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by: JessicaRHartley
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All forms of communication are important but the virtual world we now all inhabit has turned the spotlight on the written word as the key form of getting your message across. However, this is easier said than done for some as, for whatever reason, they can't or won't write.

When we first get into a car to learn to drive, everything is alien and difficult. Yet, within a very short time we find ourselves driving without conscious thought. Learning to write is a similar process - it is something that needs to be practised.

There is actually no simpler process than writing. I know you will find that hard to believe but all writers do is to take their ideas and translate them into squiggles on paper, or a computer screen. The challenge for anyone wanting to write is to distinguish between thoughts that could be useful and thoughts which are just the background noise created by life.

You could probably get as many different definitions of good writing as the number of people you ask. However, a general standard would surely be text that is easy to understand that successfully transmits the intended message.

It is very tempting for a writer to throw himself into a new project without planning or researching his theme. Indeed this is a method followed by a number of successful writers but it is not one that is necessarily to be recommended as it leads to numerous rewrites and wasted effort. At the other end of the spectrum are the writers who spend far too long researching and planning to the extent that it becomes a form of procrastination.

When starting to write be courageous and develop your own style. If every writer wrote in the same way, readers would quickly become bored. Some formal or business writing will dictate a style and perhaps a layout, but this does not prevent a writer from embellishing the work with their own personality.

I have personal preferences about what I read. I am sure you do too. I delight in being made to stop and think. I don't want to puzzle over the meaning of a too long sentence or a 4 syllable word. I want to read words that challenge my preconceived ideas. I want to be entertained. I want to merge with the words and experience them.

Time is probably the most valuable commodity we all have and it is something we want to spend wisely. How cheated we feel when we invest time to read but find the words provide no value in return.

We've touched on planning, researching and writing but that is not the end of the matter. A finished piece that a reader will value needs further attention from the much talked about blue pencil. Work that has been edited is always easy to spot simply because the quality is so much higher.

Some confuse editing with proofreading when in reality they are two different processes. A proof reader looks for errors. An editor looks for opportunities to improve the text by shortening sentences, removing adverbs and adjectives and removing ambiguities. Editing is the process which turns a manuscript into a masterpiece.

As a lifelong reader and writer I so want to see others enjoy writing. At the very least I would like to remove the fear so many seem to hold about the process of writing. My wish for you is that you find some inspiration here that encourages you to pick up your pen once again. Write for the sheer fun of it. Write simply because you can.

About the Author

Jessica R Hartley offers a free online writing course and writers forum to encourage everyone who yearns to become a writer. A professional writer she is passionate about encouraging writing skills in others. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service

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