These are some of the most useful writing tips I have to share after writing for 13 years.

In 2010, I wrote my first published article. In 2015, I wrote my first paid article. In 2021, I wrote my first sponsored article. Since 2019, I've been writing professionally, ie, this is my only source of income and I get paid to do it.

And it's amazing how inept I still am.

BUT, this gave me the opportunity to work with talented writers and experienced editors and these are some of the things I wish somebody'd told me when I started.

1 - Keep it simple.

This is especially true if you're using English, which is a simple language, so keep it simple.

Using pompous words, resorting to thesaurus, these things are always a bad idea.

If you want to say that Bitcoin is still the top crypto to invest in.

Say this: "Bitcoin, when all is said and done, is still the best possible cryptocurrency to invest in."

Do not say this: "Bitcoin still finds itself at the top of the chart of the most sought after cryptocurrencies for incumbents as well as amateur investors."

Would you say that? Would you talk like that? If the answer's no, then why would you write like that?

2 - If you don't like it, why should your readers?

This is a golden rule and it's amazing how so many people ignore it. Including myself, I only learnt this recently and I wish somebody'd told me sooner.

If you don't like what you're reading, your readers also won't. So chances are if you think it sounds clunky, if it sounds dumb, or if it's just boring, then your readers will probably think that, too.

3 - Get to the point

Unless your name is Stephen King or Lee Child or Jeremy Clarkson, you should get to the point within the first two paragraphs, because readers won't stick around otherwise.

If you want to write about Bitcoin's dominance, for example, your first two paras should read something along those lines:

"Bitcoin's dominance is increasing as altcoins struggle to keep up.

But there's a good reason for that."

It doesn't make sense to start with what you had for breakfast and then only mention Bitcoin in, like, the sixth paragraph.

4 - Readability is more important than following the rules

I can speak for myself, but I'm fairly certain this applies to you too: most of the writing rules we've been taught when we were in high school are meaningless.

Best example? You can start any sentence with 'But, and, so' etc.

Only an English teacher who's eleventy million years old with no writing experience still thinks that starting a sentence with 'but' is a bad idea.

Oh and there's another one, my personal favourite: "this, this and that".

That is so outdated.

There are so many instances where using 'and' multiple times is more useful than using commas.

Lee Child, author of the Jack Reacher series, does this all the time, and he's sold 100 million copies.

This also applies to grammar rules.

My favourite example is 'ain't', which can sometimes be more impactful than 'isn't'.

5 - This is a living list

This is a living list, and it'll be updated whenever I can think of something new to add, or whenever some of you add useful tips in the comments.

But, crucially, it is also a living list because writing evolves. The way we used to write 20 years ago no longer works, in some cases.

Don't get stuck.

If something works, use it.

And if it doesn't, ditch it.