Often times, you will find yourself in a situation where you have to write down your thoughts and ideas briefly before you forget them. This type of writing is known as “journalism” and can be tremendously beneficial to your future as a journalist or author. Whether you are planning to write a book or are just looking to develop your writing skills, you can gain a lot from keeping a journal. In this article, we will discuss 10 ways to learn from journal writing so you can become a better writer.
1. Practice Varying Your Stances
With any type of writing, you will find that you tend to adopt a stance on certain subjects and display different types of writing techniques based on the subject matter. When you are writing in narrative form, which is the common way journalists write, you will usually find yourself writing in a more relaxed and informal style. If you are writing in the third-person, you will tend to use a more objective voice to report on events.
If you want to learn how to write better journalism, try writing in a way that feels more natural to you. This will help you vary your stance and vary the style of your writing, which will in turn help make your writing more interesting. If you find that you are often falling into cliches or ruts in your writing, breaking out of this pattern can help you become a better writer.
2. Use Different Tones Of Writing
While we have established that you should write in a way that feels natural to you, this does not mean that you have to use only one tone in your writing. You can and often will use different tones based on the type of story you are writing and the target audience you are aiming for. For example, if you want to write a short story for a children’s book, you will use a lighter tone than you would for an article aimed at adults. Your choice of tone will depend on many factors; however, one of the most important things you need to consider is whether you want your writing to be humorous or serious.
If you want to develop your writing skills and are looking for ways to do so while having some fun, try for humorous essays or narrative poems. These types of writing can be a great way to experiment with different tones and see how other writers approach the same subject matter. If you want to become a better writer, you should definitely try out different tones in your writing because it will help you find your own voice and make your writing more interesting. It will also help you develop a greater understanding of the craft of writing and how other writers produce their work. Practicing with different tones will also help you find the right tone for your story or article when you are finally ready to write it.
3. Use Different Spelling And Grammar
One of the things that can make writing easy for you is if you use the correct spelling and grammar. When you are learning how to write, your teacher will correct your grammar and spelling, so you do not have to worry about these areas while you are writing. As you get better at writing, you will learn to correct your own grammar and spelling errors as you go, so you do not have to worry about these areas while you are writing. Make sure you do not use words that are not in common usage or make spelling errors because these are sometimes the hardest parts to correct once you have written the essay or article. If you want to develop your writing skills and become a better writer, learning how to spell and use grammar correctly will certainly help you because these are the building blocks of any piece of writing. Take your time and work at it until you get it right, and you will be able to write much more fluently and have your work be much more enjoyable to read.
4. Experiment With Different Word Choices
When you are learning how to write, you will often find that language is not your strong suit. You will make spelling errors and use words that are not in common usage, but this is acceptable because you are still learning how to write. As you get better at writing, you will learn that there are certain word combinations that do not work and sometimes you will even come across words that you know not how to spell. You should not feel bad about making these mistakes because this is part of the learning process, but you should try to avoid them as much as possible once you have established yourself as a writer. Looking back at your early writing, you can see all the errors you made and apply what you learned from this process to improve your writing going forward.
There is often a misconception that you have to be an English major to be a good writer. While it is beneficial to have an understanding of linguistic conventions, good writers come from all walks of life and all educational backgrounds. Being a good writer does not necessarily require a formal education in English or any other language. It just requires that you are willing to learn and continue to improve your skills. If you want to become a better writer, take some time to learn from others who are more experienced in the craft and make your writing as good as possible. It is also a good idea to learn how to spell and edit your work, which will help you avoid common spelling and grammar mistakes while you are improving your writing skills. For example, if you commonly use the word “literally” when you should have used “figuratively,” your writing will come off as cheesy and you will lose readership. Knowing how to use the correct spelling and grammar will help eliminate these types of errors and make your work much more interesting and enjoyable to read. Also, try to vary your word choices and do not just use the first words that come to mind because this will sometimes result in spelling errors and cliche word usage. Make sure you experiment with different word choices and see how other writers approach the same subject matter to find the right words for your specific context.
5. Experiment With Different Sentences
While paragraphs usually consist of one idea that is wrapped up in some type of sentence, it is important to remember that a paragraph does not necessarily have to have a complete thought. Sometimes you will find that you do not know how to begin a particular sentence, so you will start a new paragraph to find the right words. This is why you should experiment with different sentences and see how they work in different contexts. When you are writing an opinion piece on your favorite band, you will use a sentence that reflects this opinion. If you want to write a piece on the history of your hometown, you will have to use a different type of sentence structure because this type of story usually requires you to write about something you have first-person experience with. Your writing will become much more interesting and engaging when you vary your sentences and explore how other writers approach the same subject matter. This will also help you find the right words for your specific context and make your writing much more original and unique. If you want to become a better writer, use this opportunity to experiment with different types of sentences and see how they work in different contexts.
6. Practice Editing
An important part of writing is editing. Even when you are writing an excellent piece and do not make any grammatical or spelling errors, there will still be room for improvement. Once you have completed a piece, you will need to go through it and polish it up. This is where most of the editing takes place. You will go through your writing and remove all the unnecessary and unessential material. Sometimes, this will include rewording certain parts to make them flow better or changing the order of the paragraphs. Some of this editing will also include fixing up any spelling errors and adding additional details or examples to make your point more clear. If you want to become a better writer, take some time to practice editing and improve your work before you publish it.
7. Practice Revising
Even when you edit and try to make your writing perfect the first time you write it, this does not mean your work will stay this way. This is where most writers go wrong. Once you have completed your piece, you will realize there are still things you could have done to make it better. Even if you edited out all the errors and the piece came out perfect, you will eventually find things you could have changed or added to make it better. If you want to become a better writer, take some time after you edit and revise your work. Go through it line by line and make sure you mention all the important details and aspects that you had originally left out. Sometimes, you will find that you wrote something that was not what you intended and you will have to go back and edit it. Make sure you look at the whole piece and not just what you wrote because this will help you find all the missing information and make the whole piece better. Revising is important because it helps you see all the parts of the story and how they fit together. This is why you should invest time in it even when you are done revising because you can always go back and add more information or change something you found questionable later on.