5 Easy Ways to Make Your Writing Better
Written by Guest Writer - February 22, 2010 4 Comments
Because time is often a commodity, I’m pretty picky about what I spend my time reading. How I choose what to read is determined by the way the content is written, as well as presentation. And I know I’m not the only one who thinks this way.
What of it? Well, this means that your writing, whether an ebook, article, or blog post, has to be attractive in every possible way: simple yet professional and well-written. (If it’s an ebook, don’t forget great design!)
Sirius does offer an ebook publishing service, complete with writing help if you need it. At the same time, having something good to start with and getting to the finish line are not easy tasks. So here are five tips on how to write content people will want to read.
5 Simple Ways to Write Well
1. Write your title first.
Your title acts as your guideline to keep you focused as you write. If you find you’re going off on too many tangents or that you have too much to include, refer back to your title and remove anything that does not directly relate to it. You can also divide up your ideas. Perhaps there are another two or three ebooks or posts you could write, like a series. For example, instead of having an ebook on how to write a novel, divide it into shorter ebooks or workbooks on how to create great characters, how to form a solid plot, etc.
2. Keep your writing simple.
I’ve written about this before. The moment you start showing off or trying to impress on people that you’re a credible source of information, you lose that very credibility. It’s natural for us to want to sound witty and intelligent. If you can do that with simple yet elegant prose, the more power to you. Stick to your point and get rid of the clutter; flowery language is distracting. The way a clean and edited room can leave you feeling calm and refreshed, well-written prose can leave a reader feeling lucid, inspired, and satisfied. In short, choose your words wisely.
3. Curb the length of your sentences and paragraphs.
For example, never say in ten words what you can say in five or less (in other words, edit your work to delete all extraneous words, paragraphs, and topics). This tip is important because it makes for effective writing but also because our attention spans are not what they used to be in the 1800s. For ebooks, paragraphs can be a bit longer, but for articles and blog posts, try to keep your paragraphs to about three sentences. However, do break only where it makes sense, so as not to interrupt flow.
4. Watch the total length of your ebook or post.
As I suggested earlier, staying on track will allow your readers to remain focused. Likewise, keeping your ebook an approximate length of 20–40 pages, and your posts or articles shorter, will retain your readers’ attention.
5. Read your writing aloud.
It’s totally amazing how this can make weak areas in your writing much more obvious. In fact, this point is so crucial I’d say it’s probably the most important tip of all. Reading aloud can help determine breaks in flow, pinpoint what needs to come out or what is awkward, and give you an overall impression of how your reader will respond. Once you’re completely satisfied with how your ebook, article, or post sounds, you know you’ve got something good.
Apply these five easy tips and I promise you’ll see not only a great improvement in your writing but also, and most important to your goal, a loyal readership.
Read the Comments
4 Outstanding Responses to "5 Easy Ways to Make Your Writing Better"
Wendi Kelly on February 22, 2010 at 9:03 am | Permalink
Thanks Steph,
I agree that the writing out loud one is very important for me. Especially being dyslexic, it’s amazing the difference between what I thought I wrote and what I actually wrote sometimes. When I am in a hurry and forget this step, I am sad to say… it shows.
steph on February 22, 2010 at 10:38 am | Permalink
Wendi,
I totally know what you mean. When I read this very post aloud to Colin I had to revamp quite a bit of it!
steph’s last blog post… Freedom to Read Week
Barbara Swafford on February 23, 2010 at 11:59 am | Permalink
Hi Steph,
Great tips. Based on the format of my posts (lessons/assignments), what I found works for me is to sometimes, write backwards. What I mean by that is, I know what questions I want to ask so then will write the post to get there. Other times, like you suggested, I start with a title, however, once the post is complete, I may change the title to something a little more catchy.
I also like your point number two. In blogosphere we never know who’s reading our work, so even though we may know a “big” word that could replace four or five smaller words, like you said, others might think we’re just showing off.
Barbara Swafford’s last blog post… Say It Ain’t So
steph on February 23, 2010 at 12:32 pm | Permalink
Hi Barbara,
Yes, I know what you mean about working backwards! Sometimes that’s actually easier. When I wrote this post, I had my five points and then filled them out but not necessarily in the order they came. So long as I kept referring back to my title, I knew I was on track. To be honest, I changed the title too, because I ended up deciding to focus not only on ebooks but on any public writing.
I just find that “big words” or, worse, flowery ways of putting things comes across as either pretentious or convoluted. Not that we have to underestimate the intelligence of our readers by any means, but keeping the language simple (which doesn’t necessarily mean using more, smaller words rather than one big one but also, or rather, picking the exact perfect word to say what you mean) just makes it more effective.
steph’s last blog post… Freedom to Read Week