writing skills are

How it works

For Business

Join Mind Tools

Article • 9 min read

Writing Skills

Getting your written message across clearly.

By the Mind Tools Content Team

In today's information overload world, people don't have time to read book-length emails, and they don't have the patience to scroll through badly constructed blogs for "buried" points. So, it's vital to communicate clearly, concisely and effectively.

Have you ever faced a situation similar to the following scenario?

A colleague has just sent you an email relating to a meeting you're having in one hour's time. The email is supposed to contain key information that you need to present, as part of the business case for an important project.

But there's a problem: the email is so badly written that you can't find the data you need. There are misspellings and incomplete sentences, and the paragraphs are so long and confusing that it takes you three times longer than it should to find the information you want. As a result, you're under-prepared for the meeting, and it doesn't go as well as you want it to.

Why Are Writing Skills Important?

The better your writing skills are, the better the impression you'll make on the people around you – including your boss, your colleagues, and your clients. You never know how far good writing skills will take you: they can even create a positive personal brand , which can help to open the door to new opportunities.

In this article and video, we'll look at how you can improve your writing skills and avoid common mistakes.

5 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

Getting your tone right is just as important as using the correct spelling – and there's a lot more to think about too! Here's five points that can help you to become a clear and confident writer.

1. Consider Audience and Format

The first step to writing clearly is choosing the appropriate format . Do you need to send an informal email ? Write a detailed report ? Create advertising copy? Or write a formal letter?

The format, as well as your audience, will define your "writing voice" – that is, how formal or relaxed your tone should be. For instance, if you write an email to a prospective client, should it have the same tone as an email to a friend?

Definitely not.

Start by identifying who will read your message. Is it targeted at senior managers, the entire human resources team, or a small group of engineers? With everything you write, your readers, or recipients, should define your tone as well as aspects of the content.

2. Pay Attention to Composition and Style of Writing

Once you know what you're writing, and for whom you're writing, you actually have to start writing!

A blank, white computer screen is often intimidating. And it's easy to get stuck because you don't know how to start. Try these tips for composing and styling your document:{{stub}}

• Start with your audience – Remember, your readers may know nothing about what you're telling them. What do they need to know first?
• Create an outline – This is especially helpful if you're writing a longer document such as a report, presentation, or speech. Outlines help you to identify which steps to take in which order, and they help you to break the task up into manageable pieces of information.
• Use AIDA – If you're writing something that must inspire action in the reader use the Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) acronym to grab their attention.
• Try some empathy – For instance, if you're writing a sales letter for prospective clients, why should they care about your product or sales pitch? What's the benefit for them? Remember your audience's needs at all times.
• Use the Rhetorical Triangle – If you're trying to persuade someone to do something, make sure that you communicate why people should listen to you, pitch your message in a way that engages your audience, and present information rationally and coherently. Our article on the Rhetorical Triangle can help you to make your case in the most effective way.
• Identify your main theme – If you're having trouble defining the main theme of your message, pretend that you have 15 seconds to explain your position. What do you say? This is likely to be your main theme. Our article on Inverted Pyramid Writing explains how to grab your readers' attention and get your message across quickly.
• Use simple language – Unless you're writing a scholarly article, it's usually best to use simple , direct language. Don't use long words just to impress people.

3. Have a Writing Structure in Place

Your document should be as "reader friendly" as possible. Use headings, subheadings, bullet points and numbering whenever possible to break up the text.

After all, what's easier to read – a page full of long paragraphs, or a page that's broken up into short paragraphs, with section headings and bullet points? A document that's easy to scan will get read more often than a document with long, dense paragraphs of text.

Headers should grab the reader's attention. Using questions is often a good idea, especially in advertising copy or reports, because questions help keep the reader engaged and curious.

In emails and proposals, use short, factual headings and subheadings, like the ones in this article.

Adding graphs and charts is also a smart way to break up your text. These visual aids not only keep the reader's eye engaged, but they can communicate important information much more quickly than text.

4. Avoid Grammatical Errors

You probably don't need us to tell you that errors in your document will make you look unprofessional. It's essential to learn grammar properly, and to avoid common mistakes that your spell checker won't find.

Here are some examples of commonly misused words:

• Affect/Effect: "Affect" is a verb meaning to influence. (Example: "The economic forecast will affect our projected income.") "Effect" is a noun meaning the result or outcome. (Example: "What is the effect of the proposal?")
• Then/Than: "Then" is typically an adverb indicating a sequence in time. (Example: "We went to dinner, then we saw a movie.") "Than" is a conjunction used for comparison. (Example: "The dinner was more expensive than the movie.")
• Your/You're: "Your" is a possessive. (Example: "Is that your file?") "You're" is a contraction of "you are." (Example: " You're the new manager.") Also watch out for other common homophones (words that sound alike but have different spellings and meanings) – such as their/they're/there, to/too/two, and so on.
• Its/It's: "Its" is a possessive. (Example:"Is that its motor?") "It's" is a contraction of "It is." (Example: " It's often that heavy.")
• Company's/Companies (and Other Possessives Versus Plurals): "Company's" indicates possession. (Example: "The company's trucks hadn't been maintained properly.") "Companies" is plural. (Example: "The companies in this industry are suffering.")

To learn more about commonly misused words, misused apostrophes, and other grammatical errors, see our articles, Punctuation Basics – Part 1 and Part 2 , or work through our Written Communication Skillbook.

Some of your readers won't be perfect at spelling and grammar. They may not notice if you make these errors. But don't use this as an excuse. There will usually be people, senior managers in particular, who will notice!

Because of this, everything you write should be of a quality that every reader will find acceptable. So, be conscientious when you write.

5. Proofread Your Work

The enemy of good proofreading is speed. Many people rush through their documents, but this is how you miss mistakes. Follow these guidelines to check what you've written:

• Proof your headers and subheaders – People often skip these and focus on the text alone. Just because headers are big and bold doesn't mean they're error-free!
• Read the document out loud – This forces you to go more slowly, meaning that you're more likely to catch mistakes.
• Use your finger to follow text as you read – This is another trick that helps you to slow down.
• Start at the end of your document – Proofread one sentence at a time, working your way from the end to the beginning. This helps you to focus on errors, not on content.

More than ever, it's important to know how to communicate your point quickly and professionally. Many people spend a lot of time writing and reading, so the better you are at this form of communication, the more successful you're likely to be.

Focus on these five areas to improve your writing:

• Consider audience and format.
• Pay attention to composition and style of writing.
• Have a writing structure in place.
• Avoid grammatical errors.
• Proofread your work.

You've accessed 1 of your 2 free resources.

Get unlimited access

Discover more content

The major system.

Remembering Very Long Numbers

Ten Dos and Don'ts of Coaching Conversations

Tips for Effective Coaching Conversations

Add comment

Comments (0)

Be the first to comment!

Team Management

Learn the key aspects of managing a team, from building and developing your team, to working with different types of teams, and troubleshooting common problems.

Sign-up to our newsletter

Subscribing to the Mind Tools newsletter will keep you up-to-date with our latest updates and newest resources.

Subscribe now

Business Skills

Personal Development

Leadership and Management

Member Extras

Most Popular

Newest Releases

SWOT Analysis

SMART Goals

Mind Tools Store

About Mind Tools Content

Discover something new today

How to stop procrastinating.

Overcoming the Habit of Delaying Important Tasks

What Is Time Management?

Working Smarter to Enhance Productivity

How Emotionally Intelligent Are You?

Boosting Your People Skills

Self-Assessment

What's Your Leadership Style?

Learn About the Strengths and Weaknesses of the Way You Like to Lead

Recommended for you

Business experiments.

Taking Intelligent Risks

Business Operations and Process Management

Strategy Tools

Customer Service

Business Ethics and Values

Handling Information and Data

Project Management

Knowledge Management

Self-Development and Goal Setting

Time Management

Presentation Skills

Learning Skills

Career Skills

Communication Skills

Negotiation, Persuasion and Influence

Working With Others

Difficult Conversations

Creativity Tools

Self-Management

Work-Life Balance

Stress Management and Wellbeing

Coaching and Mentoring

Change Management

Managing Conflict

Delegation and Empowerment

Performance Management

Leadership Skills

Developing Your Team

Talent Management

Problem Solving

Decision Making

Member Podcast

• Writing Skills

Writing Skills Are Essential for Every Professional, Not Just Writers

Search SkillsYouNeed:

Rhubarb The blog at SkillsYouNeed

• Rhubarb Front Page -guidelines for contributors-
• The Best 10 Books to Learn English
• 10 Soft Skills for Improving Your Legal Writing in Business Sale Agreements
• Level Up Your Writing Skills with AI Powered Writing Tools
• Elevate Your Writing with Free Spell Checkers
• The Writer’s Toolkit: Essential Elements of Outstanding Essays
• How AI Has Affected Communication Between People
• 6 Writing Skills That Can Give You an Edge Over ChatGPT
• The Future of the Content Writing Industry and How to Stay Ahead of Trends
• Why and How to Use a Grammar Checker
• Five Ways to Improve Your Legal Writing Skills
• The Skills You Need to Master to Become an Author
• Common Grammar Rules for Resumes
• 5 Essential Copywriting Skills You Need To Be a Copywriter
• Printing and Binding a Thesis: The Ultimate Step-By-Step Guide
• 7 Supplementary Skills You Need to Succeed in Freelance Writing
• Concise Writing - How to Write in a Minimalist Style
• The Benefits of Writing
• Improve your English Through Typing

Subscribe to our FREE newsletter and start improving your life in just 5 minutes a day.

You'll get our 5 free 'One Minute Life Skills' and our weekly newsletter.

We'll never share your email address and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Writing is an ability that is needed throughout all areas of life, including the workplace. And yet, the concept of communicating through the written letter is often left by the wayside, underdeveloped and underappreciated. Often the thought of writing well is either too intimidating to be properly addressed, or overlooked as a menial skill that has no measurable bearing on daily life.

However, the truth is that writing is one of the most important skills we can possess and is well worth the effort to take time to develop.

The Diversity of Writing

It doesn’t take much scrutiny to realize that not all writing is the same. Every time you put pen to paper or type out a sentence, it doesn’t need to be with the intent to create a novel worthy of the New York Times Best Seller list.

On the contrary, there are numerous writing skills you can leverage in the real world — many of which are simple and unimposing.

In fact, good writing is actually quite a bit easier to pull off than you might think. Whether you’re writing a resume for a job, a thesis in college, or a quick note to your manager letting her know that you need to leave early for an appointment, the important thing is to state your intentions clearly and concisely .

Why Writing Is Important

The quality of your writing is a critical component that can make or break an employer’s opinion of you, both in the hiring process and throughout your time at a company. In fact, the ability to write well is often worked right into a job posting. Take, for example, a description of an e-commerce manager position. It will include required skills like website design, hiring and training, project development, and communication, all of which require competent writing skills.

Similar writing requirements arise for positions like:

• Web developers
• Public relations specialists

The list goes on... The point is, the ability to communicate through writing is an essential element of many different jobs and careers, even if they don’t include “writer” in the title.

Writing on the Job

Writing in a career environment (also known as business writing or professional writing) is straightforward, concise, and pragmatic. It takes into consideration things like the recipient of the message and the core information that is required to communicate a message.

A quality piece of business writing should be direct and contain relevant information. It should be both clear and grammatically pristine. One useful option to help keep your writing short and pertinent is Hemingway Editor . This free online tool strips away unnecessary information and highlights sentences that can be shortened or restructured.

While there are numerous forms of business writing, here are a few specific examples of different kinds of writing situations that you might face in the business world:

Communication

One of the most important ways that an employee will use their writing skills on the job is through communication. While this was once straightforward, it now can involve a variety of options, including:

• Social media platforms

Business Plans

Another application of business writing that’s easy to overlook is its use in business plans . Encapsulating an enterprise’s goals, plans, and projections can be challenging in the first place.

Writing a business plan in a way that is both clear and compelling for internal personnel as well as stakeholders and potential investors is even more difficult.

Creating interesting, readable online content is a huge part of most companies’ online marketing strategy, and one of the best ways to do this quickly is with a blog — a vital consideration for entrepreneurs.

A company blog allows you to establish yourself as a source of authority and information and can boost your SEO as well. And, of course, decent writing skills are required if you’re going to attract and retain a readership.

Gaining Perspective

Finally, there are also a lot of personal benefits to your career that can come from including writing in your job. It can help you organize your ideas and remember information. It can also help you process things and gain perspective.

