Q: How do I become a better writer?

– Sophomore Paloma Renteria

A: I’m no English teacher, but I’ve written a fair number of essays in my day. That’s not to say I’ve done well on all of them…but I’ve learned from my experiences all the same.

Perhaps the most obvious way to become a better writer is to write more. I’m not saying you need to write an in-depth, 10-page analysis of every single book you read, but it wouldn’t hurt to search some prompts on the Internet. Not only will these help boost your creativity and imagination, but you will get the practice you need to develop more writing skills.

The second most obvious way to become a better writer is to read more. If you read more books, your handy-dandy brain will catch on to new words and ways to structure sentences. Before you know it, you will be incorporating everything you have learned into your genuine writing style.

It’s also important to (excuse my pun) get the editor off your shoulder. In all of my 17 years of living, I have realized that my greatest pieces of writing are often the ones where I just sit down and write. Don’t worry about awkward transitions, misplaced commas or cliche conclusions. You’re never going to fall in love with what you write until you fall in love with the very idea of writing it. After that, the writing part is easy.

– Erin Thomas – Editor-in-Chief