by Cody Hodge

Created on: January 02, 2009   Last Updated: October 27, 2009

There is a writer lurking inside every single one of us. We all yearn to express ourselves, to have an outlet for the thoughts that we ponder everyday.

What happens though if you lack the skills necessary to be an effective communicator in the written form? Take it from me, when I was in high school, there was no way I ever would have imagined a career in writing. Writing a couple of sentences was a hard slog for me, and I dreaded the essays on regents exams.

After taking a few public speaking courses in high school, then as a freshman in college, something was striking me as odd. I was doing very well as a speaker, yet I was struggling as a writer. It was interesting too because I could easily write note cards, and even outlines of speeches, so why couldn't I write a good essay?

Then it hit me! If I was going to be a good writer, why not speak it out first and then take that and write it down? I tried that for my next paper, and amazingly, my grade jumped from the C's that I usually got to a B+. A couple of years ago, just to test my theory, I tried it on a student that I was tutoring, and having the same struggles I had once been going through.

Amazingly, he went from not even being able to pass remedial English, to passing remedial English, and passing English 101 in his first try. If I recall correctly, he passed each class with at least a 79 average, which is pretty good for a non-English major who couldn't even pass before.

A second tip I would give is to write about topics you know about. The above mentioned essay, where I was able to get that B+ was on a topic I knew a lot about. It was a paper on professional football, and since I was six, I have loved the Buffalo Bills with a passion.

Writing on a topic that you know so much about makes your writing sound more natural. You know all the facts and figures, and so you just go to your keyboard and type everything out of your head, and onto your computer screen. Not only is it easier, but is more fun, and you are more willing to go back and fix mistakes. You don't want to blow it on a topic you know so much about!

I think what it is is that you can sound more natural if you know what you are talking about, or if you talk it out before you write it. You know where you want your paragraphs to start and end, where your story is going, and which facts will come when. Timing, transition, and placement in an essay, or body of work is crucial to it sounding good.

It also takes practice, you have to dedicate yourself to writing in order to get better. Take extra classes, join a writing group, and have others read your work. Once you get into a rhythm, you can use these techniques, and discover others which will help you become a better writer in the future.

Learn more about this author, Cody Hodge.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.