|
|
| Writing Information |
|
|
|
|
Nobody Likes A Rambler
We all know people who ramble. They include every boring and insignificant detail, speak in five-minute-long sentences and take forever to get to the point. When they finally reach the end of their story, most people have either walked away or lost interest. If you were reading their words, would you read right to the end? Or would you find something more informative, less boring and shorter to read? We all have a tendency to ramble. It's natural. And the more excited we are about a subject, the more likely we are to ramble. Unfortunately, if we ramble in writing, our readers may not get to the "good stuff." And if that "good stuff" is your website, your byline or a product you wish to promote, your rambling has just cost you money. Now, I certainly don't want to curb your excitement, and I don't even want to thwart your tendency to ramble. Instead, I want you to get wildly excited about your topic. I want you to ramble as much as you like. Then I want you to edit. When you edit, try to cut as many words from your article as possible. The number of words cut depends on the length of your first draft and the desired length of your finished article. That said, you should usually try to cut your word count by at least 20 percent - and the more words cut, the better. If that leaves your article too short, try rambling on for even longer before you get to the editing stage. I don't have the room here to list everything that helps cut down the words in your article, but I will share some key points: These items won't cover everything you need to look at when reducing your word count, but they do provide a good starting base. If you want to remember them, just think of the biggest rambler you know and the things you would like to say to him: "You already said that." "Is the weather important?" "Get to the point." "I have to go soon. Can we hurry this up?" Readers won't wish they could say these things to you. They'll just find something else to read. Keep your word count low and you'll keep your readers with you right to the end. About The Author Liz Palmer is a freelance copywriter and editor, based in Australia. She works with businesses and writers, offering a range of proofreading, editing and copywriting services.
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Could Your Book Idea Be the Next Best Seller? Everyone has a unique story to tell. From explaining business processes to revealing our personal history, we all have a natural desire to share our experiences with the world. As a result, bookstore shelves are packed with numerous titles that promise to entertain, enlighten, and educate readers. Writing For The Web: Where To Get Article Ideas A friend and I were talking the other day about writing. He liked to write, but even so his biggest problem was finding things to write about. My friend was astounded at the volume of writing that I do - at least one article and something as many as six, per day. Where do I get all of the ideas from? Scenes and Structure Beginning writers often tend to think of a book as a series of chapters. It's actually more useful to regard it as a series of linked scenes. Why? Because it makes it a lot easier to control the pace of your story. Memories Dont Fade Like Hair Does: Memoir Writing Help for You, Our Elders, to Tell Your Story ~~~Old age, to the unlearned, is winter; to the learned, it's harvest time. ~ Yiddish saying~~~ Business Letter Etiquette Business etiquette is fundamentally concerned with building relationships founded upon courtesy and politeness between business personnel. Etiquette, and especially business etiquette, is a means of maximising your potential by presenting yourself positively. Go With The Flow: Write With Transition Words and Phrases One of the most common weaknesses I see in day-to-day writing is poor logical flow from one idea or point to the next. This usually takes the form of a bunch of seemingly unrelated phrases thrown together with little or no sense of sequence, continuity, or relativity. Balance Your Life Balance your life � ----------------------- � Writing is a solitary task. Writing needs concentration and quiet.� Writing requires absolute commitment. � Are all there scary statements true? What is more, is it possible to balance your writing career and family without turning yourself into a zombie? � Everything is feasible; I am the living example of it. � There is only one secret:� TIME PLAN. This is step one for the aspiring writer's success.� Without it, nothing can be achieved.� How can you do it? � Simply make a rough plan of the time allowed to your writing project every day.� It is highly important for the writer to know exactly WHEN he /she is going to settle down and write, feeling free of all the other responsibilities that he has. � I have made a simple schedule.� You can work out yours according to your family needs. Every morning just after breakfast, and as soon as the family have gone, I allow myself to work on my PC for one to two hours, depending on the workload of the day.