WRITING SKILLS

Writing is often regarded as the visual representation of speech sounds. The typical
situation where writing is the only choice is when the receiver of the communication is not
physically present. ;some devices are used in order to compensate for the speech advantages
such as punctuation marks, use of capital letters, paragraphing, underlining, italicizing and
use of various types of sentences. Apparently, in order to communicate through writing, one
has to learn these conventions.
Writing depends on mechanical as well as ;mental processes. The mechanical aspect
refers to orthography or drawing letters of alphabet and the knowledge of spelling and
punctuation while ;mental processes include an adequate knowledge of language, grammar,
vocabulary and usage.
In short, we can say that, Writing skills include all the knowledge and abilities related to
expressing ideas through the written word. The ability to clearly communicate ideas through
writing is in high demand for employers in any industry. Well-written documents, emails and
posts can persuade customers to purchase a product or convince investors to partner with a
company. Technical knowledge about writing conventions, style guides and formatting for
different situations are also an important part of writing skills. Knowing what situations call
for different styles of writing and being able to set an appropriate tone over text are both
important writing skills that any person can use at work.

Principles of writing good English

Writing is never about the writer. It’s about the reader. It’s not about simplifying your work
or heavy-handed editing. It’s not about stifling creativity. Writing in plain English is
about understanding who your reader is and what they want; then writing in a way that
speaks to them clearly and concisely. There are some principles which make your effective
and meaningful.
1. Know your objective: Think before you write. What's your goal? Make sure you fully
understand the assignment. Are you writing a one-paragraph executive summary or a five-
page report? Try answering this question: What specifically do I want the reader to know,
think, or do?
2. Make a list: Write down the ideas or points you want to cover. Why? This helps you get
started in identifying the key ideas you want to discuss. If you have trouble getting started, try
discussing your ideas with someone else. "Kicking an idea around" often helps you clarify
your objective and fine-tune what you are trying to accomplish.
3. Organize your ideas: Just as it's difficult to find what you want in a messy, disorganized
desk drawer, it's hard to find important ideas in a poorly organized message.
4. Back it up: Have an opinion but back it up - support with data. There are a number of
ways you can support your ideas, including explanations, examples, facts, personal
experiences, stories, statistics, and quotations.
5. Separate main ideas: Each paragraph should have one main point or idea captured in a
topic sentence. The topic sentence is normally the first sentence in the paragraph. Each
paragraph should be started by an indentation or by skipping a line.
6. Use bullets or numbers: If you are listing or discussing a number of items, use bullets or
number your points like I have done in this paper. Here's an example of using bullets.
7. Write complete sentences: A sentence is about someone doing something - taking action.
The someone may be a manager, employee, customer, etc. The "doing something - taking
action" can include mental processes such as thinking, evaluating, and deciding, or physical
actions such as writing and talking. A good rule to practice is to have subjects closely
followed by their verbs.
8. Use short sentences.: Sentences should be a maximum of 12 to 15 words in length.
According to the American Press Institute, sentences with 15 or fewer words are understood
90% of the time. Sentences with eight or fewer words are understood 100% of the time.
9. Be precise and accurate: . Words like "large," "small," "as soon as possible," "they,"
"people," "teamwork," and "customer focus" are vague and imprecise. The reader may
interpret these words to mean something different than what you intended. Reduce
communication breakdowns by being specific and precise. Define terms as needed. The
reader may not understand certain acronyms and abbreviations.
10. Use commas appropriately: Use a comma to separate the elements in a series of three or
more items: His favorite colors are red, white, and blue.
11. Have a conclusion: Would you really enjoy watching a movie or sporting event that had
no conclusion? No. The conclusion ties your points together. The reader wants to know the
final score - the bottom line message.

7Cs of Writing Skills

1. clarity,
2. correctness,
3. conciseness,
4. courtesy,
 5. concreteness,
6. consideration and
7. completeness.

Understanding the composition process

The process through which the writer passes to produce an effective piece of writing varies with the
writer and the writing task, but this summary describes the process through which most effective
writers pass most of the time.

Prewriting
 Collect. Effective writing requires an abundant inventory of specific, accurate
information. Information is collected through reading, interviewing, observing, and
remembering.
 Connect. Meaning emerges as pieces of information connect and evolve into
patterns. The writer plays with the relationships between pieces of information to discover
as many patterns of meaning as possible.
 Rehearse. Mentally and on paper, the writer uses writing to explore and move toward
meaning. The writer rehearses titles, leads, partial drafts, sections of a potential piece, or
sketches of a piece of writing to discover the voice and the form that will lead to meaning
and effective communication.

Writing
 Draft. The writer completes a discovery draft, usually written as fast as possible,
often without notes, to find out what he/she knows and does not know, what works and
does not work. The writer is particularly interested in what works, since most effective
writing is built from extending and reinforcing the positive elements in what has been
written.

Rewriting
 Develop. The writer explores the subject by developing each point through definition,
description, and documentation which show as well as tell the writer, and then the reader,
what the piece of writing means. The writer usually needs to add information to
understand the potential meaning of what has been written and often must restructure the
successive drafts.
 Clarify. The writer anticipates and answers the readers' questions. At this stage the
writer cuts what is unnecessary and adds those spontaneous touches we call "style." These
changes produce the illusion of easy writing that makes for easy reading.
  Edit. The writer goes over the piece line by line, often reading aloud, to make sure
that each word, each mark of punctuation, contributes to the effectiveness of the piece of
writing.

Writing Clearly
Writing clearly and concisely means choosing your words deliberately and precisely,
constructing your sentences carefully to eliminate deadwood, and using grammar properly.
By writing clearly and concisely, you will get straight to your point in a way your audience
can easily comprehend.

