WRITING SKILLS

Writing skills are specific abilities which help writers put their thoughts into words
in a meaningful form and to mentally interact with the message.

Writing skills help the learner gain independence, comprehensibility, fluency and
creativity in writing. If learners have mastered these skills, they will be able to
write so that not only they can read what they have written, but other speakers of
that language can read and understand it.

Types of writing

When it comes to writing in English, there are two main styles of writing – formal
and informal. Consider these two examples:

Example 1: This is to inform you that your book has been rejected by our
publishing company as it was not up to the required standard. In case you would
like us to reconsider it, we would suggest that you go over it and make some
necessary changes.

Example 2: You know that book I wrote? Well, the publishing company rejected
it. They thought it was awful. But hey, I did the best I could, and I think it was
great. I’m not gone redo it the way they said I should.

The difference between the two is obvious. The first one is formal, and the
second is informal. But what is it that makes them formal and informal?

It is the style of writing, or the way we use words to say what we want to say.
Different situations call for different ways of putting words together. The way we
write in academic and scientific settings differs greatly from the way we write to a
friend or close one. The tone, vocabulary, and syntax, all change as the occasion
changes. This difference in the styles of writing is the difference between
formality and informality, or the difference between formal and informal writing.

Here's a list of some of the main differences between informal and formal writing:

Writing techniques

Writing is a very important form of communication. If you want write well you’ll do well
in school, college and in your career. If you can’t write well then you will miss many
opportunities in life. Writing well requires that you learn a variety of techniques used for
different writing purposes. We suggest that you learn each of the following writing
techniques.

1. Narration
The narration technique for writing is used when telling a story. The elements of a story
include the setting, time, problem, resolution to the problem, a main character and often
supporting characters. A novel is an example of a long story and a children’s book would
be an example of short story. Movie and play scripts are also examples of narrations.

2. Description

A description is a simple yet very important writing technique. You will most frequently
find descriptions in magazines, books, newspapers and many other forms of writing. The
purpose of a description is to help the read use the senses of seeing, hearing, feeling and
smelling to experience what the writer experiences. Descriptions help the reader to
understand things about which the writer is writing.

3. Persuasion

The technique of persuasion is used in writing to try and change the reader’s point of
view on a particular subject or topic. In this writing technique the writer presents in a
compelling format facts and opinions in order to convince the reader. Persuasive writing
is most commonly found in editorials, newspapers, magazines and political publications.

4. Exposition

The purpose of exposition is to inform, explain, expound or clarify the writer’s ideas and
thoughts. While similar to descriptive writing, exposition provides the reader greater
detail and depth of understanding about the writer’s thoughts and ideas. Expositions are
most commonly found in newspapers, magazines and books.

5. Comparison and Contrast

The purpose of the writing technique is to show the reader the similarities and differences
about a something. Comparison is used to show or explain how what is alike or common.
Contract is used to show what is different. When asked to compare and contrast the Civil
War with World War II the writer would show the similarities and differences between
these two wars.

Employing the correct writing technique that helps you accomplish your purpose will
enable you to communicate more effective and become a good writer.

Three Tips to Improve Your Writing Skills

Writing is a skill that doesn’t come easily to everyone; some people have a natural
writing flow that almost bursts off a page while others stumble and trip over the words
they write. If you happen to fall into the second category, don’t let that stop you. You can
improve your writing skills by using the following tips.
1.Like it or not, your grammar skills play a big part in your writing. You may not want to
think about nouns, verbs, adverbs, conjunctions or prepositions, but if you want to be a
good writer you need to know what they are and how to use them correctly. Using the
proper punctuation will ensure that people are reading your sentences correctly. For
instance, if you intended a sentence to end, but didn’t end it with a period, your readers
wouldn’t be able to make sense out of your writing. Don’t forget to use the spell-check
function that came with the word processing software on your computer.

2.This may sound backwards, but to be a good writer, you need to be a good reader. Try
to read something everyday. Expand your knowledge by reading different types of
writing. If you are primarily a fiction reader, start reading the newspaper or non-fiction
books. Read articles online versus magazine articles and see if you notice the differences
in writing styles. If you happen to read something that you really enjoy, study the article
or story. Use the tips you find to improve your own writing. On the other hand, when you
read something you don’t care for, make mental notes of the mistakes the writer made
and try to avoid them when you sit down to write.

3.To become a good writer, you need to practice, practice, and practice some more!
Writing something everyday, even something as short as a few sentences can improve
your writing over time. There are many websites targeted to writers that offer daily
writing exercises. For example, the site may ask you to write the opening paragraph of a
romance story one day and the next day it could ask you to write a “how-to paragraph”
about grinding coffee. Experimenting with different writing genres will greatly improve
your writing.

Save your writing and re-read it from time to time. You will see the improvements you
have made. As your skills and your confidence grow, you will find that writing not only
comes easier to you, it becomes something you enjoy doing!