If you use a computer for work there’s a fair chance writing is part of your role. Even if you don’t create in-depth reports or award-winning pieces of journalism, you probably need to write e-mails, Powerpoint slides and Teams messages. Maybe you enjoy doing this, or perhaps you’re part of the very large club of people who hate writing. Don’t despair: not only are you not alone, it’s also not your fault. Writing well isn’t always taught in school and universities often teach writing in a very specific context (being good at academic writing won’t help you much if your audience are non-academics, like most people).

But writing well is important: it helps you to get your message across and stops you from inadvertently upsetting people with clumsy stylistics. If you’re looking to become a better writer there are many training courses out there you could invest in. However, you might want to explore some free and informal options first.

First of all, to quote Stephen King: read! Reading expands your vocabulary and understanding of grammar. It doesn’t matter what you read, as long as you enjoy it. Books, newspaper articles, magazines, fiction and non-fiction all count. The only less-than-ideal option is social media posts: good grammar often takes a back seat online. I highly recommend King’s own books as study material, especially On Writing, in which he explains how he started his writing career and shares a wealth of useful advice.

Second tip: Elements of Style by Strunk and White. If you buy one book about writing, make it this one. It’s old and slim but a fantastic resource on writing effective and grammatically correct prose. You can pick up a pre-owned copy for the price of a cup of coffee from any good second-hand book shop.

A scary but very helpful option: find a proofreader. Make it someone who writes well, someone you know and trust. Ask them to be firm but fair in their feedback. Don’t be hurt by what they tell you. A good proofreader will criticize your style, not the content and definitely not you as a person. Return the favour by helping them get better at something they struggle with or pay them for their time.

Final point: if you’re dealing with dyslexia or similar issues, don’t hesitate to seek professional help. There’s no need to become a great writer (unless your goal is to win the Booker Prize) but we can all learn to write clearer. Not only does this make you look more professional, it will also help you get your message across effectively, so you can achieve what you want to achieve.

Image my own @thecococatani