One of the biggest things that most people ask me to teach them is how to write.

It’s not that I don’t want to teach people; it’s just that there really is no powerful secret method or sure-fire process to improve one’s writing skills. I’ve never really figured out how I learned to write. In fact, I just remember studying grammar in school and somehow getting the hang of things. I didn’t take any special lessons and had no additional courses. There’s no magic bullet.

Which is why I always find it quite a dilemma when people tell me to teach them how to write.

I’m no Mr. Miyagi, and I don’t know how to teach people something I didn’t actually “learn” in the usual sense. Sure, I provide tips on improving writing, but to teach people how to write? I don’t think any self-respecting writer would be that arrogant to assume that their skills can be easily transfered to another person, like some sort of FedEx delivery.

So since I have no “read this and write like a pro” tips, I can only share some of the things that I think helped me improve my writing skills. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be a Hemingway or a Poe after reading my blog; I can’t even do that for myself. At the very least, though, you can find some methods or tips that might be applicable and helpful to you.

One primary suggestion I give aspiring writers is quite simple: READ.

Yes, read. A lot of people who want to be writers ironically lack the drive to read. This isn’t just for people who want to write novels or short stories or poems. You’re not reading to imitate the writing style of the masters. That would be pointless. You can copy their tone, general writing style and flow, but you’ll never be anything more than a second-rate copycat.

I suggest you read because it undeniably opens a lot of doors you didn’t even know were there. Here are some reasons why you should read, and how it can help you improve your writing skills:

1. Reading widens your vocabulary. People who read get to learn more words, and the wider your vocabulary, the more interesting your writing style. You don’t want to be the loser who uses big words to get attention; you just need to communicate your ideas properly and with the most suitable words. Reading gives you that edge.
2. Reading gives you a sense of structure. Anyone can write a sentence. The deal-breaker is in getting the hang of it and infusing your own flow of narrative. If you can write in a manner that appeals to at least a fraction of readers (not including your parents, who may be giving their praise out of kindness), then you’ve got something going. When you read, you subconsciously see how these published writers tell their story. You don’t have to mentally note the way they seamlessly move from one paragraph to another. You just need to imbibe that sense of structure and coherence that is so elusive to a lot of people. Some may think writing is easy, but the truth is that you need to present the narrative in a coherent, structured and interesting way.
3. Improve your creativity. When you don’t read, you’re pretty much limiting yourself. These writers have tons of experience and they have a variety of interests. Their visions of the world differ greatly, and reading can give you a lot of new ideas. You’re not supposed to mine these books for your own. That’s dangerously close to plagiarism. What you want to do is immerse yourself in creativity, so that you might trigger your own.
4. Strengthen your grasp of grammar. Some writers (like James Joyce) chuck grammatical rules out the window, but for the most part, you’ll learn a lot from them when it comes to proper use of grammar. They have editors, after all, and no decent editor will let a grammatical error slip through if they can help it. Don’t be so conscious that you lose focus on the book itself. Just reading through can give you a subconscious grasp of how sentences are constructed and what works and what doesn’t.
5. Reading is just good for you. It really is. Seriously.

If you want to be part of the literary world, you better build your own literacy first. Be a voracious reader not just because it can be of help to your budding writing career. Reading is a worthy pursuit, as it allows you to expand your mind and use your imagination.

Don’t go into it thinking that it’s a chore to improve your writing. That would just take all the fun out of reading and probably destroy whatever positive effect it may have on your writing skills.

Just in case you forget, though: read, read, read!

XOXO,