Whether you are a PR pro, an aspiring author or blogger, sharpening your writing skills constantly is essential to your professional success. Becoming a brilliant writer isn’t easy, but there are some practical strategies that might help you improve.

Here’s our list of 10 useful tips that can help you become a better writer:

  1. Don’t wait for inspiration.

Don’t wallow in doubt, or wait for an epiphany. Just start writing and the ideas will follow.

  1. Don’t expect perfection.

First drafts are meant to be improved and re-written. You can’t improve on what you don’t have. So don’t get discouraged and stop writing if you are not completely satisfied with your initial content.

  1. Identify the best time for writing.

Scientists agree that the best time for writing is in the morning. However, if you’re a night owl and feel like your writing is much better in the afternoon, go ahead and schedule your writing for the time of day that fits your creative clock.

  1. Write on schedule.

Set yourself a schedule. Pledge to write a certain amount of pages or articles per week/day and stick to it. With consistency and repetition, you’ll have no other option but to improve.

  1. Eliminate distractions.

Writing requires focus, a lot of focus. Find a quiet place (put noise-cancelling headphones on if needed), mute your phone and make sure you’re not checking your emails every 5 minutes.

  1. Create an outline.

Your content should start with a quick outline. Create several paragraphs and jot down some general ideas of what you’re intending to write about in each section. This will help structure your thoughts and improve the overall flow and compositional balance of your piece.

  1. Read your writing aloud.

This is an old and well-known trick, but it works. Re-reading your own writing aloud as if you were delivering a speech is one of the best ways to spot typos and other inconsistencies in the composition of your piece.

  1. Think about writing when you’re not writing.

When you know the topic you plan to write on, try to contemplate on it in advance. Keep it on your mind when you’re in the shower or during your morning jog. Regardless of whether you actually come up with any ideas during this exercise, doing so will help prepare your brain for better writing when it’s time to put pen to paper.

  1. Ask for feedback.

It’s hard to listen to someone criticize your writing, but you can’t improve without receiving feedback. Ask someone to read your work and give you their honest opinion. Don’t try to argue with their point of view, just take it in and use it to improve going forward.

10. Read

To become a good writer, you need to become a good reader. Reading quality literature will not only expand your vocabulary, but also teach you about great storytelling. When reading the work of other writers, ask yourself what makes their story so compelling and how you can achieve similar results in your writing.