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Not So Clever In Print: Avoiding Jargon And Clichs

www.writing-unlimited.com — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

While writing it is not so easy to avoid jargon and cliches they are everywhere. Many writers think “If the shoe fits” use a cliche or a “tried and true” expression. One way to avoid these and other overused expressions is to look for novel and creative ways to say things. There are literally hundreds of cliches in the language that creep their way into writing. One should monitor their writing, or have someone else do it for them to be on the lookout for overused expressions that may creep into their content.Want more? Click here.
Jargon is technical language used for a specific group of people. For those who are writing for a non specific group they may be confused by too much jargon used in written content. It is important to know your audience and if you are writing for a non technical audience, avoid the use of jargon that may only be known to a specific group of people, engineers for instance. Another way to avoid jargon is to read the written content to a handful of people and see if they understand your writing, and the way you are writing it. “At the end of the day” you will be able to write so that your meaning is clear and simple, and free of cliches.

Write for a living

www.writing-unlimited.com — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

If you want to become a freelance writer you’ve got to get yourself straight before you start. If you’re going to make any money by writing you’ve got to know where to focus your efforts so we’ve put together a short list of things for you to consider.
Make a Plan: Before you jump off decide what you want to do. Are you aiming for fulltime or would you rather just moonlight? Decide how much you’re willing to put into writing and go from there.
Get Set Up: You need a desk, a place for writing and a good computer. Get wireless internet deals from a local provider and start reading blogs and trade publications about writing for money. This is how you make your contacts and learn where to get work.
Write for Money: Whether you want to blog or write fiction long term, you’ve got to do some “work” to make cash. Write for SEO, for trade magazines and even blogs, just find someone willing to pay you to write and do it. You’ll learn to think outside your box.

Ruthless Self-Editing: When In Doubt, Cut It Out

admin — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 00:00:00 +0000

Self-editing is an essential writing skill, one that separates the great writers from those that are simply good. Learning to cut out those 50 words and long winded sentences in favor of one that is straight to the point ensures that your reader understands exactly what has been written. The K.I.S.S. method, keep it simply, stupid, is a great motto to keep in the back of your head while writing.

The initial draft should flow out of you without too much in-depth editorial thought. Get the ideas out on the paper and set it off to the side for at least an hour. It takes a bit to change from the writer hat to the editor hat. One of the hardest things for a writer to do is cut material out of a brand new piece, but it is an essential part of the writing process and stepping away from it and then coming back with a fresh set of eyes allows you to cut things that you initially wouldn’t have.

How do you edit your work? Liberally. If you have a long sentence that seems to wander cut out all of the extra adjectives and adverbs you’ve used. Leave only the essentials. If you can say it in fewer words, do it. While your initial draft may seem perfect to you, remember that you are writing for an audience and they won’t be as concerned about your beautiful language as the ideas that are being conveyed. Keep your reader happy by getting right to the point. Get in, get out, get done.

Ruthless editing can be done directly in a word processing program but I prefer to print out a copy and use the dreaded red pen method. Chop anything that doesn’t get right to the point and your readers will thank you for it. The hits keep comin’: NaNoWriMo – Get Good Ideas to Borrow for Blogging

Beware The Passive Voice: The Power Of Active Verbs

www.writing-unlimited.com — Sun, 09 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Today-s readers want action, not superfluous phrases. They want to read quickly, get to the point and move on with their day. Passive voice writing tends to have long sentences and difficult phrasing. The action is at the end of the sentence and most readers will give up reading the document before they finish the first line.

Using active voice gives the reader the important information right from the start with subject and action verbs. The reader knows who performs the action and what is happening. They do not have to read to the end of the line to find out who did what. This helps explain it more. Active voice is less confusing.

Here are examples of active and passive sentences, “The dog chased the rabbit.’ and “The rabbit was chased by the dog.’ The first example is active voice and tells you exactly what happened using an active verb while the second sentence forces you to read to the end before you find out what happened to the rabbit.

The passive voice loses the reader-s interest and the writer’s message is lost. Active voice is direct, bold and informative. It grabs and holds the reader with important information written in the most direct way.

Journaling As A Way To Hone Your Writing Skills

admin — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Journaling is a way to develop and expand writing skills. When journaling a writer has the freedom to write on any subject matter of their choosing, and proofread and edit as they feel is necessary. Many people like to journal about daily occurrences, and some like to journal or blog on special topics such as sports, cooking, or fashion. Any writing is of great practice, no matter the subject. After journaling the basics, a writer is able to expand into greater detail and create longer writing pieces. Writers may prefer to touch upon creative subjects after writing about everyday occurrences.

Journaling is a way to hone your writing skills before letting the world read what you have written. You can journal on paper or on a computer, and furthermore you can use a writing program on your desktop or one on the World Wide Web, where public or private settings can be set. Different forms of journaling are appropriate for the individual writer and it can benefit each person in different ways. From the beginner to the professional, journaling is a key part in the writing process. It’s a great way to jot down ideas, or to publicize a final product.

Verbosity: Common In Speech, Deadly In Writing

admin — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 00:00:00 +0000

Often, in conversation, the average person uses an excess amount of words to explain his or her thought. We can easily over-do it with redundant phrases and not even notice. But in everyday conversations we are forgiven. No one cares how much you restate your idea in a different package of adjectives (unless you continue for a very long time!). The problem comes when we sit down to write.
Many of us write how we speak. It is a natural way to write, speaking from the heart. However, when we are writing formally our audience is much less likely to be as forgiving as they would if we were speaking. Just think about it: how many times have you read something and silently wondered “will this writer ever get to the point?’
Professional papers should be a collection of ideas, each following another. In writing classes students are taught to identify a thesis statement in each paragraph of an essay. This can be very useful when writing, as it causes the writer to focus on the point of that part of the essay. When you do this, all that is left to do is to cut away the excess words on your page. Decide what you want to keep and what you can do without. It can be hard to let go of pieces of your work sometimes, but it is worth it!
When writing it is important to keep a watchful eye on your words. Verbosity is not often forgiven, and can easily discourage readers from finishing whatever they are reading. So keep it simple, and make it your own.

A Good Writer-s Goals: Being Clear, Simple And Precise

admin — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 00:00:00 +0000

A good writer is set aside from the others as they create clear, simple, and precise writing pieces. Advanced writers create straightforward pieces that contribute these qualities, due to their experience in the field. Omission of unnecessary words is key to concision. Keep sentences short, or normal length. Chop out words that carry no weight and do not enhance the writing. Be on the lookout for similar words such as there and their. Even expert writers who have not proofread their writing have submitted work with these errors. Proofread and edit your work multiple times to ensure it is precise.The whole story can be found at http://news.dice.com/2011/08/22/get-your-writing-proofread-for-free-at-kibin/

A good writer can fill a page in a matter of minutes, on some days. Other days they may be stumped. All writers get occasional “brain-cramps” but you must work past these moments. Outline your work before you begin and highlight the key points. Think of several sub-points for each main point. Consider their importance and the level of detail that should be included. Do not lack detail on important subjects, and do not include excess detail of irrelevant subjects. Have a friend or colleague read your work when starting out. A good writer writes clear, simple and precise pieces.