1. Regardless of your role, with good writing skills, you can clearly transcribe your thoughts into meaningful messages, enabling you to share your ideas, build relationships, and strengthen your professional image.
1. Review grammar and spelling basics.
Grammar and spelling form the foundation of good writing. Writing with proper grammar and spelling communicates your professionality and attention to detail to your reader. It also makes your writing easier to understand.
2. Read what you want to write.
Knowing what a finished piece of writing can look like can guide your own. If you’re trying to write a humorous short story, read humorous short stories. Writing a book review? Find a few and take note of how they’re structured. Pay attention to what makes them good and what you want to emulate (without plagiarizing, of course). If you’re working on a school assignment, you can ask your instructor for examples of successful pieces from past students.
Make reading a part of your everyday life to improve your writing. Try reading the news in the morning or picking up a book before you head to bed. If you haven’t been a big reader in the past, start with topics you’re interested in, or ask friends and family for recommendations. You’ll gradually begin to understand what subjects, genres, and authors you enjoy.
3. Proofread.
While it’s tempting to submit work as soon as you’re done with it, build in some time to revisit what you’ve written to catch errors big and small. Here are a few proofreading tips to keep in mind:
Set your work aside before you edit. Try to step away from your writing for a day or more so you can come back to it with fresh, more objective eyes. Crunched for time? Even allotting 20 minutes between writing and proofreading can allow you to approach your work with renewed energy.
Start with easy fixes, then progress to bigger changes. Starting with easier changes can get you in the rhythm for proofreading, allow you to read through your work once more, and clear distractions so you can focus on bigger edits. Read through your work to catch misspellings, inconsistencies, and grammar errors. Then address the larger problems with structure or awkward transitions.
4. Get feedback.
Whether you’re writing emails or essays, asking for feedback is a great way to see how somebody besides yourself will interpret your text. Have an idea of what you’d like your proofreader to focus on—the structure, conclusion, the persuasiveness of an argument, or otherwise.
Approach a trusted friend, family member, coworker, or instructor. If you’re a student, your school might also have a writing resource center you can reach out to.
You might also consider forming a writing group or joining a writing class. Find writing courses online, at your local community college, or at independent writing workshops in your city.
5. Think about structure.
Grammar and spelling keep your writing consistent and legible, but structure ensures the big ideas get across to the reader.
In many cases, forming an outline will help solidify structure. An outline can clarify what you’re hoping to convey in each section, enable you to visualize the flow of your piece, and surface parts that require more research or thought.
Structure might look different depending on what you’re writing. An essay typically has an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. A fiction piece might follow the six-stage plot structure: exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution, and denouement. Choose what’s best for your purposes.
6. Write.
Like many skills, one of the best ways to improve your writing is to practice. Here are a few ways you can get started:
Start a journal or a blog.
Join a class or writing workshop.
Practice free writing.
Write letters to friends or family.
Put together an opinion piece for your local newspaper or publication you like.
7. Know some common fixes.
Even if a text is grammatically correct, you may be able to make it more dynamic and interesting with some polish. Here are some common ways you can sharpen your writing
2. Don't stick to generally accepted practices Always look at things from a different angle. It's not a matter of pros and cons, just different points of view When you feel stuck on a subject, walk away from it, come back to it when you have a clearer mind. Change your routine as often as possible. For example, going to school/office using a different route. Watch different types of movies/books, not your favorites. Visit a different restaurant, not your usual restaurant, etc. This helps build new neural pathways in your brain, and helps break old thought patterns. A healthy lifestyle is getting enough sleep and a good diet Creative Problem Solving Always explore different options/answers to a question. Soon it became a habit Be curious about different subjects. Mix, match and connect different subjects to discover their possible meanings and applications. For example, the iPod is the result of combining music with digital devices Read more, learn more, share more, and discuss more. This helps you see patterns in a complex world, and be able to apply different patterns to different subjects Artistically Creative This requires combining a creative mind with certain skills such as a musical instrument or writing. Of course practice is very important. To become a creative artist, you still need to cultivate a creative mindset and attitude. Otherwise, a pianist cannot become a songwriter. An interesting observation is that the instruments an artist owns can spark creativity. Creative ideas emerge when they start writing or playing music. Creativity does not only come from the brain, but can flow from every cell of our body. It actually has to do with intuition, which requires its own answer.
3. Follow these steps to prepare for your public-speaking event:
1. Know your audience
Knowing your audience helps you figure out how to adjust your speech and your presentation. Considering your audience aids your decision in what kind of language you use, how long your speech is and what topics are appropriate. Make sure the experience is enjoyable and the information you provide is useful to your specific audience.
2. Familiarize yourself with the environment
Try to visualize your surroundings and how the event will look like the day of. Try to get as much information as possible about where you will be presenting. Check to see if you'll be on stage and if you'll have a podium or microphone.
Be aware of how you will need to get to the location, especially if it is a larger event. Consider spaces such as backstage or different entrances you might need to use as a speaker. Prepare materials and supplies beforehand, such as water, your computer, a notebook and a pen.
3. Outline the main points
Outlining the main points of your speech makes your presentation focused and organized. Try to use these main points as the foundation of your speech.
Consider outlining your speech with keywords. Keywords are beneficial because they are easy to remember and work well with an outline. You can easily glance at your notes and see specific keywords that help you stay focused.
