How to become a better, faster, and more efficient writer?

Being a blogger, who writes more than 2000 words daily, can say that it is not that difficult to be a faster and better writer. I never attended any typing class, never joined any language improvement class, still, I can write faster (at a speed of 45-60 words per) minute and better (with almost zero mistakes; sorry, English isn’t my first language).

I’m not a magician, there is no trick either, all we have to focus first on quantity and then on quality approach. Once things become a habit, we won’t find it a difficult task anymore.

Choose one way and focus on it:

1. Write more (Quantity).
2. Write better (Quality).

Both are valid and effective approaches for improving your skills.

It’s frustrating to try to take both at once, however. If you’re trying to write more AND write better, you might be trying to do too much at once.

Focus on upping your quantity, then focus on improving your quality.

Or the other way around.

1. Write more – use the quantity approach.

The point here is writing more, not worrying about what you’re writing.

• Blog
• Journal
• Letters
• Long status updates
• Free writing (#1 way to learn how to write more, in my opinion)
• Daily time requirement
• Daily word count
• Notes to self
• Diary
• Rambling, self-edited essays
• Emails

Here’s a simple way to train yourself to write more:

1. Write out a list of 15 topics.
2. Every day, for the next 15 days, sit down and write about one of those topics for 15 minutes without stopping.
3. When you get through all 15, sit down and write a list of 20 topics.
4. Every day, for the next 20 days, sit down and write about one of those topics for 20 minutes without stopping.
5. See the pattern?
6. Okay. Repeat.

2. Write better – use the quality approach.

The point here is to write at a higher level, so worrying about your speed or word count is not helpful.

Take your time and focus.

• Take a course
• Read a book & do the exercises (ask yourself for a reasonable rate of progress, no rushing)
• Translate a passage every day (even if it’s just from the original version to your version in the same language)
• Copy beautiful passages and read them aloud
• Read enduring books
• Memorize poems
• Edit your own work with focus
• Edit someone else’s work
• Edit your old, old work
• Tighten up
• Write to a specific word count
• Write on the same topic for different purposes
• Ask for analysis
• Hire a tutor
• Hire an editor

Here’s a simple way to train yourself to write quality:

1. Pick a time of day and an amount of time. 15 minutes every morning, 30 minutes before bed, your lunch hour.
2. Pick a focus for the next two weeks: writing more or writing better
3. Choose one of the suggestions for writing more or better and work on it during your chosen time.
4. In two weeks, switch to the other focus, pick a suggestion from above, and work on it.
5. Adjust your time if your schedule demands/permits (more time, less time, different time).
6. Keep at it.

This is how we can improve our writing skills and with a small practice, anyone can write faster and better.