How to improve your writing in 15 minutes

Time. None of us ever seems to have any. We’re all too busy tweeting, texting, posting and Google Plussing. (That’s what I’ve decided to call it.)

Although many of us spend countless hours writing on social networks, most of us could probably use a refresher in the art of actual writing.

With the lack of time yet a desire—and need in many communications careers—to communicate well via the written word, is there a way to improve our skills while still managing our busy lifestyles?

Absolutely.

You have 15 minutes a day to spare. Trust me, you do. Try these three techniques that, when used together, take less than 15 minutes, and watch your writing improve.

Pick a topic; it can be anything. For example, say your topic is “How to become a better communicator.” In 10 minutes, aim to write three well-written paragraphs on this topic.

1. Practice writing creatively

Set a timer for one minute. During your allotted minute, come up with three talking points on your topic. As you get better at this, really challenge yourself to think innovatively and choose topics with which you aren’t very familiar. You might surprise yourself.

For example:

a. Learn to use body language that engages your audience.