7 Bad Writing Habits to Leave Behind This Year
Image by congerdesign from Pixabay
A new year always brings fresh goals. If writing is part of your job, side hustle or creative life, it’s the perfect time to clean up a few habits that might be holding you back. Bad writing habits aren’t always obvious—they may feel effective in the moment, but they can slow you down, weaken your work or make writing feel harder than it needs to be over time.
Here are some common writing mistakes worth leaving behind this year.
1. Over-editing while you write
This is probably the biggest productivity killer. Stopping every sentence to tweak wording, fix commas or second-guess tone breaks your momentum and makes writing feel exhausting. First drafts are supposed to be messy. Let yourself write badly on purpose, then come back and polish later. Writing and editing are two different jobs— trying to do both at once usually means neither gets done well.
2. Writing without a clear point
If you’re not sure what you’re trying to say, your reader won’t be either. A lot of weak writing comes from starting with a vague idea instead of a clear takeaway. Before you begin, ask yourself: What do I want someone to walk away knowing, feeling or doing? You don’t need a rigid outline, but having a north star makes everything else easier.
3. Using filler words to sound “professional”
Words like very, really, quite, basically and in order to creep into writing when we’re unsure of ourselves. They don’t always add meaning and can sometimes dilute what’s being said. Clear writing sounds confident because it’s specific. If a sentence feels soft or vague, tighten it instead of padding it.
4. Overcomplicating sentences
Long sentences aren’t inherently bad, but overcomplicated ones can be. If a sentence needs to be reread to make sense, it probably needs to be broken up. Shorter sentences add clarity and rhythm, especially online. By writing succinctly, you are valuing your reader’s time.
5. Avoiding your own voice
A lot of writers default to sounding corporate or generic, especially in professional settings. The result is writing that is acceptable but completely forgettable. If you wouldn’t speak that way to another person, reconsider your verbiage. Your natural conversational voice is usually more effective than trying to sound impressive.
6. Waiting for motivation
Motivation is unreliable. Writing regularly comes from habit, not inspiration. If you wait until you feel ready, you’ll write less than you want to. Set realistic expectations and show up anyway. Some days the words will flow; other days they won’t. Both still count. Write what you can when you can.
7. Skipping the final read-through
Even strong writers make small mistakes. Reading your work even once (especially aloud) before hitting publish can catch awkward phrasing, missing words or unclear transitions. It’s a simple step that makes a big difference in how polished your writing sounds.
The new year doesn’t require a complete writing overhaul. Dropping even one bad habit can make your writing clearer, faster and more confident. By making small changes, your habits will reflect progress, consistency and writing that actually connects.
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Caroline Gordon
Caroline is a highly outgoing Senior Content Editor for PR Newswire born and raised in Baltimore, MD. Caroline is a Randolph-Macon College graduate with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, Communication Studies and Religious Studies. She loves Solidcore, going to see new movies and traveling the world as much as possible.
