Are you passionate about writing? Do you have creative ideas in your mind but unable to frame them into sentences? Do you have an empty word document in front of you and surfing the internet for a glimpse of inspiration? If you undergoing any of these, then trust me, you are not alone and this article is for you!
You are clueless about how to start!
You are having a perfect topic, a perfect title for it; even your ideas are crystal clear about what to write but the only thing you are struggling with is how to start your piece of writing. Having an eye-catching first sentence is what will attract your readers and will provoke them to read further with utmost concentration. Before you start writing, sit for a while, define the purpose of it, and envisage the idea to fulfill it by drawing mind maps and writing down all the ideas on a paper without censoring them.
The tone of voice and the designated audience
The selection of the right tone and language meets the requirements of proper writing and helps you to choose your words correctly. It is not always necessary to use heavy words and form complex sentences that may sound attractive but it may also compel some of the readers to use a dictionary or search the web specifically for understanding your words. This can, ultimately, make the reader lose interest in your write-up. The best way to write is using simple, clear, and logical language with a few good words which makes it not too complicated and also not too simple (in other words, it gives your content the right balance and makes it foolproof!).
The audience is another very crucial aspect as they are the ones whose interest matters the most! So make sure that your content is intriguing and gripping; thus, developing the interest of the readers.
Avoiding plagiarism
This is the most important and yet complicated process. But wait, what is plagiarism? It is the owning of someone else’s ideas or work and publish under your name. It is a kind of theft you surely will like to avoid, which you can easily avoid by doing some simple tricks.
- If you have found the information of your interest, read it, note down the key points and try to phrase it in your own words. This is called paraphrasing.
- Make sure that you don’t repeat more than 3 words in a row; in simpler words, don’t copy the text.
- If you are quoting someone’s words or thoughts, put them under quotation marks (“just like this!”) and write as it is as no one wants to be misquoted. Another method of quoting someone is writing it in indirect speech in your own words. Both ways will save you from getting punished for plagiarism!
Lack of vocabulary
This is a common problem among the majority of young writers. Grammatical and spelling errors need to be strictly avoided to make your content worth a read. There is no rocket science involved in improving vocabulary; it just involves lots and lots of reading, practice and attentiveness to learn new words every day. Reading newspapers and novels may help you to enhance your choice of words and framing of sentences.
Proofreading
This is rather a compulsory task. After you’ve finished writing, proofreading helps to edit and find out mistakes and rephrase clichés if any. Many writers find it challenging to edit and proofread their stuff. Try reading your text out loud to yourself and still if you are finding difficulty, ask a friend or a family member to do the job for you.
Follow the simple steps, keep a few key points in your mind, and explore the whole new world of writing!!
