I’ve always considered myself a fast learner, and I’ve been fortunate enough to be able to apply my skills to quite a few different areas.
I’ve been a full-time copywriter for the last 7 years, and in that time I’ve penned hundreds of blog posts, whitepapers, and marketing material for various brands.
I also enjoy coming up with new ideas and concepts, so I’ve taken on some of the most interesting projects I’ve heard of, and hopefully helped bring them to life.
While I’ve always considered myself to be intelligent, quick-witted, and resourceful, I’ve also been pretty naive when it comes to writing.
I thought that to be successful as a copywriter, you had to be a fancy English major with an extensive vocabulary who could string sentences together like you were sewing them together.
I was very mistaken.
Writing is a skill that can be learned and improved upon, and much like any other skill, the only way to get better is by doing.
With that in mind, here are some of the ways and means I improved my copywriting efficiency and made significant headway toward becoming a better writer.
1. Study The Craft
If you’re really interested in becoming a better writer, the first thing to do is to study the craft of writing.
This means reading a lot of different styles and examples of writing, and taking a long time to figure out how language works, and how you can use it to your advantage.
You don’t need to rush into anything, take a few years to learn the craft, and then feel that you have to push through to get your first client.
There are a lot of different methods, tones, and styles of writing out there, and a good writer should be able to demonstrate all of these varied skills.
The best way to become a better writer is through a lot of practice, and the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll reach your goal.
2. Learn To Use Your Voice
A good piece of advice I was given a long time ago was to “write what you know.”
This means that rather than trying to write something that you think people will want to read, write about topics that you feel passionate about, and that you think will be of interest to your audience.
If you’re writing for a niche audience (i.e. a group of people with a shared interest in a particular subject matter) then you can be fairly certain that the content will be of interest to at least some of them.
This means that rather than heading for the broadest audience possible, you’re better off going for a much smaller group of people, many of whom will share your interests.
On the other hand, if you’re writing for the biggest audience possible, you’re better off avoiding any topics that the majority of your audience may find boring or uninteresting.
In the same way that you wouldn’t want to try and speak with a British accent just to impress people you meet at a party, avoid trying to write in a language that you think will make your writing more impressive.
Writing is a craft, and like any other craft, the more you do it, the better you’ll become at it.
3. Research For The Better
One of the reasons I wrote my first book was because I hadn’t done enough research on the subject matter before hand.
I had simply followed the herd mentality, and gone with what everyone else was writing about, rather than investigating the matter myself and presenting it in an unbiased manner.
Now when I write, I always try to imagine that I’m explaining the matter to a friend who has never experienced it before, and for the sake of making it digestible, I make sure that everything is as plainly explained as possible.
This means I go through a lot of textbooks and research materials, looking for information that may be useful to my reader.
It also means that rather than simply rehashing the same old material that you may have read a thousand times before, always quoting experts and authorities, make sure you’re presenting something new, and make it interesting.
If you want to become a better writer, the best way to do so is by constantly studying, researching, and improving your skills. Writing is a craft that can be learned, and with a little bit of dedication, anyone can become a great writer.
4. Take Notes
One of the things that helped me a lot as a student was taking handwritten notes.
It’s no secret that students can be pretty inefficient when it comes to taking notes, and especially when they have to take them during lectures, the lack of organization and poor spelling often makes for poor-quality notes.
However, taking notes by hand forces you to actually listen to what the lecturer is saying, rather than just thinking about what you want to write about later.
This is why I think that taking notes by hand, rather than typing them out as soon as you can after the lecture, is such an effective way of learning, and can lead you to become a better writer.
5. Work The Room
If you’re truly interested in becoming a better writer, one of the best things you can do for yourself is to get yourself a Moleskine notebook, and start jotting down notes during lectures and presentations.
Working the room is an effective technique for memorizing and taking notes, and it can help you to recall information much more easily than trying to force it into your head all by yourself.
When you’re in a group of people working, it’s easy to access the information shared, and can help you to present each other with new ideas, and work through problems together.
In the same way that you wouldn’t want to travel to a foreign country without doing a little bit of research about the place beforehand, avoid going into a meeting or conference without having prepared, or at the very least read a little bit about the subject.
Getting into the habit of taking notes while in class, and then using a Moleskine to help you keep track of all the information, will certainly help you to become a better writer.
6. Read A Lot
If you’re writing to be read, then the best thing you can do for yourself is to read a lot.
It doesn’t matter if you read fiction or non-fiction, a broad spectrum of reading will likely give you a wider range of ideas and perspectives to draw upon.
When you’re in the process of writing, especially if you’re following the steps I’ve outlined above, it can be hard to know where to start, and what to expound upon.
Reading is, in effect, stepping back from the project for a while, and giving you a fresh set of eyes to examine the material from a different perspective.
When you come back to your work, you’ll be much more aware of any issues or weaknesses that you may have missed, and much better positioned to rectify them.
7. Join A Society
One of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to become a better writer is to join a society of writers.
There are a lot of different organizations out there, and with a little bit of research you can find the one that suits you best.
Joining a society of writers is a great way to both meet new people, and to read and study with some of the best professionals in the field.
Most societies will have a monthly gathering where you can meet other members, get inspired by each other’s work, and share insights on how to improve your craft.
If you’re looking for a way to both meet new people and get inspired, then consider joining a society of writers.
8. Study With Other Writers
One of the best things you can do for yourself if you want to become a better writer is to study with other writers.
There are a lot of different ways in which you can do this, whether it’s through short story groups where you swap stories and insights with each other, or through getting yourself a Moleskine notebook and pen, and jotting down ideas as and when they come to you.