What Have You Done to Improve Your Writing Lately?

Writing is a skill that improves, like most things, the more often you do it. I work in IT, and we are always striving for continuous improvement in our software and the ways that we work, and that applies to the writing world, too. Here are some things you can try to help you hone your skills.

• Read anything you can get your hands on in your genre. Look for trends, tropes (patterns or expectations of that genre), and what is new. How do writers describe things? How do they use dialog tags? How do they move the story along? How do they end their chapters?

• Take a class. Many libraries and writing groups have free or low-cost courses and workshops.

• If you haven’t been in school for a while, take a refresher course on grammar and punctuation. Things have changed over the years.

• Join a writing group. Many offer programs and special events for members. There are mentorship programs, critique groups, and other opportunities for writers. I was able to get my first writing credit for a short story that was published in my Sisters in Crime chapter anthology.

• Find a critique partner or a critique group to help you hone your craft. I have learned so much from my groups over the years. They have lots of suggestions and ways to improve.

• Learn to use some of the not-so-obvious features of your word processor. There is a read aloud function in Word that helps you hear incorrect word usage in your manuscript. Use the search/replace feature to find overused words and other inconsistencies.

• Hire a developmental editor to help you polish your work, especially if it is a manuscript that you plan to send out to agents and publishers. This is a pricey option, but it is a good way to refine your work and make sure that it’s ready to be queried.

What would you add to my list? How do you continue to improve your writing?