15 Simple Ways to Improve Your Writing
Pay attention if you’re writing educational, non-fiction content.
I never thought of myself as a “creative person” or “talented writer,” yet here I am — writing online for half a decade, making six figures per year through my words, and teaching others how to do the same.
And surprisingly, I didn’t need any formal education or experience in writing to achieve any of that. I learned how to write online by reading and writing — a lot.
Yet, it took me more than two years to understand the differences between effective online writing and meh writing.
Here are the writing lessons I wish I had discovered (and applied) earlier.
#1: Remove most of your “thats”
In 9 out of 10 cases, you can remove the word “that” from a sentence without changing its meaning.
Sometimes, I’ll still leave a “that” because I think it sounds better (at least in my head), but most “thats” are filler words with no value to the piece.
#2: Whenever possible, cut other words too
Similar to “that,” there are many other (tiny) words that don’t add much value to your writing. If you remove them, your writing becomes cleaner and simpler.
“Substitute ‘damn’ every time you’re inclined to write ‘very;’ your editor will delete it and the writing will be just as it should be.”
— Mark Twain
Here are some of the most common filler words you can typically delete to make your writing stronger: just, only, really, almost, simply, basically, kind of, very.
And again, this doesn’t mean you can’t ever use any of those words. I use them all the time. But you should use them consciously and ask yourself if they make your writing better or just longer.
#3: Treat your reader with respect
Your reader is busy. She’s got things to do. And she decided to open your post and spend time reading it — give her the value you promised in the least amount of time. Don’t disappoint her with big headlines and worthless paragraphs.
Get to the point, be specific, and don’t take her attention for granted. She could be reading millions of other articles, yet she chose to spend time on yours.
#4: Keep most details to yourself
This was one of the most challenging writing lessons I had to learn: When writing educational content, you need to get to the point quickly.
Personal stories and narratives can be a great add-on, however, you need to be careful about how exactly you present your stories.
Most online writers fail to write engaging blog posts because they don’t understand how to share a worthy story in just a few sentences.
Instead, they expand and take up hundreds of words without ever getting to the point.
As an online writer, you want to have a high “Rate of Revelation,” which means you’re presenting new information quickly.
With a low Rate of Revelation, you’d stretch a simple idea across hundreds of words, making your writing repetitive and boring.
A high Rate of Revelation, however, means you’re compressing lots of worthy ideas into a relatively short post, making your articles exciting, fresh, and engaging.
#5: Put important words at the beginning or end of your sentences
This is particularly important for headlines because we subconsciously pay more attention to the first and last words.
#6: Add more sentences that make your reader stop scrolling
One of our goals as writers is to keep our readers engaged, so they read our articles, emails, and copy until the very last word.
One way to ensure a high level of engagement is by interrupting their reading pattern and making them stop for a second by adding short and punchy sentences, quotes, or even questions to your texts.
I do this all the time — it’s one of my favorite strategies.
#7: Use simple words unless you’re sure your audience knows what you’re talking about
You can’t reach a large audience if most readers don’t even understand what you’re talking about.
If you’re writing for a niche audience, you can use specific, niche language.
But if not, using simple words is the better choice.
#8: Don’t try to make your articles longer or shorter
Sometimes, you can tell a great story in 500 words.
Other times, you might need 5,000 words.
There’s no right or wrong — just use as many words as you need.
#9: Let your headlines speak for themselves
Instead of trying to be vague and mysterious, write headlines that are specific and clear.
Most of the time, specificity leads to more curiosity than vagueness. Just make sure you also deliver on the specific promise of your title.
Also, here’s a quick way to determine whether you should go with a headline or change it: If someone reads your title and doesn’t understand what exactly the article is going to be about, it’s mostly a bad headline.
#10: Ask yourself this question
How exactly can my writing help change the reader’s life?
Your writing doesn’t need to be life-transforming, but it should make some change in your readers' lives — no matter if that’s a new piece of information you shared, a unique insight they gained, or an emotion that came up.
#11: Be compassionate
Make your reader feel understood. Tell them you know how they feel because you’ve been where they are
Instead of blaming your readers for their mistakes, show them how they can make a change.
Oh, and don’t write about topics you don’t understand or care about in the first place.
#12: Don’t write an article without an end in mind
This is particularly important for posts that are not listicles or “how-tos.”
Get clear about the exact purpose and message of your piece before writing it.
When in doubt, write a short outline and stick to it.
Or write the title on a sticky note and keep it beside your keyboard while writing the piece, so you don’t forget what the core idea is.
I see so many writers losing their readers because there’s no connection between the first and the last paragraphs of a piece.
Don’t try to tell too many stories within one single blog post. Stay specific and concise. Deliver on your promise.
#13: When sharing advice, dig deep
Share numbers, stories, statistics, facts, and research-backed statements.
Don’t just make your writing about yourself. Instead, give us multiple reasons to trust your words by including external references from trusted sources.
#14: When I’m done reading, I want to feel inspired to take action
Give your readers an outlook on how to use the information you’ve shared.
If possible, tell them exactly what to do next.
When you’re done reading this post, I want you to save it, print it, and use the tips in your daily writing life.
Don’t let your reader think, “so what’s next?” instead, tell them what’s next.
#15: Don’t try to be perfect
With AI writing tools on the rise, creating written content is now easier than ever before.
You can generate a 1,000-word piece in just a few seconds, however, that’s not what readers are interested in.
As humans, we’re always looking for connection.
When you read my work, you’ll realize I sometimes ignore the tips I share in this post and make mistakes. That’s because I’m no writing robot but a human with flaws, weaknesses, and belief systems.
Even though I try to help you become a better writer, I never assume I’m a perfect writer myself. I’m on a journey just like you.
And even though my words have been read by millions of people across the globe, I still think of myself as a beginner.
Yet, I show up and publish new content each week because I know that’s the only way to move forward on this journey. And I hope you do the same.
Some great suggestions there. Love the important words at the start and end of a headline. I’ve just proven that to myself with my last piece. Will remember for future.
#6 and #12 are my favorite. Great read!