Extracurricular actives in college are a great way to explore skills you may have. One of many extracurricular activities is writing for your school newspaper. So, if you are a beginner wanting to get into writing articles, here are a few tips to get the ball rolling and succeed as a student writer.
1. Have a clear topic
In order to have an effective article you need to know what you’re saying. A perfect way to figure out what you want to say is to plan out the direction of your article. By doing so it will avoid you veering off topic and it will help you save time.
2. Write Write Write!
A skilled writer is a writer who writes constantly. To develop a skill an individual must cultivate their skill. Even if you begin to write and you don’t know how where to start, begin by writing whatever comes to mind. You can always go back afterwards and edit to improve what you wrote, but you can’t improve something you haven’t written.
3. Listen to Constructive Criticism
Another great way to improve your writing is to listen to constructive criticism. It is important to take into consideration the suggestions of your peers or professors on how to enhance your skills. By others reviewing your work they can catch errors you may not see yourself.
4. Find a Mentor
It is important to find a mentor because a mentor will assist you in finding your strengths and weaknesses. Mentors also have connections with their colleagues that in return can benefit you in finding different opportunities. Not only will your mentor be there for you during your time at your institution, but it is also a person that can assist you when you are in the work force. The mentor you choose can share their knowledge and experience so you won’t “reinvent the wheel” as they say, and you can spend more time focusing on other ways to improve yourself.
5. Read other work
Take the time to read other works from previous writers to get an idea of what kind of material is needed for your work. By reviewing other people’s work, it can also help you figure out what else you can incorporate into your writing to not sound repetitive. Remember though, keep your voice! Don’t review other people’s work then try to mimic their writing style. Stay unique to yourself that way you don’t lose your passion for writing by not being true to yourself.
The best part about this advice is that it is versatile! You can use any of these tips to improve your essay or creative writing. This advice can apply to all kinds of writing, not just news writing.