Writing to Get a Job

Of course, writing is also a key element in getting a job in the first place. In our increasingly text-driven world — where we often don’t get face to face with a hiring manager until several steps into the hiring process — the ability to write well can be critical. This doesn’t just include filling out application forms, either.

In fact, there are many other ways that you can use writing to land a new job.

Social Media Profiles

Social media may seem like a part of personal life, but any savvy jobseeker knows that it can also be an important part of the job hunt. For example, hiring managers often investigate an applicant’s social media profile history in the vetting process in order to get a sample of their behavior and personality. Naturally, then, demonstrating well-written, respectful behavior on your social media profiles can be very important. Further, taking the time to do a 'spring clean' on your profiles — assessing and removing questionable content — is wise.

In addition, using tools like LinkedIn can be extremely helpful in networking and showcasing your skill set. And, of course, setting up a quality LinkedIn profile requires the ability to write well. It’s crucial that you take the time to craft concise, appropriate text for your headlines, summaries, background, job history, and skills on your career-oriented social media profiles.

Resumes and Cover Letters

The bulk of effort involved in your job search often boils down to your resume and cover letter. While filling out an application form well can be helpful, it’s often these documents that can make all the difference. A well-crafted resume should call out important facts, use statistics and numbers when possible, and incorporate details about the job posting. It should avoid things like excessive or irrelevant information, unprofessional fonts, and passive language.

A good cover letter , while in a sense easier, can be even more challenging. It’s important that you avoid simply regurgitating your resume in a different order or stating obvious facts. Focus on your interest in the position and the company itself. Display your enthusiasm for the work involved, and don’t be afraid to let your personality shine through.

Writing: A Life Skill for All

It doesn’t matter if you’re managing a warehouse, babysitting dogs, or building spaceships, the ability to write clear, concise, and relevant text is an ace in the hole for any professional.

It can help impress hiring personnel as well as maintain your reputation within a company once you’ve started working. The important thing is to appreciate the impact that writing can have on any career, then take the time to develop your writing skills for the long term.

About the Author

Magnolia Potter is from the Pacific Northwest and writes from time to time. She prefers to cover a variety of topics and not just settle on one. When Magnolia’s not writing, you can find her outdoors or curled up with a good book.

Continue to: Common Mistakes in Writing Using Plain English

See also: Writing Effective Emails | Presentation Skills Interpersonal Communication Skills | Good Email Etiquette

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

The Most Important Writing Skills (With Examples)

• Alertness Skills
• Technology Skills
• What Is Work Life Balance
• Reading Comprehension Skills
• Persistence Skills
• Business Skills
• Concentration Skills
• Coordination Skills
• Writing Skills
• Visual Skills
• Time-Management Skills

Find a Job You Really Want In

Strong writing skills are necessary for any career. Being able to write clearly, concisely, and effectively are skills that will serve you well for your entire career. Getting your thoughts down clearly can help with emailing, note taking, and record keeping. Writing is also a major form of communication in most workplaces.

Even if writing has never been your forte, there are certain writing skills that you can focus on to improve it. And if you write for a living, then there afre always opportunities to get better. If you’re looking to improve your writing skills, then this article will highlight important skills and give suggestions to improve them.

Key Takeaways

Some of the most important writing skills include correct grammar, conciseness, and writing for your audience and platform.

Outlining, good organization, and research skills are also important writing skills to have.

You can improve your writing skills by practicing, working with others, and reading.

The top 10 most important professional writing skills

How to improve your writing skills, how to demonstrate your writing skills to a potential employer, writing skills faq, references:.

• Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs

While there are many valuable writing skills, these are some of the most important ones to develop.

Grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Grammatical or spelling errors can be caught by anyone, and will make you look lazy or incompetent. A strong understanding of grammar and spelling are important, but so is the ability to make use of spellcheckers and grammar checking tools.

Poor grammar and spelling can lose you opportunities. Many employers will reject resumes out of hand if they have too many spelling or grammatical errors because it shows a lack of attention to detail. Clients are also less likely to work with business that have typos or grammatical mistakes in their communications.

How to improve: For grammar, style guides are an excellent way to get better with it. Many of them will cover grammar, parts of speech, and how to use punctuation properly — even more obscure ones like semicolons and dashes. Reading and listening to the way that people structure sentences can also help.

For spelling, practice is the best way to get better. English spelling is anything but intuitive, but making use of dictionaries and knowing the roots of words can make it easier. Spellcheckers are also invaluable, as they’ll catch errors and typos.

Outlining. Drawing up an outline can be invaluable in a longer piece of writing, but it can help you organize your thoughts for a piece of any length. Outlines can have many benefits, including helping you organize your thoughts, allowing you to focus on the writing process when you write, and giving your writing structure.

It’s important to note that not every writer is an outliner. Some writers prefer to leave that to the editing process rather than creating an outline up front. If you struggle with organization, then making outlines could help tremulously. Even if you don’t, it’s likely worth trying — it could improve your writing. How to improve: Most people work on an outline from top down. Put in the big ideas first, then flesh out the sub-topics. However, there are many different ways to create an outline, and you should experiment until you find one that works for you.

Conciseness. Being direct and getting to the point are good skills to learn to be an effective writer. Remember that the person you’re communicating with has other demands on their time, and will likely be annoyed if your writing is too circuitous.

That being said, being too brief can make you seem laconic. There’s a balance between excessive wordiness and being brusque. It takes practice to get it right, but reading what other people write and reading back what you wrote to yourself can help you get the sense of how it comes off.

How to improve: The best thing to do to avoid being overly wordy is to focus on what it is you want to say. If your natural tendency is to add a lot of unnecessary words, you can cut those out. If you tend to be so direct that you leave out information, add some extra when you read over it again.

As with all communication, context matters. Who you’re talking to can change the way you’d put something, as well as the sort of news you want to convey. Sometimes being less direct is preferable. For most business communications, however, it’s considered polite to take up as little of the other person’s time as possible.

Word choice. While this may seem obvious, word choice is a key writing skill. The words you choose convey different tones and meanings, even if they’re synonyms. There are noticeable differences between:

I apologize for the inconvenience.

I didn’t mean to put you out.

Sorry about the hassle.

The delay was my mistake.

I’m sorry for the trouble.

While all of these sentences convey an apology for a minor problem, the tone and connotation of the words make them all feel different. Some are less formal, some less genuinely apologetic.

How to improve: This largely boils down to practice. People typically have a particular voice when they write, just as when they speak. However, if you consider how you alter your speech patterns depending on the situation, that gives you a major clue as to how to alter your writing to fit the occasion.

Dictionaries and thesauruses are wonderful resources for this. If you want to find a different way to say a word, then the thesaurus will give you a list of synonyms — but each word has its own unique connotation. That means you can say exactly what you want to say.

Editing. Being able to edit is arguably the most important skills writers need to learn. Every writer will tell you that first drafts aren’t fit to put out there. How do you get a first draft to become a polished pice of writing? Editing!

If possible, it’s best to return to edit your writing after letting it sit for a while. Of course that isn’t always possible, but at the very least you’ll need to reread what you’ve written. And if you make chances, you should read it again, as you can end up with some very peculiar sentence structures that way.

How to improve: Again, practice is the best way to improve your editing skills. That being said, reading is another excellent way to get better at it. Knowing how others phrased things or got their point across is a great way to learn.

Having someone else read your writing can also be invaluable, particularly if they’re a proficient writer themselves. But even if they aren’t, they can point out issues in your sentence structure or will notice phrasing or word choice that doesn’t come of the way you intended it to.

Tailor your writing to your audience. Always keep in mind your audience when writing anything for work.

This is important not just for maximizing the clarity of your writing, but also for making clients, managers, and stakeholders feel that you understand them and their needs.

Depending on the audience, consider the appropriate:

Tone. The proper tone to use depends on the audience and type of document.

For example, when writing to consumers, you typically want to communicate with a conversational tone that makes them feel like they’re talking to a real person.

If you’re writing to business-to-business clients or creating project proposals , on the other hand, then you should adopt a more professional tone.

Terminology. Consider whether all parties reading any document you’re writing will understand all the contained terminology.

If you’re an engineer writing a training guide for a piece of software, you’ll want to use more general language if the guide is meant for new hires than if it’s for existing team members.

How to improve: Spend time reading writing that is aimed at a particular audience. Work to imitate it, making sure that your writing feels genuine. The more you read and write to this particular audience, the more natural it’ll become.

Research. Being able to do research is another important writing skill. It’s important to establish credibility in your writing by knowing what you’re talking about — and not being caught using incorrect information. If you do your research, too, you can make use of:

Numbers. Statistics and numbers are highly meaningful and memorable, making them great rhetorical tools for conveying your points to others. Being able to quote numbers and percentages also makes you appear knowledgable and like you’ve done your research.

Testimonials. Human brains are wired to highly-value social proof. If you can demonstrate that your boss , colleagues, or previous clients trust you, that’ll make a strong, positive impression on the party you’re currently dealing with.

Citations. If you’re serious about your research, you should include citations to your research materials. While this won’t be necessary for most communications, if you’re trying to prove a point or sell an idea, citing reputable sources strengthens your position.

How to improve: Being good at research is another skills that takes practice, And, believe it or not, research. You need to gain the skills and knowledge to recognize a reputable source, and take information you’ve obtained and turn towards the point you’re trying to make.

Knowing when to stop. One of the hardest things for many writers is letting go. There’s only so much editing you can do before you’re no longer improving what you wrote, and instead just changing it.

How to improve: Take breaks from your writing. Many people will get stuck in a cycle of reading and rereading what they wrote and seeing anything that could be perceived as a flaw. Chances are when you return to it, it’ll be better than you thought it was.

Adapting for the platform. The writing techniques you use don’t just vary by audience, but by the platform as well.

If you’re tasked with writing an email, social media post, or blog post, make sure to research strategies and writing samples for that particular platform before you begin.

How to improve: Different platforms have different ways that their text is presented. Some have different styles as well, due to either limitations or legacy. Using the platform is a good way to learn about the differences in style and writing. Then you work to imitate it.

Organization and structure. Most people tend to dedicate 80% of their attention to the first 20% of any piece of writing they read.

This means that for business emails and documents, a disorganized and illogical structure could cause readers to miss important language.

A few helpful tips for structuring your writing are:

Put the important information at the front. Especially for business emails, most people will appreciate it if you get straight to the point.

Separate different thoughts. The smaller your walls of text, the more legible it’ll be and the more willing people will be to do more than just skim it.

After you write an email or document, read over it and identify where cohesive thoughts start and end, then simply separate them with blank lines.

How to improve: Improving the structure of your writing boils down to putting time into the structure. Remember how essays had a format you had to follow? Most professional writing is the same way. Making use of outlines and making sure that your thoughts are ordered is an excellent start. And don’t be afraid to rearrange things in an edit to make it more organized.

If, after reading this article, you feel that some of your writing skills aren’t up to par, there are a few ways you can improve them, including practicing, working with others, and reading.

Practice, practice, practice. The more you write, the better you get. If you have an idea for an article — even if it’s just a paragraph — write it down. Say yes to projects that involve writing, and keep a journal of your ideas or random writing projects. No one has to read it, so take the pressure off and just write.

Read your work out loud. Before you publish, submit, or send anything you’ve written, read it out loud first. This will help you see errors and awkward sections that your eye would’ve skimmed over otherwise, and it’ll help you start to notice your voice, bad habits, and strong points.

Involve someone else in your writing. Whether it’s asking someone to edit your work, taking a class, or finding a writing partner , getting someone else’s feedback on your work is invaluable. Even if they aren’t necessarily a writing expert , they can tell you where they’re confused or fully engaged, which is valuable in itself.

Read all you can. The more good writing you read, the better writer you become. You’ll start to subconsciously incorporate what you read into your own writing, and you’ll get a better idea of what voice and style you want to emulate. Even if it’s just 30 minutes a day, set aside time to read well-written articles and books.

Claiming to have excellent writing skills and showcasing them are two different things. However, if you’re looking to do so professionally, there are several different ways that good writers can showcase their skills.

Resume. If you’re saying that you’re a good writer, you’d better write a good resume. Resumes are how employers are introduced to prospective employees, meaning that they’re how you make a good first impression.

Cover letter. Be sure to include a cover letter when you apply for a job. As cover letters shouldn’t be any longer than a page , it’s an excellent way to show that you can convey the needed information concisely and clearly.

Thank you for your consideration email. While thanking recruiters for taking the time to meet with you is always a good idea, sending a well written thank you will up your stock as a competent writer.

What are good writing skills?

