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Writing is one of those skills that can take a lifetime to master and even then it can feel like you're never really quite where you want to be.

The words we write down, whether they're on a blank piece of paper or a on a desktop computer screen, come from our hearts, from the depth of our minds and expressing our thoughts and feelings in a way in which our readers can understand can pose a lot of complications.

Having been a writer for several years, I've experienced both the good side and the bad side of writing for a hobby and as a career. I've had flurries of inspiration where I didn't even have enough paper to write down all my ideas and there have been months when I couldn't think of a single idea and even thought of giving it up all together. However, through all my experiences, I completely believe I'm a better writer now than I ever have been thanks to a few habits I adopted that completely changed my life.

Put Yourself in Your Reader's Shoes

This may be one of the most overlooked aspects of being writer. By putting yourself in your reader's shoes, you are able to re-read your work with a fresh pair of eyes, without having to employ a fresh pair of eyes. Read your content in their shoes and ask yourself questions such as:

Does my work and sentence structure make sense?

Am I sending out messages I want my readers to hear?

Am I writing in my own unique voice?

Am I offending anyone that may read this piece of work?

By adopting this approach when writing and editing, you can be sure your writing is as powerful as it can be.

Push Yourself and Don't Be Afraid

It's extremely easy as a writer to get comfortable in your style of writing. Once we have discovered a method of working that works and grabs the reader's attention, we stick to it. We're all guilty of it in one way or another and as time goes on, we might as well save a template of every post we write and just fill in the gaps.

To progress as a writer, it's important to push your boundaries and think outside the box. The only thing stopping you from being your best is you. Try out new writing techniques. Experiment with different concepts and formats and find new ways to express yourself through your writing. By following this approach, you will be safe in the knowledge that you are writing to the best level you can.

Take a Break and Read

It's easy for most of us to get caught up in the moment and continuously write for hours, especially if you are freelancing and have a lot of approaching deadlines. My final golden tip to becoming an empowered writer is to take a break from your work and read. Whether you're reading other articles or a book or novel of your choice, it really doesn't matter, just as long as you're putting your pen down and allowing your writing mindset to take a break.

Not only does this mean you can return with a fresh, positive and motivated outlook to your work, you can also learn new language, new formats, new sentence structure and a ton of new concepts from the work you are reading which, once implemented into your own work, can help you on your path to becoming the best.

- Brenda Berg

Brenda Berg is a professional writer with more than 15 years experience. She is a contributor for Live Write Thrive, eLearningindustry, UK Dissertation and Gazette of Teachers. She is interested in ways that can help individuals reach their full creative potential.