How to improve writing skills?

exoveerotch · 06-25-2009, 02:25 PM

Any good writers here? I'm an international student who is kind of bad at writing, even though I write for the school newspaper and will be an editor next year. I know that the essay is a big part of admission, so I want to be very good by the end of summer. Anyway, is there any GOOD TIP you are willing to share about writing?

If you suggest practice, I tried that, but i just can't get myself to sit down and write when I don't have any good ideas in my head. Any idea about how to to cahgne that?

And about how long does it take to improve writing if I really want to ?

Thanks in advance!

PS: is there any good websites/books that you know about improving writing skills?

urbanflop · 06-25-2009, 02:27 PM

Master the SSAT and ISEE book by Peterson has tips and a whole section about Essay writing and paragraph form

exoveerotch · 06-25-2009, 02:31 PM

So should i just follow every single tip in the book and my writing will be good?

If I wasn't clear about that, i'm actually talking about writing IN GENERAL, not just for the SSAT.

goldilon · 06-25-2009, 03:10 PM

Write and read a /lot/.
And read widely. Fiction, non fiction, whatever. I'd recommend fiction, though, because knowing how to write good creative writing will also help with essays. For the essays, knowing alliterations and metaphors and such will make it much more interesting to read, and therefore stand out from the standard "Education has played such an important part in my life, blah, blah, blah."

And when you're writing essays, don't do the standard 5 paragraph essay thing. For my SPS essay, for a question that asked "What is your crusade?" I wrote mine in a Q and A format, as though I was being interviewed. Or instead of saying that your parents played a huge part in your life, write a scene that shows this actually happening. For example, for an essay question asking what I would do if an alien landed in my backyard, I pretty much wrote a story of what would happen, instead of just saying, "I would give them food and water and ask them where they were from, etc."

That's pretty much the basic rule of writing -- show, don't tell.

exoveerotch · 06-25-2009, 11:25 PM

Appreciated!

whiz-kid · 06-26-2009, 10:18 AM

I'm an international student and I know exactly how you feel. Yes, the competition is tougher because you are competing with people whose native language is English. A few months before I applied to those prep schools, I did the following and my writing skills improved significantly...

Rule no.1: Read the newspaper EVERYDAY! You'll not only gain writing skills but you'll always gain knowledge about current affairs which is VERY helpful when it comes to SSAT essay, school essays and sometimes, interview.

Rule no.2: Find new ways to phrase your sentences in essays. By phrasing your sentences, you should phrase it in a way that it shows and not tell. It'll help a lot if you have a wide range of vocabulary.

Rule no.3: If you have time, you should read some novels but of course, if time is a constraint, just stick to newspapers.

Optional: I didn't do this but some people may find it useful while drafting essays in microsoft word. If you right-click the word and go to synonyms, you can find some good replacements. (recommended for people with weak vocab)

I was accepted to Deerfield and let me tell you, their essays are the easiest to write. So apply here and hope to see you next year. =)

Good luck

exoveerotch · 06-27-2009, 10:43 PM

whiz-kid: how many years have you been staying in the US, and are you from a non-english speaking country? you seemed very good...

AlextheCheesyPoo · 06-29-2009, 09:37 AM

Read, read, read. Write, write, write. There's really no other way of becoming a better writer and getting a feel for the English language in general. Although purchasing a Essay writing guide is also not a bad idea. In terms of your hitting writer's block whenever you try to write, maybe try sitting down and writing about something you're really passionate about or interested in. For example, if you really like Harry Potter, maybe try writing some fanfiction. Whatever your interest in.

exoveerotch · 06-29-2009, 06:43 PM

So no matter what I write, if I keep on writing, I will get better.