Good writing skills are the ability to be clear, concise, and engaging with your writing. Having proper spelling and grammar are also a must. Good writers need to be able to:

Get a point across clearly.

Edit their work.

Make use of research.

Choose the right words.

How do you demonstrate writing skills?

When applying for a job, writing skills can be demonstrated by the resume and cover letter. However, writing skills often don’t need to be directly demonstrated, as they’re shown in day to day communications.

MasterClass — 9 Crucial Skills for Professional Writers

Florida International University — 6 Ways to Improve Your Creative Writing Skills

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

Recent Job Searches

• Registered Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Truck Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Call Center Representative Jobs Resume Location
• Customer Service Representative Jobs Resume
• Delivery Driver Jobs Resume Location
• Warehouse Worker Jobs Resume Location
• Account Executive Jobs Resume Location
• Sales Associate Jobs Resume Location
• Licensed Practical Nurse Jobs Resume Location
• Company Driver Jobs Resume

Related posts

What Is Cultural Sensitivity In The Workplace?

Skill Sets: What Are They?

What Is Work-Life Balance? (And How To Improve It)

How To Improve Your Typing Skills

• Career Advice >
• Resume Skills >
• Productivity Skills >

Why Are Writing Skills Important: A Comprehensive Overview

By: Author Paul Jenkins

Posted on April 19, 2023

Categories Writing

In today’s fast-paced world, effective communication is more important than ever. Writing skills are critical in helping people convey their thoughts, ideas, and information efficiently and accurately. The importance of these skills can be found in various aspects of life, from professional settings to personal relationships.

Strong writing skills enable individuals to communicate their ideas and opinions clearly and concisely, making it easier for readers to understand and absorb the intended message. This is particularly important in the workplace, where employers seek candidates with excellent written communication abilities for various job roles. Furthermore, in the digital age, written communication has become the primary avenue for obtaining information and interacting with others, emphasizing the need for continuous improvement in this area.

By developing and refining one’s writing skills, individuals can enhance their personal and professional growth and contribute positively to their surroundings by facilitating better understanding and collaboration with others. Ultimately, the significance of writing skills cannot be overstated, as they are instrumental in achieving success in various aspects of life.

25 Reasons Why Writing Skills Are Important

• Enhances clarity in business communication, ensuring that ideas and proposals are effectively presented.
• Improves professional image by showcasing well-structured and organized business documents.
• Facilitates collaboration and teamwork by promoting clear and concise communication among colleagues.
• Boosts career prospects, as strong writing skills are highly valued in the workplace.
• Increases credibility and authority in academic research and publications.
• Fosters effective communication in personal and professional settings, reducing misunderstandings.
• Enables individuals to convey complex ideas and information in an accessible manner.
• Supports career growth and development by demonstrating expertise through well-written content.
• Enhances grammar proficiency, leading to fewer errors and increased readability of written work.
• Builds strong relationships through clear and meaningful written communication.
• Improves the ability to persuade and influence others in professional settings.
• Reflects positively on a company’s image when employees exhibit excellent writing skills.
• Facilitates the creation of high-quality technical documents, increasing user satisfaction and comprehension.
• Helps avoid costly mistakes and misunderstandings due to grammatical errors or unclear writing.
• Demonstrates mastery of an essential skill required in various professional settings.
• Improves written communication skills, leading to better collaboration and productivity.
• Enhances overall writing style and effectiveness, making the work more engaging for readers.
• Identifies good writers as valuable assets, distinguishing them from those with poor writing skills.
• Supports students’ academic success by improving their ability to convey information and ideas.
• Increases the impact of the writing process by refining and perfecting written work.
• Promotes efficiency and effectiveness in workplace communication.
• Encourages lifelong learning and personal growth through writing courses and workshops.
• Enhances critical thinking and problem-solving skills in academic and professional settings.
• Develops the ability to adapt writing styles for various audiences and purposes, increasing versatility and marketability.
• Cultivates creative expression through storytelling, poetry, and other forms of creative writing, enriching personal experiences and fostering connections with others.

The Value of Writing Skills

Writing skills are crucial in today’s world for various aspects of life.

Personal Development

Good writing skills can enhance an individual’s personal development in numerous ways. Writing enables individuals to express themselves effectively and properly communicate their ideas and emotions. Through writing, people can engage in creative exercises to enhance mental processing, explore new perspectives, and stimulate critical thinking abilities.

Writing can also help gain self-confidence by becoming a better communicator with family, friends, and strangers. It is a powerful tool for reflection, enabling one to examine events from the past, better understand themselves, and plan their future goals and aspirations.

Professional Growth

Strong writing skills can significantly impact an individual’s career prospects in the professional sphere. Many employers form their first impression of future employees through resumes, cover letters, and email communications, making writing skills essential for career success.

Effective writing is necessary for drafting clear and concise reports, presentations, and proposals. Moreover, it facilitates collaboration and teamwork among colleagues by improving communication efficiency, ensuring accurate understanding, and fewer misunderstandings.

Writing well is emphasized even further in business environments that rely on digital communication. Digital written communication could involve shared documents, emails, or cloud-based platforms. Employees’ writing skills should align with these digital options to establish strong professional relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

Effective Communication

Strong writing skills are crucial in improving effective communication in personal and professional settings. Converting thoughts, ideas, and information is essential for success in various fields.

Clarity and Organization

Writing with clarity and organization helps readers understand the message with ease. A well-structured written piece ensures the intended message is delivered and the content is easily digestible for the target audience. Clear and organized writing helps to:

• Enhance professional image
• Build connections with customers
• Convey points quickly and efficiently

Accurate grammar, punctuation, and word choice enhance clarity by minimizing confusion or misinterpretation. This results in fewer misunderstandings and stronger relationships between the writer and reader, ultimately leading to better operational efficiency and productivity in the workplace.

Persuasion and Influencing Skills

Effective writing is not only limited to transmitting information but also involves persuading and influencing others. Persuasive writing helps in:

• Selling ideas, products, or services
• Convincing readers to adopt a specific viewpoint or take action
• Creating compelling proposals that generate support and consensus

By using persuasive writing techniques such as providing evidence, anticipating objections, and crafting a compelling call-to-action, writers can make a strong case for their arguments, making their content highly persuasive and influential.

Critical Thinking Enhancement

Developing effective writing skills is essential not only for conveying information but also for enhancing critical thinking abilities. This section explores how writing skills contribute to better critical thinking by focusing on two sub-sections: Analyzing Information and Problem-Solving.

Analyzing Information

When an individual engages in writing, they must carefully evaluate and interpret the information they gather from various sources. This process requires the writer to employ critical thinking skills to determine the information’s accuracy, relevance, and credibility. Analyzing information strengthens a piece of writing and enhances a person’s ability to examine different perspectives, determine inconsistencies, and challenge assumptions.

Furthermore, writing requires individuals to organize their thoughts; this step involves prioritizing, categorizing, and synthesizing the data. As a result, critical thinking is developed and refined through writing and evaluating arguments and ideas.

Problem-Solving

When faced with a particular issue, individuals often must identify potential solutions before deciding the best course of action. Writing can be a valuable tool in this process, as it assists individuals in clearly articulating their thoughts and ideas.

Effective writing necessitates the incorporation of critical thinking skills to identify and address problems, design logical solutions, and concisely communicate these options. Such problem-solving abilities are critical not only for academic and professional success but also for personal development.

In summary, enhancing writing skills significantly contributes to the improvement of critical thinking abilities. Developing proficiency in analyzing information and solving problems through writing helps individuals become better communicators and more effective decision-makers.

Creativity and Self-Expression

Developing writing skills is crucial for nurturing creativity and self-expression. Writing enables individuals to communicate their thoughts, emotions, and ideas more effectively and engagingly. This section delves into the importance of creativity and self-expression through writing, focusing on emotional intelligence and storytelling ability.

Emotional Intelligence

Writing can help enhance emotional intelligence by allowing individuals to explore, understand, and express their emotions. Through creative writing, individuals can engage with their emotional experiences and tap into their inner feelings, allowing them to understand their emotions better and manage them more effectively. This heightened emotional intelligence contributes to improved relationships and overall well-being. As mentioned in Positive Psychology, self-expression is vital to living a fulfilled life and reaching our full potential.

Practicing creative writing, such as poetry and personal essays, enables individuals to express their thoughts and emotions more openly and develop emotional intelligence. By giving form to their experiences, people can gain greater insight and understanding of themselves and their world.

Storytelling Ability

One significant aspect of writing skills is storytelling ability. Creating compelling narratives is vital in communication, persuasion, and entertainment. A well-crafted story can influence people’s thoughts and beliefs, inspiring change and fostering empathy. Creative writing allows individuals to think outside the box and explore different perspectives through storytelling.

Storytelling skills can also benefit professional communication, as engaging narratives capture attention and convey messages more effectively. Good storytelling can make a significant impact, whether writing a marketing campaign, a company report, or effectively conveying information in the workplace.

Collaboration and Teamwork

Effective collaboration and teamwork are essential components for success within any professional context. Writing skills are crucial in fostering these collaborative efforts and ensuring productive communication between team members.

Writing for Diverse Audiences

As an essential aspect of collaboration, writing skills enable individuals to convey their ideas and insights to colleagues with varying backgrounds and expertise. A good writer understands that different team members may have different levels of familiarity with the subject or focus areas. They should, therefore, tailor their written communication to be easily understood by various audiences within the team.

For example, when writing an email involving technical details, it is essential to provide necessary background information and concise explanations for a more general audience. This approach ensures all team members can follow the discussion and work together effectively.

Adapting to Feedback

Another crucial aspect of collaboration and teamwork is being receptive to feedback from team members. Writing skills are essential because they allow team members to provide clear and constructive feedback on each other’s work. By articulating their suggestions and concerns effectively, individuals can help create an environment of mutual respect and continuous improvement.

When receiving written feedback, professionals must demonstrate adaptability and a willingness to refine their work. This may involve reorganizing content, revising language, or rethinking their approach altogether. By being receptive to feedback and skillfully incorporating it into their writing, team members can better align their work with the group’s needs and contribute more effectively to the team’s overall objectives.

Digital Presence and Online Reputation

Writing skills are crucial in managing and enhancing one’s digital presence and online reputation. How individuals and organizations present themselves through written communication can significantly impact their credibility and success in the digital world.

Social Media

Effective writing is essential for engaging and meaningful social media interactions. Clear and concise content helps convey messages accurately and makes it easier for others to understand and respond. Companies can use social media platforms to build brands and foster customer relationships. A well-written and thought-out social media presence can help to project a positive image, which in turn aids in building trust and credibility among users. People favor companies with strong written communication, exhibiting professionalism and attention to detail.

Blogging and Content Creation

Blogging and content creation are potent tools for individuals and businesses to establish expertise in their respective fields. Effective writing lets them present complex ideas straightforwardly, engaging readers and enhancing their perceived authority. A well-structured and informative blog post or article can attract readership, generate leads, and build a loyal customer base.

High-quality content also contributes significantly to search engine optimization. Search engines like Google assess the readability and relevance of written content when ranking websites, making it crucial for online success. Maintaining a consistent and well-written blog can drive organic traffic to a website and ultimately increase visibility in search results.

In conclusion, honing one’s writing skills is essential for managing and improving digital presence and online reputation. Effective written communication across social media platforms, blog posts, and other content enables individuals and organizations to connect with their target audience and project a professional image, contributing to overall success in today’s digital landscape.

Writing skills are essential today as the foundation for effective communication in various personal and professional contexts. A firm grasp of writing techniques facilitates the exchange of ideas and information and enhances the clarity and impact of one’s messages across diverse platforms.

Through honing these skills, individuals can convey their thoughts more precisely, contributing to successful collaborations, business transactions, and interpersonal interactions. Moreover, well-developed writing abilities are highly sought after by employers, who increasingly prioritize effective written communication in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.

Ultimately, investing time and effort to improve one’s writing skills is advantageous for academic success, personal growth, and career advancement. By fostering creativity, imagination, and critical thinking, these skills empower individuals to express themselves confidently and persuasively, quickly navigating modern society’s complexities.

• SUGGESTED TOPICS
• The Magazine
• Newsletters
• Managing Yourself
• Managing Teams
• Work-life Balance
• The Big Idea
• Data & Visuals
• Reading Lists
• Case Selections
• HBR Learning
• Topic Feeds
• Account Settings
• Email Preferences

The Science of Strong Business Writing

• Bill Birchard

Lessons from neurobiology

Brain scans are showing us in new detail exactly what entices readers. Scientists can see a group of midbrain neurons—the “reward circuit”—light up as people respond to everything from a simple metaphor to an unexpected story twist. The big takeaway? Whether you’re crafting an email to a colleague or an important report for the board, you can write in a way that delights readers on a primal level, releasing pleasure chemicals in their brains.

