5 Writing Tips From a Published Academic Writer

Writing about science helped me become a better writer overall.

As a graduate student, my main priorities are reading and writing. I basically get paid to do research and then write about it in a way that it can be understood by people who are not familiar with the scientific concepts.

During my 3rd-year of college, I was the only undergraduate student in my program who had a published article. My writing skills stood out to a professor and he added me to an existing project regarding pedagogical research and turning that research into writing.

I am currently writing a book chapter with post-doctoral fellows during my first year of grad school and although it’s very academic-centered, I feel like my scientific writing skills have also improved my general writing abilities.

How to implement academic writing skills into any writing

Although academic writing has a lot more rules and a smaller niche, I feel as though some of the same tips apply to writing anywhere.

These are my top 5 tips as an academic writer transitioning to any writing.

1. Make a plan before you begin writing

Any writer knows the advantages of having an outline. Before writing, I like to “brain-dump” on a piece of paper and basically write down all of my ideas in no particular order.

Emptying your brain and writing down all of your ideas allows you to empty your brain and have an easier time adjusting your ideas. After the initial brain-dump, create a more specific outline organizing it by subtopics. After deciding your subtopics, it’s much easier to elaborate on them and writing will be effortless.

2. Do your research

Whenever I read articles, whether they’re academic or not, I can tell when only superficial research has been done. An article with a lot of superficial research has a lot of information but none of it is explained properly. This leads to articles that are too broad with no clear takeaway.

Your article will have more substance if you choose to focus on a few subtopics and really dive in on those. Look for external sources to support your already existing knowledge and don’t leave room for interpretation.

When reading articles, I prefer ones that use links to refer to something else. Various sources mean that you can form a more rounded, informed opinion.

3. Write hot and edit cold

This saying about writing hot and editing cold means that, while writing, feel free to make any mistakes. Letting your mind go as you write will create new ideas without having the pressure of editing after every sentence. Writing hot doesn’t have to be a 1 draft limit. Create as many drafts as you deem necessary and when the editing part comes around, really take your time.

Cold editing means giving yourself some time between writing and beginning the editing process. This is why we often ask other people to edit our work. An outsider perspective can pick up on things that we would have otherwise missed. Similarly, taking a break after writing can help you in the editing process.

4. Expand your vocabulary but don’t use a thesaurus for every other word

I think this tip is better proven by an example.

“My heart beats fast after jogging” is a very simple sentence. To spice it up, I could use a thesaurus and make it sound like this:

“My cardiac muscle pulses quickly succeeding exercise”

Although it makes sense (kind of) it’s a difficult sentence to read. Using synonyms doesn't make you write better automatically. It often makes it very confusing to read and too dense.

A good way to expand your vocabulary is to read, a lot. You will learn new words and learn how to use them appropriately. If you think a synonym is required, make sure it’s still a common word that makes the text flow.

5. Know your audience

This doesn’t mean to have only one type of audience. I’m one of the people who enjoy writing different topics but prior to diving into a new one, I do research about what the audience would be interested in.

Knowing your audience will help you with every other tip I’ve suggested here. When you know who you’re writing for, you’ll know where to do research, what terminology to use, and how much you have to write.

Final thoughts

The last tip I can add is to continue writing. Write a lot because the saying “practice makes perfect” is true. Find your voice and learn how to use it whether it’s in academic writing or blogging.

Writing should feel liberating and not like a duty, especially when you’re doing it for yourself. Even when I’m writing academic articles, I find it liberating because I’m writing something I’m passionate about.