Creative writing as a skill that needs constant practice to become a more effective communicator. Although challenging, there are a number of ideas to keep in mind in order to achieve consistency and improvement. Below are just a few ways to improve creative writing skills, especially for careers like copywriting and advertising, where your skill as a wordsmith is essential.

1. Keep Writing

Sometimes writers think they only need to write when they feel the urge to write. Well, the best of writers tend to disagree with that. The only way a creative writer can improve their skills is by constantly writing, even if they feel they are out of ideas or out of practice. The motivation should be ever-present to push yourself to keep writing.

2. Establish a Writing Routine and Reading Schedule

Keep writing by creating a constant writing habit. Fifteen minutes a day is a good and easy habit to maintain instead of allocating hours in a day, which may seem like a daunting task.

3. Learn the Trade

Editing, correct grammar, storytelling, and proper formatting are crucial skills needed to write a good article or piece. A good idea for a story is never enough. A good writer brings an idea to a storyline and gives the story life by paying attention to these details. Never underestimate the power of details.

4. Share Your Work

The only way a writer is going to learn their strengths and weaknesses from their readers is by sharing his/her work. It is important that as a creatives your work gets out there for critique. A creative writer should be open to positive and negative criticism and pick the best way to improve and correct their work.

5. Be Disciplined

Discipline is a very critical tool in improving the skills of creative writing. Self-discipline is the most important. A writer should stick to their itinerary, finish all their projects, and have a plan. Nothing comes out of lack of self-discipline, especially for a creative artist. As the saying goes, “Only the disciplined are truly free”.

6. Be Flexible

Some writers tend to agonize and feel bitter over their stories or pieces not going according to plan. The beauty of creative writing is that sometimes even the authors have no idea how their stories end. George R.R. Martin, the author of the famous book series “Song of Ice and Fire”, admits that even he has no idea how the story ends until he sits down to write. It is necessary to let the story flow instead of forcing it to a conclusion they had envisioned.

Creative Writing Skills Needed as a Copywriter

If these steps are followed, any writer out there should see an improvement in their work. Issues such as writer’s block come about as a result of lack of practice and lack of flexibility. Adopting a more open-minded approach helps boost and improve creative skills especially in writing.

As a copywriter, you must be able to adapt your style and tone to suit many audiences. At times your writing will need to be more technical, more persuasive, or more creative to suit the objective of the piece. To gain these important skills, it is necessary to practice your copywriting in real-world scenarios. For example,

• Classroom assignments
• Freelance work
• Personal branding
• Internships

All these opportunities hone your craft through trial and error, study, and mentorship. Using the above suggestions in these situations, you will see a steep curve in your ability to write creative copy under deadlines and for a variety of clients. No matter how much work you’re doing, never underestimate the value of feedback. Ask for it constantly from anyone to see if they understand the intent and main ideas of the article.

Copywriting Skills and Portfolio Upon Graduation with FIU GSC Creative Track

Florida International University in partnership with world-renowned portfolio school, Miami Ad School, offers the Global Strategic Communication Creative Track graduate program specializing in copywriting. The program leads to a Master of Science in Mass Communication degree plus a portfolio showcasing your best creative writing work to get your career accelerated.

Live to your fullest creative potential and contact Grizelle De Los Reyes, program director, to learn more.