Nobody can claim to have perfect grammar and spelling skills, although some people are seemingly better at writing than others.  As a blogger, it is important that you develop good writing skills and have an eye for mistakes in your own writing.  

In theory, if you are a better writer, you will be abel to convert more visitors over to sales and leads through effective copywriting, and in the sense of blogging, more subscribers and return visitors.  However, under certain circumstances, the situation that you are in doesn’t necessarily determine your success.  People who have launched their career off-line and have created a name for themselves in the spotlight and begin blogging don’t necessarily need the wide-scope of writing knowledge that someone starting their blogging career online requires.

photo credit: :: R I C K ::

Effective writing does more than just draw in new visitors and subscribers, but also proves that you are devoted to changing and evolving your writing style, as is often evident by taking a look through your blog archives.  Your name as a blogger begins growing, people start associating your name with your blog, if you aren’t already using your name in your blog’s domain.  Recognition can be one of the most beneficial aspects of becoming an influential writer.

No matter what background, level of education, or nationality you originate from, it is possible to become a better writer.  It isn’t always an easy path to go down, but it is necessary in the online networking world.

There are some key steps involved in the process of evolving from a so-so writer to an individual with the ability to write like a “professional.”  

1. Don’t let anyone attach their name to your content.  After you’ve just spent a good portion of your day writing several articles, only to find them all copied, word-for-word onto “article” blogs, it demoralizes the art of writing and prevents you from being able to write up to top-notch levels.  File a DMCA or cease and desist letter immediately if you feel someone has infringed on your copyright protection and rights.
2. Make sure you’ve developed a close relationship with others who respect you and can grade your work truthfully.  Their input can help you change your writing for the better.  Don’t chose people solely because you believe they will applaud your skills, but people who can be honest and straight-forward with you.  
3. Network with other bloggers who need to write on a similar skill level and in the same niche as you.  Devote time each day to connecting with this group, whether through social networking sites or elsewhere, but be sure that you receive feedback and pointers.
4. Don’t let anyone let you down or become discouraged.  Take all criticisms in light as constructive.  By allowing others to expose your weak points, you will become a more adaptable writer.
5. Practice, practice, practice.  By writing every day, or at least a few times per week, you will improve upon the skill and become better as time progresses.  Don’t put off this step, as it is one of the most critical ones in the process of becoming a better writer.
6. Keep a set of tools on hand.  Make sure that you are able to write, whether in the form of notes or whole pages, wherever you are.  A basic set can include a pad of paper/notebook, pen/pencil, dictionary, thesaurus, or other reference books.  It doesn’t even need to be in the form of traditional materials -  a notebook computer with a built-in dictionary will do the job fine.
7. Don’t hesitate to take notes and jot down ideas whenever you can.  Develop a habit of keeping notes on what you see and hear on a daily basis, as you may choose to incorporate ideas from these in a future post.
8. Begin with a headline, plan, or idea.  When it is hard to think of a topic, begin with something simple, an event, place, or name that can inspire you to write an article.  It doesn’t matter what it is.  The pre-writing/brainstorming stage is important as a planning step, or your post/story won’t be as defined and concrete as you’d like it to be.
9. Create a schedule.  If you are able to write at the same time each day (easier when you have a blog), then you become accustomed to a set schedule, so that you are able to write within time constraints.  
10. Step away from your boundaries.  Experiment with new writing techniques, adding images and using different text styles while writing, giving more emotion to certain words and phrases.  There is no such thing as a standard for the type of writing you do.  Be adventurous and write in a different style for a change, it helps broaden your experience as a writer.
11. Don’t make excuses for not writing.  Putting off writing won’t develop your skills and make you a better writer.
12. Start a blog!  The core of blogging is writing and producing content.  You can’t go wrong with starting a blog, even a personal blog, as a look back at how your writing has improved over time.  It can even function as your portfolio or résumé should you go on to a freelance writing job or produce articles for other agencies/blog networks.
13. Read books on how to write.  Take the time to research the proper techniques of writing, and how to properly write following correct English rules.
14. Read famous authors’ work - “top” bloggers, for example.  You’ll develop an eye for what good writing looks like, and you can “replicate” their style to some extent, adapting it to suit your own style.  Many authors have been writing their whole lives and have had instruction from other authors and likely more experience than most people receive in their entire lifetime..
15. Make mistakes in your first draft.  Then, go back and edit it, improving upon it.  Some authors like to step away from a work that they have recently written to let the ideas settle, then go back to it, and they will find dozens of mistakes that weren’t evident in the first revision or write of the draft.
16. Set goals.  Reach beyond your limits and challenge yourself to become a better writer by publishing lengthier posts.  When you have reached your goal, you can “congratulate” yourself because you realize that through struggle, hard work, and dedication, your writing will become better.
17. Don’t banish your name from the Internet.  While I personally only want my first name on my blog, I believe that having your name attached to your work can add a great deal of respect from people reading your blog.  If you haven’t already added your name to your posts, it may be a good time to do so, or at least your first name or a pen name.  Once readers can connect either a name or face with a blog, then they become attached to it, returning on a daily basis.  As a blogger, it is easy to get your name out, but you need to set your writing standards higher than others if your posts want to appear on larger blogs.
