Writing eloquent words8/11/2023 Once I write something, I decide if every word deserves to be there. I also have a habit of being critical with the words I use in each sentence. To write the shorter sentence in version 3, I sat up from my computer and asked, "What am I trying to say?'" I stopped trying to be clever, and the words found their way onto the page. Active voice feels more confident to the reader. There is a common misconception when it comes to writing that is professional in nature that a person must write in a verbose manner to come across as intelligent.Īs you read this next part, notice how, even if the words in brackets are deleted, the sentences retain their meaning.įirst, I located the subject ("You") and led with it. Once I have my conversational sentence, I go and attack it with a red pen. Whenever I am stuck on a sentence, I step back from the computer screen and ask myself, "OK, what am I trying to say here?" Rather than come up with the most eloquent way to make my point, I write it out in plain English as if talking to a buddy. I don't mean write in internet jargon or shorthand. The secret to brevity and, in turn, clarity is something we are rarely taught growing up: A vendor or client sees you as sharp and courteous. You don't waste words and, in doing so, don't waste a person's time. When you write with brevity, you make your points quickly and shrewdly. Worst of all, trying to write beyond our skill level screams, "I'm in over my head!" In the real world, most people don't enjoy reading lengthy emails, reports and presentations. We develop strategies that balloon our paragraphs so we can fill out eight, 10 or 12 pages and pick up our gold stars on the way out. Only in college are we forced to write a paper a certain length. The main culprit, in my view, is the loathsome college essay. Too often, people write sentences like the one at the top when they should choose version #3. You don't need to write a lot or use big words to sound smart. People often make a mistake in thinking that writing long-winded sentences with big words makes them appear smart.
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