“To err is human; to forgive, divine.” – Alexander Pope
We all make mistakes every single day, big and small. That’s the norm. If we don’t make mistakes, then I suppose that makes us an extraterrestrial with exceptional IQ and perfect capabilities. 😉
Seriously, there are mistakes that can be corrected right away, there are those that take time or practice to do them right, there are those that can be avoided, and there are those that will forever remain irreparable.
It’s a good thing that writing falls in the first and second categories. Yes, practicing always is the key to honing your writing skills close to perfect and eliminate mistakes. But it usually takes time so patience is necessary.
It is also a rule of thumb to make room for mistakes when writing because this is where improvements come in. So far, I haven’t committed a writing mistake that’s difficult to correct.
Some of the writing mistakes though were made by having the wrong mindset when it comes to writing. In the succeeding paragraphs, I’ll be giving a rundown of the wrong attitudes to avoid if you want to be a better writer.
Photo credit: Unsplash
Mistakes Make You Write Better, But The Right Attitude Makes You Write Excellently
1. “Never mind the grammar as long as I can submit it on time.”
This has to be avoided first and foremost. Why? We cannot sacrifice quality over quantity just because we’re on a tight deadline or we still have to finish other tasks. Grammatical errors usually happen on my end when I change a particular sentence, edit the latter or first part, and skip rereading the entire sentence because of time constraints.
This habit of mine is “okay” if I write here on my blog where I do multiple revisions before and after publishing my articles (I still overlook some errors though). But for work-related write-ups, this is critical.
Again, never sacrifice quality over quantity. I’ve read some formal write-ups with multiple grammatical errors and when I checked out the profile, the writer has a Ph.D. It somehow made me doubt about the credibility of the write-up. No offense here though, but I believe having a good grasp of grammar also speaks so much about professionalism.
If we’re going to say that it’s just grammar and committing grammar errors is okay as long as the idea is there, unfortunately, it is not. Grammatical errors oftentimes confuse or mislead readers. They make the text difficult for the audience to understand because the ideas are in shambles.
2. “Memorizing new words is hard so I’ll stick with what I already know.”
This is not a proper mindset if you want to improve your writing skills. Better yet, make it a habit to learn new words every day. Every time I learn an unfamiliar term, I use it in context by including it in my writing asap, thus, retaining the word in my vocabulary bank. I’ve been exposed to different writing disciplines which require I learn and adopt a certain lingo/jargon in my writing, so this comes as a necessity for me.
Your vocabulary bank will enable you to deliver high-quality output and allow your writing style to be on par with the company/client’s brand voice. If it is about real estate, read up on all real estate-related terms. If it is about technology, you also have to be familiar with technical terms. If it is news writing, choose strong words that will have an impact on your readers and so on and so forth.
The same goes even for personal blogging. There are specific terms which best describe your thoughts and portray the emotions that you want your reader to feel. If your vocabulary is limited, it’ll be difficult to choose the appropriate words in conveying your ideas.
3. “I don’t see how my area of expertise can benefit from other disciplines.”
It’s best to read across several disciplines and not just in your area of expertise or topics you’re interested in. I also derive other interesting ideas from non-literary discourses (I have a bachelor’s degree in Literature), which can sometimes be the next topic of my story or become a useful piece of information for my future articles.
LinkedIn is one of my go-to reading platforms for technical learning. For more on personal experiences and journals, I usually browse WordPress. You may also include online news publications to stay updated with the current trends and issues happening locally and globally.
The more informed you are, the more ideas you have which will be relevant in your profession as a writer. As they say, you cannot write about something you do not know. So all the more that your knowledge bank has to be interdisciplinary. In a sense, it is like studying a new course but on your own pacing and the facilitator is yourself.
The lack of pertinent details is sometimes what causes a writer’s block. Unless you also space out easily, like me, which is why I prefer working at home where I can eliminate all distractions and avoid “the blockage.”
4. “I know better than them.”
Thanks to my former and current editors for some of these nuggets of wisdom and thank God for mentors in the writing industry. I’ve only been in this industry for 2 years after a career shift. But I felt like I already learned a whole 4-year-course-worth of knowledge that I can only acquire not in the academe, but by infiltrating the mainstream of writers, editors, and the digital publishing arena.
I am grateful I was given opportunities to explore several writing industries from business writing, technical writing, news writing, to feature writing. Because for every industry, there is a myriad of takeaways that I now apply in my writing in general.
Mentors are essential. Don’t take it personally when they review or criticize your work. You need their valuable insights so you can improve the quality of your output.
I always see it as a favor to make me better. When working with clients, it also allows transparency for clearer communications and well-met expectations resulting in a satisfying deliverable and performance.
5. “I have poor writing skills, thus, I should refrain from writing.”
There’s no better way to apply what you’ve learned than to keep on writing. The more you make writing as an integral part of your lifestyle, the more that it’ll become more flawless, more fun, and more fulfilling.
In writing, I don’t believe that you get stuck with where you first started. With each passing year, with every writing opportunity presented to you, and with each writing experience you’ve had, you’re now better than the writer you once were.
How would I know if I really improved?
I have here a couple of points to share with you, a checklist I came up with to monitor my progress:
– How long did it take me to finish this write-up compared to my previous articles?
– After writing the first draft, how many times did I revise it?
– How many words, sentences, and ideas require a major overhaul?
– Do I love to read my article again and again or I got bored in the middle of it and just wanted to stop (this is basically what your reader will feel, too)?
– Will my reader learn something from my write-up? If yes, what is it and if no, what can I include to make it useful and informative?
– Am I satisfied with my work? If yes, it means a job well done. If you’re half-satisfied, then something is lacking and you need to tweak the article a little bit (your writer gut feeling is always right, trust it always).
– Does the article contain one solid thought from the beginning until the end or it has too many misplaced ideas?
The last point is my waterloo which is what I am currently working on. I can write a 2,000-word article and when I reread it, it’s as if I am literally talking about “everything under the sun.”
This is a bad habit when it comes to writing. You’ll bore your readers after just a few paragraphs. I address this by cutting the article in chunks and classifying them according to the main idea. I list them either as new topics for my next articles or I find a way to relate it to my current topic.
So that’s it, my beloved readers. I hope I encouraged the writer in you and to be good (if not, the best) in what you’re passionate about. Always remember that we are all a work in progress. But keep in mind, too, that improvements do come with consistency, diligence, and lots of prayers.
“I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” – Philippians 4:13
I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn from you, too. Please don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. ☺
Have a blessed writing day, everyone! ❤
Your every Friday writer (I’m back to my Friday stint),
P.S.
Do revisit this page for my last-minute changes. 😉
The Journeyman's Moments 