Awesome General Writing Tools in 2024

"General writing" isn't a strictly defined category like "fiction" or "technical writing." It's more of an umbrella term, so its meaning depends on the context. Here are some ways "general writing" is used:

1. Non-Specialized Writing:

• Everyday Communication: This includes emails, letters, social media posts, texts—writing we do daily, not for a specific professional purpose.
• Basic School Assignments: Essays, reports, or summaries written in early education, before specializing in a field.

2. Writing Skills Foundation:

• Grammar, Style, Clarity: "General writing" courses focus on core skills applicable to any type of writing. This includes sentence structure, vocabulary, organizing thoughts, etc.
• Not Genre-Specific: Unlike learning to write poetry or screenplays, general writing emphasizes broadly useful skills.

3. Contrast to Specialized Forms:

• "I do general writing, not technical manuals": Here, it implies the person writes for a broader audience, less technical jargon.
• General vs. Academic Writing: Academic writing has strict rules, citations, specific goals. General writing is more flexible.

Challenges with the Term:

• Vague: What counts as "general" depends on the person's experience. A journalist might find fiction very specialized, while a novelist finds news writing niche.
• Overly Broad: It's not useful for describing your skills to others. "I'm good at general writing" is less impactful than "I excel at persuasive essays" or "I write clear website copy".

In Conclusion:

"General writing" is more about the absence of specialization. It's the baseline, the common ground. It's important to have these skills, but to be a successful writer, you eventually move beyond the general, finding your niche and excelling in specific forms.