Education Effective Writing For Fiction - And Every Day

Many people cringe when told they have to write something. Even something as simple as a letter or thank you note. One simple trick should help most people overcome this fear and reluctance: learning to talk to their intended readers, not at them. The Basics of Effective Writing Good writing begins with not talking "above" your readers. Fiction abounds with both "high style" writers who cater to language before easy reading, and writers who tell a compelling story without resorting to linguistic tricks. Even technical manuals would do better to keep their jargon to a minimum and their wording to the simplest possible. Why? Because most people read more comfortably at an eighth-grade level or below. Even physicists and rocket scientists. For non-fiction - letters, manuals, marketing letters, website content - use shorter words where possible, and keep technical terms to a minimum, except where absolutely needed. When you must use them, make sure to give a brief definition, unless you're writing only for an audience who knows all those technical terms. Vary the length of your sentences. Some can be longer, though they should never comprise a full paragraph, and some should be shorter. For emphasis, some can be just a few words. Follow the same rule with paragraphs. No marathon twelve-sentence paragraphs. Break them up so they don't look so daunting on the page. For fiction - flash, short or long - use a down-to-earth type of writing that keeps sentences and paragraphs short and punchy, the action moving along. Save the highfalutin language for parody or poetry. No need to talk down to your readers. And no need to frighten them with unending sentences or paragraphs. You can even check that you've written at the appropriate level in many word-processing programs. It's often in the spelling and grammar check area, and it will give a grade-average for the readability. If you're not sure of your piece, check it there and make appropriate changes to get the level you desire. Have a Conversation If this simpler type of writing seems hard to create, if your every effort sounds stilted, try this: Pretend you're at a restaurant with a good friend, having a meal. Tell this friend your story, or talk about your product or service in language you'd use talking to this friend. Really work at writing as if you are actually talking. Don't think about it, don't obsess with perfect grammar or wording, just get it out as if you're telling your friend what you want to convey. You'll have time later to edit to make sure it all makes sense. Unless you're both brain surgeons, this conversation won't be full of long, difficult words, and sentences that never end. It will more likely be lively and bursting with shorter words, and medium to short sentences. Maybe even incomplete sentences. That's fine. It's even great. It's exactly what will endear you to your readers. The more storytelling style you can manage, the more your readers will enjoy what you've written. And for most purposes, that's exactly what you want. When to Write More Seriously Of course, there are times when you need to keep your tone more formal. Business letters, serious subjects, formal contracts - those all need to remain straightforward and serious in tone and format. Being too conversational here will cause issues for your business, so exclude these sorts of writings from the rules above. Beyond that, truthfully, you will do far better to remember to talk to your readers as if they are sitting beside you. So whether you write fiction or non-fiction, remember that effective writing is easy-to-read writing, and enjoyable reading essay writing sample writers