The concern of every writer, whatever the format or genre to which he is dedicated, is how to produce high quality written content. Let’s be honest, none of us wants to be the author of those hard-to-read, boring texts, in which you don’t even understand the author’s specific point. However, the sad reality we have to face is that what we write often doesn’t sound as great as we imagined it in our heads.

This is something that happens to me constantly, especially when I have a great idea that I know can be turned, at least potentially, into something extremely wonderful. However, after it goes through my own editing, after Eli-writer has been replaced by the Eli-editor, it turns out to be a completely imperfect, an immature work, to which there is always some loose end.

Over the years, and after venturing into poetry, essays and even narrative; After having written for artistic, commercial, personal or academic purposes, I have found that my writing skills have improved a lot. Of course, they are far from perfect, but at least I no longer feel like everything I write is a complete mess.

But… Why have I improved? What have I done to improve? What can you do if you want to be a better writer? The next are 3 steps I consider highly important for new writers.

Step no. 1 Read a lot

You have surely seen it repeated in almost every article on how to improve your writing on the Internet and here on Medium. The truth is that it is the best advice that can be given to a writer to be. However, it would be necessary to ask why… Why do so many people advise the same and so insistently? Well, to begin with, if you are not a prolific reader you do not believe in the means for living you are chosen. But, in addition to that, there are many more reasons. Here is a list of seven of those. By reading you:

• Increase your vocabulary.

• Improve your orthography and grammar.

• Have access to a deep and orderly formulation of concepts or facts.

• Get a starting point to develop new ideas.

• Increase your creativity.

• Increase your critical thinking.

• Improve your ability to be concentrated.

However, this is not going to happen absolutely every time you read, or at least not in the best way that it could. That is why you have to keep the following tips in mind when reading.

• Pay attention to what you are reading and try not to be distracted by your phone or your environment.

• Choose books that are reliable, pleasant to your liking and that are related to your interests in learning and personal growth.

• Do not read against the clock, but at a pace that allows you to understand well what you read.

• Don’t be afraid to reread some passages or even entire books.

• Highlight if necessary, but try not to do it randomly. Choose carefully when you need to do it.

• Extract, save and categorize quotes and ideas that can be used for future jobs or simply for your personal use.

And the most important tip for reading like a writer…

• Identify the strengths of what you are reading, to repeat them in your own writing, and the weaknesses also so that the same does not happen to you in your work

Step no. 2 Be curious

If there is one thing a writer cannot afford, it is indifference. Every issue around you should, at least, makes you curious. Especially since the world outside is abuzz with writing material. Dedicating yourself to the creative world does not mean that you have to know and interpret reality only through books. Here I am going to leave you four ways to be more and more curious:

• Spend time talking to people of different ages and backgrounds.

• Travel whenever you can.

• Take time to familiarize yourself with your political and social environment.

• Do not be left with doubts when you hear, read or see anything that you do not fully understand.

Step no. 3 Practice a lot

Not all the theory in the world can teach you better than practice. I remember when I was studying piano as a child and my lesson was divided into two parts: music theory and piano exercises. I always learned all the theoretical concepts to the letter, however, I was too lazy to spend hours repeating the necessary exercises on the piano that would allow me to truly play. That is why I was never a pianist, neither a professional nor an amateur.

The same thing happens with writing, if you don’t practice, you will never be able to improve. However, even though we know this truth, it is still difficult for us to sit down in front of the computer and, far from imagining, to put our ideas into practice. There are several reasons for not sitting down to write, here are some so that you can identify them and, therefore, avoid them.

• Lack of discipline

• Lack of compromise

• Lack of ideas due to lack of experiences, meditation and readings

• Vain perfectionism

• Take negative comments about my writing as a defeat and not as an opportunity to improve.

Of course, writing requires a lot more than these three steps, but this is quite an important and significant start. So I hope they have been very useful to you. In my opinion, anyone who loves enough this world and puts all their effort into it can become a good writer. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.

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