Writing Tips: Blogmas Day 6

With finals coming up for most of you, I thought it would a good idea to share some writing tips. I am an English major and currently work at my university as a writing tutor, so I have to handle A LOT of essays. In addition to academic writing, I think that these tips can apply to blog posts, too.

Writing Tips

• I feel like such a hypocrite for saying this, because I almost NEVER do this, but start your papers early. This is especially important if your writing requires research, as you need time to find useful and reliable sources. Also, this gives you plenty of time to write if you get stuck or need to take breaks. 
• Have someone else (a friend, a teacher, a tutor) look over your writing. Quite often, there are mistakes and typos that you can't see because you know what it is supposed to say. Most universities have writing centers where a tutor will read over your papers and help you start writing them. These services are generally free.
• Write in a place where you can concentrate. I, personally, need a quiet space where I'm comfortable. It needs to be clean and organized. If you can't concentrate, writing will be way harder and what you write probably won't sound as good.
• Make a list before starting to write to get your ideas down. This gives you a starting point for when you begin writing, as opposed to starting completely from scratch. It also helps you to not forget what you're going to say before you start writing.
• Read your writing out loud to yourself. When you read out loud, parts that are worded awkwardly or where there is too much/not enough punctuation will become apparent to you. 
• Get rid of distractions. Put away your phone, try to stay away from other people. You won't get anything done if you have a bunch of other things going on. 

I hope that these tips help you out!

Do you have any other tips?

xx

Heidi