Twelve Things They Should Have Told You About Writing.
Twelve Things They Should Have Told You About Writing.
Twelve Things They Should Have Told You About Writing.
Writing is how we
What you say is more important than how you say it.
As most of us have come through school, the methods used in an attempt to train* us to write have created a counterproductive feedback mechanism. In preparation for standardized tests we have been rewarded for using words that no one should ever use. Papers have minimum page lengths where they should have maximum word counts. Arbitrary concerns of style (MLA vs. Chicago vs AP) are emphasized more than clarity and power of writing. G en erati ons o f stu d ents have b e en bludgeoned with false and counterproductive rules such as ou shalt not split the innitive. As Winston Churchill so observed of this variety of literary insanity, Not ending sentences in prepositions is something up with which we shall not put. Having a point, making it clearly and well, these are the only sure and durable rules of writing. * e skill of writing is far too personal and complicated to be a trainable skill. Training is for rats, feeder bars and high-school kids who work in ozen yogurt anchises for the summer.
Only 20% of us do productive work. The other 80% are trying to kill us with crappy email.
Crisp subject lines, clear requests for action and as few words as possible will win friends, inuence people and help get things done. Not getting to the point (or not having one in the rst place) costs time and money. Email puts your writing front and center every working day. Send a bad email and it can be forwarded to everyone in the world in an instant for free. Its not fair. Its not sane. Its just the way it is.
The kindest thing you can do for your audience is not waste their time.
As Arthur Miller said, Attention must be paid. No matter how wealthy some of us may be, none of us are rich in attention. e fewer words you can use to get your point across, the less of a persons attention you will use. And the more they will like you. Get to the point, and the 20% of the people who keep the world turning will recognize you as one who is worthy of time, attention and assistance.
If your car wont start, you dont say that you have Drivers Block. You check to see if you have the right key. You check the gas tank. You make sure the battery has a charge. Although writing is more complicated than an automobile, it is still just a series of interlinking processes/systems. If