Writing is hard, even for well-practiced, professional writers. So, it’s no surprise the process can feel even more painful when you lack confidence in your abilities. Thankfully, there are tools to help you get started and improve your writing skills. Here are a few essentials:
Thesaurus.com and Dictionary.com. Avoid overusing certain words and spice up your writing by heading to these sites. Use the drop down menu in either site’s search bar to find the synonym or definition for the word of your choice. With these resources at your fingertips, you’ll be able to find just the right word whenever you need it.
Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. For anyone who isn’t comfortable writing, the first thing I recommend is that you read The Elements of Style by William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White (Yes, the E.B. White of Charlotte’s Web fame). It’s short — my edition weighs in at an easy, breezy 104 pages, including the Index — but covers all the essentials of grammar and style that you’ll need to start crafting beautiful, engaging sentences. And if you think reading a book on English grammar sounds boring, think again. The book’s witty tone keeps you entertained and engaged as you learn.
“In the English classes of today, “the little book” is surrounded by longer, lower textbooks–books with permissive steering and automatic transitions. Perhaps the book has become something of a curiosity. To me, it still seems to maintain its original poise, standing, in a drafty time, erect, resolute, and assured.”
~E.B. White, The Elements of Style
Spell check. If you don’t have spell-check turned on in Word, Google Docs, or whatever writing software you’re using, you’re missing out on a huge helper. There is no shame in taking advantage of this safety net, which can help you avoid common spelling and grammar mistakes.
Timer. It’s true that even many professional writers don’t exactly savor the writing process. Dorothy Parker summed the feeling up best when she said, “I hate writing. I love having written.” There are many reasons you might avoid writing, but when writing is necessary for your business, job, or schoolwork, sometimes you just have to sit down at your computer and grind it out.
First, decide on the length of your writing session–I would recommend at least 15 minutes but no longer than an hour as you’re strengthening your writing muscles. Then, set a timer for that length of time and commit to write until the alarm goes off. Using a timer is a great way to help yourself stay on task and to work writing sessions into an already busy schedule.
A voice recording app. Maybe sitting at a desk tip-typing away isn’t your jam. If writing is low on your list of favorite things to do, staring at a blank screen might put you off the adventure ahead before you even get started. Using a voice recorder app, such as Voice Memos for iPhone users or RecForge II for Android, allows you to “write” while you take your morning walk or jog, shop for groceries, make dinner, and so on.
You can use your recordings to unleash a free flow of ideas that you’ll use as an outline for your piece or to map out, word for word, a workable first draft. Keep in mind that with either method you’ll need to be prepared to sit down and do some transcribing and editing. You can transcribe your own recordings or there are services, such as Rev, that will do it for you. Then, you can edit your thoughts into a coherent, easy-to-read piece.
A go-to writing playlist. I find that music, and especially listening to music through earphones, helps me block out distracting noises and focus on the task at hand. I usually go for instrumental or electronic music, and avoid listening to music with lyrics unless it’s a playlist or album with songs that I’ve heard many times before so that the singing fades into the background. My personal go-to music while writing includes the Classical Essentials playlist on Spotify, M83, and Alexis Ffrench. For more options, here are some great music recommendations for any writing occasion from The Write Life.
The blank page is intimidating, and when you aren’t confident in your abilities, typing or writing out those first words can feel like trying to build a house without any tools. That’s why these essential resources should be in the toolbox of any non-writer. With them, you can begin to strengthen your skills and grow your confidence.