What Makes a Good Writer?

This is a question that often plagues many of us who want to improve our writing skills!  If there were one thing to help us write better it would be to “write with a purpose.”  That is, know why you are writing and what message you want to convey.  Here are some tips to help you write with purpose:

Define your audience
Knowing your audience is one of the most important aspects of writing with purpose.  You need to know who your audience is in order to get them interested and engaged in the topic.

Outline your goals
Clearly defining what you wish to accomplish helps in formulating the overall message that you wish to convey.  We often have lots of things to say, and clearly organizing your goals helps to be able to fully accomplish what you set out to do.

Choose your voice
Purposeful writing is intentional in the choice of voice and register.  Are you writing to convey a sense of familiarity or charm?  Are you writing to catch a wide audience? Are you writing for colleagues or peers?  Are you writing to catch the attention of a CEO?  Approach your writing with the appropriate tone and register for your intended audience.

Practice your writing
Practice makes perfect!  We often go through many drafts and versions of our writing in order to achieve perfection – that’s okay!

Be intentional
Purposeful writing is intentional in word choice, placement, and organization.  Be conscious of what you convey and why.  Be ready to defend your choice if necessary!

For more writing tips, please visit VIU's Writing, Research and Media Center (WMRC)!