how to get better at writing?

skatearabia
Sat, 22 Jul 2006 00:51:56 +0000

Do you want to get better at writing for the sake of being better at writing? Or do you want a good grade on the SAT and the AP English tests? If the latter, buy prep books and learn the standard, bland, but (for most readers) effective style. If the former, buy every other book and read them all. Then write your own. Write in all different styles. Try to mimic the style of a news article, then a Dickens novel, then philosophy, then Dan Brown, then a legal document. Also, speak how you want to write. Use your vocabulary, as long as you’re sure you know the meaning and proper use of the word. Good denotation is nothing if the connotation is off. And make sure that your writing feels fresh to you—that’s the best way I can describe it, a crisp freshness, and maybe only you can feel it.