Writing well will 10x your success in any career.
But you wasted 18 years at school listening to English teachers preach rules that don't work in the real world.
Here's all the things they should have taught you (but didn't)
//Thread//
But you wasted 18 years at school listening to English teachers preach rules that don't work in the real world.
Here's all the things they should have taught you (but didn't)
//Thread//
Be direct.
There are no word counts in real life. Good writing is clear. Good writing is concise. Good writing uses as few words as necessary. Ditch the filler, adverbs, prepositions, and fluff. Say what you mean. Say it well.
There are no word counts in real life. Good writing is clear. Good writing is concise. Good writing uses as few words as necessary. Ditch the filler, adverbs, prepositions, and fluff. Say what you mean. Say it well.
Vary word length.
School teaches you to use the long words. Twitter teaches you to use the short ones. Instead, use the right ones. Sometimes, the long word is the best. Sometimes, the short one is. Think about the precise meaning and emotion you want. What is the best word?
School teaches you to use the long words. Twitter teaches you to use the short ones. Instead, use the right ones. Sometimes, the long word is the best. Sometimes, the short one is. Think about the precise meaning and emotion you want. What is the best word?
Vary sentence length.
If all your sentences are short it sounds choppy. If all long, it sounds dull. If all similar, it gets monotonous and boring. This is why you have to mix it up and make music with the rolling cadence of your words.
If all your sentences are short it sounds choppy. If all long, it sounds dull. If all similar, it gets monotonous and boring. This is why you have to mix it up and make music with the rolling cadence of your words.
Keep paragraphs digestible.
There is a place for long, meandering paragraphs. But most of the time you should keep it short. Every paragraph should carry one key idea, with each sentence supporting the idea. Don't wander, don't ramble. Keep it focused.
There is a place for long, meandering paragraphs. But most of the time you should keep it short. Every paragraph should carry one key idea, with each sentence supporting the idea. Don't wander, don't ramble. Keep it focused.
Always use active voice.
Active voice is subject-verb-object. It's "the fat man broke the chair" not "the chair was broken by the fat man". It's more exciting - your focus is on the action - and it's easier to visualise. That makes it more evocative and powerful.
Active voice is subject-verb-object. It's "the fat man broke the chair" not "the chair was broken by the fat man". It's more exciting - your focus is on the action - and it's easier to visualise. That makes it more evocative and powerful.
Practice all kinds of writing.
School tells you to practice writing essays. But if you want to write a good essay: practice writing tweets, poems, songs and books. Each of them will teach you more. And you will learn what works across all writing (and what doesn't).
School tells you to practice writing essays. But if you want to write a good essay: practice writing tweets, poems, songs and books. Each of them will teach you more. And you will learn what works across all writing (and what doesn't).
Make it sing.
Writing is not about conveying information. Writing is about conveying emotion. A good writer can make someone think about their message, but a great writer makes them FEEL it. Use every rhetorical trick you can to convey the emotions you want your reader to feel.
Writing is not about conveying information. Writing is about conveying emotion. A good writer can make someone think about their message, but a great writer makes them FEEL it. Use every rhetorical trick you can to convey the emotions you want your reader to feel.
Tell a story.
Stories are more persuasive than statistics. Stories make us feel. If you can hook people into a story, you can take them anywhere. There is a reason that every good self-improvement book is 80% story (and why great fiction is more powerful than any of them).
Stories are more persuasive than statistics. Stories make us feel. If you can hook people into a story, you can take them anywhere. There is a reason that every good self-improvement book is 80% story (and why great fiction is more powerful than any of them).
Edit, edit, edit.
In writing, you really can polish a turd. But first you have to get it out. I have taken that metaphor too far, but your first draft should be rough. Edit to tighten your writing, finalise word choice and structure, and apply the rules above.
In writing, you really can polish a turd. But first you have to get it out. I have taken that metaphor too far, but your first draft should be rough. Edit to tighten your writing, finalise word choice and structure, and apply the rules above.
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