� Then I go on with the house chores and all the rest of the family tasks till noon.� At 2 o' clock everybody is back so I serve lunch, but after that I have 2-3 hours free to work on my morning assignment.� Thus, there is plenty of time to care for the family , while in the afternoons I still have time to go to my part time job in time , feeling satisfied I have worked at home on my project.� � In the evening I sometimes find an hour or so , when the family watch TV .� This time I sit with them in the living room , having pre arranged to do the easiest tasks for my writing job, such as note taking or layout planning of new stories or articles.� I use pen to paper and I don't bother if I make mistakes.� Next morning, there is plenty of time to revise them and complete them. � If this plan has been working perfectly for me, why not for you as well? You only have to calculate when and how long you need to write every day.� Of course , you must stick to your plan and never give it up , apart from very urgent cases.� Remember that your work is also urgent, so never skip it. � If you respect your writing job, the others will do so too.� What is more, they won't feel neglected as you will give them your care and attention at the time they are around. Furthermore, your house chores will be done in time and you won't feel overworked.� " A little every day" is my motto, and, in the long run, everything is done and everybody is happy.� Keeping your writing and family under control will make you feel satisfied and everyone, including you, will be happy.� � Also, keep in mind that there is nothing odd if you work in unconventional places. I sometimes find it stimulating to work in the living room with all the family around.� Noise does not bother me ,on the contrary, �it brings me more ideas.� This article was outlined last evening while we were all watching a football match.� Well, the truth is I did not watch much of it!� I was absorbed in my new article, but that's how this idea sprang out.� I can perfectly work in a chatty setting.� Have you tried it?� You may come up with fresh ideas and great articles. � Finally, who says that writing can turn you into a zombie?� Shatter the myth!� It's up to you to enjoy both your family and your writing career.� Simply make a time plan! � � Ends � 622 Does Each Element of Your Story Further The Theme? Creative Writing Tips ? The Demon Fear You have a great idea for a poem, a story, an essay, an article, a book, or a novel, but you hesitate to write it. Why? Six Tips for Submitting Fiction - if you want it to get published You can learn a lot about what it takes to place a story in an ezine by starting up one of your own. Five Common Errors to Correct Before Submitting a Letter or Report First impressions count in writing too! So it is always a good idea to carefully check documents such as letter, reports, and proposals before submitting them. Below are five of the most common errors. Graphology - Unleash Inner Personality & Talent of Child || Graphology & Graphotherapy || Permission NOT To Write Quite a few years ago, I enrolled in a Degree in Criminal Justice. My main reason for doing so was my interest in reading and writing crime and mystery fiction. I thought by doing this course, I would gain a good grounding in police procedure. I was particularly interested in forensic science and profiling. Screenwriting, Screenplays, Screenwriters - Writing a Screenplay Using Structure Effective screenwriting relies on the good understanding and use of structure. Does Your Story Have A Theme? Creative Writing Tips ? Make Your Readers Cry You know, I really hate it when someone catches me crying over a book. Keeping a Love Journal Do you love someone very deeply? A spouse, son, daughter, or maybe a group of people. February 14 is Valentine�??s Day. This unofficial holiday is a day card companies started to increase their business and has evolved into more over the years. It is a day of reflection, a day to show someone else you care, a day to see the love we have for ourselves as well. The Heart of the Delay: Harnessing The Wisdom of Procrastination (AKA Writers Block) I am sure that at in some era, at some desk, with some kind of paper (and perhaps some very special ink), some writer has breezed through a lengthy and challenging project from beginning to end with no delays. No one in her household has suffered, she's felt pleased at each step of the process, and her shoulders have never cried out for massage. I'm sure of this. Writers Helping Writers - A Noble Legacy It is satisfying to be a part of such a noble tradition and to know that as a whole, writers are still inclined to lend a hand and encourage others in their craft. I think it is an inherent trait in the writer's soul, to be so generous. And in our time the Internet has allowed these efforts to be more obvious, has provided more opportunities for this warm tradition to be observed on a global scale. Critique Groups - The Good, The Bad and the Ugly What do people expect when they join a writing group?
|
| home | site map |
| © 2005 |