There’s no such thing as perfect writing. Grammar blunders, we all have them,
even our writing heroes. Their writing may even be no better than yours the
first time around. Well, sure, their end product is probably better, but
regardless, all drafts are the same: sloppy and downright difficult to digest.
Well then, if that’s the case, then how come there are so many awesome bloggers
making a fortune on the internet, while there are others who barely earn a
single follow?
What all successful bloggers have in common is that they all edit their
work before declaring it as a finished product. Writing everything they want to
say is just the first phase of their writing schema. Every draft is like a rough
diamond. Unearthing one is just the beginning. You’ll have to cut it to reveal
its clarity and beauty. This is why many of the most popular bloggers hire a
professional editor, to transform their rough drafts to a real work of art. You
nailed it! – Someone else is helping them.
That seems a bit unfair, doesn’t it? It’s no wonder that their writing
seems flawless. Don’t go cursing and accusing bloggers of being cheaters. Some
bloggers are really just busy with their everyday schedule that they’d rather
have someone else do the editing for them. Even so, there are still bloggers who
do the editing themselves, which they did by working their way to learning the
craft. Editing isn’t exactly rocket science if you just have someone to show you
how it’s done.
That being said, let’s break down the rules that’ll transform your dull
writing piece to one that’ll break the record:
1. Don’t use empty filler words
Empty fillers are sometimes called grammar expletives. These are words or
phrases that don’t add any substantial meaning to the context. They usually
start with there, it, and there, followed by a form of a verb to be. One of the
most common phrases includes the words it was, it is, it will, it won’t, here
is, it takes, there will be, there is. These words and phrases are empty and
meaningless, only making the text unnecessarily wordier without adding any
significant value to the paragraph.
What’s wrong with being wordy? I mean,
sure, there are lots of cases when we need to catch a certain word count. When
you use fillers to refer to nouns later in the sentence, your writing weakens as
it shifts emphasis away from the real meaning of your writing.
2. Use action words
We are fond of making our writing lengthier. As such, we often write our
stuff using weak verbs. Examples are: assist, help, gain, receive, deal, handle,
learn, seek out, set up, and enhance.
Weak verbs occur when we write “she is
blogging”, when we can just write “she blogs”, “she is enjoying” instead of,
“she enjoys”, and “she was sleeping” instead of “she slept”.
What’s wrong
with weak verbs? We write to express. Using weak verbs makes it more difficult
for the reader to digest the meaning of our writing. Instead of using weak
verbs, use action or visceral verbs that directly point to the meaning of the
sentence. Examples are: ate, kissed, killed, slept, drank, went, and flew.
3. Don’t use weak adjectives
Everything in your article should be easy to understand. You shouldn’t
bombard your article with words that’ll make it hard for the reader to
understand your writing. That being said, you should be specific when using
adjectives. Examples of weak adjectives are: really bad, really good, very big,
and very beautiful. How bad is really bad? How good is really good? How big is
very big? How beautiful is very beautiful? Refrain from using words or
phrases that depict that you don’t know a specific word. Instead, use words like
terrible, great, huge, and gorgeous.
4. Don’t be verbose
Do you remember sleeping on your lectures back in high school? What do you
think kept you from listening and staying awake? The long and boring lesson,
right? Your prof could have explained it using few words, but he still insisted
on making it long and difficult for you. Remember how you hated that? Well,
that’s how your readers probably feel, whenever you go all verbose on them. Tell
them exactly what’s up. Tips to follow are:
• Be direct to the
point
• Don’t use colloquial phrases
• Don’t use hifalutin
words
• Research
I bet you’re wondering what the last part was for. Well, of course, you’re
going to have to be straight to the point for your readers to stick. Of course,
it’s going to lead to a lesser word count. And of course, you need to stick to a
much a higher word count. And that is precisely why you have to make tons of
research: to make your article as valuable as possible.
5. Avoid
nominalization
Nominalization occurs when you use a lengthier equivalent of a
phrase or sentence when you can just write in a simpler form. Examples
are:
• Alcohol is the cause of driving accidents – Alcohol causes driving
accidents
• Sabrina is showing signs of high intelligence – Sabrina is
intelligent
6. Use proper punctuation
Everything is easily understood through face to face conversations.
Things toughen when we write it. Facial expressions, gestures, and body language
– these all contribute to how effective communication will be. So, with all
those things absent in writing, how can we make ourselves clear to our readers?
Proper punctuation, of course.
Place a period at the end of every sentence.
Use a question mark when you’re referring to a question. Place a comma whenever
there’s a pause in your sentence.
7. Make use of noun modifiers whenever possible
Again, we’re used to making our writing lengthier. As a result, we prefer
using unnecessary and long words, instead of using noun modifiers. Noun
modifiers are two nouns used together where the first noun modifies the second
one. Examples are:
• Benefits of reading – Reading benefits
• Tips on proofreading
– Proofreading tips
• Basics of SEO – SEO basics
Where am I going with all of these? To write clearly and effectively, you
just have to be well-understood. We write to express. That being said, your
writing should send a clear message to the readers. Focus on making your writing
as direct to the point as possible. Don’t confuse your readers just so you can
reach a word count. There are only two things to remember: be direct and do
research.
Joe Baldwin is a native US resident & professional Article writer for Essay Look. He studied English literature and creative writing. He has experience with online web content including blogs, web page content, news, public relations, press releases, and long form sales and industrial presentations.
