Setting Goals to Improve Your Writing

by Chesley @ Daily Freelance Writing Tips

It is good to aspire to become a better writer. Setting goals is a key in making sure that your writing skills are getting better. With a little planning, you will build your confidence as a skilled freelance writer, and you will have more to offer your clients. Here are some goal-setting guidelines:

• Determine what aspects of your writing you want to improve. There are some many ways to improve, including:
  • writing faster
  • being more concise
  • using better grammar
  • mastering a style such as news writing, how-to, conversational tone, business writing, technical writing
• Determine when you will improve your writing. Set a certain amount of time aside to focus on practicing your writing skills.
• Determine how you will improve your writing. Will you take on projects that will force you to improve that specific aspect of your writing? Make sure that you allow extra time for practice and revision if you choose to do that. Will you sign up for a workshop and have other writers help you improve (recommended)?
• Try to be as specific as possible when you are setting your goals.
• Celebrate when you see improvement. Whenever you reach a goal, you should reward yourself. After that, set a new goal and celebrate again when you reach it. Better writing is a reward in itself that will pay off, but a treat just for yourself will inspire you to continue to improve.

Enjoy the process. Don’t put pressure on yourself to be perfect. Just aim to be a little better than before.