Using words and phrases in writing formal English

When you are writing a dissertation, thesis or research paper, many words and phrases
that are acceptable in conversations or informal writing are considered inappropriate
in academic writing. You should try to avoid expressions that are too informal,
unsophisticated, vague, exaggerated, or subjective, as well as those that are generally
unnecessary or incorrect.

Sentence writing
Clearly written, complete sentences require key information: a subject, a verb and a complete
idea. A sentence needs to make sense on its own. Sometimes, complete sentences are also
called independent clauses. A clause is a group of words that may make up a sentence.
An independent clause is a group of words that may stand alone as a complete, grammatically
correct thought.

Paragraph writing
A paragraph is a series of sentences that are organized and coherent, and are all related to a
single topic. Almost every piece of writing you do that is longer than a few sentences should
be organized into paragraphs. This is because paragraphs show a reader where the
subdivisions of an essay begin and end, and thus help the reader see the organization of the
essay and grasp its main points.
Paragraphs can contain many different kinds of information. A paragraph could contain a
series of brief examples or a single long illustration of a general point. It might describe a
place, character, or process; narrate a series of events; compare or contrast two or more
things; classify items into categories; or describe causes and effects. Regardless of the kind of
information they contain, all paragraphs share certain characteristics. One of the most
important of these is a topic sentence.
TOPIC SENTENCES
A well-organized paragraph supports or develops a single controlling idea, which is
expressed in a sentence called the topic sentence. A topic sentence has several important
functions: it substantiates or supports an essay’s thesis statement; it unifies the content of a
paragraph and directs the order of the sentences; and it advises the reader of the subject to be
discussed and how the paragraph will discuss it. Readers generally look to the first few
sentences in a paragraph to determine the subject and perspective of the paragraph. That’s
why it’s often best to put the topic sentence at the very beginning of the paragraph. In some
cases, however, it’s more effective to place another sentence before the topic sentence—for
example, a sentence linking the current paragraph to the previous one, or one providing
background information.
Although most paragraphs should have a topic sentence, there are a few situations when a
paragraph might not need a topic sentence. For example, you might be able to omit a topic
sentence in a paragraph that narrates a series of events, if a paragraph continues developing
an idea that you introduced (with a topic sentence) in the previous paragraph, or if all the
sentences and details in a paragraph clearly refer—perhaps indirectly—to a main point. The
vast majority of your paragraphs, however, should have a topic sentence.
PARAGRAPH STRUCTURE
Most paragraphs in an essay have a three-part structure—introduction, body, and conclusion.
You can see this structure in paragraphs whether they are narrating, describing, comparing,
contrasting, or analyzing information. Each part of the paragraph plays an important role in
communicating your meaning to your reader.
Introduction: the first section of a paragraph; should include the topic sentence and any
other sentences at the beginning of the paragraph that give background information or
provide a transition.
Body: follows the introduction; discusses the controlling idea, using facts, arguments,
analysis, examples, and other information.
Conclusion: the final section; summarizes the connections between the information
discussed in the body of the paragraph and the paragraph’s controlling idea.

Use of Grammar and Punctuation

 Grammar is the structure of our writing. Without correct grammar usage, our ideas and
thoughts cannot be communicated effectively or efficiently. Punctuation is a system of signs,
marks, or symbols used in writing to separate sentences and clarify how a sentence should be
read.

Grammar is the system of a language. Many people think grammar is the 'rules' of a
language but this is incorrect. A better way to think of grammar is the whole of the language
that we learn from early childhood to communicate with others in an effective manner.
Punctuation plays an important role in the written component of most languages.

Understanding grammar and punctuation is an important part of successful academic writing.

Even though knowing the names of the technical terms for different grammatical structures
isn't essential, it can help individuals to better understand how English (or any other
language) works.

Writing process
Writing is a complex combination of skills which is best taught by breaking down the
process. The writing process involves a series of steps to follow in producing a finished
piece of writing. Educators have found that by focusing on the process of writing,
almost everyone learns to write successfully. By breaking down writing step-by-step, the
mystery is removed and writer’s block is reduced. Most importantly, students discover
the benefits of constructive feedback on their writing, and they progressively master,

and even enjoy, writing.

Observing
The first step in writing a successful paper in college requires an active engagement with
your sources. Simply reading a primary source for content is no longer sufficient. The
question should no longer be “What happened?” but rather “Why did that happen? What does
that say about the character(s)/plot?” Make notes of your thoughts and ideas as you read.
When a student learns to internalize the 5 steps of the writing process, he or she will likely
produce a logical and well-written composition.

1. Prewriting: This is the planning phase of the writing process, when students brainstorm,
research, gather and outline ideas, often using diagrams for mapping out their thoughts.
 Audience and purpose should be considered at this point, and for the older students, a
working thesis statement needs to be started.
2. Drafting: Students create their initial composition by writing down all their ideas in an
organized way to convey a particular idea or present an argument. Audience and purpose
need to be finalized.
3. Revising: Students review, modify, and reorganize their work by rearranging, adding, or
deleting content, and by making the tone, style, and content appropriate for the intended
audience. The goal of this phase of the writing process is to improve the draft.
4. Editing: At this point in the writing process, writers proofread and correct errors in
grammar and mechanics, and edit to improve style and clarity. Having another writer’s
feedback in this stage is helpful.
5. Publishing: In this last step of the writing process, the final writing is shared with the
group. Sharing can be accomplished in a variety of ways, and with the help of computers,
it can even be printed or published online.