Bill Birchard is an author and writing coach who’s worked with many successful businesspeople. He’s drawn on that experience and his review of the scientific literature to identify eight features of satisfying writing: simplicity, specificity, surprise, stirring language, seductiveness, smart ideas, social content, and storytelling. In this article, he shares tips for using those eight S’s to captivate readers and help your message stick.

Strong writing skills are essential for anyone in business. You need them to effectively communicate with colleagues, employees, and bosses and to sell any ideas, products, or services you’re offering.

• Bill Birchard is a business author and book-writing coach. His Writing for Impact: 8 Secrets from Science That Will Fire Up Your Reader’s Brain will be published by HarperCollins Leadership in April 2023. His previous books include Merchants of Virtue, Stairway to Earth, Nature’s Keepers, Counting What Counts, and others. For more writing tactics, see his website .  

Partner Center

• Business Wisdom
• Tech & Business
• Business News

Writing Skills: Definition, Importance & Tips

For any creative or professional pursuit, having a firm command of writing skills is essential. Whether you’re an artist wanting to articulate your ideas in writing or an entrepreneur launching a business, the ability to write effectively can unlock powerful opportunities for advancement. In this blog post, we’ll explore what writing skills are, why they are so important, and suggest tips and techniques for improving your writing skills. Let’s dive in!

What Are Writing Skills?

Writing skills refer to the ability to effectively communicate ideas and thoughts through written language. These skills encompass more than just grammar and spelling but also a deep understanding of language mechanics, audience awareness, and critical thinking. Strong writing skills can be invaluable for expressing oneself clearly and persuasively, whether in a professional or personal setting.

Having strong writing skills goes beyond the ability to write physically. Essential aspects of effective writing skills include researching and organizing information, planning and outlining material, refining content through editing and revising, as well as verifying spelling and grammar accuracy. These important steps are indispensable in producing a quality finished product. 

Examples of writing skills in the workplace include:

• Sharing team updates in Slack
• Crafting emails for clients, customers, employees, etc.
• Documenting a process for an employee or trainee
• Writing a summary of a meeting for everyone who participated

Importance Of Writing Skills In The Workplace

Writing skills are essential in almost every aspect of our personal, academic, and professional lives. From crafting a simple email to writing a research paper or crafting a novel, having strong writing skills can be the difference between success and failure. Utilize  email software like constant contact  to automate your other manual tasks, while you can focus on improving your writing skills.

When it comes to the workplace in particular, you don’t require the label of “writer” to employ writing skills effectively . A marketer, for instance, might craft content designed to encourage an audience to sign up for a virtual event. Similarly, UX designers can use their writing skills to produce text on home pages that will get people to take action – like clicking a “buy here” button. Lawyers can also benefit from writing when communicating with their clients via email or investment bankers who need to update their managers on certain things. In all these cases, writing skills are essential. 

The National Association of Colleges and Employees have reported that written communication skills are highly sought-after by employers, with 73.3% looking for these abilities compared to only 58.8% searching for verbal communication skills. This prioritization is especially important in hybrid and remote workplaces, where effective writing is essential for successful collaboration. As such, individuals should hone their written communication skills to stand out from the competition. That brings us to our next topic:

How To Improve Your Writing Skills?

Writing is a skill that can be learned, just like any other. To ensure you have written something of quality, it may help to read your work aloud. Doing so forces you to slow down and pick up on errors or issues with the flow that would otherwise be missed by merely reading it in your head. This is just one tip; however, there are plenty more for those looking to improve their writing skills:

Recognize Your Audience

A crucial part of writing is understanding who you are trying to communicate with. Without recognizing your target audience, it can be difficult to tailor the tone of your writing in a way that will resonate effectively with them. 

Research your audience to understand their values, interests, and needs. To do this, you can take the help of surveys and feedback forms.

Set The Right Tone

Not all businesses require the same level of professionalism or formality in their written communication. Hence, depending on the context and audience, you must choose the appropriate tone for your writing.

For example, if you are dealing with customers, a friendly and inviting tone is more likely to be appreciated than one that is too stiff or robotic. Likewise, if you are writing a business report, you should use a more professional and direct communication style.

Don’t Beat Around The Bush

Good writing should always be concise and clear, so avoid using unnecessary jargon or repetitive phrases. Instead of rambling on, stick to the point and get your message across with as few words as possible. Doing so will not only help to keep your reader’s attention but also make it easier for them to comprehend what you are trying to communicate.

Furthermore, don’t be afraid to express your opinion. Your readers are more likely to stay engaged when you make a clear point or stand. It also helps to back up your opinion with facts and evidence where possible to further support your position and lend credibility to your argument.

Create An Outline

Before you start writing, it’s smart to create an outline that will serve as the basis for your content. It can help ensure you stay on track and not veer off in different directions as you write. It also helps you to organize your thoughts and structure them in a logical manner. 

Use Simple Vocabulary

One of the most common misconceptions about writing is that it has to be complex to be effective. Using fancy words won’t necessarily make your writing better and can even do more harm than good if the audience doesn’t understand the terminology.

Instead, opt for simple and straightforward language that everyone can understand. Don’t sacrifice clarity to sound more intelligent; simplify your ideas to make them easier to read and understand.

Edit And Proofread

Once you have completed the initial draft, it’s time to review and refine your work. Spend time fixing typos and grammar errors, and make sure everything flows naturally. If you don’t have enough time to manually find & fix mistakes, then you can utilize an online grammar checker . It will quickly scan your write-up for all types of mistakes and provide useful suggestions to correct them. Accurate correction of errors will uplift the quality of your writing. Additionally, there should be consistency throughout the text in terms of spelling, tense, language usage, etc.

Finally, ask someone else to read through your work to catch any typos or errors you may have missed. They can also provide useful feedback on the overall structure and content of your piece.

Don’t Overthink It

Writing shouldn’t be a daunting task, and it’s important to remember that everyone has their own unique style. Instead of trying too hard to fit into a certain mold or imitate someone else’s writing, focus on finding your natural voice.

Learning the basics of good writing is a good start, but you should also be open to experimentation and have confidence in your writing ability. Remember, with practice and perseverance, you can become a master of the written word!

How To Include Writing Skills On Your Resume?

Including writing skills on your resume is important, especially if you’re applying for a job that requires strong writing abilities. There are two ways to do this: demonstrating your writing skills in the written materials you provide (resume and cover letter) and emphasizing your writing proficiency during an interview.

According to Bryana Holcomb , business and success coach, your resume and job application must be well written to demonstrate your writing proficiency. After all, those documents provide the first impression to a potential employer. And for them to be effective, Holcomb suggests double-checking for errors in spelling and syntax and ensuring your thoughts are organized clearly. 

Conclusion:

In conclusion, strong writing skills are an important asset in both professional and personal realms. Effective written materials can help you make a good impression on potential employers while expressing your thoughts clearly will enable you to communicate with others more effectively. The good news is with practice, dedication, and attention to detail; you can hone your writing skills and use them to your advantage in any situation. Just follow our tips, and you’ll be well on your way to becoming a successful writer. 

What kind of skill is writing?

Writing is a technical skill involving the ability to communicate ideas, stories, or information through written words. It requires a strong command of grammar, syntax and an understanding of how to effectively craft written materials.

What are the basic writing skills?

Basic writing skills are also known as the “mechanics” of writing. These include- spelling, punctuation, capitalization, sentence structure, and handwriting and keyboarding.

Why are writing skills important?

Writing skills are important as they allow you to communicate effectively and express your ideas, stories, and information in an organized manner. They can be beneficial in both professional settings (resumes, business emails) and personal interactions (letters, conversations). Furthermore, strong writing skills can enhance your credibility and give you more confidence when presenting yourself or your work.

What are the elements of writing?

There are four basic elements of writing: planning, organization, writing, and editing and revising. Every piece of writing usually starts with an idea or concept that must be planned out and organized before the actual writing process begins. During this stage, it is important to determine the purpose or goal of the writing, what needs to be included, and how best to structure it for clarity and coherence.

AJ Osborne Shows That Overcoming Adversity Can Lead to Success

H-2b work visas explained: everything you need to know, cameron douglas.

Cameron Douglas is a seasoned leadership expert with a passion for helping individuals and organizations achieve their full potential. Through his insightful blog posts, he offers practical advice on various aspects of leadership, including team management, organizational culture, and personal development. Cameron's expertise is rooted in his extensive experience as a successful executive in various industries, and he leverages this experience to provide valuable insights to his readers.

Leadership Highlights

[email protected]

© 2024 ValiantCEO - All rights reserved

Newsletter sign up.

Our biggest stories, delivered to your inbox everyday.

By signing up you agree to our  User Agreement  , our  Privacy Policy  &  Cookie Statement  and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Valiant CEO. You can unsubscribe at any time.

© 2021 valiantceo

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Remember Me

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Talk to our experts

1800-120-456-456

• Writing Skills - Top 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

An Introduction to Writing Skills

Are you still thinking effective writing skills are important only for Journalists, Content Writers, or Digital Marketers? It’s time to get rid of this misconception! In today’s competitive world, effective writing skills are important in every industry or field you work in to attain a good position, as it is the best tool to present your ideas, thoughts, or viewpoints without being physically present.

Remember, writing is the art of expressing your thoughts without being physically present. Hence, you cannot write anything that readers find difficult to comprehend. As a writer, you should have specific skills to use the right words, vocabulary, short phrases, correct tenses, punctuations, and more to present clear and understandable content.  But this is not enough! Effective writing needs more than this.

If you want to know what writing skills are, why writing skills are important, and different ways to improve your writing skills, this article will help you. In this article, we have discussed 5 different ways to improve your writing skills. Read the article to learn about writing skills in detail.

What is Writing Skills?

Writing skills is all about having adequate knowledge and abilities to express your thoughts and ideas in written words. Good writing skills allow communicators to communicate their message with clarity to a far larger audience than other mediums of communication like face-to-face or telephone conversations.

Remember, effective written communication is not an easy task as it demands detailed knowledge of sentence structure, vocabulary, grammar, and other basic writing skills. But this can be improvised with continuous practice. 

People with excellent writing skills can personalise their tone and choice of words according to their targeted audience and in different situations. They prefer writing techniques, such as literary devices, to communicate their ideas and keep their readers engaged.

Why are Writing Skills Important?

Writing skills are essential due to the following reasons:

Express ideas and thoughts clearly

Increases grammar and vocabulary skills

Ignite curiosity about writing

Provides a base for further education

Improve social skills

Help writers organise their thoughts

Clear writer's minds and prepare his/her to take effective decision

Creative Examples of Writing

Following are the different creative examples of writings that help you express your ideas or thoughts on a paper:

Novel Writing

Short Stories

Playwriting

Express your words through song and lyrics

5 Tips to Improve Writing Skills

Writing, as one of the important skills, can be improved with time, regular practice with proper discipline, and eagerness to learn. Here are some of the strategic ways that help you to improve your writing skills if followed strictly.

1. Refresh Basic Grammar Skills 

While writing content, brushing up on your basic grammar and spelling skills is important. Any content, when written without any grammatical and spelling errors and with the proper usage of punctuations, semi-colons, and em-dashes, communicates your professionalism and increases the reader's attention as it becomes easier for the reader to understand. If you want to improve your writing skills, give sufficient time to write the content manually. To staple your grammatical skills, you can use books like “The Elements of Style by William Stunk and E.B. White” or any other related book available online, in bookstores, or at your library.

2. Consider Writing As Your Job

Consider writing your job that you don’t have to miss as it helps you stand out from the crowd. To improve your writing skills, you must give sufficient time to write regularly as it will diminish your fear and help you develop a unique writing style. 

3. Read Before Writing 

To improve your writing skills, cultivate reading habits regularly. Don’t just stick with reading blog posts or advertisements; instead, break new ground. Make use of different challenging materials that help you improve your reading skills.

Make a habit of reading the news daily in the morning or reading a book before bed. While reading, make sure to check the structure of the sentences, synonyms that are used, and the way the content is flowing. The more you read new content, the better you will learn to write compelling content and avoid silly mistakes.

4. Proofread Your Content

Although it is alluring to submit work as soon as possible, ensure sufficient time to proofread and edit your work as it helps you identify your mistakes. Allocate 10-15 minutes between your writing to proofread what you have written with a fresh mind. 

