When you sit to write anything, the first thing that you think about is how best could you express your thoughts and opinions through words.

The crucial element to think about here is the selection of appropriate words. Because every word can cater to different moods and tones of the same thought.

So, as you can tell, the point over here is to know just how to make certain vital selections to nail it in writing. And the confidence to do precisely that can be defined as your essential “writing strength.”

Now, your writing strengths would depend on specific, individual factors, which you must identify to excel at your craft. But, you could only get to know this with time, as you work harder on your writing styles.

However, what we want to help you out with is understanding where your writing strengths lie so that you may make the most of them when you identify them.

And that’s what the following guide is all about. Have a look!

Strengths As A Writer

Your flair and power at putting your thoughts to paper will always vary from that of others. Understanding one’s intrinsic writing strength will take an understanding of how well they know their subject.

A writer can only know how well they write and express their feelings when they push themselves out of their comfort zone and experiment with varied writing forms. It is not very difficult to grasp.

Because as you venture gradually into the unexplored aspects of this limitless field, the initial things that you can expect to face are your own limitations and shortcomings. Some of these things can be easily overcome and rectified, but some may not be that easy to cut through.

To hone your skills, what you need to do is really focus on such unfavorable elements to understand their exact nature.

For example, let’s say you find it tough to choose synonyms for any word. And, this makes it all the more difficult for you to express a specific feeling exactly the way it hits you.

So, our best advice here for you would be to go through the definition of any synonym you have chosen first. After that, all you need to do is put that word into the context that you want to write about. You will instantly know if the meaning of the word you have chosen fits the context or not.

Identifying such subtleties of language is the biggest strength of any writer.

Also, on the personal front, a writer needs to conduct themselves in a way that allows them to concentrate on the work at hand. And this does require one to abide by a disciplined lifestyle, to  help them get a focused mindset for their tasks without getting distracted or procrastinating.

The following are some points that you will agree with when it comes to exercising strength on your writing skills.

1. The will to sit for long hours

To sit and write for long durations without getting distracted is definitely the first major challenge to tackle. It is going to be immensely difficult to resist the temptation to take a short smoke or coffee break.

Don’t get us wrong though! We aren’t asking you to slog endlessly without taking a proper break. All we are asking you is to resist the temptation to get up from your desk if you can’t think of anything, in the first hour into writing, which is the initial writer’s “block” you could face.

Because, once you push past the initial weariness, you’d get a renewed burst of energy and also the focus to write.

2. Having a critical eye for locating errors

Developing the habit of revising and proofreading what you have written is the key to delivering a perfect piece at all times. The ability to critically analyze your writing and accept criticism from others paves the path for you to improve your writing.

Learn to view your work critically, so that no error slips by your notice. Not only does this make your writing error-free, but it also improves your quality by leaps and bounds.

3. Stating the central idea loud and clear

The essence of your writing will depend entirely on the central idea or fundamental theme of your subject. So, the first thing that you have to think about is making a clear impression of the central idea. The entire structure of your writing will be based on this, that is, the point you’re trying to make. And to be able to word this well, you have to know what you’re writing about.

Avoid beating around the bush when you have to put your point across. You will see that once you have successfully made that point, it will get exceedingly easy to put in the supporting factors to your argument.

4. Read a lot

If you want to write better, you have got to read a lot; and that just goes without saying. Not only will reading open the floodgates to knowledge for you, but it will also help you perfect your writing.

Additionally, you can always count on reading to help you grasp the basics of literary creation, and hence, to develop your individual writing skills. Extensive reading will clarify major doubts regarding the techniques, themes, and points to support your arguments with.

5. Perseverance

If you are looking to establish yourself as a prolific writer, expect the path to be set with obstacles, the majority of which will come from within. In this regard, perseverance will always be critical to your growth.

Expect to get a bit smarter and skillful with every mistake that you make and every hurdle that you cross. All you have to do is march ahead and not give up on the dreams you have.

Weaknesses in writing

So, we have gone over the essentials of developing individual writing strengths. And now, it is only fair to give you a distinctive outlook of the points of difference between such strengths, and the typical shortcomings a writer may experience.

1. Going over and over the same point

Stressing on a valid point based on facts is an excellent way to go about structuring your piece. But, too many loops about the same point will render the tone drab and monotonous.

This is one of the most common mistakes that we tend to make, even at a much later stage in our careers when we’re supposed to know all about it.

Remember that whatever you’re writing is not a monologue. The best way to hold the reader’s attention is to keep the text descriptive so that it becomes easy for them to relate with it.

2. Poor content

It so happens that if you are not fully aware of the things that you want to write about, it clearly shows in your work. Keep in mind that whatever point you wish to make should carry all the accurate citations of resources and supportive arguments to stand its ground in the central theme.

And to do that, you need to have a sound understanding of the subject, as well as how to present your opinions well in writing.

3. Disruptive flow

If there’s one thing that gives your textual structure and format a definite shape, it’s the flow which unifies all thoughts in your work. However, it is a common error for beginners to jump from one point to an entirely different one, muddling up the continuity.

Do avoid changing subjects and contexts mid-way in your writing as that not only cuts the reader’s attention span, but also makes your writing confusing.

4. Complex sentences

Looking to capture the reader’s attention instantly, and in a way that they can enjoy being captivated by a powerful, charged rhythm? Then, by all means, avoid complex sentences and jargon.

Because as they say, “brevity is the soul of wit,” and it can work ideally to hold the readers’ attention and interest throughout the text. Short, well-structured sentences are also the perfect modes for asserting or emphasizing a particular point to highlight its importance.

5. Losing focus

When you think about it, losing focus while writing a long comprehensive literary piece is a pretty common issue. And when this happens, you tend to go about in circles in the text, probably writing similar points over and over again. This results in an utterly monotonous, repetitive piece  of text with reduced potential.

The only way to get it right is by being well-versed about the subject, which will help you locate every proceeding point of discussion, and make the most of associated topics.

Characteristics of fiction

For those who are looking to get established as a successful story-teller, it is crucial to understand the fundamentals of fiction.

There are 6 major elements that make up a concrete piece of fiction, and these are as follows:

1. Character: The character is any figure in a particular work of fiction, and they can be of two types: round or flat. While flat characters are typically caricatures, being defined by one quality or a particular trait, round characters are depicted to have all the potential of having a developmental attribute.

2. Setting: The setting of a story is the place, time, and social milieu, which provide the background for the events to take place. The general setting of a story can differ from a specific one of an individual event.

3. Plot: The plot is basically the action that takes place in the story, consisting of all the major events that move in the narrative. It is a sequence that is constructed in a cause-effect relation.

4. Theme: The theme is the central and ruling idea or set of ideas in a story. It also carries the message and moral that is implicit in any story.

5. Point of View: The point of view in the story denotes the grammatical “person” in the narrative. A story told from a first-person narrative is typically autobiographical, where the narrator writes about his experience(s), fiction, or not. The third-person narratives are usually of two types, namely limited and omniscient. An omniscient narrator takes on the nature of the all-knowing figure, whereas a limited point of view depicts the story through the eyes of a single character.

6. Style: The style essentially refers to the style of the author’s writing. This includes the diction, which is the choice of words, and arrangement of words known as the syntax, along with many other linguistic features.

Conclusion

All things being considered, the real point over here is that it certainly depends on the writer almost entirely to recognize their underlying strengths and weaknesses when it comes to writing. And, we really believe that a writer has enough potential to cut through every hurdle that they face, especially from themselves.

We hope we were able to provide you with an insight into the subject, and that you liked what you read.

We’ll be back with more such guides in the near future.

Till next time!