MAKE YOUR WRITING
100%
MORE POWERFUL BY
ASKING THESE
7
QUESTIONS
by Shane Arthur
1
Have
you padded your prose with empty filler words?
Using it, here, or there followed by a form of the verb to be directs readers away from
1
the true focus of your writing. Instead, train yourself to spot grammar expletives, or
use your word processor's “find” functionality to locate them, and then rewrite your
sentence without them. It’s fun to edit – Editing is fun
Here are some things to consider: – Some things to consider are:
2
Are
you weakening the
action
with wimpy words?
You'll lose your reader's attention if they have to trudge through wordy, boring
sentences. Instead, replace lightweight to be verbs and any other verbs that lack
strength, with more powerful alternatives. She is blogging – She blogs
Make it clearer – Clarify
I can’t make it to the party – I can’t attend the party
3
Have
you crippled your descriptions with feeble phrases?
Weak adjectives don't provide useful information and sap strength from your writing.
Instead, edit words like really and very, that usually precede weak adjectives and
choose the best possible adjectives when describing nouns and pronouns.
Really bad – Terrible
Dirty – Filthy
He’s not very smart – He’s ignorant
https://smartblogger.com/editing­tips/ | © 2014­2016 SmartBlogger.com
4
Can
you trim
any
flabby words
or
phrases?
Excessive colloquialisms and filler text diminish the quality of your writing along
with your readers' patience. Instead, write what you mean as concisely as possible.
But the fact of the matter is – But
Editing is absolutely essential – Editing is essential (Absolutely is redundant)
5
Are
you pussyfooting
around
with your verbs
and
adjectives?
Nominal constructions lead to unnecessary words, which makes your writing
sluggish and wastes your readers' time. Instead, write in active voice by switching
7
out weak nouns for stronger verbs or adjectives and cutting out the fat.
Give your post a proofread – Proofread your post
He shows signs of carelessness – He is careless
6
Do
you
need any
commas for clarity?
Your audience will not stick around if they have to stop to work out the meaning of
your sentences. Instead, use commas wherever necessary to provide clarity to your
sentences for your readers. You can ignore editing and people reading your post may not notice but your
ideas will get lost.
Without the comma after “editing,” it reads: I can ignore editing and people reading
my post.
You can ignore editing, and people reading your post may not notice
but your ideas will get lost.
7
Have
you
added noun
modifiers wherever you can?
It's selfish to use more words when you can lose less and makes you appear less
skillful than other bloggers. Instead, use noun modifiers to make shorter, more
succinct sentences whenever you find prepositions between noun sets.
Tips on editing – Editing tips
Information regarding registration – Registration information
https://smartblogger.com/editing­tips/ | © 2014­2016 SmartBlogger.com