Habit #1: Write daily, even if it's just one line

Writing even a single line each day gets your creativity going. It helps you think of new ideas and ways of looking at things.

It's important to write every day until it becomes something you do without thinking. Then it gets easier! It is like exercising your muscles: The more you exercise, the stronger you get.

Writing daily increases your confidence: You will feel better about your skills. It also builds good habits and strengthens your discipline.

And who knows! You might even learn new things about yourself.

"Almost all good writing begins with terrible first efforts. You need to start somewhere." – Anne Lamott

Habit #2: Plan It Out

Creating an outline will help keep your ideas in order. It makes it easier to stay focused on your writing goals. Outlines guide you in starting and wrapping up your text project.

Make a simple one-page plan for your next writing venture.

This plan could contain:

Working title → It doesn't have to be final, but it gives you a focus.
Elevator pitch → Summarize the main point or purpose of your project in one sentence. This keeps you on track.
Hook → How will you grab the reader's attention? For online content, this is very important because people will just leave your site if you get the hook wrong.
Sections → Write down the main sections of your project. Each section should support your thesis.
Target audience → A made-up person who represents your target audience. Write your message addressed to him/her.

Your one-page outline is your roadmap. It helps you stay organized and ensures you cover all your main points, making your process clearer and more focused.

Habit #3: Use plain language

Use everyday words and phrases to communicate clearly and effectively. This means avoiding jargon and technical terms and using simple, short sentences instead of complicated ones.

Avoid complicated sentence structures and use active voice instead of passive voice.

By following these tips, you will become a better writer and make your message easier to understand.

Use short, simple sentences
Use everyday words
Use active voice
Avoid jargon
Break up long paragraphs
Show don't tell: avoid adverbs

Textbuddy is a free text editor that highlights possible flaws like these in your content. Read more about the benefits of text analyzers for a clear and concise message.

Habit #4: Use AI to improve your writing

Let AI simplify your text:

Before you start using AI like Textbuddy's AI assistant, create a sample of your own.

Use Textbuddy's "Improve & simplify" AI text simplifier to generate a simplified version of your content automatically. Compare both samples and keep the parts you like.

Use AI for inspiration:

Generate ideas for your content by asking the AI questions. Use it to brainstorm topics, develop outlines, create text templates and snippets, and improve upon them.

Use AI as writing tool:

Let it write entire pieces of content. But always remember that AI, by design, only returns average content that is not fact-checked; that's your job. It's just a dumb statistical tool.

Use AI as your tool to become a better author.

Habit #5: Use writing tools

Writing tools and text analyzers are a great way to boost your writing, because every tool has its own emphasis.

Find the tool that best fits your style and use it to assist you.

Three tools that help you refine your skills:

Textbuddy → Our online text editor highlights complex sentences, eliminates unnecessary words and advances your writing clarity. The AI assistant simplifies text into plain language, provides synonyms, and executes custom GPT prompts.
Grammarly → This grammar and spelling checker spots errors and suggests ways to improve your writing.
ProWritingAid → This tool identifies weaknesses in your text and provides suggestions on how to fix them. It also includes a plagiarism checker.

Textbuddy's Online Text Editor

Habit #6: Ask for feedback

Feedback provides you with an outsider's perspective. When we work on our own writing, we often get too close to it. This makes it easy to miss areas that might be confusing or unclear to others.

Fresh eyes point out flaws you may overlook. These include plot holes, awkward phrasing, or even simple grammatical errors. Receiving this input helps you see your work in a new light. It also lets you understand how different readers receive it.

Exchange feedback with other writers. Experts in your field can offer new techniques or ideas. For example, they might suggest a more engaging way to introduce a character. They could also recommend a more efficient structure for your essay.

It takes a lot of humility and courage to share your work and be open to criticism. This willingness to learn and adapt is key to improvement. Over time, as you receive and apply constructive feedback, your writing skills will likely grow stronger and more refined.

Seeking feedback isn't just about fixing what's wrong. It's about expanding your capabilities and becoming the best writer you can be.

Habit #7: Read what you are writing

Read books that have won awards within your field of writing. Read books from authors who are highly regarded in your genre.

This will give you an idea of what kinds of styles and topics are being recognized as the best in your field.

Analyze their style, plot structure, and other elements to learn what makes their work successful.

"If you don't have time to read, you don't have the time or the tools to write. Simple as that." – Stephen King

Habit #8: Read your text out loud

Reading your content out loud helps you catch mistakes more easily. If something doesn't sound right, it's likely not written correctly.

Reading aloud helps you to assess the flow of your content. Since the pacing of the written word is so different from the spoken word, it's important to hear your work to make sure it is easy to read.

You get a better sense of the tone and overall impact of your work. Understand the feelings your words create and make sure you are saying what you mean.

How To Become A Better Writer?

8 habits that turn you into a great writer