1. Read, read, read.
Not only blogs. Read books, magazines, brochures, reports and what
else you feel appropriate for your niche. You should read not just to
learn new topics and about discoveries of your favorite discipline,
but even to improve your understanding of grammar, sentence structure
and technical jargon. I suggest underlining terms, verbs and
idiomatic sentences you encounter for the first time, so you can look
them up in your dictionary or grammar reference later.
2.
Build a personalized dictionary from your reading.
All you need is a notepad and a pen. Write down idiomatic
expressions, niche jargon, irregular verbs and writing style notes to
revise later. My experience teaches that a personalized dictionary,
which you write during your reading sessions, is much more effective
as a learning aid than a printed or online dictionary you consult
passively.
3.
Engage in forum and chat conversations.
This is crucial. You can't hope to perfect your English writing
skills until you learn to think in English. Forums and chat rooms can
make the difference: you are forced into a dynamic environment, which
requires speedy action on your part. Once you hone your English
thinking, along with your writing, you can work on improving your
pronunciation -- to be able to conduct interviews.
4.
Start a personal blog.
Readers take niche blogs pretty seriously: bad grammar and spelling
are seen as unprofessional and they are by all means a turn-off. On
the contrary, a personal blog makes a perfect home to write about
your favorite niche, while you work to perfect your skills: you can
share personal opinions and experience, use newly learned jargon
fear-free. No one is going to regard you as incompetent because of
your English flaws on your personal blog.
5.
Edit and rewrite... with the help of a dictionary!
I
encourage you to keep a dictionary at hand for the editing/rewriting
stage. A thesaurus is another good companion to keep handy, too.
Editing and rewriting require competencies and vocabulary most
non-natives haven't mastered well yet, so make sure you have good
reference material on your desk.
6.
Ask a native English speaker to review your work.
The best criticism you can get is a native English speaker's.
Figuring out how to use certain slang, verbs and idiomatic
expressions can be a tricky job for a non-native speaker. An English
speaker can help you correct grammar, spelling, tone and style. So
much in so little time!
7.
Keep a humble attitude towards constructive criticism.
Learning involves being ready to discuss your own work. You can't
learn new things when you remain rigid on your position. Also, be
humble and thankful to people who spend their time to review your
work and give you constructive feedback; their advice can be the
turning point in your writing career.
