Suppose someone were to tell you that you could become a better writer in a single week — would you believe it?

Me neither.

And yet that’s precisely what I’m about to do.

And more: I’m about to make a believer out of you.

I tried this on a bet — and lost.

Here is how you can become a vastly better writer in a single week:

1. Think of a basic story idea, preferably not your own, and then sit down at your desk or kitchen table with pen, paper, and a stopwatch and, without editing or stopping, write down that story — 20 minutes per day every day until the story is finished

2. Read each day from a grammar book for at least two minutes (but no more than 10)

3. Learn one new word every day, and then use that word in your daily writing

7. Rewrite paragraphs from books you admire

That’s it.

I promise you that if you do all those things for just one week’s time, your writing will not only improve: it will improve dramatically.