I hope that's the result I'll see.
Thanks to those who gave suggestions, they are helpful

And I'll read a lot , too

xoxohersheykiss · 06-30-2009, 05:41 PM

Read and write! (Haha, everyone else said that too...)
Read what you enjoy reading whether it's classics (eh, don't know too many kids our age who actually enjoy reading classics) or Twilight books...
Also, try to write at least 10-15 minutes at minimum a day about anything. It can be about your day or a specific happening in your life.
When you write your application essay, you don't have to write it like an essay you'd write for a class.
Make it interesting! Once you finish the essay, get other people (friends, family, teachers) to read it but don't get them to change the whole thing for you.
The essay is a very important part of the whole process and the readers can probably tell if you've actually written it or not.

exoveerotch · 06-30-2009, 05:49 PM

does what you write really matter?
Does writing a creative story have more benefit on your writing skill than just writing down everything (boring details) that happened in a day?

musicallylatin · 07-01-2009, 01:09 PM

Journaling is definatly pretty helpful. It tends to come out mundane and boring, but it gives you a chance to figure out what happened during the day and learn how you want to voice things. After all, your essays tend to reflect who you are. It'll give you the oppurtunity to write 15 minutes a day and just strengthen your skills.

Another trick is to get a mason jar (or just put everything in an envelope) and make little prompts like "You forgot to make your bed this morning and your mom is on the prowl, ready to hand out punishment. In an effort to avoid grounding, make up an excuse (no matter how absurd) as to why you were unable to make your bed.", or "Write about someone you envy. Start your story with, "I wish I didn't envy (fill in the blank) so much, but I can't help it."" "You find out you are highly allergic to something you love. Do you give it up (no matter how hard it is) or not (and deal with the consequences of the allergy)?" or "Your neighbor has taken in an unusual pet and it does something unpleasant to your house/yard. Confront your neighbor.", "You wake up to the smell of sizzling French toast. You have to have some, but it's coming from your neighbor's house and the two of you aren't on speaking terms. How do you get the French toast?"

All of these I pulled from Writersdigest.com. http://writersdigest.com/WritingPrompts/ I love this site. Get all of your prompts together and stick them in the jar or whatever and pull out one a day each day and writing to it. A lot on Writers' Digest have word limits. You can stick to those, or try to match them, or go over. It's up to you.

Writing anything helps. It really does. If you like writing fiction better right now do that! It'll get you more famillliar with language, but if you like journalism articles and non-fiction peices more do that. As everyone else said, writing is about showing, not just telling.

exoveerotch · 07-01-2009, 04:54 PM

thanks!!

whiz-kid · 07-02-2009, 08:52 AM

Hey exoveerotch! I only had a tourist visa when my feet last touched US soil. You see, I have yet to begin my education in US. I'm a Thai and I'll be going to Deerfield this fall as a 10th grader.

Dont stress yourself out alright? Reading and writing is supposed to be fun! Journaling is also a great idea! Create a blog, write a journal, anything that is fun and beneficial.

By the way, you will also need to learn the art of speed reading. In tests such as SSAT and TOEFL, you have to be a speed reader to score for the reading section. Of course, reading widely helps a great deal.

musicallylatin · 07-06-2009, 01:53 AM

hey, you might like this. I'm going to a writing program at the beginning of August and this is one of our emails we've recieved:

You are invited to keep a journal and bring it to camp. It will be a good way to remind yourself of something that fits into the writing workshop.. here is what someohers offer.

Journaling is a powerful ways to accelerate your personal development. By getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper, you see yourself and the world in new ways. One word may lead you to another, then to a sound or a memory..Journaling is habit forming, in the best sort of way.

Some journalers advance sequentially about a particular topic, with a few diversions of course. “When you record your sequential thoughts in a tangible medium [your journal], you can then go back and review those thoughts from a third-person perspective. While you’re recording the thoughts, you’re in first-person mode. But when you’re reading them, you can remain dissociated instead of associated. This dissociative view, when combined with what you’ve already learned from the associative view, will bring you much closer to seeing the truth of your situation,” writes Steve Pavlina.

Or try this. Keep an idea journal. Julie Jordan Scott says her idea journal is a small notebook that fits in her hand or pocket. She jots “any free flowing thoughts or ideas that pass through my brain as I experience life.” Anything goes, and she sometimes tears out the page to group with others on the same topic. “When time allows, I will take 15 minutes and do a websearch on one of the areas of interest, seeing what takes root further.”

See if these ideas get you started. If you like them, great. If not, do it your way!

A. That sound in the distance. . .

B. Last night, I couldn’t get to sleep, because. . .