The first and final rule of quality writing is this: what doesn't strengthen your writing, weakens it.
There are no neutral words when you're trying to be persuasive - every word must be doing real work and every sentence must be necessary. Don't say in two sentences what you can say in one; don't use five words when you can use three. Don't use a five-syllable word when an available two-syllable word means the same thing. Take the fluff out of your writing.
Fluff is the often subtle cancer that grows - and ultimately kills - good writing. If your writing isn't achieving the effects you want, consider a few of the warning signs of a fluff infection:
Redundancy. Analyze your writing for places where you are repeating yourself. It happens often, particularly when the writer isn't convinced that the reader will get the point without it. Give your reader some credit. Make each point once and make it effectively - and then don't make it again.
Tangents. A good piece of writing is one that makes a single effective point, supported by other lesser ones; anything that doesn't directly contribute to that support structure is a distraction and an excuse to stop reading. Don't take readers on side trips and don't let them catch their breath. Cut out anything that doesn't directly advance the final cause.
Ornamentation. Ornamentation happens when a writer is hit with a sudden burst of creativity, and the writing ends up saddled with clever turns of phrase that don't contribute anything but wit. This is what Hemingway was referring to when he advised writers to kill their darlings - art is all well and good, but make sure it keeps its day job.
Pointless modifiers. Adverbs (words that modify verbs) and adjectives (words that modify nouns) are a little like salt and pepper - useful in very small doses, very bad in big ones. They're often used by lazy writers in an attempt to convince generic nouns ("the beautiful, voluptuous woman") and verbs ("he ran very quickly") to do more interesting jobs. The English language is full of precision nouns and verbs; whenever possible, use the right words rather than trying to modify the wrong ones.
Needless qualifiers and hedging. Phrases like "and yet, on balance" and "it could be considered" destroy more confidence than they create. Be direct and write with strength: boldly write what you know, and leave out what you don't.
Pretentious language. Occasionally, we all have a crisis of confidence that leads us to think that we need large words and cumbersome sentences in order to be taken seriously. This is when it is time to take a nap and let the feeling pass; "extraneous solutions that minimally impact positive budget modifications" is never going to sound better than "it won't work because it costs more than it'll make back".
About The Author
Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.
Great business writers combine narrative skills with sound judgment to... Read More
Beyond three and four act story structure, lies the Hero's... Read More
When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More
What possibly could I have to write about? I never... Read More
If you are an aspiring writer, or you simply want... Read More
I went to school to be a teacher. In fact,... Read More
1. What Is A Premise?A premise is the point you... Read More
One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More
I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea.... Read More
According to one of my previous articles, whenever a Southerner... Read More
I am sure that at in some era, at some... Read More
SALE, SAIL Sale is either offering something for purchase... Read More
ESSAY 2Andre Malraux once said that what interested him in... Read More
So you want to be a successful author? You want... Read More
What does one do as a writer who loves writing... Read More
You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More
Self-examination is brutally honest. Self-indulgence is brutally maudlin.Writing requires the... Read More
So many clients come to me as a book or... Read More
Has the thought run across you mind that you might... Read More
Q: How do I expand on an idea without getting... Read More
I've just come back to work after nine glorious, sun-drenched... Read More
Is there a book inside of you? Yes? Then why... Read More
You wrote a tips booklet. Maybe more than one. Oh... Read More
Word processors are so widely used now that I tend... Read More
If you're getting rejections from your submissions, please don't quit... Read More
Many of us have always wanted to write. We have... Read More
The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More
I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More
No user manual? Surely you jest!It may seem comical, but... Read More
There is an image most people carry of the artist... Read More
Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More
Sometimes there is confusion about the exact meaning of the... Read More
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think... Read More
In the ten years that I've taught people how to... Read More
The writing community is a strong one, with many new... Read More
In this article you will find tips on: How to... Read More
Suspense novels, unlike any other genre, need fast starts. Fans... Read More
One of the best ways to blow someone's winning streak... Read More
I've noticed a big shift away from traditional horror recently,... Read More
If you either want to write a book to help... Read More
There is no doubt that a staff writer enjoys advantages... Read More
You have a great idea for a poem, a story,... Read More
As many authors are fond of stating, "Ideas are all... Read More
The Internet has truly revolutionized the careers of writers worldwide.... Read More
Names are important. Names give clues about us, where we... Read More
Around eighty percent of nonfiction books today are written by... Read More
An island in the Mediterranean. A beach in Africa. The... Read More
Creating written documents reveals so much about you and your... Read More
Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More
Human beings seem to be born with a gene for... Read More
Technology vendors often contribute bylined articles to trade journals. The... Read More
'Summer afternoon - summer afternoon; to me those have always... Read More
Here's everything I know about improving your writing, publishing it... Read More
Writers often get stuck because they make assumptions about writing,... Read More
Dr. Phil's Life Strategies, #1 New York Times Bestseller catches... Read More
If your cash is running out fast and you have... Read More
Every part of your book can be a sales tool.... Read More
A writer can never be self indulgent whether writing fiction,... Read More
By far, I have found that the lack of discipline... Read More
Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter,... Read More
As a student of Spanish, my goal was to think... Read More
In the words of Aristotle, "happiness is self contentedness helping... Read More
Creative Writing Tips ?It's no use coming up with a... Read More
Do you consider yourself a storyteller? Do you consider yourself... Read More
Whether you're interviewing for a new job, trying to woo... Read More
Do you have trouble getting your thoughts and ideas down... Read More
Writing |