital age, deleting a paragraph is not a final death. Delete your darlings. And keep them in a back-up folder.

 

Tip 3 for clear writing: Try out the Hemingway App.

Need a quick clarity check? Head to the Hemingway App. It’s a free app that helps you edit your writing.

The app is designed to slice out adverbs and passive voice from your narrative. It also points out when a sentence is confusing or too wordy.

It’s available for free online. There’s also a desktop app with a budget-friendly price tag.

 

Tip 4 for clear writing: Ask a kind friend for help.

When writing, feedback is helpful. But make sure you’re getting feedback from friendly folks.

Helpful feedback is respectful and constructive. If you need help writing with more clarity, I recommend finding someone you trust to give you honest—and kind—feedback.

Ask your trusted human to read your piece and answer these questions:

  • What parts confused you as a reader?

  • What sections stuck out to you most?

  • What were you feeling as you read my work?

The first question is crucial. Listen to when your reader felt most confused. Those are the parts you need to clarify and edit.

 

2. Write with your inner coach, not your inner critic.

“The most powerful words in the universe are the words you say to yourself.”
- Marie Forleo

 

We all walk around with inner critics. Our nutty inner critic knows our greatest flaws and delights in pointing them out.

When I’m writing, I choose not to give my inner critic the spotlight. But depending on the day, I still hear her.

Especially when she’s loud and cranky and pessimistic.

An important writing skill is learning how to write with your inner coach—not your inner critic.

  • Your inner critic predicts your failure. Your inner coach sees your bright, creative future.

  • Your inner critic is adamant no will care about your writing. Your inner coach reminds you that your words matter.

  • Your inner critic urges you to give up when writing is a tough slog. Your inner coach knows you’re full of grit and can continue.

Coach yourself with self-compassion.

Like most writing wisdom, learning how to write with your inner coach is easier said than done. But it starts with self-compassion.

Kristin Neff is the self-compassion guru. She says self-compassion is made of three ingredients:

  • Self-kindness: Speaking to yourself with care and gentleness.

  • Common humanity: Remembering many people share your struggles.

  • Mindfulness: Recognizing, but not over-identifying, with what you’re feeling.

Neff’s latest book, Fierce Self-Compassion, talks about the motivating magic of fierce self-compassion.

Let’s translate that into writing skills practice.

 

Step 1 for your inner coach: Use self-kindness to encourage yourself.

Think of how you’d speak to a friend who was struggling to reach a goal. Maybe your friend wants to run a marathon but is having trouble getting into the jogging rhythm.

Consider: 

  • What feedback would you give to your friend?

  • What’s your tone of voice as you encourage your friend?

  • What actions could you take to help motivate your friend?

We speak to our friends with gentle kindness. Why not with ourselves?

We don’t lambast our friends for past errors. We don’t point out their greatest weaknesses.

Instead, we build them up. We remind them of how far they’ve come.

We speak to them with encouragement and love—because we want to help our friends meet their goals.

Your inner coach wants the same for you.

If your inner critic starts to chatter while you’re writing, tune into your kind, respectful, and constructive inner coach.

Your inner coach might say to you:

  • Your words matter. It’s important to you that you finish. I know you can do this.

  • It’s okay if your writing isn’t perfect. You have full permission to write a sucky first draft.

  • You’ve grown a lot as a writer over the years. Be gentle with yourself. It’s okay to make mistakes.

  • I know this is hard. But you have the words in you, and you can find them if you keep your fingers typing.

If it helps, write down your inner coach’s words. Put them on a sticky note. Place them somewhere visible.

Your inner critic might want to hold you back. But your inner coach is here to support you and move you forward on your creative journey.

 

Step 2: Use common humanity for wisdom on how to move forward.

A year or two ago, I had a contract to write a book. I thought it would be easy to write. 

I spent hours on this manuscript. When I finally submitted it, my editor gently told me I needed to edit the book—a lot.

