Category: writing advice

1. You are not your audience. Perhaps you become jumbled in jargon when you write and focus more on how you think you should sound. Talk about your article with a friend and record it or have someone take notes during the conversation. Apps, such as Dragon Dictation and iPhone’s Notes, can transcribe for you — these methods can humanize your writing.

2. Write to a friend (or pretend to). Some of us are self-conscious about being recorded.

3. Keep a journal. Some of my best, most open writing occurs when I jot in my journal. It’s like I’m talking to a therapist or a friend. It’s a great way to practice writing and to relax, and your words will flow more freely.

4. Read your writing aloud in a flat voice. Printing a copy helps. Sometimes what we see on-screen doesn’t match the printed page. Note any corrections or additions. Our ears can catch things our eyes don’t.

5. Let someone else read. If you’re open to constructive criticism, let a trusted friend or loved one read your writing. Another set of eyes can help you see more clearly.

Quotes

Incomprehensible jargon is the hallmark of a profession. ~ Kingman Brewster, Jr.

Even to a writer who is being intentionally obscure or wild of tongue we can say, ‘Be obscure clearly! Be wild of tongue in a way we can understand!’ Even to writers of market letters, telling us (but not telling us) which securities are promising, we can say, ‘Be cagey plainly! Be elliptical in a straightforward fashion!’ ~ William Strunk, Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style.

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

1. Very.  It means “that much more so,” but sometimes less is more.

2. Pretty.  It looks good, but its beauty is pixel-deep.

3. Really.  It’s often added for emphasis, but remove it for true emphasis.

4. So.  It’s like the above, and is often added more for its sound than for its depth.

5. Somewhat. It makes sentences vague.

Quotes

“Death to all modifiers, he declared one day, and out of every letter that passed through his hands went every adverb and every adjective.” ~ Joseph Heller, Catch-22

“We often rely on qualifiers — especially intensifiers — because we either don’t know or don’t take the time to find the appropriate word.” ~ The Writing Center: Qualifiers, UNC College of Arts & Sciences

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

1. Assist — This word has positive connotations — its popularity isn’t surprising. It sounds a little stuffy, though. It’s good to keep it in your vocabulary, but alternate it with shorter and sweeter “aid,” “serve,” or “help,” depending on the meaning of the sentence and how it reads.

2. Utilize — It’s a little complex for plain English. As “Grammar Girl” Mignon Fogarty has said, “‘Utilize’ has some specific, appropriate uses. Biological organisms are properly said to ‘utilize’ nutrients. If you’re a general writer, however, it’s usually best to stick with ‘use.'”

3. Implement — It sounds important, and depending on its use as a noun or a verb, it can be hard to visualize its meaning. It’s not a verb for the lazy; it’s often used to mean “to put into use” or “to complete,” in the sense that a business has met a goal. So, for variety, “perform,” “complete,” “finish,” or if you’re not too harsh, “execute.”

4. Establish — It has its place. Sometimes “found,” in the sense that someone starts something, such as a business, works better.

5. Accomplish — Another lofty word, the simpler alternative, “achieve,” can also show results.

Quotes

“People who work in specialized fields seem to have their own language. Practitioners develop a shorthand to communicate among themselves. The jargon can almost sound like a foreign language.” ~ Barry Ritholtz

“There are two rules to good communication — say what you mean and mean what you say.” ~ Tim Phillips, Talk Normal: Stop the Business Speak, Jargon and Waffle

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com

1. Stay on top — Putting attention-grabbing text first has always been important — more so with mobile website content. For example, email summaries can appear in on-screen windows, so you want to catch as many eyes as possible.

2. Less is more — Keep email, blog, and website headlines short. Crop copy to only one or two main ideas per page.

3. Link it — If you’re writing for more than one device, one way to “mobilize” longer website or blog content is to separate it into different pages and add click here to read more or next page links at the bottom.

4. Scannability — Make your text easier on the eyes; my newsletter features more online content formatting advice.

5. Personality — Your mobile website content don’t mean a thing if it ain’t got some zing. Pizzazz suits the smaller screen. It’s more about what you say and how you say it. People tend to see themselves in their smartphones and in their tablets. The more personal nature of these devices means your content should be more personal, too — emphasize “you” more than “I.”

Quotes

“If you’re not using mobile marketing to attract new customers to your business, don’t worry — your competitors are already using it and are getting those customers instead.” ~ Jamie Turner, 60SecondMarketer.com

“Mobile is not the future, it is the now. Meet your customers in the environment of their choice, not where it’s convenient for you.” ~ Cyndie Shaffstall, Spider Trainers

Comments? Suggestions? Need help? Feel free to contact me.

Michelle Troutman
classywriting.com