Start with minor edits, then focus on more extensive edits. Check grammatical errors, spellings, or any inconsistency in content at the beginning. Then move to make more extensive edits, like focusing on the structure of your content.  

Use simple words and phrases to make your views easier for the reader to understand. Last but not least, read out loudly after writing as it helps you identify the awkward phrases or words you have used in your content or the part where your writing is not flowing.

5. Always Ask For Feedback

Whether you are writing emails, essays, or articles of several pages, ensure to take feedback from experts. This helps you get ratings on your writing, and you will know how others are interpreting your writing. Ask the proofreader to help you know the flaws you have made in the introductory part, conclusion, writing structure, controversies, or more. To improve your writing skills, you can join workshops, writing classes online, or any professional classes in your locality. 

We hope this article helps you to improve your writing skills. Read aloud, write more, expand your vocabulary, work on your grammar, write short and precise sentences, be confident, practise hard, and see the magic in your writing style.  We wish you good luck with your future endeavours. Keep Writing And Stay Motivated!

FAQs on Writing Skills - Top 5 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills

1. What are the four different ways of writing skills?

The four ways of writing skills are Expository, persuasive, narrative, and descriptive. Let us know them in brief:

Expository: The primary purpose of expository writing skills is to express something in a process.

Persuasive: The primary purpose of persuasive writing skills is to convince others to agree with the writer’s point of view.

Narrative: The primary purpose of narrative writing skills is to tell a story. 

Descriptive: The primary purpose of descriptive writing skills is to describe a character, an event, or a place in great detail. 

2. What does the term “Clarity” mean in writing?

In writing, "clarity" means making your content easier for readers to understand. Your efforts are in vain if your writing does not communicate effectively to your target audience.

3. What is the primary purpose of writing?

The primary purpose of writing is to express oneself, deliver information to the audience, motivate the reader, or create a literary work.

4. How can I assess my writing skills?

Following are the different ways to assess your writing skills:

Ask someone to proofread your writing.

Study your old writing to get clues.

Take a writing course that provides you with proper feedback.

Use an online readability checker tool like Grammarly.

Read out aloud whatever you have written to assess your writing.

Ask yourself whether the content makes sense or solves readers' problems.

If you are writing about research, ensure to check whether you accurately represented the findings.

Identify your mistakes and improve on them.

Track your progress by comparing your present writing with the previous ones.

5. Why do students lack good writing skills?

Students lack good writing skills because of the following reasons:

Not having a good command of English tenses and grammar.

Poor Vocabulary.

Clunky sentence structure that weakens writing skills.

Learning from inexperienced teachers.

Inefficient in fetching the right word to express an idea.

27+ Writing Skills for a Professional Resume (W/ Examples)

By Jeffrey Stromes

Strong writing skills are often sought-after by recruiters and employers, regardless of the industry that you’re in.

Even if you’re not applying for a particular position as a writer, it can be important to highlight these skills on your resume in addition to your work experience, education, and other skills. They are a key indicator of the ability to communicate effectively, which is vital for most jobs.

In this article, we’ll examine the importance of writing skills, their types, and the best ways to add them to your resume for optimal chances of success. We’ll also give you advice on how to improve your writing skills—all to help you make an outstanding resume and leave a positive impression on potential employers!

Key Takeaways

Writing skills are essential in the workplace, as they allow you to communicate with others, share ideas, and exchange information .

These skills are in the top 5 of the most sought-after abilities by recruiters and employers, which makes them important for any resume.

There are four styles of writing —persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive—and many different types of writing —technical writing, blog writing, copywriting, etc.—whose uses vary from one career or job position to another.

The five core writing skills you could list on your resume are research, planning, grammar, proofreading and editing, and reading comprehension.

One of the best ways to demonstrate your writing skills on your resume is to use specific examples from previous jobs .

There are many ways to improve your writing skills , including reading and writing regularly, seeking feedback and mentorship, studying the works of prominent writers, and more.

What Are Writing Skills?

By definition, writing skills allow you to communicate your thoughts, ideas, and information through written language . Needless to say, this makes them essential in today’s society and modern workplace.

The foundation of good writing skills is a strong command of grammar, vocabulary, and sentence structure. However, a good writer also knows how to neatly organize information and present it in a clear and concise manner. 

Writing skills also encompass the ability to choose the right words to convey the exact meaning that you want. You construct sentences using grammar, punctuation, and other literary devices to create enticing and impactful written work.

Furthermore, proficient writers can adapt their style for different audiences and various purposes. For example, writing a business report will be vastly different from working on a scientific paper, an essay, or a personal letter.

Why Are Writing Skills Important For Your Resume?

Simply put, writing skills are important for your resume because employers value them highly and often look for them , as they are a valuable asset in many professional roles.

We have already touched on the importance of communication in the workplace, and writing is one of the main methods of doing that. Written communication can be anything from writing emails and creating presentations to working on specific documents and even casually chatting with coworkers or supervisors.

Moreover, solid writing skills also often indicate that you possess attention to detail, problem-solving skills, and critical thinking abilities, too .

The importance of having such abilities on your resume is backed by hard evidence as well. According to NACE's 2023 survey report , one of the top 5 attributes employerslook for on a resume is written communication skills.

Jobs with Writing Skills

All of that makes writing skills welcome on any resume, especially in fields like marketing, journalism, or public relations and in specific roles, such as:

Technical writer

Content writer

Content marketing manager

Communications manager

Research analyst

Types of Writing

Broadly speaking, there are four different styles of writing , and they are:

Descriptive

Depending on the purpose of your writing and your audience, you’ll opt for one of these styles.

That being said, there are many different types of writing , which are more specific than styles. The ones you need will depend on your career, position, or even the particular project that you might be working on.

Here are some of the most common types of writing you should be familiar with:

Types of Writing Examples

Argumentative writing presents a point of view backed with evidence.

Technical writing has the goal of giving specific information on a precise topic.

Journalistic writing serves to inform the public and give them the latest news.

Business writing refers to communication in a professional environment.

Academic writing involves writing essays and research papers, as well as creating other written work for educational purposes.

Creative writing includes various imaginative forms such as poetry writing, screenwriting, playwriting, songwriting, etc.

Blog writing involves writing for online platforms such as professional and personal blogs.

Report writing serves to present information obtained from research or investigation.

Grant writing refers to writing proposals in order to secure funding.

Speech writing relates to writing speeches for public events.

Resume writing involves creating a professional document that highlights your work experience, education, and skills.

5 Core Writing Skills to Put in Your Resume

Let’s take a look at some of the essential writing skills that you can include on your resume.

#1. Research

Research is one of the most important aspects of writing skills. This ability helps you gather information and facts that you’ll use in your writing.

Research Skills Examples

There are multiple benefits that stem from having strong research skills, such as:

Having the ability to find adequate sources and evaluate them to determine their credibility, relevance, and usefulness.

Being able to synthesize information and create one cohesive project from multiple different sources.

Staying organized and keeping track of all the sources you found, ideas needed for your writing, and notes.

Being able to summarize information, present it clearly and concisely, and cite sources correctly .

#2. Planning

In terms of writing skills, "planning" refers to your ability to create a precise structure by organizing your ideas . 

For starters, planning involves generating ideas through brainstorming and creating a practical outline to ensure a logical structure.

Additionally, it can help you set precise goals and effectively prioritize tasks until those goals are met, which positively affects your time management. By planning properly, you leave enough room for revising and editing.

Lastly, a good planner takes their audience into consideration every step of the way and tailors their writing toward them.

#3. Grammar

Impeccable grammar is the backbone of good writing. There are many elements to consider when it comes to grammar skills, with some of the most important being:

Grammar Skills Examples

Knowing when and how to use punctuation marks such as commas, semicolons, and periods

Knowing how to use verbs and tenses correctly

Understanding the sentence structure and knowing how to construct well-formed sentences

Knowing how to use adjectives and adverbs to modify nouns and verbs.

Knowing when to use active or passive voice

Ensuring your spelling is impeccable

#4. Proofreading & Editing

Proofreading and editing are vital steps in the writing process, as they allow you to refine your work and optimize it for maximum quality . Being able to proofread and edit effectively means that you’re attentive to detail and able to identify everything from grammar and spelling errors to syntax inconsistencies.

Furthermore, by proofreading and editing your work, you’ll be able to keep it consistent , which is especially important for long-term projects. It can also help you take a step back from your writing and polish it to be more objective .

Not only that, but by re-reading and thoroughly examining your work, you’ll be able to eliminate unnecessary content to keep it concise and check facts to verify the accuracy of information.

#5. Reading Comprehension

Reading comprehension is another important aspect of writing, and it’s tightly connected to research and editing.

On the one hand, reading comprehension helps you understand the information quicker and retain crucial details . That allows you to generate ideas and transform them with your writing style.

On the other hand, reading comprehension skills contribute to your ability to write a cohesive text that will allow readers to understand ideas, draw conclusions from them, and retain information for themselves.

For those reasons, by demonstrating reading comprehension skills on your resume, you indirectly highlight good analytical and critical thinking skills .

23 Other Writing Skills to Put in Your Resume

We’ve established that writing skills encompass a wide variety of abilities . For example, it’s one thing when a copywriter adds a list of professional writing skills to their resume, and it’s something entirely different when an executive assistant highlights their notetaking competence.

Hard Skills

That’s why we created a comprehensive list with even more examples of writing skills that you could include on your resume:

Foreign language writing

Email writing

Magazine writing

Media writing

Collaborative writing skills

Proposal writing

Social media writing

Business storytelling

Presentation writing

Code writing

Concise writing

Proficiency in relevant software

These were all hard, technical, and writer-specific skills .

However, a good writer often possesses plenty of other qualities in the form of soft skills . Here are some examples of soft writing skills:

Soft Skills

Organization

Attention to detail

Consistency

Conciseness

Fact-checking and accuracy

Perceptiveness

How to Add Writing Skills to Your Resume

Adding writing skills to your resume is crucial to demonstrating them properly to recruiters. However, instead of just creating a list, try to highlight your skills through experience . You can provide specific examples in your resume objective, summary, work experience , and some of the optional sections.

Also, keep in mind that writing skills can be rather broad, so only list a couple of them that are highly related to the position you’re applying for. Naturally, if you’re going for the position of a writer, you’d likely want to list more skills from this group.

Another thing that you can add to your resume is a link to your portfolio, personal website, or social media pages that show off your writing skills . 

Writing Skills on a Resume

Here’s how a technical writer could demonstrate their skills on a resume:

Wrote and managed a range of technical documentation , including user manuals and product specifications for hardware and software products

This example shows how to add content writing skills to your resume:

Researched, wrote, and edited blog posts, white papers, and case studies for ABC Corp to increase their website traffic by 35%

Here’s another example of creative writing skills on a resume:

Boosted XYZ Company sales by 27% with compelling copy crafted for print and digital advertisements

The final example will show how a candidate applying for a non-writing position (a customer service representative) could mention their writing skills:

Wrote clear and concise emails to customers to resolve their issues

The mere act of having a well-written resume is another testament to your good writing skills. That’s why you want to ensure a clean and concise document, which should ideally be one page long and error-free.

How to Improve Your Writing Skills

There are many methods you can use to improve your writing skills. While most of them require time, patience, and dedication, you could start working on some right off the bat .

General Guidelines

Here are some tips to help you improve your writing skills:

You should read regularly and expose yourself to different writing styles. The variety will help you hone your skills, learn how to structure your writing, and improve your style.

Whenever possible, you should write to put what you’ve learned into practice and improve through trial and error.

Don’t be afraid to seek feedback from others. Share your writing and look for constructive criticism. You can also find a mentor and improve your skills with their assistance.

You can follow the work of other writers , study it, and try to incorporate some of their techniques.

Stay on top of things by studying grammar and usage to ensure they are top-notch since they are essential for writing.

You can always take courses to quickly progress in the specific field of writing that you’re most interested in. There are courses in creative writing, email writing and etiquette, editing, novel writing, content marketing, storytelling, and so on.

Lastly, you should take advantage of modern tools, software, and writing aids that can help you spot mistakes, iron out the details, adapt your work, change its style, etc. Some of the more prominent tools include Grammarly, ProWritingAid, Quillbot, Scrivener, Hemingway App, and others.

Closing Thoughts

Writing skills can be a valuable asset on a resume in today’s job market, and not just for writing-oriented careers.

Everyone from copywriters and technical writers to managers, assistants, marketers, or customer service representatives could benefit from demonstrating writing skills on their resumes.