I ended up submitting three different manuscripts. Each one was rejected.

Finally, the project was—kindly but firmly—pulled from me.

Shame engulfed me. That morning, my inner critic was the loudest it had ever been.

But then—my inner coach stepped in.

She reminded me that I wasn’t used to writing at this reading level. She reminded me that, oh yeah, I was writing during a global pandemic.

Most importantly, my inner coach reminded me that I am a great writer. But this project wasn’t the right fit for me.

Wisdom comes when we step back from a situation. When I gain perspective, I can approach something more wisely.

Wisdom is also knowing that making mistakes is part of being human.

As a writer, you will make mistakes in your writing.

When you make mistakes, you have a choice. You can focus on the failure. Or—you can focus on what you can learn from those mistakes.

Mistakes and failures are a chance to learn and grow.

Failing does not make us a bad writer. Instead, if we take time to learn from our mistakes, our failures mean we will become better writers.

Kristin Neff explains, “Discriminating wisdom identifies what’s working and what isn’t, what’s healthy or harmful, but does so in full knowledge of the complex, dynamic factors influencing the situation.”

That writing failure taught me a lot. I learned that certain books are not in my writing wheelhouse. And that’s okay.

You will learn the same.

See mistakes as opportunities to clarify your creative journey.

 

Step 3: Use mindfulness to create a vision for your creative future.

We live in a distracting world. Apps, TV shows, and social media reels are adept at grabbing our attention.

Being mindful means to stay aware. Ask yourself: how am I making space for my goals in my life?

Your inner critic is delighted when you stay distracted from meaningful work.

Our inner critics thrive on shame. And shame is a tough feeling for us to feel.

So, instead of feeling our shame—and sharing it with an empathetic friend—we turn to distractions.

We binge-watch a show we don’t care about. We doom-scroll our feeds. We go on another joy-less date.

Your inner coach focuses on your creative vision for your future.

If you have a writing goal of completing your first novel, your inner coach is determined for you to get to that finish line.

Your inner coach encourages you to get back up after failures. Your inner coach reminds you of your goals—and motivates you to stay focused on what matters.

Building the skill of writing with your inner coach is key to starting and finishing writing that matters to you.

 

3. Write with intention and purpose.

“I had a professor in college who returned our graded essays, walked up to the chalkboard, and wrote in huge letters: “SO WHAT?” She threw the piece of chalk down and said, “Ask yourself that every time you turn in a piece of writing.” It’s a lesson I never forgot.”
- Austin Kleon

 

Why are you writing?

Sometimes I write for myself. I like to write down thoughts in a daily journal. My journalling helps me unspool my day and figure out how I’m feeling.

But most of the time, I write to help others. I write books for students that I hope educate and inspire them to take action in their communities.

I write blog posts and newsletters to help fellow writers meet their writing goals and feel creatively energized.

Even this blog post has a purpose: to help fellow writers improve their skills so they can write more creatively and effectively.

 

Tip 1 for purpose-driven writing: Always know the why for your story.

Every story has a purpose. Every piece of writing has an intention behind it.

But if you’re unsure of your writing’s purpose or intention, your narrative will get stuck in the murky creative waters.

The why for your story doesn’t have to be complicated. 

  • Are you writing to entertain?

  • Are you writing to help someone?

  • Are you writing to educate or inspire?

  • Are you writing with a theme in mind?

When you know the “why” for your story, write it down. Keep your “why” front and centre so you always know what you’re trying to accomplish.

 

Tip 2 for purpose-driven writing: Remember your story’s “why” for creative momentum.

Writing with purpose is a critical skill because it also builds creative momentum. When you know the intention behind your writing, it becomes easier to stick with it.

For example, I know writing a monthly newsletter helps me build my creative writing habit. It also helps me connect and build trust with other writers.

That is my why. And it helps me pick up the writing pace when I’m feeling unmotivated to do any sort of writing.

