5 Helpful Tips to Enhance Academic Writing Skills

Writing is an art for some and for some people it is a terrible nightmare. Many of us write to live and to pen down our thoughts but it is not the case with everyone. Here in this article, 5 helpful tips will be explained that will help in enhancing your academic writing skills. 

1.   Focus on Your Reading

All the readers in this world may not be a writer but all writers are a reader. Reading improves critical thinking and vocabulary. Reading daily boosts your mind and it is like food for your brain. If the body needs vitamins and minerals to stay healthy then our brain also needs some energy that is acquired with reading. Four ways are listed below that explain how reading helps in improving writing skills. 

• Exposure to a Variety of Writing Styles

 Reading exposes you to different styles of writing. You understand the analogy of different writers by reading different write-ups and practicing writing in different platforms like online typing tutors, text editors, notepad online, Google docs, Microsoft Word, and many more. Some writers talk straight to the point and some add a lot of details to make the reader understand the situation in the scene.

• Develops Critical Thinking Skills

Reading the work of well-known authors broadens our perspectives and gives us space to ponder upon their work. Moreover reading the work of different masterpieces in the literary world allows us to think about which work is better. 

• Improves Your Vocabulary and Grammar

 Most of us struggle with the English Language when we are in our schools. However, reading improves both vocabulary and grammar. One doesn’t always need to refer to English Language textbooks if he is an avid reader. 

• Opens Room for Imagination

 Reading helps to drown in the world of imagination. Whether you are reading fiction or non-fiction, reading lets a person realize the outcomes one can face and it exposes a person to enormous ideas and imagination that one can ever think of. 

2.   Know What Your Reader Wants

 Know your target audiences before you start writing on a topic. You should have all the knowledge about your readers and their needs. Have a look below for a better understanding.

• Writing for Children

If you are writing for children aged 5-12 then the words should be easy and the writing style should be understandable. Children mostly like pictures and it gives them a better understanding of the story if pictures are provided in it. Therefore, be careful if you are dealing with pre-teens in your write-up.

• Writing for Professionals

 Writing for a particular profession limits your target audience. If you are writing for medical students then you should be clear with the information that you know will be beneficial for them. If you are writing for speech therapists then you should be knowledgeable enough to help people of this profession. 

3.   Make a Plan Before You Write

Planning a little before starting any kind of work helps a lot, writing and saving your plans on your internet browser with any online text editor will help to remember what was your plan. Similarly planning and making a structure before writing helps one to write easily without any breaks. These ideas below will help you in making a plan before writing. 

• Draft Your Ideas

 Pen down some ideas or make a bubble map to do some brainstorming before you compile all your knowledge in the paper. Spend about fifteen to twenty minutes thinking about your topic and then it will be easy for you to write in a flow. 

• List Your Ideas

 After jotting down everything you need to list down your ideas step by step. Put the list in order and make sure the most important topic is discussed in the beginning so that readers can get indulged in your write-up easily. List your ideas in chronological order and mark the topics that are to be discussed in the introduction, body, and conclusion sections. 

4.   Write in a Peaceful Environment

 Whether you are writing lyrics for a song or preparing a speech for the big day in school, writing always requires a peaceful environment. Choosing a soothing and calm place to write gives a person the leverage to dive into his world of imagination. Have a look at the ideas below that describe how one can choose a peaceful environment.

• Embrace Nature

 Writing requires peace and there is nothing as peaceful as the nature around you enveloping you in its heavenly colors. Take your laptop/book in your garden and write among the fresh aroma of grass and flowers and then see the results. 

• Listen to the Music

Some people listen to music to avoid distractions around them. It makes them more productive and is more comfortable rather than writing in a quiet environment. 

• Be Prepared with your Utensils

 It often happens with people that they forget to take their utensils before they start to write. Be prepared with your stuff before you sit on your writing spot. These little distractions affect the writer’s concentration and they often forget some points while they are in the flow of writing. 

5.   Check your Document before Submission

 Checking before a submission is very important. Don’t forget to check your write-up at least three times. It often happens that writers get drained out after writing long paragraphs and they avoid checking it even once. It is important to see what you have written and check it thoroughly before it is passed on to someone. 

There are different kinds of tools on the internet that helps in checking errors and grammar, use them to avoid errors. Moreover, your write-up should be plagiarism-free and if you are writing for websites then make sure it is SEO-friendly so that your write-up appears on Google’s Search Engine. 

Conclusion

Writing may be a difficult task for some people but if these tips are kept in mind while writing then you can excel in this field like others. Whatever you write make sure you research well before you present it to your readers. Keep all of these points in your mind before you pen down anything on the paper. Once you’ve mastered the art of writing then you will love it for sure.