10 "Killer" Tips for Good Writing

To write or not to write: that is the question! Faced with this impasse, Escola Educação has a question for you: What is the best exercise for those who want to succeed in writing? If you answered that the best exercise is writing, then you are right. Believe me, there are no magic formulas or tips in the world that replace practice, because to improve the production of texts it is essential that you dedicate yourself and put into operation everything you learned in school and in books.

Of course, there are tips on writing techniques that can help you get over the rocky path: writing well is no chore. easy, we know that, but we also don't need to transform the moment of transferring ideas to paper into a real dilemma. You should already know that the essay is the most important test in the National High School Exam, as well as in the other exams applied for the candidate to enter the best universities in the country. In addition, linguistic competence is a skill that is also required in the various competitions held for public positions in our country, therefore, it is necessary to develop this talent that is certainly in you.

In addition to practicing writing a lot, those who wish to improve this modality also need to be aware that it is not enough to write anything and anyway: you have to read. A good author is, par excellence, a good reader, given that there is nothing more important than learning from the wisdom of great writers, those true devourers of literature.

You can start with a light and pleasant reading, choosing the textual genre with which you most identify, then of this, you will certainly want to expand your horizons and seek other types of reading that provide subsidies to to create. As we've already said, there is no magic that can turn you into a proficient writer overnight, there is, in fact, it is the will, dedication and effort, fundamental elements for those who also want to master the language of the texts written.

Well, the Escola Educação website is here to help you in this challenge of becoming a skilled author with words. For this, we are going to show you ten tips for good writing, simple and efficient tips that you you can consult it whenever necessary, whenever you find yourself in front of a sheet (or screen) in white. Let's go? Pay attention to the tips and good studies!

1. Write, write and write more

As we said, there is no magic formula, the secret is to write, write and write more and more! As we practice, we have the opportunity to notice our shortcomings and also to remedy them. At first you will certainly make mistakes, that's natural, but who never learned from their own mistakes, right? You can count on the help of someone who has more experience with the written modality, someone like a good writing teacher, for example, or someone else with the specific knowledge that the area require. Ask him to read his texts and indicate possible flaws, as well as indicate what can be improved in the next textual productions. It would be no use for you to write and keep it in a drawer or computer file: show your talent to someone who can advise you.

1. Read, read and read more

Formulas and human sciences definitely don't mix. Writing is an inexact science, which is why it doesn't fit into pre-established standards. But, of course, writing techniques are valid, as they make life easier for the would-be author. But, as we said before, there is no exercise that surpasses in effectiveness the habit of reading. It's no use knowing all the tips if you're too lazy to open a good book to start taking ownership of what it offers us.

When we read, we have the invaluable opportunity to get in touch with how language works, we perceive all its mechanisms and observe the grammatical rules outside the context of grammars normative. Those who read a lot do not need to memorize all the rules and exceptions, as they understand in practice how they are applied. So, stop being lazy and go to a nearby bookstore or library right now.

1. Writing in contests and entrance exams

In contests and entrance exams, the number of lines of the essay is usually stipulated in advance, so you need to respect this rule, otherwise your test will be disqualified. Usually the requirement is that your text does not exceed 30 lines, each extra line will be disregarded at the time of writing, which will fatally compromise the intelligibility of your text. To be able to adapt to the rule, train textual cohesion and your power of vocabulary conciseness. Eliminate excesses and be objective.

1. The essay size

A good essay usually has around four paragraphs, and this should be done if the subject is contests and entrance exams. These four paragraphs must be carefully distributed between the introduction, development and conclusion, parts that make up the structure of a text. Of course, this structure can vary, but it is important to be careful and not allow your text to become too long and, consequently, boring for the reader or proofreader.

1. Objectivity is the watchword

In order to be able to develop your ideas and arguments in the textual structure advised above, you must be objective. This means that all excesses must be eliminated, under penalty of your writing becoming too long and tiring for the reader. Remember that in non-literary texts conciseness and vocabulary accuracy must reign supreme, there is no room for “non-specific vagueness”, nor for linguistic flourishes and refinements. Figures of speech that can cause the unwanted effect of ambiguity must be filed, for this you must choose a direct language, free of inversions and the use of the passive voice. Prefer words in common use, that is, words that your reader can understand the meaning: nothing abusing archaisms or showing a vocabulary worthy of Machado de Assis (he was the master, he could!).

1. Wrote, reread

Golden rule for anyone who wants to learn to write well. After having written and taken advantage of all the tips presented so far, it is necessary to reread. When we reread our writing, the chances of finding possible errors, whether grammatical or spelling, increase or even textual cohesion and coherence, as well as increasing the chances of delivering to the reader a text free of errors. Preferably, do it out loud, not even the great authors give up this moment.

1. Pay attention to the form of writing

What does that mean? It means that you need to pay attention to the presentation of your text, because to make a good impression it is not enough that it is well written, but also well presented. For this, you must respect the indentation of the paragraphs – usually two centimeters from the margin -, use the hyphen when making a syllabic separation and never “skip lines” between a paragraph and other. To close the seventh tip, remember to present good handwriting. We're not saying you have to have impeccable handwriting, that's not it, but your handwriting needs to be good enough to be read. Remember that a broker who is faced with thousands of essays to analyze will hardly waste time deciphering unknowns and scribbles. Always value legibility and, when in doubt, choose print.

1. Pay attention to the title of the essay

The title will not always be mandatory, but when it is not, this will be expressly mentioned in the test booklet. If it is requested, a trend that most tests follow, it must be composed of a noun phrase, that is, a phrase that does not contain verbs. Bet on short titles and never score at the end.

1. Say goodbye to long periods

Long periods compromise the coherence and textual cohesion of an essay, as this type of construction can facilitate mistakes when punctuating. When we said you should opt for short periods, we weren't saying you should go telegraphic (remember telegrams? If not, look it up!); try to find the balance, but always prefer short sentences, as they are more easily understood by the reader.

1. Start the test with the essay

Never underestimate the importance of writing, as it often makes the difference between getting the dream job vacancy in that university of preference or in that public office for which you worked so hard to to occupy. Anyone who leaves writing for the end runs the risk of being too tired to write. You should, if possible, draft ideas and arguments and think them through before starting to write. When going to clean, be careful not to omit any word or even entire periods, otherwise all your effort may have been in vain. Try to time the time allocated for each of the tests so as not to run the risk of not being able to answer it in full.

Luana Alves
Graduated in Letters