The iA Writer support site is, to no one’s surprise, full of information about using their app. What did surprise me is that an entire section is on the subject of ‘How to Write’, in four parts.

The first part is on Using Parts of Speech to Improve Your Writing. This is in part marketing for an iA Writer feature – but it’s still full of great advice.

The last three sections are republished essays:

• Karl Philipp Moritz’s Preface to Lectures on Style on thinking well to write well
• William Strunk Jr.’s The Elements of Style
• George Orwell’s Politics and the English Language

It’s delightful that iA offer these as part of their ‘support package’. They believe that part of using the software effectively is by writing effectively. I admire that. However, they – justly – caution:

Remember: reading How-To tips will not make you a better at anything. Exercise does. The most efficient way to improve your writing skills is to write daily.