The Writing Tips I Live By

When I think about the rules that I implement in my writing, I find that being as simple and concise as possible really leads to clear, effective writing. When starting to write I like to outline my thoughts to make sure that I have some direction in my writing. If I think of a good line or topic sentence, I’ll make sure I jot that down so ideas will have a solid starting point. From there, I like to focus on a strong opening, with emphasis on making my argument very clear and organized. I feel like the opening paragraph to any piece of writing is the most important. It sets the tone for the entire piece, and is the best opportunity to spark the interest of the reading audience.

From there, I like to write whatever comes to my mind based on the topics of the paragraphs that I decided upon when outlining. When I was in tenth grade, a creative writing teacher advised us to write ‘shitty first drafts’ when starting to write. I like this idea because it takes pressure off of me to worry if every sentence is perfect or if every word is right. There is always time to go back and get everything right later. Getting core ideas down first gives writing a strong foundation that helps give credit to one’s writing.

The only other basic rule that I try to follow is not so much of a rule as it is a guideline: writing is a process. Writing can always be revised, edited or proofread. Language is such that there is usually no consensus for what is ‘perfect’ writing. It can always be changed, improved upon or even scrapped altogether. Good writing needs to be reflected upon and evaluated to make sure that each word is necessary and pertinent. Things that don’t fit or are forced in can be removed. I find that if I take my time and my words reflect well on my thoughts, I’ll be happy with what I write.