What Studying a Second Language Taught Me About Writing

It can be difficult enough to find ample time to write between work, chores, exercise, and a million other little things that take up my day. Studying a second language on top of all these things only makes it more difficult.

For a little background, I moved from the U.K. to Finland in 2014 so my husband could study for a master’s degree in his home country. Since then, I have been studying the Finnish language on a near-daily basis in hopes of eventually gaining citizenship.

My only previous experience with foreign languages is obligatory French classes in school over 10 years ago, so it has been a real challenge to take on one of the more difficult European languages. I once heard somebody describe Finnish as “drunken elvish,” which is an accurate description. For instance, the Finnish phrase for “goodnight” is “hyvää yö,” which is pronounced as “hoover ooh-oh,” and difficult for me to get out.

Being a professional writer has only made it harder, since the English language is such an important part of my job. It can be incredibly jarring to go from writing in English to learning how an entirely different language works.

Although my studies have reduced the amount of time I would ideally like to spend writing each day, and it is a challenge to try and perfect two entirely different languages at the same time, in some ways it has been a surprising benefit to my writing. I’ve also noticed that many of the rules of language learning can also be applied to writing.

Combining Fact and Fiction: The Importance of Narratives in Business

Tips on writing and narrative theory is something most authors seek in order to improve the quality of their books or texts in general. But here’s a little secret: Writing tips and narrative theory is not only about books, whether fiction or nonfiction. Applying narrative theory in business contexts can be a crucial element of success.

What exactly do we mean by narrative theory in business contexts, and how can it increase productivity through the creation of better texts?

Using narrative theory in a business context can be a crucial element for success. Here is how to improve the narrative structure of a project.

5 Reasons Why Having a Writing Mentor Is Crucial

I decided to take my writing to the next level a few years back and put my creativity to the test by starting my own freelance writing service.

It sounded easy back then; it wasn’t, and to this day … it still isn’t.

But it can be a little less daunting with the correct guidance and mentorship along the way.

4 Reasons Quality Is Better Than Quantity When it Comes to Pitching Guest Posts

Writing guest posts has a long list of benefits: You can make a little extra money, get links back to your website, have a byline to show to potential employers or clients, and gain a platform to share your voice and your opinions.

However, pitching stories and article ideas to editors is an art, and many writers do it wrong. Up until recently, I was one of them. I used to pride myself on the huge number of pitches I sent out each week, trying to get a guest post published on a website or a feature accepted for a print magazine.