Writing Tips and Tricks.

The trick to writing is to understand that your brain has two very different functions when it writes. One function is the creative function. The other function is the editing function, the critic.

If you try to write a first draft with the critic, you won't get anywhere. Nothing is good enough for the critic when you're starting. So, you just have to ignore that part of our brain until you have an abundance of words on paper.

It's important to brainstorm on paper, just get the ideas out of your head. It doesn't matter what order they spill out, just get them down. Think of it as mentally vomiting. At this point, you're basically having your own private brainstorm. It's important to be as relaxed as possible. A tense mind will not be creative. Tension triggers the fight or flight mechanism of the brain, which actually shuts down the higher function of creative thought.

While brainstorming an article do not censor anything. Very often, bad ideas lead to good ideas and if you censor the bad idea, you'll never get the good. Sometimes, it helps to use paper and pen to brainstorm and get the ideas out.

If you don't have any ideas, search the internet for websites like yours and for related information. Use these to stimulate your imagination. Some ideas you may want to simply restate in your own words. When you have ideas, thoughts and information on paper, arrange them in a logical sequence. This is your outline. Now write the first draft, but still ignore the critic. Ignore punctuation. Ignore grammar. You only want a rough draft at this point.

Once you have a rough first draft complete, let the critic out of its cage and begin polishing and rewriting. Until you're comfortable writing, an article or blog post of 500 words is long enough. The first rule of persuasive writing is to be gentle and kind. Write in a tone as if you were speaking to a dear friend at the kitchen table.

Once you have your article nearly complete, write the first and last paragraph. The first paragraph will ideally foreshadow the contents of the article and also rouse curiosity. The last paragraph will restate the core idea of the article and end with the tone you wish the reader to remember.

For me, the last word on sentence structure, word usage, style and grammar is Strunk and White The Elements of Style. It's a tiny book and easy to master. I keep a copy near my desk as reference. If you follow the rules of Strunk and White, you'll write better than 80% of the people on the planet.