Since I’m a professional writer, you’d think I have really professional and polished writing, right? Yeah, not so much. In fact, not even close. Even though I’ve been a freelance business writer for 8 years and counting, I’m still a learning writer. I’m constantly developing my skills and trying new things to strengthen my writing. Here’s how.

Tips on how to improve your writing

These suggestions will be useful no matter what kind of writing you do. I write mostly business content, but I am trained as a creative writer. I educate myself on both because my writing is stronger by blending the two. Here we go.

• Practice, practice, practice: You had to guess that was coming, right? It really is true. You must hone your craft by writing as many words as you can. Whether you’re a career writer or doing it just for fun, keep practicing and playing with words to see what you can learn!

• Ask readers and clients for feedback: There’s no one better to tell you how your writing comes across than the person paying for it. In situations where you feel like you’ve got a good connection with the person on the other side of those words, ask for their honest feedback. Encourage them to leave constructive criticism and a roast of it if you’re brave enough. It will be helpful to see what’s working and what’s not.

• Read, read, read: I’ve got this (apparently) weird thing in that I read everything out there when it comes to books. Fiction and non-fiction, polished prose, and typo-riddled first drafts. I firmly believe that you can learn something from everything that you read. Even if I don’t particularly like something I read, I still learn from it. Read everything in and out of your area of writing! It’ll make you a stronger writer, for sure.

• Consider a beta reader or critique: If you’ve been following my blog for a while, you may remember that I was a little harsh in my blog post about the pros and cons of a critiquing group. I’m not the biggest fan, but I do think that they can be valuable — when used correctly — at helping you learn what’s working in your writing and what’s not, line by line. It’s grueling but helpful.

There’s always a way to improve your writing

There’s always an opportunity to learn something new about your writing. It’s often from something or someone that you wouldn’t have guessed. If you think you’re the best writer out there, cast your net wider and find something new. There are so many types of writing out there that you’ll never exhaust the options!

If you leave yourself open to improving your writing, even in places you might not have thought of at first, you’ll be a real writer, a professional writer. And that’s what this is all about.

Have a tip of your own you’d like to share? Please do!