We all have writing slumps. But knowing your why keeps you writing. This is how you build momentum in your work.

Make sure you always know the “so what” of your narrative—and hold it close to your heart when you need a creative boost.

 

4. Write to surprise and delight your readers.

“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.”
- James Baldwin

 

Another key writing skill is understanding how to evoke emotion in your reader.

The two best emotions your reader can feel? Surprise and delight.

Ever read something and it made you laugh or smile? Or perhaps you read something that made your brain twist and turn into new territory.

We laugh when we feel delighted. We’re learning when we feel surprised.

Readers are more likely to remember what you write when it’s surprising or delightful. Anything that tugs at our emotions sticks in our brains.

Here are a few ways you can surprise and delight your readers.

 

Tip 1 for surprise + delight: Mix and match elements.

Heidi Fiedler has a great, short blog post about how to surprise and delight readers. One tip she talks about is mixing and matching elements in unexpected ways.

Consider these mismatched elements:

  • Ling loves to eat yam fries with a side of coffee.

  • Mateo likes to wear orange sweaters on Tuesdays, but sadly, is deathly allergic to tofu sandwiches.

  • Sarabeth has a troubled history with their aunt, but they get along with all neighbourhood cats with spots.

When writing, watch for data points or elements that don’t seem like they instinctively “belong” together.

Orange sweaters and tofu sandwiches aren’t a typical combo. But put together, they delight.

 

Tip 2 for surprise + delight: Research with a curious mindset.

In Heidi Fiedler’s post, she also mentions staying curious as a way to surprise your readers.

I believe an open mind is more open to surprise and delight.

So—to feel surprise and delight, try to keep your mind in “open sesame” mode.

If you’re researching for a book, keep your eyes peeled for fun facts that make you smile. Go down rabbit holes of information if it intrigues you.

One of the easiest ways to surprise and delight your reader is to share tidbits or data that surprised and delighted you.

When I come across fun facts that make me grin, I share them in my books.

When I find human stories that touch my heart, I bring them to life in my narratives.

If something surprises or delights you, it will likely do the same for your reader.

 
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5. Write with a compassionate lens.

“The writer’s job is not to judge, but to seek to understand.”
- Ernest Hemingway

 

Earlier, I wrote that a key writing skill is learning how to write with your inner coach. Greeting yourself with compassion will help you start—and continue—writing.

And a key ingredient to writing narratives that resonate? Compassion for others.

My favourite stories have an empathetic foundation.

They feature characters who are neither good or bad, but are complex and human.

Stories that touch our hearts feature a range of perspectives. Their authors write with an understanding of the messy, yet heartfelt, human condition.

I wholeheartedly believe compassion and creativity go hand-in-hand.

The best writing comes from the heart. Here are a few ways to observe and write from that organ.

 

Tip 1 for a compassionate lens: Greet people with the mindset, “Everyone is interesting.”

There are no boring people on this planet. Full stop.

Everyone has a story to share—if you know how to ask the right questions.

“Everyone is interesting” is a mindset I adopted when I was travelling full-time as a digital nomad.

As I bopped from country to country, I met locals and tourists from all over the world.

Everyone had struggles to share. Everyone had humorous anecdotes.

Everyone had a fascinating perspective to share—if prompted.

How can you bring this mindset into your writing?

Amy Harmon wrote, “Everybody is a main character to someone.”

If you write fiction, write each of your characters like they think the story is about them.

If you write nonfiction, connect with the humanity of your piece.

Everyone is a main character to someone. Bring this knowledge into your writing—and it will add compassionate depth to your narratives.

 

Tip 2 for a compassionate lens: Listen more than you speak.

We live in a noisy world. Most of us have opinions on how to solve the major issues we’re facing as a global community.

We all want to be heard.

As a writer, you might “speak” a lot through your written words. But make sure you’re making time to listen more.

