Top 10 Strategies for Exceptional Writing

While I might not officially be a writing expert—let’s admit, I just claimed the title—I’ve decided to share a list of the top 10 methods to enhance your writing skills. These tips are effective whether you’re writing on paper or online. By adhering to these straightforward guidelines, you’ll notice a significant boost in your writing quality. Here they are, in no specific order: (and yes, I’m aware that’s not a complete sentence).

1. Energize your sentences

Steering clear of passive voice can add power to your writing. Passive constructions often involve verbs like “is,” “were,” “was,” “could have,” and “would have.” For instance, consider this sentence:

The mouse was eaten by the cat (“was eaten” is in the passive voice). A more effective sentence would be: The cat ate the mouse (“ate” is in the active voice).

You can easily recall this distinction by identifying the subject and object in the sentence: the cat is the subject, and the mouse is the object. If the subject performs the action of the verb (here, “to eat”), the sentence is in the active voice. If the subject is not the doer, it’s in the passive voice. For English speakers, the clear separation between subject and object, present in other languages, has largely faded, requiring more effort to identify them. However, some words still retain this distinction, such as who (subjective) and whom (objective), or I (subjective) and me (objective).

Whenever possible, steer clear of index words like “this,” “that,” “these,” and so on. Here’s an example that makes the concept clearer:

The American colonials went to war with England, aiming to secure their independence through this conflict.

The above sentence could be improved as follows:

The American colonials went to war with England, striving to achieve independence through their efforts on the battlefield.

While the sentence above may not be the pinnacle of literary excellence, it effectively demonstrates the point. The revised version carries more impact than the original.

This might spark some debate, but I firmly hold the belief—shared by many—that you should steer clear of words derived from Romance languages (those rooted in Latin, such as Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and Romanian) whenever possible. English has evolved by borrowing elements from various languages, including both Romance and Germanic sources. Interestingly, most Romance words have Germanic equivalents, which often carry a stronger, more impactful tone. Here’s an example:

The British attempted to destroy the Colonial uprising in America. (Both “attempt” and “destroy” have Romance origins.)

A more effective sentence would be:

The British fought to crush the Colonial uprising in America. (Both “fought” and “crush” are of Germanic origin.)

The second sentence carries far more weight than the first. While finding a Germanic alternative can sometimes be challenging, a reliable thesaurus usually does the trick.

Occasionally, a sentence doesn’t behave—it feels out of place or awkward. When this occurs, rework the sentence. Start by identifying its key points, then restructure it without losing the essence of your message. For instance:

Machiavelli emphasizes the importance of common sense, practicality, and maintaining certain appearances—suggesting that one should appear a certain way without necessarily acting that way.

This sentence can be significantly improved by rearranging it:

According to Machiavelli, the “Qualities of a Prince” encompass commonsense, practicality, and the ability to craft appropriate appearances.

The revised sentence becomes far more impactful (similar to the earlier examples), allowing your readers to easily understand the intended message.

This tip aligns with point 4, but instead of merely rearranging, we’re eliminating all unnecessary clutter. Mastering this skill is crucial, as it will prove invaluable when we reach point 10. Consider this poorly constructed sentence:

Machiavelli’s final point is the necessity of always being prepared to take up arms. By this, he refers to physical readiness—armed with weapons and supported by fighters prepared for combat.

Ugh. While the sentence is understandable, it’s unnecessarily wordy. Here’s a more concise alternative:

Machiavelli emphasizes the importance of always being prepared to take up arms and engage in physical combat.

Complex sentence structures can make reading difficult. If you find yourself skimming, this is likely the reason. Consider this example:

Machiavelli’s essay outlined the qualities of an effective ruler, but he overlooked how the common people might respond to these traits.

Here’s a better version:

Machiavelli’s essay detailed the qualities of an effective ruler, yet he failed to consider the common people’s reaction.

Steer clear of sentences that are lifeless from the start. For example:

It is often said that……., or perhaps: It might be…, and We can infer…

Such sentences instantly discourage readers. Faced with these obstacles, they’re likely to lose interest. How can you resolve this issue?

Bringing an umbrella when visiting London can be quite useful.

Here’s a revised version:

Don’t forget to carry an umbrella when visiting London.

The second sentence feels like a refreshing breeze compared to the first!

Keep your sentences brief. Long sentences can be tedious, while short ones maintain reader interest and enhance clarity. Clarity is essential for effective writing. While I’ve exaggerated the point, the truth remains: shorter sentences often lead to cleaner writing, and cleaner writing keeps readers engaged. Remember, these rules aren’t absolute; some exceptional writers have broken them with remarkable results. Here’s a famous example of breaking this rule:

She had risen with these final words; she stood before him, her presence evoking a unique impression that even their long years together hadn’t dulled his perception. His senses, sharpened year after year by comparing types and signs, contrasting fine objects with fine objects, one level of perfection with another—her appearance resembled a delicate, draped “antique” from the Vatican or Capitoline halls, refined and rare, timeless yet animated by a modern impulse. Despite the sudden freedom of her movements, she retained the essence of a statue: the vague, distant eyes, the polished, elegant, nameless head, the fleeting presence of a being lost in an unfamiliar era, circling endlessly like an image in relief on a precious vase. [Henry James, The Golden Bowl, 165 words.]

If you find that overwhelming, consider Book IV of Proust’s In Search of Lost Time, which contains a staggering 958-word sentence. That said, don’t try this at home.

Use proper punctuation in your sentences! Also, double-check your spelling. Poor punctuation can destroy even the most brilliant writing. Always capitalize correctly (and don’t bring up Cummings—he mastered the rules before bending them). The internet is notorious for this issue, but it also appears in printed works. Start with a computer spell-checker, then review your work manually. Only careful reading will catch errors like “its,” “it’s,” “to,” “too,” and other common English grammar mistakes.

Have you noticed that many of these examples focus on trimming down your text? They all point to this final rule: revision. In fact, the process should be “revise, revise, and revise again.” Aim to revise at least three times—more if possible. With each revision, remove unnecessary elements. D. H. Lawrence once remarked that out of every 100 pages he wrote, 90 were rubbish. If you write a 1,000-word essay, chances are three-quarters of it can be cut. This applies to both fiction and non-fiction. Sylvia Plath spent hours refining her poems with a thesaurus and dictionary, stripping away everything but the essentials.

When working on a computer, complete your initial revision digitally. Afterward, print your document and perform the second round of edits on paper. Use a pen to highlight areas needing improvement. Once you’ve mentally reviewed the text and noted changes, read it aloud and add further annotations. Update the original file, reprint it, and review it again—both silently and aloud—making additional notes if necessary. Repeat this cycle until no further edits are required. You’ll be surprised by how much unnecessary content you discover. No one produces a flawless first draft (perhaps except for William Burroughs, though the definition of perfection in his work is debatable).

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