Writing is an important skill that everyone needs to master in life. It is a medium through which we communicate our thoughts and ideas to others. Writing can be used for a variety of purposes such as writing a letter, resume, blog post, card, book, email, text message, accident report, sales page and more. It is a crucial skill that can make or break one’s professional career.

As an entrepreneur, I realized the importance of writing when I started my own business. I write blog posts daily, send emails multiple times a day, post on social media platforms throughout the day and write scripts for my email list. Without mastering the skill of writing, my business wouldn’t have survived even for a week. Writing has become an integral part of my daily routine that helps me communicate and engage with my audience effectively.

Over the years, I have learned about writing that can be reduced to 12 simple steps. These steps can be applied to any type of writing, whether it’s a text message or working on the next book. I rely on these 12 effective writing steps to get the best message out of me!

Here are the 12 effective writing steps that have helped me to become a better writer:

1. Eliminate All Distractions

Before starting any writing task, it is essential to clear all the noise from your mind. Find a quiet room, turn off your phone, and avoid any distracting thoughts. This is often the most challenging part of writing because people who can’t make time for writing can’t write anything.

2. Think of What You Want to Write

Plan and organize what you want to write about in your head. Have a good idea about the topic, theme, and the point you want to make. Knowing what subject you want to write about will help give direction to your writing.

3. Decide Who You Are Writing To

Determine your target audience. Are you writing for entrepreneurs, union workers, moms, teenagers, middle-aged men, someone just like you, or someone completely different? Knowing your audience is crucial because it will determine the tone and language of your writing.

4. Brainstorm All Your Ideas Out

Take a pen and a piece of paper or open your word processor on your computer and brainstorm all the relevant points you want to cover in your writing. I usually make a list of bullets for this and jot down a bunch of random points or cool-sounding sentences that I know I want to include.

5. Zip Through And Write Out Everything That Comes To Mind

Start writing and let your thoughts flow freely. Take the points from your brainstorming and add points that come to your mind in the moment. Do not bother trying to make things perfect at this stage. Keep writing until you finish.

6. Don’t Try To Make Things Pretty—Just Write!

Do not get distracted by trying to make everything perfect by fixing spelling errors or mistakes. This can slow you down and mess up the natural flow of writing. The trick is to keep writing without worrying about perfection.

7. Now Make Things Pretty And Touch Things Up

After finishing the first draft, now it’s time to touch up the text. Go back and read the document slowly, examining sentences and their flow. Replace words that you repeat with different words, put commas in place to make necessary pauses, and edit all noticeable errors.

8. Put In A Great Opener

Make sure to include an engaging opener that captures the reader’s interest. Avoid boring introductions with dull first sentences and paragraphs. The opener is an essential part of your writing as it will determine whether the reader will continue reading or not.

9. Spell Check

Ensure to use the spell checker. Although it’s not a fool-proof system for catching errors, it’s still effective at catching basic mistakes within your writing.

10. Have A Friend Proofread It

A proofreader is essential to any writing process because they offer unbiased feedback that will help you spot overlooked mistakes. It’s one thing to look over your own writing with your eyes, but it’s another thing to have another person look over it and evaluate it.

11. Make Necessary Changes

Consider the feedback from the proofer and make necessary changes where needed. While it’s important to listen to feedback, remember that it’s your writing, and you know best what you’re trying to communicate. Use feedback to improve, but don’t make changes that don’t align with your vision.

12. Publish

After going through these 12 steps, it’s time to publish. If you’ve carefully followed these steps, you should have a well-engaging piece of writing to share with the world. Writing that is respected and praised is the epitome of achievement for any aspiring writer.

In conclusion, writing is a crucial skill that everyone needs to master in life. The 12 effective writing steps mentioned above have helped me to enhance my writing skills and improve my writing output. These steps can be applied to any writing task, and they’ll always serve to get the best message out of you. Anyone can share their story with the world by following these steps!