|
The
Top Five Writing Mistakes Professionals Make
by: Judy
Cullins
Yes, you know your subject. You also need to think about entertaining
your audience, and making your book or other writing easy to read. If
your writing lacks organization and compelling, vital sentences that
convince your readers to keep reading, they will leave your book or
Web site immediately. There goes your "word-of-mouth" promotion.
Try my "Check and Correct" for
These Top Five Mistakes
1. Stop passive sentence construction.
When you write in passive voice,
your writing slides along into long sentences that slow your readers
down, even bore them.
Before you put your final stamp
of approval on your writing, circle all the "is," "was" and other passive
verbs like: begin, start to, seems, appears, have, and could. Use your
grammar check to count your passives. Aim for 2-4% only.
Correct: "Make sure that your name
is included on all your household accounts and investments." "Make"
and "is included" --the culprits. Create more clarity with this revision,"
Include your name on all household accounts and investments to keep
your own credit alive after your divorce."
2. Stop all pompous language and
phrases.
Well-meaning professionals often
use the word, "utilize." You see this criminal in resumes, military
directives and medical or lawyer documents. "Utilize not only puts people
off because we don't relate to "jargoneze," but because we want simple
language. Think of Hemingway who knew that one or two syllable-words
work better than longer ones.
When you aim at 10th grade level,
you make it easy for your audience to "buy." Attempts to impress your
audience with research babble or long words fail because they sound
unreal and create a distance from the audience. Your reader wants a
savvy friend, not an expert.
3. Show, don't tell to keep your
audience reading.
When you take the lazy shortcut
using -ly words like suddenly, or the adverb "very," your telling makes
your reader yawn a "ho hum" and stop reading. Instead show "suddenly."
For example, "When she saw the pistol, she ran and slammed the door
behind her, shows "suddenly." Instead of "Alice was fat," say "Alice's
girth prevented her from buying just one airline seat."
Circle the -ly and very words and
sit down with your Thesaurus and replace them with power words that
describe or show emotion.
4. Reduce your passive -ing constructions.
Think of a title that inspired
you in the past. I like "Jump Start your Book Sales" by Marilyn and
Tom Ross. "Jump Starting" lacks power because it doesn't ask for action.
"-Ing" construction implies passive. Next time you think heading, title,
or even compelling copy, think command verbs as sentence starters as
well as using other strong verbs and nouns. Keep your sentences active
using verbs in either present or past tense.
5. Take the "I" out of your writing
to satisfy your reader
Whether you write a book introduction,
biography, chapter or web sales message (did you know these are part
of the essential "hot-selling points?"), keep the "I's" to a minimum.
Your audience doesn't care about you, only what you can do for them.
Think about where your audience is now--their challenges or concerns.
Remember to answer their question, "Why should I buy this from you?"
Put a big YOU at the top of each page you write. Write three or four
paragraphs. Then, circle the "I's" and vow to replace them with a "you"
centered sentence or question.
So instead of telling your story,
(I know that's important to you) put your story in the third person.
Use another name, maybe a client's or friend's. If you think your bio
is important, instead of placing a long passage on your home page, place
it instead, on your "About Us" page. On your book's back cover, put
your longer bio and photo inside the back cover page, so you can put
more of what sells on your back cover--testimonials and benefits. Get
everything you write checked by a book or writing coach to make sure
it sells.
You cannot only get more sales
from what you write, you can put yourself out there as the savvy friend
to your audience who wants a problem solved. In the long run, these
satisfied readers will return to you again and again--even buy your
products and services.
Judy Cullins © 2004 All Rights
Reserved
|
About The Author
Judy Cullins, 20-year book and Internet Marketing Coach works
with small business people who want to make a difference in
people's lives, build their credibility and clients, and make
a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including
"Write your eBook Fast" and "How to Market your Business on
the Internet," she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines,
The Book Coach Says...and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml
and 140 free articles.
judy@bookcoaching.com
|
This article was posted on July
26, 2004
|