If you follow the guidelines provided in this article and remember to highlight your skills through specific examples, you’ll be one step ahead of the competition from the get-go.

Finally, remember to use relevant keywords, add links where recruiters could check out your written work, and tailor your resume to the position that you’re applying for. That way, you’ll turn your resume into a written work of art!

Create your resume once, use it everywhere

Writing Skills: Significance Of Writing Skills

There was a time when people used to think that only journalists and digital marketers must have excellent writing skills….

There was a time when people used to think that only journalists and digital marketers must have excellent writing skills. But now, thanks to the growing importance of communication, you require effective writing skills in almost every industry and for every job.

Don’t you agree? Think of the reports, sales proposals, marketing copies, user manuals presentations you have to draft regularly as a part of your work responsibilities. And, of course, how can we forget the very first step to applying for a job: a resume or CV.

There’s no doubt that how well you have written your CV decides your future for that job role. A precise, neat, and engaging resume that highlights the milestones of your career, capabilities, and achievements grabs the attention of the recruiter within seconds.

Once you start work, every day at the office starts with writing as we are required to send emails to peers, managers, and clients. And that’s when your writing skills come in handy. So, let’s understand the basics of writing skills.

What are writing skills?

Writing is the art of expressing our views, ideas, and thoughts. Though writing seems easy while thinking about it, many times, it results in unorganized and scattered pieces of information on paper. This often creates confusion or sends a wrong message.

Effective writing can be a daunting task as it demands much more than mere correct grammar. You need to gain knowledge about sentence structure, develop your vocabulary, and build other basic writing skills.

Importance of developing writing skills

Good writing skills are essential for success in the workplace. Whether it’s emails, project reports, or sales proposals, content full of typos, grammatical errors, and poorly constructed sentences suggests a similar attitude towards work.

Thus, along with improving communication, understanding the significance of writing skills can also influence how you are perceived at the workplace in terms of:

• Being Professional : With effective writing skills, your message can be understood by your peers in a better way. Writing clear messages makes it easier for others to understand your ideas and thoughts.
• Proving your ability at the workplace : Whether your job requires a lot of writing or not, people may remember even a few grammatical errors and spelling mistakes from your content. And these minor mistakes may make you seem less capable at the workplace.
• Boosting professional confidence : Each content piece has a motive. A well-written business proposal entices investors and probable partners. Clear and to-the-point emails can further impress possible buyers. And your well-crafted reports will fascinate your manager.

Every time, when with your impressive written communication, you create another happily and successfully finished project, you grow more confident, positive, established, and inspired.

Five important writing skills you should have

Now that you have understood the importance of writing skills, let’s look at the important writing skills every professional must develop.

• Strong grammar skills : It happens to most of us. You have a great idea that popped up in your mind. But just because of a poor grasp of spelling or grammar skills, you may fail to express your ideas and convey the message convincingly and correctly. Try to use auto spell-checkers to aid with correct grammar and spelling usage.
• Research : While writing reports or creating marketing copy or proposals, you may come across a topic you don’t know much about. Your ability to research, find suitable information, and pick up only relevant information quickly plays a crucial role in creating effective reports and other written business communication.
• Think of user manuals as an example. If your work involves getting feedback or creating FAQs, charts, and training documents, then you must focus on learning technical writing skills. Along with strong communication skills, your writing skills, and command over vocabulary and grammar should be exceptional.
• Assessment skills and active listening can lead you toward building a positive rapport with your customers and colleagues.
• The more you know how to use these platforms, the more convenience you can bring to your daily tasks at the office.

Important steps for writing

One cannot create a presentable copy just by developing creative writing skills and fine vocabulary. Here are some common and important writing steps that will ensure you create effective content every time.

• Research : Whether you are writing a project report, sales proposal, or creating marketing copy, research as much as possible. Think from your reader’s perspective and note all relevant information, ideas, and thoughts.
• Organizing content : The next step is organizing your ideas and relevant information in the proper sequence. Or in other words, create a draft or outline you further want to elaborate on. Outlining helps you in writing a long piece of content by fixing the proper flow and breaking information into paragraphs to make it more meaningful and effective.
• Writing : Now is the actual time of writing. Always use direct language and choose words suitable to the objective of your document. The division of paragraphs, headings or subtitles, and relevant statistics can make it easier for readers to understand.
• Editing and proofreading : Once you have finished writing a report or drafting an email, it’s time to edit, format, and proofread for spelling, grammar, and sentence and paragraph structure. Remember, your readers may take simple grammar, punctuation, or spelling mistakes as signs of negligence towards your work.

How to improve writing skills

• Make use of wide vocabulary : While you are practicing your writing skills, you will find yourself repeating some words. You are not alone. Almost every writer has their own favorite words, which they like to use often. However, using fillers and repeating words throughout the document will annoy your readers. Instead, make use of varied vocabulary, synonyms, and antonyms to make the content fresh, effective, and readable.
• Write for your audience : This applies to everyone whose job role requires business writing skills. Whether you are writing a blog or drafting an email to your client, having a strong understanding of the intellectual and reading levels of your target audience will help you tailor your text accordingly.
• Creativity : People are always bombarded with more information online and offline every day. This often makes your readers fickle, especially when they are forced to read 10-page long reports or manuals. Thus, it’s your chance to show your creativity and present the same information in fewer words without affecting the credibility and meaning of the content.
• Edit and proofread : The first draft is never perfect. Whether you are just starting or have years of experience, every writer needs to edit and proofread their content. Try to write down your ideas and relevant information in the first attempt. Go with your natural creative flow. Don’t pause to edit and correct your mistakes as you can do it later on.

Writing has become an important part of every professional’s life. The way you convey your message, ideas, and thoughts to your peers, managers, and clients affects your chances of climbing the career ladder. So waste no time and start developing effective writing skills online with Harappa’s Writing Proficiently course.

Explore our Harappa Diaries section to know more about skills related to the Communicate habit such as Report Writing and Interpersonal Skills .

What Are Writing Skills And Why Are They Important

Writing as with any other skill is a useful tool in organizations. It is not just a skill for writers only, rather it cuts across many professions and positions in the organization. If you desire to know more about writing skills, and how to improve your writing skills, you are where you ought to be.

For instance, most employees need report writing skills. Managers may also need to send a written proposal through email. Aspiring entrepreneurs need to write business plans before commencing their business in order to ensure their success.

Furthermore, the ability to write concisely and clearly is an important aspect of communication, as such, having writing skills in your arsenal is worthwhile. Moreso, some individuals make a living out of their writing skills.

This article explains what writing skills are, their importance, jobs that require writing skills, and how you can improve your writing skills. Follow me.

Definition of writing skills

Writing skills are the abilities and knowledge to express one’s thoughts or ideas proficiently in written form. Writing skills fall into hard and current skills.

It becomes a hard skill when it is the basic skill for a job. For instance, writing is a prerequisite skill for journalism and content writing. These types of jobs require that you possess an adept level of expertise in writing.

On the other hand, writing as a soft skill is a subset of communication skills. Writing is a regular function in the workplace usually needed for writing emails, reports, proposals, projects, etc. Hence, employees need to be able to clearly communicate their ideas through writing.

Importance Of Writing Skills

Employees with prolific writing skills within the organization can help the organization succeed in many ways. Let’s consider these ways:

1. Craft a winning proposal

Employees who possess excellent writing skills can come up with proposals that can help an organization beat other competitors to land a major business deal.

They have the ability to write with communicating in an understandable way. Not only that, they can captivate the heart of investors and get them interested in what they’re about to tell them through their writing abilities.

2. Improving the organization’s public image and perception

Very few things matter the most when it comes to the organization’s public image and perception.

You don’t want to seem like an unprofessional organization in the eyes of clients, investors, and customers. Hence, you need to be able to communicate effectively when you send out emails, newsletters, or publish a feed-in print.

Your use of punctuation, conciseness, precision, and vocabulary, among others, matters. The fact is you never can tell the caliber of people who read these messages, perhaps, you may even know them.

Hence, you’d need someone who has proven knowledge and abilities in writing to craft carefully and excellently whatever you will be sending out to the public.

3. Increasing customer acquisition and sales

Words are powerful weapons for convincing and persuading. Those who are able to use them well can tilt the attention of prospects toward an organization.

Furthermore, some individuals are gifted storytellers. Their ability to tell your brand stories or write a captivating sales message can make a big difference in the number of patronages that the organization gets.

A typical example is copywriters, who have knowledge of psychology, sales, and can combine this knowledge and their ability to write to compel customers to buy a product or take an action.

4. Effective communication within the organization

Managers who are able to write precisely would definitely stand out in passing out messages through emails or any other writing avenues within the organization.

Furthermore, clear communication through writing is important to avoid misunderstandings and unnecessary mistakes. You don’t want employees to think that you mean “wet the edge” when you actually mean “whet the edge”

In the same vein, writing is an essential ingredient for communication between employees in the organization, particularly in jobs that involve regular emailing, writing of documents, etc.

Jobs That Require Writing Skills

Asides from that writing skills are useful across many professions, some careers are basically edged on the skill.

Here are some professions to consider if you possess excellent writing skills

1. Content writing

This is the ability to write words to entertain, educate, or inform an audience. Content writers write articles, blog posts, and social media posts.

2. Copywriting

Copywriters use persuasive words to convince prospects to buy a product, click a link, etc. They also have knowledge of psychology, sales, and marketing.

They are valuable assets to organizations because they help increase leads, patronage, and ultimately sales.

3. Journalism

Journalists are professionals who gather, access, create and present news and information. Unlike other writing skills highlighted, practicing this career requires a university or college degree in journalism.

4. Editing and Proofreading

Proofreaders have excellent attention to detail. They can easily spot spelling errors, punctuation errors, etc. Editors on the other hand can correct core writing issues such as sentence construction, improve the tone of text, clarity, and readability.

5. Resume and Cover letter writing

Some individuals make money by leveraging their writing skills to craft well-structured resumes and cover letters for job applicants.

A good CV must be free of ambiguity and error. It must equally be precise.

Also, you must know how to inject relevant keywords relating to the job you’re applying for while still ensuring that it is meaningful and convincing.

As such, crafting an excellent resume or cover letter also requires excellent writing skills.

6. Research Analyst

Aside from being able to carry out research, research analysts also need good writing skills for reporting the result of their research effectively.

Important Elements Of Writing

Here are some of the most elements or qualities that a great writer must possess:

1. Precision

Precision is your ability to communicate what you ought to communicate in an understandable way. It is the capacity to write out what you mean, and make your audience understand what it is at first reading without ambiguity.

One of the issues with written communication is that sometimes audiences tend to receive a different message apart from what was intended because of poor writing skills.

Therefore, you need to make your writing precise by using the best words that communicate your intentions. Don’t let your audience think ‘it is a cup’ when you actually meant ‘it is a plate’.

2. Your writing should be concise

Concision is your ability to slim fit words while still conveying their meaning. Let’s just say it is the ability to transform a long sentence into short words.

For example, “God knows all things” can be written as “God is omniscient”

“When you give John orders, he doesn’t obey” can be rewritten as “John is insubordinate”

You will observe that the number of words changed from more to lesser. This also improves the tone and flare of the sentence. Therefore, you should ensure to use the right words that fit the scenario and don’t leave a word in your script that could still be further shortened.

3. Your writing should be error-free

This is as simple as it is. Don’t let your script be full of errors. People will either not read it or get tired of reading it.

One way to reduce error is to give your work a second eye to review or employ the services of a proofreader. This is because simple punctuation can change the meaning of a word.

For example, “Jane may resign” is not the same as “Jane May resign”. Also, “The snake was killed by Bruno” isn’t the same as “The snake was killed, by Bruno”.

It is important to note that simple stuff like punctuation and capital letters can make all the difference

4. Your writing should be free of ambiguity

Articles, writings, or scripts are better when they are free of jargon and cliches. Rather learn to use simple words that convey the same meaning.

This not only helps the readability; it also makes the content enjoyable. Filling your writings with bogus words makes them lifeless. Also, readers say have to consult the dictionary again and again. This can be frustrating and make readers lose interest.

How To Improve Your Writing Skills

1. make your introduction captivating.

Writing to captivate means that you are trying to win the heart of your audience and get them interested in what you’re about to tell them. That is the essence of the introduction.

First impressions matter so you may have to make a strong impression. There are ways to do it and one good way to do this is to start with a resounding quote.

Additionally, you may start with a statistic or start in a story-like manner. This will help build your reader’s interest from the beginning.