Career Guide
Career developmentHow To Prepare for Public Speaking and Different Events
How To Prepare for Public Speaking and Different Events
Updated October 22, 2022
Video: How to Overcome a Fear of Public Speaking
In this video, Jenn, a certified Career Coach, explains the common causes of a fear of public speaking.
At some point in your career, you'll likely need to deliver a speech or a presentation in public. Depending on the public-speaking engagement, you can use several strategies to deliver a compelling presentation that keeps the audience engaged. Proper preparation is an important step that can make you feel more confident in your delivery.
In this article, we discuss different types of public-speaking events and review how to prepare for public speaking when the time comes.
Types of public-speaking events
Learning about the different types of public-speaking events helps you determine how to prepare for your engagement. Here are a few common types of public-speaking events:
Seminars: A seminar is a lecture to a large audience. Many organizations offer seminars to train a group of professionals on a specific topic. Many seminars are accompanied by slideshows or other visual presentations.
Conferences: Conferences are gatherings where speakers present to an audience. Most conferences often have multiple speakers presenting in different areas of the conference. Usually, your audience is made up of people who have come to listen to you and your panel discuss a particular topic.
Virtual events: In this setting, you will present from your computer rather than standing in front of an audience. However, this does still mean you will have many people listening and watching you. You should present in a professional location and dress accordingly. Well-functioning technology is especially important for this type of event.
Award ceremonies: At an award ceremony, you might be receiving or giving an award. These events are more formal. If you think or know you're receiving an award, make sure to have your speech prepared and practiced. Keep the speech on the shorter end, and maintain a humble presence.
Special occasions: Retirement parties or going away gatherings are special occasions that often include a short speech from a close colleague or manager. Usually, speeches during these events are informal and short.
How to prepare for a public-speaking event
Follow these steps to prepare for your public-speaking event:
1. Know your audience
Knowing your audience helps you figure out how to adjust your speech and your presentation. Considering your audience aids your decision in what kind of language you use, how long your speech is and what topics are appropriate. Make sure the experience is enjoyable and the information you provide is useful to your specific audience.
2. Familiarize yourself with the environment
Try to visualize your surroundings and how the event will look like the day of. Try to get as much information as possible about where you will be presenting. Check to see if you'll be on stage and if you'll have a podium or microphone.
Be aware of how you will need to get to the location, especially if it is a larger event. Consider spaces such as backstage or different entrances you might need to use as a speaker. Prepare materials and supplies beforehand, such as water, your computer, a notebook and a pen.
3. Outline the main points
Outlining the main points of your speech makes your presentation focused and organized. Try to use these main points as the foundation of your speech.
Consider outlining your speech with keywords. Keywords are beneficial because they are easy to remember and work well with an outline. You can easily glance at your notes and see specific keywords that help you stay focused.
Related: 12 Common Presentation Styles Used in the Workplace
4. Have someone review your speech
Once you have written down your speech, give it to a trusted friend or coworker to read. Getting another perspective can help you identify areas of improvement. Ask them to make notes or changes to help with the flow and content.
5. Practice on your own
Find out how much time you have for your speech. When practicing, make sure to time yourself from start to finish, and read the entire speech several times. For the first few times, feel free to use notecards or a script, but once you get comfortable, try only using these resources when you forget a line. This can help you make more eye contact with your audience, which helps engage them.
6. Incorporate your hands
Using hand gestures to explain points in your speech can be useful. Not only will you better engage with the audience, but using hand gestures can help you remember moments. For example, if you are explaining audiobooks, you might point to your ears. This link between word and movement can help you remember what to say.
7. Use a mirror
While practicing on your own, say your speech in front of a mirror. This will allow you to see how you will appear to the audience. You can also more easily integrate hand gestures and facial expressions when you can see what they look like.
8. Record yourself practicing
Recording video is as easy as opening an application on your phone. Take advantage of this technology, and record your entire speech while you practice. Once you finish, you can look over your recording and analyze your performance. Think about what you did well and what parts you can practice again.
9. Rehearse in front of someone
The best way to get comfortable with giving speeches is by giving them to a smaller audience, even if it's just one other person. Getting used to someone listening and watching you as you speak will help you feel comfortable. At the end of your speech, invite your audience to give feedback on your performance.
10. Make use of the stage
Make use of the stage, especially if you are presenting in front of a large audience. Use the space to your advantage by walking slowly throughout the presentation. Slight movements will engage your audience because their eyes naturally follow you. Changing your position will also allow other sections of the audience to see you better.
11. Anticipate questions and prepare answers
Most likely, a few audience members will have questions regarding your speech. Think of some items you might receive. Then write down answers to them and practice saying them out loud. Although your speech ends with your final point, your presentation continues with answering questions, so you want to be prepared for this portion as well.
12. Prepare your technology
Consider what technology you might be using for your speech, such as a computer or projector. Think of any digital material you need, such as a slideshow or images. Make sure you have these items readily available, updated and saved for easy access. You can save those files on your desktop to find them quickly. You want to make sure all your technology is working properly so you can seamlessly transition through your presentation.
13. Set a practice limit
Practicing is extremely beneficial because it allows you to get comfortable with explaining your information out loud. However, over-practicing or memorizing your speech could make you sound disengaged or robotic. Practice enough to feel comfortable enough to only rely on notecards or a short outline when you need them.