Do you worry whether your writing is good enough? I can see you nodding your head.

You are not alone. Every writer has doubts about his or her writing.

The good thing is that writing is a journey. Every sentence you write is a step along the road and makes you a better writer.

On this journey, you can either travel the long road – or use shortcuts.

Using shortcuts means learning to spot and fix mistakes in order to write better.

Here are seven instant fixes that will improve your writing.

Story is universal. There isn’t a society on earth that doesn’t tell stories. It’s no wonder, because stories captivate us in a way nothing else can.

And yet, until recently, story was primarily seen as a delightful form of entertainment. Sure, we thought, stories make life much more enjoyable, but they don’t play a necessary role when it comes to survival.

It turns out story has been crucial to our survival from day one. Opposable thumbs let us hang on, story told us what to hang on to. Story is what allowed us to envision the future and so prepare for the unexpected.

I’ve edited a monthly magazine for more than six years, and it’s a job that’s come with more frustration than reward. If there’s one thing I am grateful for — and it sure isn’t the pay — it’s that my work has allowed endless time to hone my craft to Louis Skolnick levels of grammar geekery.