Hence, the first five to ten seconds of your piece can make all the difference. Also, avoid making a mistake in the beginning by all means as this can soil all your efforts even if you’ve written a masterpiece.

2. Ensure clarity in ideas

Your piece should give clarity to your audience. You have to write in clear words. You must make things as clear as possible, as comprehensive as possible, and well broken down in such a way that your audience can understand.

Furthermore, your piece should follow a progressive thought, that is, it must flow from sentence to sentence. Else, you will leave readers confused and stressed about whether they missed a part.

3. Write a conclusion

The conclusion is a concise summary of the body of the content. Using a conclusion helps to remind your reader of what they must have read after exhausting themselves.

Furthermore, you should use a call to action in your summary. This helps to bring them to a place of responsibility.

By telling your readers what they ought to do after reading the content, you are bringing them to a place where they can act with a motive.

4. Read widely

Reading eliminates ignorance and knowledge is the panacea to low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.

Therefore, reading always broadens your knowledge and enhances your thought process. Writing requires that your thought process flows well enough, also, it builds your muscle memory.

Furthermore, by constantly reading well-structured books or articles, you see how others write too. Your brain internalizes writing flow and pattern making you a better writer.

However, if you are finding it difficult to read, you can also go for audiobooks or watch a lot of videos.

5. Write every day

To build your muscle and stay fit you need to exercise every day. In the same vein, to improve your writing skills, you need to write every day.

It could be rewriting a piece you admire or picking a topic that you love and writing about it. The more you do this, the better you become.

6. Enroll for a writing or English language course

Another way to sharpen your writing skills is by enrolling in a paid or free course. Furthermore, you can take an English language course to learn basic English concepts like grammar, punctuation, and article usage, among others.

Are writing skills compulsory for all employees?

No. However, those who possess writing skills can communicate effectively with written words.

Why are writing skills important?

Possessing writing skills helps you in writing emails, reports, or proposals.

What are some examples of writing skills?

Examples of writing skills include report writing, content writing, editing, proofreading, etc.

As said earlier, writing skills help employees and managers within an organization to communicate their ideas clearly.

Furthermore, applicants who can demonstrate excellent writing skills when applying for a job can gain an advantage over others.

In addition, to improve your writing skills try to read well-structured articles and books, and write every day. Also, ensure your piece is free of error, and ambiguity. Also, precision and conciseness are key.

Lastly, you may check the article on what are high-income skills to see skills that can change your life forever.

I hope this article helped. Thanks for reading.

You may also like:

• What Are Entrepreneurial Skills? 10 Benefits of Entrepreneurial Skills
• What Are Adaptive Skills? [Definition, Types & Benefits]
• Soft Skills List: See 17 Crucial Soft Skills Every Professional Needs
• What Is Life Skills Education: Importance, Challenges, & Categories
• Why Is It Important to Have Good Communication Skills?

People Also Read:

Why Do Waiters Get Paid So Little [+ How To Make More Money]

Navigating Workplace Norms: Can You Email A Resignation Letter?

Difference Between Roles And Responsibilities

Does Suspension Mean Termination?

Moral Claim: Definition, Significance, Contemporary Issues, & Challenges

Why Can’t You Flush The Toilet After A Drug Test?

Have a language expert improve your writing

Run a free plagiarism check in 10 minutes, generate accurate citations for free.

• Knowledge Base
• Working with sources
• How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples

Published on April 8, 2022 by Courtney Gahan and Jack Caulfield. Revised on June 1, 2023.

Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words. Paraphrasing a source involves changing the wording while preserving the original meaning.

Paraphrasing is an alternative to  quoting (copying someone’s exact words and putting them in quotation marks ). In academic writing, it’s usually better to integrate sources by paraphrasing instead of quoting. It shows that you have understood the source, reads more smoothly, and keeps your own voice front and center.

Every time you paraphrase, it’s important to cite the source . Also take care not to use wording that is too similar to the original. Otherwise, you could be at risk of committing plagiarism .

What is your plagiarism score?

Compare your paper with 99.3 billion webpages and 8 million publications.

• Best plagiarism checker of 2021
• Plagiarism report & percentage
• Largest plagiarism database

Scribbr Plagiarism Checker

Table of contents

How to paraphrase in five easy steps, how to paraphrase correctly, examples of paraphrasing, how to cite a paraphrase, paraphrasing vs. quoting, paraphrasing vs. summarizing, avoiding plagiarism when you paraphrase, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about paraphrasing.

If you’re struggling to get to grips with the process of paraphrasing, check out our easy step-by-step guide in the video below.

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

Putting an idea into your own words can be easier said than done. Let’s say you want to paraphrase the text below, about population decline in a particular species of sea snails.

Incorrect paraphrasing

You might make a first attempt to paraphrase it by swapping out a few words for  synonyms .

Like other sea creatures inhabiting the vicinity of highly populated coasts, horse conchs have lost substantial territory to advancement and contamination , including preferred breeding grounds along mud flats and seagrass beds. Their Gulf home is also heating up due to global warming , which scientists think further puts pressure on the creatures , predicated upon the harmful effects extra warmth has on other large mollusks (Barnett, 2022).

This attempt at paraphrasing doesn’t change the sentence structure or order of information, only some of the word choices. And the synonyms chosen are poor:

• “Advancement and contamination” doesn’t really convey the same meaning as “development and pollution.”
• Sometimes the changes make the tone less academic: “home” for “habitat” and “sea creatures” for “marine animals.”
• Adding phrases like “inhabiting the vicinity of” and “puts pressure on” makes the text needlessly long-winded.
• Global warming is related to climate change, but they don’t mean exactly the same thing.

Because of this, the text reads awkwardly, is longer than it needs to be, and remains too close to the original phrasing. This means you risk being accused of plagiarism .

Correct paraphrasing

Let’s look at a more effective way of paraphrasing the same text.

Here, we’ve:

• Only included the information that’s relevant to our argument (note that the paraphrase is shorter than the original)
• Introduced the information with the signal phrase “Scientists believe that …”
• Retained key terms like “development and pollution,” since changing them could alter the meaning
• Structured sentences in our own way instead of copying the structure of the original
• Started from a different point, presenting information in a different order

Because of this, we’re able to clearly convey the relevant information from the source without sticking too close to the original phrasing.

Explore the tabs below to see examples of paraphrasing in action.

• Journal article
• Newspaper article
• Magazine article

Once you have your perfectly paraphrased text, you need to ensure you credit the original author. You’ll always paraphrase sources in the same way, but you’ll have to use a different type of in-text citation depending on what citation style you follow.

Generate accurate citations with Scribbr

Scribbr citation checker new.

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

• Missing commas and periods
• Incorrect usage of “et al.”
• Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
• Missing reference entries

It’s a good idea to paraphrase instead of quoting in most cases because:

• Paraphrasing shows that you fully understand the meaning of a text
• Your own voice remains dominant throughout your paper
• Quotes reduce the readability of your text

But that doesn’t mean you should never quote. Quotes are appropriate when:

• Giving a precise definition
• Saying something about the author’s language or style (e.g., in a literary analysis paper)
• Providing evidence in support of an argument
• Critiquing or analyzing a specific claim

A paraphrase puts a specific passage into your own words. It’s typically a similar length to the original text, or slightly shorter.

When you boil a longer piece of writing down to the key points, so that the result is a lot shorter than the original, this is called summarizing .

Paraphrasing and quoting are important tools for presenting specific information from sources. But if the information you want to include is more general (e.g., the overarching argument of a whole article), summarizing is more appropriate.

When paraphrasing, you have to be careful to avoid accidental plagiarism .

This can happen if the paraphrase is too similar to the original quote, with phrases or whole sentences that are identical (and should therefore be in quotation marks). It can also happen if you fail to properly cite the source.

Paraphrasing tools are widely used by students, and can be especially useful for non-native speakers who may find academic writing particularly challenging. While these can be helpful for a bit of extra inspiration, use these tools sparingly, keeping academic integrity in mind.

To make sure you’ve properly paraphrased and cited all your sources, you could elect to run a plagiarism check before submitting your paper. And of course, always be sure to read your source material yourself and take the first stab at paraphrasing on your own.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• ChatGPT vs human editor
• ChatGPT citations
• Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
• Using ChatGPT for your studies
• What is ChatGPT?
• Chicago style
• Critical thinking

 Plagiarism

• Types of plagiarism
• Self-plagiarism
• Avoiding plagiarism
• Academic integrity
• Consequences of plagiarism
• Common knowledge

To paraphrase effectively, don’t just take the original sentence and swap out some of the words for synonyms. Instead, try:

• Reformulating the sentence (e.g., change active to passive , or start from a different point)
• Combining information from multiple sentences into one
• Leaving out information from the original that isn’t relevant to your point
• Using synonyms where they don’t distort the meaning

The main point is to ensure you don’t just copy the structure of the original text, but instead reformulate the idea in your own words.

Paraphrasing without crediting the original author is a form of plagiarism , because you’re presenting someone else’s ideas as if they were your own.

However, paraphrasing is not plagiarism if you correctly cite the source . This means including an in-text citation and a full reference, formatted according to your required citation style .

As well as citing, make sure that any paraphrased text is completely rewritten in your own words.

Plagiarism means using someone else’s words or ideas and passing them off as your own. Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas in your own words.

So when does paraphrasing count as plagiarism?

• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if you don’t properly credit the original author.
• Paraphrasing is plagiarism if your text is too close to the original wording (even if you cite the source). If you directly copy a sentence or phrase, you should quote it instead.
• Paraphrasing  is not plagiarism if you put the author’s ideas completely in your own words and properly cite the source .

Try our services

To present information from other sources in academic writing , it’s best to paraphrase in most cases. This shows that you’ve understood the ideas you’re discussing and incorporates them into your text smoothly.

It’s appropriate to quote when:

• Changing the phrasing would distort the meaning of the original text
• You want to discuss the author’s language choices (e.g., in literary analysis )
• You’re presenting a precise definition
• You’re looking in depth at a specific claim

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Gahan, C. & Caulfield, J. (2023, June 01). How to Paraphrase | Step-by-Step Guide & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved April 9, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/how-to-paraphrase/

Is this article helpful?

Courtney Gahan

Other students also liked, how to write a summary | guide & examples, how to quote | citing quotes in apa, mla & chicago, how to avoid plagiarism | tips on citing sources, "i thought ai proofreading was useless but..".

I've been using Scribbr for years now and I know it's a service that won't disappoint. It does a good job spotting mistakes”

Academic & Professional Development (new)

These three offices support graduate students as they develop the skills and experience to succeed academically and prepare for future careers.

GradPro is the campus Graduate Student Professional Development Resource Hub. Grad Pro supports students through all stages of exploring and preparing for a wide range of careers. GradPro’s services, programs, and resources help students to develop vital professional competencies and skills in order to succeed in their academic programs and launch careers within and beyond academia. GradPro also supports departments and faculty in creating professional development programming for graduate students. [email protected]

Graduate Writing Center

The Graduate Writing Center (GWC) helps students develop the writing skills needed to complete their graduate programs and prepare for the writing they will do in future careers. The GWCoffers workshops on academic writing, grant writing, dissertation writing, editing, and preparing articles for publication. The center also offers one-on-one consultations, the Graduate Writing Community, writing groups, boot camps, and a graduate-level course on academic writing, GSPDP 320. [email protected]

Graduate Student Instructor Teaching & Resource Center

The Graduate Student Instructor Teaching & Resource Center (GSI-TRC) prepares graduate students for teaching at UC Berkeley and for the teaching they will do in future careers, within and beyond academia. The GSI-TRC offers teaching conferences, workshops, seminars, consultations, classroom observations, grants, awards, an online teaching guide, and a web-based course on professional standards and ethics in teaching. The center also provides language testing, specialized courses, and consultations for current and prospective multilingual international students at UC Berkeley. [email protected]

Upcoming Professional Development Events

Python text analysis: word embeddings.

How can we use neural networks to create meaningful representations of words? The bag-of-words is limited in its ability to…

Online via Zoom

SKILL #4: Mastering Academic Time Management

New faculty members commonly describe: Working long hours but making little progress on their research and writing A sense of…

Developing Skills for Careers Beyond Academia Workshop (Virtual)

Discover skills that elevate your career potential across any field. Our facilitators will provide insights on identifying and leveraging your…

Developing Skills for Careers Beyond Academia Workshop

Spring 2024 federal reserve board career & internship webinar – 2.

