Writing Techniques Tips
Read these 10 Writing Techniques Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Copywriting tips and hundreds of other topics.
Vary Sentence Structure
Using sentences that are the same length can be very boring for your readers. To get the best results with your copywriting use sentences that vary in both length and structure. This will keep your readers involved and make your writing feel more conversational.
Scentence and Paragraph Structure
When writing copy it is important to remember that you are not writing a novel. While laong, complex scentences may work with fiction, they will just annoy your readers. Use short scentences and paragraphs to keep their attention. Limit your paragraphs to 4-5 short scentences and break up your copy with images, bullet points and don't forget about white space.
Examples of "padding" and reducing
give a response = respond
hold a conference = confer
cooperate together = cooperate
make a decision = decide
until such time as = when
bring to a resolution = resolve
at this point in time = now
7:00 p.m. in the evening = 7:00 p.m.
Read the whole article: "How to remove "Padding" from your writing"
Excessive Words
Examine every word of your copy, because sifting through "Padding and "dribble" gets long-winded and boring. It's easy to reduce the number of words and say the same thing. People are easily bored so don't frustrate them with excessive words just to sound complicated, technical or knowledgable. Get rid of excessive words in your copy.
Read the whole article: "How to remove "Padding" from your writing"
Describing or Doing?
The best way to communicate is to use strong verbs rather than too many adjectives but both have their place. Writing about being active and doing it is better than telling what it's like. It's much more fun eating than it is to be told about it. For example, a brochure promoting a restraurant should emphasise the people having a great time enjoying eating food.
That's far more appealing than lengthy descriptions about the food. "Enjoy eating these five delicious gourmet dishes." This contain one adjective "delicious," but the emphasis is on the verb eating!
It's better than "These are our new tasty, delicious gourmet dishes." There's no "action" and it's less appealing.
Try this Exercise
Reduce these phrases to one word that says the same thing. This simple exercise will show you how to identify and remove "padding."
in the event that =
important essentials =
ultimate end =
just exactly =
still continue =
on the occasion of =
at this point in time =
prior to the start of =
merge together =
enclosed herein =
cooperate together =
Check your answers in this article: "Try this exercise- answers"
Effective Communication
Writing is a very powerful medium and the way your business approaches it can make or break your objectives. Sloppy writing techniques applied to ads, newletters and website content will reduce sales. Learn some basic writing techniques and you'll see increased sales in whatever business you are in.
I'm not talking about writing in general as every educated person knows how to write, but skills and techniques that you may never have previously considered that will make a difference.
KISS Your Copywriting
When writing copy, no matter the subject, don't get too complex. Remember that your audience is looking for fast answers and easy reading so keep your writing simple for a better response.
Get Personal...But Not Too Personal
Don't be afraid to get a little personal with your copywriting. If you're writing about a subject you have experience with - and it is not supposed to be drier, technical writing - share an anecdote or some personal experience that will help the reader relate to the subject matter. Avoid getting too personal (i.e. involving actual people or giving away something embarrassing) as this could be detrimental to your client or their business.
| Guru Spotlight |
| Jeffery Loquist |
