The 18 Skills Writers Need to Be Successful

Think about the last time you wrote something… anything! (yes, grocery lists and schedules count). Did you just start writing or did you think about it for a while? Did you write full sentences or did you use lists and doodles? Did you consider an audience or where you writing for yourself? There are 18 skills writers need to be successful based on my work with students and teachers.

Writing is a process that requires more than just putting letters on a page. In fact, effective writing requires writers to understand and use multiple skills at once. I’ve listed out 18 skills writers need to learn and practice and, spoiler alert, they’re all 21^st Century writing skills!

Quick List of Skills Writers Need

Skills Writers Need Explained

Clarity: The ability to communicate ideas in a clear and concise manner to avoid confusion.
a) This is step one to teaching students how to write anything.

Organization: The ability to structure writing logically. This might include with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion, as well as the use of headings and subheadings.
a) One of the 7 writing traits
b) Writing should be organized based on the audience and outlet. For example, a social media post will be organized differently than a research presentation.

Conventions: The ability to use proper grammar and punctuation to ensure the writing is clear and understandable.
a) One of the 7 writing traits

Tone/style: The ability to adjust tone and style according to the intended audience and purpose of the writing.
a) AKA word choice and sentence fluency (One of the 7 writing traits)
b) The “tone” is how it will be perceived or heard

Research: The ability to conduct thorough research on a topic and use credible sources to support arguments and claims.

Creativity: The ability to use creative and innovative approaches to writing, such as using metaphors, analogies, and vivid descriptions.
a) One of the “four c’s”
b) Idea generation (One of the 7 writing traits)
c) new perspectives
d) A cornerstone of 21st Century Writing

Editing: The ability to review and revise writing to ensure it is free of errors, inconsistencies, and typos.

Time management: The ability to plan and manage time effectively to meet writing deadlines and complete assignments on time.

Adaptability: The ability to adapt writing style and approach to different writing tasks and contexts.

Collaboration: The ability to work collaboratively with others, such as editors, co-authors, or clients, to produce high-quality writing.
a) One of the “four c’s”
b) A cornerstone of 21st Century Writing

Critical Thinking: The ability to analyze and evaluate information, and use evidence to support arguments and claims.
a) One of the “four c’s”
b) A cornerstone of 21st Century Writing

Self-reflection: The ability to reflect on one’s own writing process, identify areas for improvement, and take steps to enhance writing skills.

Flexibility: The ability to adapt writing to different genres, audiences, and contexts.

Resilience: The ability to persist through challenges and setbacks in the writing process, and overcome writer’s block, criticism, and rejection.

Storytelling: The ability to craft compelling narratives, using various techniques including plot, characterization, and conflict.
a) One of the “four whys”
b) A cornerstone of 21st Century Writing
c) Builds connection

Curiosity: A curious personality can help writers ask questions, research topics thoroughly, and generate unique ideas.

Perseverance: Writing can be a challenging and time-consuming process, and a persevering personality can help writers stick with a project until it is complete.

Confidence: Confidence can help writers take risks, express themselves boldly, and believe in their ability to create high-quality writing.
a) one of the most important things we can build by making writing fun!

Consider the grocery list example. There are many skills that must work at once to make the list useful. For me, I like to organize my list based on how I move through the store. I visualize walking up and down the aisles while also considering (or researching) what items we need. My toddler very active, so I’ve got to manage my time and create a list quickly.  Once I’m finished, I need to reflect on what’s happening doing our week and edit the list according to recipes, requests, and nights out.

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