The Federal Reserve is the central bank of the United States. We represent the Board of Governors of the Federal…

Non-Credit Certificate Program in Clinical Trials Management and Regulatory Compliance

Accelerate your career in the field of clinical research with hands-on training in every step of the clinical trials process.

At a Glance

The online Clinical Trials Management and Regulatory Compliance certificate program, designed and delivered by experts in clinical research, gives you the skills and knowledge you need to jumpstart your career in the growing clinical trials field. 

Become a Better Clinical Researcher 

In six core courses built around real-world clinical trials, you will master the procedure cycle and administration of the entire clinical trials process, learn to navigate stakeholder interests, and implement up-to-the-minute regulatory compliance practices and ethical standards. You will finish the program with the ability to initiate clinical research studies, apply monitoring methods, and write exemplary documents and reports.

Designed For

Designed for early or mid-career professionals who want to work in regulatory compliance, medical writing, site management, or data analysis in the pharmaceutical industry, at a clinical research organization, or with an academic institution.

You Value Your Career, We Value Your Time.

Staying up-to-date on your career skills doesn’t have to take a lot of time. Our Clinical Trials certificate program is competitively priced and takes as little as nine months.

Learn with clinical research experts

Scientists and pharmaceutical industry executives, consultants and project managers, our instructors know every angle of the clinical trials process. In live classes informed by their considerable professional experience, Clinical Trials certificate instructors give feedback, support, and expert insight into the field.

The UChicago edge

Our professional courses take innovative learning approaches that uphold the University of Chicago’s distinct brand of academic excellence while driving career advancement.

• Synchronous class sessions engage students with instructors and peers. 
• Content-specific and networking webinars foster extracurricular training and allow students to make valuable professional connections. 
• Professional development services include resume review, access to exclusive job listings, and more.
• Program administrators support students throughout the certificate and beyond, from individual advising sessions to alumni services.

Career benefits

The global clinical trials market has been projected to grow  to $84.43 billion dollars by 2030. The field is thriving. Key drivers like the globalization of clinical trials and new, personalized treatments continue to impact market growth, while demand for skilled professionals widens the job market: the need for clinical trials professionals will continue to outpace that for similar roles. To learn how our Clinical Trials management certificate can boost your career, please visit our career benefits page for more information.

The estimated total pay for a Clinical Research Associate is $71,868 per year, according to Glassdoor .

Triple your medical writing skills

The University of Chicago Professional Education offers certificate programs in Clinical Trials, Medical Writing and Editing , and now Regulatory Writing . Our programs feature a blended learning model comprising of live synchronous sessions, real-world case studies, and writing exercises that work to elevate your medical writing skills. These part-time programs are tailored to develop your skillset so you can apply to your career immediately.

Explore how you can become an expert medical writer in three leading areas:

• Clinical Trials Management and Regulatory Compliance :   Learn to use real-world clinical trials to reinforce your foundational knowledge and boost your career in clinical research.
• Medical Writing and Editing : This program will provide the foundation for mastering the fundamentals and best practices of medical writing, editing, and communication.
• Regulatory Writing : Building on the strengths of our Medical Writing and Editing program, Regulatory Writing courses will provide students with high-demand, professionally valuable skills to write submissions to the FDA and other regulatory bodies.

Clinical trials management offers a real spectrum of career paths. Students who complete the certificate have options spanning the pharmaceutical industry, clinical research organizations, and academic institutions, where they can consider careers in medical writing, site management, regulatory, and more.

Offered by The University of Chicago's Professional Education

Ready to Take Your Next Step?

Of interest, non-credit certificate program in regulatory writing.

Gain in-demand medical writing skills that will help elevate your career in healthcare or medical...

From Healthcare Technician to Clinical Researcher

Accelerate your career in clinical trials.

A Global Perspective on the Pharmaceutical Industry

• Leading in Healthcare Through Project Management
• Global Clinical Research: The Process from Start to Finish
• New Frontier in Patient Recruitment

12 Boomer-common skills that are worthless today

Posted: November 4, 2023 | Last updated: November 4, 2023

Will we miss them when they're gone?

Our Gen Z kids and grandkids are digital natives. They can convey nuance in their text messages, effortlessly navigate wherever they want to go, and get a pizza delivered anywhere, anytime. But they’ve never learned some of the old-school, analog skills most of us were taught as we grew up. Does it matter?

1. Reading & writing cursive

Does it matter?  TIME Magazine  says yes, claiming that cursive writing is harder to forge, activates different parts of the brain, and allows people to read historical documents in their original form. Other than signing your name, I’m not convinced. The only time my kids need to read cursive is when they get cards from their grandparents, and those can be “translated” easily.

2. Dialing a rotary phone

Does it matter? Probably not. When was the last time you needed to use a rotary phone? In any case, it’s something kids could learn in about a minute.  Watching teens try  to make a call with a rotary phone is entertaining, though. (For more phone-related fun, check out this  1954 Bell System video tutorial  on how to switch from operator-assisted calls to dial calls.)

Does it matter? According to  Martha Stewart , yes, for practical and educational reasons. Sewing allows you to design, create, and mend clothing, and it can help build planning and math skills and hand-eye coordination. I still put my rudimentary sewing skills to use when I need to sew on a button or repair a small tear, but I leave the more complex projects to the experts.

4. Navigating with a map or compass

Does it matter? Maybe. PBS Kids says reading maps helps  build spatial reasoning skills , and certainly understanding compass directions and the concept of the magnetic North Pole should be part of everyone’s education. It’s tough to compete with the technology behind Waze and Google Maps, though. A map or compass might come in handy when that technology isn’t available, as long as you can manage to find a map or compass. 

5. Driving a standard-shift car

Does it matter? Most of the time, probably not. Sorry, stick-shift aficionados (and I count myself among them).  Edmunds  reports that only 1.2% of new cars sold in 2019 had manual transmissions, as of October. As much as some of us may love them, it looks like shifting for ourselves is on its way out.

6. Changing the oil in a car

Does it matter? It depends.  Family Handyman  says you can change your own oil in about 20 minutes and save some money. I’m sure this project would take me a lot longer than 20 minutes, and I’m not convinced on the cost savings. You need to buy oil and a filter, own or borrow the right tools, and have access to a garage or driveway where you can work. You also need to take your used oil someplace to recycle it. It’s nice to know how to change your own oil, and rewarding to do things yourself, but for most of us, the time vs. money trade-off probably isn’t worth it.

7. Replacing a flat tire

Does it matter? Yes, but being able to use this skill in real life is questionable. AAA reported in 2017 that  28% of new cars didn’t come with spare tires . About  14% of new cars come with run-flat tires ; for the rest, manufacturers have often eliminated spares to improve fuel efficiency. If you don’t have a spare, you can’t change a tire. And even when you do have a spare, lug nuts are often so tight that many of us can’t loosen them to remove the flat tire.

8. Finding a book with a library’s card catalog

Does it matter? Nostalgic as we may be, it’s hard to make an argument for this one. The Smithsonian reported on the  death of the card catalog in 2015 . 

RIP, Dewey Decimal.

9. Balancing a checkbook

Does it matter? The skill matters; the system, not so much. To be sure, monitoring your accounts for accuracy and keeping your expenses below your income are cornerstones of personal finance. Logging in online to check your finances regularly works better than a paper-and-pencil system for just about all of us.

10. Looking up something in a dictionary, thesaurus or encyclopedia

Does it matter?  The Week   makes an argument for print dictionaries  over their online counterparts and points to the serendipity factor — while looking up one word you’ll likely come across other words that are interesting.

It’s tougher to make that argument for a thesaurus, where you’re likely looking for an alternative to a word you already know.

And your options for analog encyclopedias are limited. The Encyclopedia Britannica’s 2010 version was its last in print, and the World Book is  the only general encyclopedia still being printed today . 

11. Remembering phone numbers

Does it matter? Yes. It’s a good idea for all of us to memorize, or at least have analog access to, an emergency contact number at minimum. But with 10-digit phone numbers, multiple area code overlays, and phones serving individuals, not families, it’s not feasible for most of us to commit a lot of numbers to memory. 

12. Putting a stamp on the correct corner of an envelope

Do you know where it goes? Does it matter? Um, yes. Everyone should know how to do this.

This article originally appeared on Considerable  and was syndicated by MediaFeed .

More from MediaFeed

Beloved boomer restaurants that are pretty much gone now.

• Science says this ‘70s rock hit is the catchiest song of our time
• 20 incredible movies so disturbing we never want to see them again

More for You

10 Best Times Star Wars Appeared In Other Movies

Senators demand FBI agents testify about 'highly credible' source who allegedly made up Biden bribery scheme

How to Harvest Lettuce: 6 Tips for Picking Leaves at Their Peak

3 Days In Lisbon: The Perfect Itinerary For First-Timers

My Hero Academia: Every Character That Surpassed All Might

The Porch Paint Color You Should Avoid If You Want To Attract Birds To Your Yard

Biden administration agrees with Native American tribe that Canadian pipeline is trespassing

Columbine survivor warns Crumbley parents' sentencing sets 'dangerous precedent': 'He knew what he was doing'

25 films where actors brilliantly played against type

It was a popular national monument, until it was robbed to extinction

GOP nominee for NC governor failed to file federal income taxes for 5 years

This Purple Plant Will Fill Your Garden With Hummingbirds And Butterflies

Fani Willis 'Inconsistencies' Discovered by Department of Justice

These Are The World’s Best Nude Beaches

Senate strikes down Biden administration's climate regulations targeting car emissions

Yes, these images of lightning striking the Statue of Liberty are real

The Top 15 Michael Keaton Movies, Ranked

I moved from California to Tennessee for my husband's job. We can finally save money, but it's been a major culture shock.

Toy Company Launches Life-Sized M3GAN Doll Replica

California Sees $181 Million Drained From People's Accounts

Mississippi Field Offices, Subordinate Field Offices: Lauderdale (Agent), Unregistered Letters Received, Apr.–Dec. 1868

About the project.

The Bureau of Refugees, Freedmen, and Abandoned Lands, often referred to as the Freedmen’s Bureau, was established on March 3, 1865. The duties of the Freedmen’s Bureau included supervision of all affairs relating to refugees, freedmen, and the custody of abandoned lands and property. These documents come from the Records of the Field Offices for the State of Mississippi, Series 3.25: Subordinate Field Offices: Lauderdale (Agent).

Additional resources are available on the  Freedmen's Bureau Instructions Page . Please help us transcribe these records to learn more about the lives of formerly enslaved men and women during the Reconstruction Era.

Unbound unregistered letters received, April–December 1868, are arranged chronologically.

About Project Difficulty

Level 1 - beginner.

Content: all typed Language: English Format: letters, diaries, flyers, pamphlets, and one-page documents Subject Area Expertise/Special Skills: none required

Content: mostly typed, handwritten in print, or otherwise very clearly written/readable Language: English Format: memorabilia, advertisements, image captions, telegrams, diaries, letters, notes Subject Area Expertise/Special Skills: none required

Level 3 - INTERMEDIATE

Content: typed and handwritten materials in cursive or print Language: English Format: newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, letters/diaries/notes that may include annotations or margin notes Subject Area Expertise/Special Skills: experience reading cursive writing may be useful

Content: handwritten materials, primarily in cursive or somewhat difficult to read (predominantly from the 19th and 20th centuries) , audio recordings that are relatively easy to hear/decipher, and scientific materials Language: English and/or other languages that use Roman script but may require the use of diacritics (French, Spanish, German, Italian, etc.) Format: audio recordings, letters, diaries, notes and other written materials, projects with templated fields and special instructions Subject Area Expertise/Special Skills: some knowledge of non-English Roman-character/script languages and diacritics may be useful, as well as experience reading cursive handwriting. A general knowledge or familiarity with scientific terminology.

Level 5 - ADVANCED

Content: handwritten materials in cursive (from the 19th century or earlier) or in a non-Roman script language, audio recordings that are difficult to hear or are not in English, specialty materials/projects such as numismatics projects and the Project Phaedra notebooks Language: foreign languages that use non-Roman characters (Chinese, Japanese, Arabic, Greek/Cyrillic, Native American and Indigenous languages, etc.) and English Format: audio recordings, columned data/tables, manuscripts, letters, diaries, notes, currency sheets, coins Subject Area Expertise/Special Skills: knowledge of a specific language and access to a keyboard with the characters in that language may be required for certain projects. Experience reading cursive handwriting and familiarity with 19th century (or prior) handwriting and conventions/abbreviations may be useful, as well as knowledge of scientific terminology, astrophysics data, or linguistics.

Contributing members

Total pages