By Emma Jan, Montclair State University, Hawk Communications Intern
What precisely are writing skills?
Writing skills are the tools we use to communicate our thoughts, ideas, and information to others in a physical form. It is important that everyone strengthens their writing skills and understands the purposes they serve.
- Grammar focuses on sentence patterns and parts of speech.
- Mechanics focuses on punctuation, capitalization, and spelling.
- Structure and organization focus on whether the content that was written makes sense and can be understood clearly by the readers.
- Tone, style, and word choice shape how the message is conveyed. Does the writer like or dislike what they are writing about? Is the content formal or informal?
- Editing and revision are used to review written content and make changes to achieve a clearer understanding and stronger impact for the reader.
How to Boost Writing Skills Outside of a Classroom
One of the most common ways to boost writing skills outside of the classroom is through creativity! At First Draft Academy, students will learn just how fun creative writing can be with our different programs. Write on Sports will show students that sports can go beyond just a game. Sports can involve fashion, music, and societal issues. Write on Arts exposes students to the different mediums in art are and how it ranges from theater, music, fine arts, and culture. One of our newer programs, Media Lab is a way for students to take their skills from the other previously mentioned programs and develop them into their own project. Students are able to create a script that will become a video or podcast focused on the topic of their choice.
Being able to write something that you are passionate about can bring out a lot of emotions. If you are someone who is trying to become an author, it can be a major confidence boost when a book you worked on finally gets published. Writing can bring out a lot of emotion and can be used as a healthy way to regulate and express emotions. Writing can be expressed through:
- Journaling
- Poetry
- Short stories
- Speeches
- Song Lyrics
- Scripts
Strong Writing Skills Carve Pathways for Future Success!
Writing skills, reading comprehension, and critical thinking skills all go together and become more important as a person gets older. These skills can be developed throughout your whole life! A strong foundation in writing can advance careers, become a hobby, improve communication skills, build confidence, express emotions clearly,enhance critical thinking, help you advocate for yourself and others, and open doors to creative opportunities.
The bottom line here is that no matter where you go or what you do, the ability to write clearly and confidently will always be beneficial. They are a part of our everyday lives. They are a part of how we communicate with one another, how we develop and maintain relationships, and how we are able to complete certain tasks.
Writing skills are our superpower!