Listen with intent. Listen for the subtext. 

  • If you’re a fiction writer, what are people not saying to each other?

  • If you’re a nonfiction writer, what are the creative connections missed in your research?

Listening is a skill you can practice first in your daily life.

When you have a conversation, here are two ways to work your active listening skills:

  • Listen to hear, not respond. Focus on hearing what someone is saying and not thinking about your response.

  • When someone is done talking, wait five beats before replying. They might have more to say and need the silent space.

When writers can listen and observe more than we speak, we can bring more nuance to our stories.

“Show, don’t tell,” is standard writing advice. The best way to do this is to listen more, and talk less, in your everyday life.

 

Tip 3 for a compassionate lens: Travel to or read about new places and people.

When I was persnickety 13-year-old, I went to Hong Kong with my mom. It was the first time I’d left Canada.

Arriving in the densely packed city, I found myself running through waves of culture shock.

Everything smelled and tasted and felt different. It boggled my kid mind.

One afternoon, we visited a family friend.

I remember walking inside—and feeling very small.

Our family friend’s apartment was the same size as my bedroom. It was a cramped space of a tiny kitchen, a tiny bed frame, and a tiny table.

Nothing more.

We can get so caught up in our day-to-day lives. We forget our experiences are just a drop in the world’s ocean.

Billions of people live around our world.

Everyone has varying degrees of privilege and blessings.

Writing with compassion means acknowledging and making space for diverse perspectives in your work.

When I walked away from our family friend’s apartment that day, I started to understand my own privilege.

And I also realized how different my life is from many others.

Travel is one way to see how others live their lives. But we can also do this through reading stories from other parts of the world.

I’d argue this is the most crucial way to begin to writing with more compassion.

As Hemingway said, as writers, we seek to understand, not judge. Start by reading stories from all corners of our global community.

And always consider—how can you write with more understanding and less judgment?

 
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6. Write to the finish line.

“Writing is an extreme privilege but it’s also a gift. It’s a gift to yourself and it’s a gift of giving a story to someone.”
- Amy Tan

 

This may be the most important writing skill for anyone to work on. It’s the skill of writing to completion.

It’s tough to gauge statistics, but I’ve read that only 3 out of 10 books are written to the end.

Your first draft is the hardest draft to write.

The second and third and fourth are always easier.

But that first draft? Learning how to commit to finishing it is a key writing skill.

Here are a few ways to make sure your words get on a page.

 

Tip 1 to finish writing: Create a writing schedule.

The unblock to writing and finishing your first draft? Consistency.

I don’t believe you need to write every day to be a “writer.”

But having a consistent writing schedule will help you meet your writing goals.

To set up consistent writing schedule, you need to:

  1. Know your why. Why do you want to create a writing schedule? The “why” behind our habits can be powerful motivator, especially on the days we’re struggling to get words on paper.

  2. Commit to a time and place to write. Research shows when we set an “intention implementation” (aka: a time and place to do something), we’re much more likely to follow through on our goals.

  3. Set a tiny goal. Start small when it comes to setting up targets for your writing schedule. Pick a tiny goal for each session, like writing 200 words. The key is just to get started.


Ready to set up a writing schedule?

Sign up for my email list and get my free workbook, A 3-Step Checklist to Set up a Sustainable Writing Schedule ✏️

Every month, I’ll also send you my Sunday Spark newsletter with uplifting, actionable ideas to help you feel creatively energized as a writer.


Tip 2 to finish writing: Set a writing goal with a 12-week deadline.

What’s your ultimate writing goal? Is it to write a novel? Publish a series of blog posts?

This is a small, but strategic, goal recommendation: Commit to hitting your writing goal within 12 weeks.

I first learned this strategy in the book, The 12 Week Year, by Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington. 

You can divide a year into four quarters. Each one is about 13 weeks long.

Moran and Lennington argue that setting “12 week goals” keeps us laser-focused on meeting and attaining those goals.