18. Look for inspiration.  All around you, look for inspiration for a new topic to write about.  Once you are able to point to a source of inspiration, it becomes extremely easy to publish a good piece of writing, and the process of writing also becomes that much more simple.
19. Become fluent in another language/learn root meanings of words.  Often, other languages hold similarities with the English language and other languages.  By studying and learning another language, you will become open to learning the root meanings of words and how words should be used.
20. Vary sentence structure and length.  Write with emphasis, make the reader become apart of the story or post.  Readers prefer shorter sentences.  Avoid using words that drastically slow down a sentence or make a reader pause, going back to the start of the sentence.  This often distracts the reader from the main purpose of the article.  Use words that flow together, provoking thought from the reader.  As a blogger, this is crucial.  In a sense, you need to be able to get readers to comment and provide feedback on your writing and information.
21. Don’t become constrained by your writing method.  I prefer typing content whenever I have access to a computer over on paper, as it is less time-consuming, and mistakes can be easily edited out without wasting a lot of resources.  On the other hand, if I revert back to writing on paper or at a different location, inspiration can bud from scenery change.  Use tools that eliminate distraction - WordPress has a built-in full screen writer.
22. Leave time for revisions.  Often, the revision process can be the most lengthy, and involve several additional versions of the draft before you are satisfied with the result.  Don’t rush or skip any steps, it will leave an obvious mark on the final, published version.  Check spelling, grammar, sentence structure, then “optimize” - make your post shorter and more concise. 
23. Do a creative activity.  There are dozens of activities, both online and offline that you can do to stimulate your brain and create better content.  Try brainstorming for one.
24. Don’t try “imitating” someone else.  You are able to think for yourself.  Why can’t you develop your own writing style?  People become attached to certain writers for the way they write and style their writing.  Trying to replicate someone else’s style will leave you struggling to find your voice.
25. Become organized.  When writing a piece of copy that will be seen by a large audience (blogs or websites), mark each revision and take notes along the way.  Research and document where you are taking facts from, as you will need to link or cite them as you publish the article.  In truth, becoming organized may be the single most important step in the journey to become a better writer.
26. Break away from writing “standards.“  You don’t have to perfect at writing 100% of the time.  Add variations to your writing, include a sentence fragment every once in a while.  Readers typically won’t call it out, and it still gets your point across.  
27. You are a writer.  Don’t think that simply because you haven’t written a book or have had one of your works reviewed in the media that you aren’t a writer.  Anyone can be a writer, even people who aren’t being paid to write.  By definition, “A writer is anyone who creates written work, although the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms.”
28. Re-read your writing.  Before you hit the “Publish” button, be sure that it sounds okay to yourself.  Read it out loud.  Read it three times, read it five, read it ten.  Read it to yourself.  Whatever method you use to re-read your work, it will allow you to hear mistakes that you are making before others read it and judge you.
29. Never become bored with writing.  As a blogger, at no point can you call it quits - unless, of course, you have retired/seriously called it quits.  You have a responsibility, and that is producing content on your site.  If you really need a break, take one.  Hire someone else or have guest posters write for a week or so while you recuperate.  Don’t write more than your limits per day, take breaks at intervals throughout the day if you are a full-time writer.
30. Practice writing like you speak.  This is yet another step allowing you to reach beyond your potential, as a quick way to write exactly what you are thinking, leaving room to edit and rearrange your thoughts at a later point.  Voice your opinions on issues, whether they are controversial or not, so readers can connect with you.
31. Long posts are not always better.  Keep your sentences concise, then your published post will likely be shorter than if you hadn’t kept your thoughts to a minimum.  While it is a good idea to explain any technical jargon or go in-depth of certain issues, create a different post for each defined topic.  Long posts do draw in more visitors from social bookmarking sites (Digg, StumbleUpon, and Delicious), but short posts get your point across more effectively, and it’ll only take readers five minutes to “get the point.”
32. Create (a) character.  If you don’t like yourself, create a character, then use the name of this character to hide your real identity.  It isn’t the best way to spread your writing, but it allows you to become more successful, without the need to worry about people revealing your true name/identity.
33. Patience is a virtue.  Becoming a better writer doesn’t happen overnight, in a day, week, or month.  You become better over time.  The reason there aren’t a million new writers each week is because no one is able to replicate the same work as others who have been writing for thirty plus years.  On the other hand, unless you don’t have access to blogging tools (software/internet/computer), you are able to free and however much you want to, whenever you want to.
34. Transparency is extremely important.  Readers want to know exactly what you define and think abut certain topics, as well as your stance on issues, whether it be paid posting, or the way you handle your blog’s comments.  Transparent writers become more trusted and visitors typically return to see what content has been added since their last visit.
35. Complete the experience.  Readers don’t want to be mislead by a post title.  For example, don’t title a post “Fifty Blogging Tools” then only list five, explaining that you couldn’t find the entire amount, but wanted traffic from people who wanted a complete list.  It is important to lead your visitors in, bait them with the first few lines of the post, then hook them with the conclusion.  Make the entire post complete and strong, from the title to the content, to the conclusion and follow-up in the form of comments.  Don’t leave your visitors asking for more.
36. Your writing tip goes here.  Share your thoughts in the comments area.

