By Barbara McNichol

 Are you focused on writing your book and polishing your business plan for the upcoming year?

Let me offer 7 good habits to add to your resolutions for improving your writing life this year. They apply to EVERYTHING you write!

1. Write your message with the readers’ needs in mind, not your own.
2. Tap into the power of three for more powerful prose.
3. Use no more than 21 words in a sentence for better readability.
4. Say exactly what you want to convey before sending it to others.
5.  Read and reread your writing with fresh eyes:
   • take a break and come back
   • ask at least two others to read your work
   • print it out and read it on paper
6. Keep agreements (grammatically speaking). If you’re not sure, look up grammar rules or ask!
7. Brush up on correct punctuation. (Request my Punctuation Guide at editor@BarbaraMcNichol.com.)

 Bonus: Match the word with the meaning. Don’t get tripped up using the wrong word (like “affect” instead of “effect”). Word Trippers can help!

What additional resolutions would you add? Put your favorites in the comments section below.