How to improve my own writing skills? My professor's feedback changed everything.

[NinaWeiss]

I just got a paper back from my favorite professor, and instead of just giving me a grade, she wrote me a whole paragraph of feedback. It wasn't even about grammar or spelling—it was about ideas. She wrote, "You make interesting points, but you don't trust your reader. You over-explain everything. Let your ideas breathe." Wow. That cut deep but in a good way.

It made me realize that I've been so focused on "sounding smart" that I've been cluttering my writing with unnecessary explanations. I've been thinking a lot about how to improve writing skills in terms of clarity and trust. I think my new goal is to write with more confidence—to state my idea clearly and then get out of the way, instead of beating the reader over the head with it. Has anyone else gotten a piece of feedback that completely shifted their perspective on writing?

Sometimes the best lessons aren't about rules, but about philosophy. I'd love to hear your stories!

 

[DemerT]

I got similar feedback once: “Stop writing like you’re arguing with an invisible skeptic.” It was humbling because I realized I was padding every paragraph with defensive clarifications. What helped me was treating my draft like a conversation with a smart friend: say the point, give one strong piece of evidence, then move on. If I felt the urge to re-explain, I’d ask, “Am I adding a new idea, or am I just soothing my anxiety?” Letting the reader do a little work actually makes your writing feel more confident.