Conclusion

As I stated earlier, no one can claim to be the world’s best writer or author, for that matter.  It is imperative to call yourself a poor writer.  Readers look at content, then writing, so as long as you have content, you have completed the first step in ensuring that you have captivated the audience.

When it comes to blogging, content drives traffic, leading to profits.  If profits are in your list of motives, then your main goal each day is to write and promote what you have published.  In some cases, simply writing content won’t help your blog expand and reach new levels.

One of the main things to remember is that content never comes free.  If you receive most of your traffic from Google, you obviously put time into creating links to your site or added keywords and content-rich information to your site.  On the other hand, if a large percentage of your traffic is direct, then you worked on branding, had content, and reached out to other “high profile” bloggers to help spread word about your site.  In all these cases, time was the leading method for growing your site.

Alternatives to taking this approach and promoting a select number of posts can help gain more for less time, and when time is valued higher than money for many people, spending cash to promote posts can be a good idea.

1. Use traffic-generating widgets (Entrecard, Spottt, etc.) and use individual posts instead of your main blog URL in order to potentially gain more comments.
2. Advertise on other bloggers’ blogs using a link back to the post, which may lead to a lower bounce rate - people who click on the ad may want to see a list of recent posts, so they travel to your homepage.  Disadvantage: Higher cost and lower return if visitors don’t find the post interesting, plus the ad may be running for a full month instead of a shorter period. 
3. Purchase ads through AdSense, especially for posts that can lead to a good return (e.g. reviews of products, services) that wouldn’t normally receive a lot of traffic.  
4. Uniqueness equals traffic and new subscribers.  Applying this principle to your posts, try something different, whether it simply be in the style that you write or the graphics you use when trying to get your point across.  When I look for qualities in blogs worth subscribing to, one of the main things I look at is the design of the site, number/quality/uniqueness of posts, and what character the author puts into his or her site.  
5. Push your posts to other web services including Twitter, Digg, StumbleUpon, FriendFeed… and the list goes on.  The main point is to involve people who “follow” you, to let them know about your recent post.