1. Variety – We all tend to repeat certain words. Repetition isn’t always bad, but if you use the same terms often and they seem redundant, try different ones. They can make your writing more interesting.
Example: “John’s Nursery and Greenhouse offers everything for your gardening needs in its new heated greenhouse.”
Revised: “John’s Nursery and Greenhouse offers everything for your gardening needs in its new heated store.”
2. Challenge yourself – Mix things up. Move from general to more descriptive terms, such as “German Shepherd” vs. “dog.” Adding minor details can make your writing less generic and more specific.
3. Cut the glut – If you’ve written several passages with the same meaning or that point to obvious information, remove them.
Example: “My conclusions are at the end.”
4. Rehab your vocab – Open a dictionary and point at a page and read about the word you land on. Do crosswords and other brain teasers. A game of Scrabble on your smartphone or with a partner can be fun. Read classic books such as “It Pays to Increase Your Word Power” and “30 Days to a More Powerful Vocabulary” to expand your verbal horizons.
5. Use more pronouns – When you refer to a person, place, or a thing more than once, use a pronoun (“him,” “her,” “it,” “them,” etc.).
Example: “George kicked the can down the road. George then hopped on his bike to go to the store.”
Revised: “George kicked the can down the road. He then hopped on his bike to go to the store.”
How do you make your writing more interesting? Feel free to comment below.
Do your newsletters, blog posts, and other content have all the ingredients they need to engage readers? If you need to add some “spice” to keep people coming back for seconds, contact me.
Quotes
“The key is using repetition deliberately, consciously, and strategically. If you don’t think it can be effective, imagine if Shakespeare had had Macbeth say: ‘Tomorrow, and the next day, and the one after that, creeps in this petty pace from one twenty-four-hour period to another.'” ~ Ben Yagoda, “How Not to Write Bad: the Most Common Writing Problems and the Best Ways to Avoid Them.”
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