Two 12 week goal recommendations:

  • Pick 1-3 goals per quarter. No more.

  • Make the goals specific.

For your writing goal, pick one you aim to finish in 12 weeks.

It helps for your goal to be specific, like “write the first 60,000 words of the first draft of my book.”

Then, you can break down that goal by working backwards:

  • 60,000 words in 12 weeks = 5,000 words per week.

Most of the time, yearly goals don’t work.

The new year is usually when we set up our goals.

But these yearly goals have a 12-month completion deadline… and they can quickly slip to the side.

Before we know it, it’s October and we’re nowhere closer to getting that first draft of our novel done.

The magic of a 12 week goal? A sense of urgency.

And—an ability to start fresh and reset when the 12 weeks are done.

Try this strategy. You don’t have to wait for the “start” of a quarter to get going on a 12 week goal. 

Simply count out 12 weeks from today’s date, and set a writing goal. Then figure out what your weekly goal is and how you can set up actions that get you there.

 

Tip 3 to finish writing: Remember that perfect is the enemy of good.

As a recovering perfectionist, this is where I struggle the most.

I know many writers who struggle with the desire to create the perfect first draft.

But it doesn’t exist.

No writer has written a perfect first draft.

When we want to write something perfect, we end up stuck in editor mode.

And this is counterproductive to getting writing done.

Shannon Hale has a quote I like to return to: “I'm writing a first draft and reminding myself that I'm simply shovelling sand into a box so that later I can build castles.”

Practice the skill of writing a sucky first draft.

This is the writing skill that will most serve you—because no one can read unfinished work.

Some writing isn’t meant to reach a conclusion. There are book ideas floating in my head that may never get written.

But most writing is meant to hit the finish line. Make sure it gets there.

As Amy Tan says, writing is a gift. And finishing our stories is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves—and, hopefully, our readers too.

 
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A Quick Recap

Whew! We’ve covered a lot.

Here’s a quick rundown of my 6 key writing skills and how to improve them.

  1. Write with a clear and concise voice. Your goal is to create easy reading for your readers. Remove excess words. Don’t be afraid to edit with a vengeance.

  2. Write with your inner coach, not your inner critic. Your inner coach is encouraging and constructive. They know your words matter. Remember to focus on your inner coach’s words of wisdom versus your inner critic’s pessimistic diatribes.

  3. Write with purpose and intention. Know the why of your story. You’ll write with more clarity—and you’ll maintain creative momentum when you’re struggling to hit word counts.

  4. Write to surprise and delight your readers. Remember to mix and match elements. Research with a curious mindset and share what you find. You’ll evoke both surprise and delight in your readers.

  5. Write with a compassionate lens. How can you write with more understanding and less judgement? Listen more in your daily life and you’ll find it’s then easier to write with compassion and from the heart.

  6. Write to the finish line. Your words matter, and your stories deserve to get to the end. Don’t leave unfinished drafts in your writing inbox. Prioritize writing to completion.

 

Everyone is a writer.

And every writer has different tools in their toolkit. These 6 writing skills are the most important to me—and you may have other skills you want to learn and improve.

The key is to know your writing skills can improve.

It takes intention and practice—but we can always grow our skills as writers.

Trust and enjoy the process of improving your writing skills.

Most importantly, remember: your words matter, writer. Now, go get them down on paper!

 

 
 

Oh hey there, I’m Monika!

(she/her) I’m a big fan of compassionate creativity, intentional living, and freshly-popped popcorn. I hope this article gives you a roadmap for improving your writing skills.

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email. I love to hear from fellow writers!

 

 

Further reading 📚

Monika Davies

Hey writer, I’m Monika! Since 2017, I’ve written 40+ books for schools as a freelance writer. Now, I’m passionate about helping thoughtful, fact-loving freelancers meet their writing goals and feel creatively energized.

http://www.monikadavies.com
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