For many of us, writing doesn’t “spark joy.” In the video below, I share 5 tips to create routines that will help you organize your ideas and cut the clutter of extra words.
Here’s an overview of the information that I’ll present. Watch the video for examples that further explain the tips below.
5 ways to tidy up your writing
1. Make a plan
- What’s your main idea?
- Create a guiding question (why or how)
2. Group like things together
- Make an outline or list
- Train your brain to organize ideas before writing.
3. Get rid of what you don’t need
- Meaningless phrases
- Jargon and clichés
- Redundant words
- Prepositional phrases
4. Showcase what you have
- Be honest: avoid false subjects like “it” and “there”
- Activate: avoid passive sentences and reduce “be” verbs (is, am, are, was, were)
- Verbify: transform nouns to verbs
5. Create a comfortable environment for your guests/readers
- Give clear directions with signal and transition words
- Paint a picture that shows instead of tells: use stories, examples, and concrete nouns
Remember, learning to write well means clearly communicating so that your reader doesn’t get lost in the clutter of extra words and unorganized ideas.
If you don’t think you’re a good writer, that’s ok! Writing is a skill that can be learned just like playing the piano or taking tennis lessons…but you need to practice to improve. Would you like a personalized practice plan? Contact me!