How did you learn to write well?

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mewsmash
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Re: How did you learn to write well?

Post by mewsmash »

Through pure practice, writing in all different genres of writing. Don't just learn how to write one type of story, expand your interests and write poetry, fiction, nonfiction, and anything else you desire.
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whomeqqqq
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Post by whomeqqqq »

i realised that i had to
have something to say
and then organise it first

i am always learning
but with 50+ years experience i do more teaching than learning now

Terri2 wrote:I don't mean simply learning how to read and write in elementary school. I mean, how did you learn how to write as a profession or hobby? Was it in school? Through practice? Or, something else?

Are you still learning?
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Post by caryjr73 »

Practice, tons of reading, and of course writing. Having someone read what you have written is of tremendous help as well.
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Central
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Post by Central »

I've been writing as a hobby for years. Not anything big, just a few stories to keep my friends entertained, but I notice that the quality of writing varies greatly depending on genre, character personalities, and story length. For example, I'm terrible at writing a long romantic story involving troublemaking teenagers but I can write a good short, slice-of-life story about a quiet old mountain man.

Writing well for me was less about practice and more about finding the right niche for my kind of writing style. Having one of my friends proofread my work also helped a lot.
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Post by Amagine »

I would say that I am definitely still learning how to write. I'm learning my craft by continuing to write. That's how I'm learning to write better reviews. I read other people's reviews and I practice writing my own. The more you read and write, the better writer you'll become.
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Post by Rebeccaej »

I've read a lot of online guides for technical stuff, like how three-act structure works, how to cut out excessive words, and where to leave "holes," for the reader to fill in themself.

Then I try to spot those techniques in other writing and see what works and what doesn't, and then try to practice doing specific things myself.
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Vivian Paschal
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Post by Vivian Paschal »

I am not sure how I learnt to write. My first memories of writing are from when I was about seven or eight. I don't even remember much of my life from before that age. There isn't a writer in my family, so I don't think anyone directly sparked the interest in me. However, my mum always bought me novels and encouraged me to read. I know that till today, reading inspires me to write most times. So, maybe I learnt to write through reading; just maybe.
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TobiOrNotTobi
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Post by TobiOrNotTobi »

I pretty much learned by writing myself, from reading, and from my creative writing teacher.

I'm still learning about writing, but I'm way better at writing than I was 3 - 4 years ago (when I started to take it seriously).
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Post by Gifty Naa Akushia »

I am still learning however, the little I can do for now I learned by constantly reading books, no matter the genre.
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Post by Sally_Heart »

I have been writing essays since I was a kid. It is compulsory in our schools to practice writing of essays whether book based or research based. The practice is beneficial to all.
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Post by Doaa Wael »

In med school, they tell us practice makes different, writing is no different. writing daily will show significant improvements over time. a simple example is how we all laugh at our writings from 5 years ago and notice how we are much better now.

learning new vocabulary and reading books are tools that will help you to subconsciously improve your style and language.
Imagination Trumps Reality.
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Post by eelavahs-jay »

Learning never stops especially as a writer. There are always going to be things you can improve on. As it relates to the subject question, I learned to write by reading. English isn't even my mother tongue. 2008/2009 was a peak year for me in terms of how many books I'd read during that period. That was when I knew I wanted to become a writer. Part of the reason I read so many books was because I was looking for a specific storyline and I didn't find it. So, I decided I'd start writing my own stories to suit my reader needs.

If you don't read you won't have the necessary tools to write. I think a book written by an avid reader is likely to have a more "enriched" narrative. That's just me. There are always writing classes you can take but some tend to be too hung up on the technicalities of writing causing some students not to develop their own unique style. Rather what they try to do is imitate whomever has been put on a pedestal by the tutor/professor. That's just from my experience.
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Post by Morgan Jones »

You never really stop 'learning.' Reading different books with opposing styles and genres really helps in developing my own writing style. Taking notes of how the author expresses the character's feelings helps immensly too. Of course, consistant practice is essential.
"Reading is a conversation. All books talk. But a good book listens as well." - Mark Haddon
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Sushan Ekanayake
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Post by Sushan Ekanayake »

Yes of course , I am still learning. My writing was much polished in school when I studied literature. Yet it need improvements and I am constantly working on that
We all need people who will give us feedback. That’s how we improve.

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:lire4: $u$han €kanayak€ :text-feedback:
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lisalynn
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Post by lisalynn »

Practice. Practice. Practice. Read. Practice. Critique Group. Practice. Practice. Practice. Never give up. You're always learning.
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