The beginning of a new year is a time when many people resolve to make changes.  For some people, this might include resolving to become a more effective writer, writing with greater clarity and with more style.

If you are someone who resolves to become a more effective writer in 2013, here are seven tips from the team at KiwiStreet.

One: Think before you write.  If you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to say, the chances of you saying anything useful are slim at best.

Two: Have a clear picture of your reader in mind before you start.  What does your reader already know, think, and feel about what you are about to write?

Three: Write enough to say what you want to say, but no more.  Brevity is one of the hallmarks of effective writing.

Four: Allow plenty of time to tweak and polish what you have written.  An hour’s writing usually deserves an hour’s revising.

Five: Reward your reader.  Your reader is investing her time and attention.  Make sure that your words leave her feeling informed, motivated, or entertained.  And if you can leave her feeling informed and motivated and entertained, so much the better.

Six: Use words that your reader will understand immediately.  It’s easy enough for readers to ‘look up’ words they don’t understand; but they seldom do.

Seven: When you think that you have finished, make sure that what you have said is, indeed, what you set out to say.

Good luck and good writing.