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ASK THE EDITOR Vol. 3, Issue 5 2002 ----- Take a look around our Web site: http://kevinorf.tripod.com - Detailed description of writing services - Client list and testimonials - Hundreds of writing tips ----- IN THIS ISSUE - WRITE WHEN YOU'RE NOT WRITING - THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST - SMALLER CHUNKS ARE EASIER TO DIGEST - WRITING A KILLER LEAD - TEN WAYS TO ACHIEVE PROPER TONE - ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION ----- WRITE WHEN YOU'RE NOT WRITING Sometimes the best ideas come to you while you're lying in bed, driving to work, eating lunch, sitting in a meeting, or taking a walk.
This usually occurs after you've had time to digest the assignment and some of the information you've collected. Plus, there isn't the pressure of the blank page staring back at you so your mind can wander freely.
When this happens, allow your mind to play around with the angle, lead, organization, conclusion, or whatever else. Don't immediately grab a paper and pencil to get your ideas down. The internal censor has a tendency to kick in and you'll stifle the creative process.
Instead, play with the idea in your head for a while. Don't write anything down until you've played out all ideas or have gotten to the point where you feel you'll start to forget something. ----- Orfield Communications On target. On time. The first time. Every time.
Complete copywriting services, including ads, brochures, newsletters, feature articles, press releases, annual reports, proposals, Web content, and more.
For a FREE ESTIMATE or INFO KIT call 262-236-0110 or write kevinorf@netwurx.net ----- THE FIRST SHALL BE LAST Your first paragraph should be compelling and grab the reader's attention. That's why it's the most difficult to write.
Which is exactly why you shouldn't write it first--the hardest part of an assignment is often just getting started. To get comfortable, start by writing the rest of the assignment first, then go back and write the opening later.
Or go ahead and write an opening that includes the general idea of what you want to say. Don't worry too much about how it sounds now as you can revise it later. At least you'll have something on paper that will help you structure the rest of the assignment.
A strategy I often use is to create a placeholder in all caps at the beginning of the article that includes key words and ideas I want to cover in the opening paragraph. ----- "Every writer I know has trouble writing." Joseph Heller ----- SMALLER CHUNKS ARE EASIER TO DIGEST The first impression your reader will have is visual. Short paragraphs create a lot of white space and invite the reader in, while longer paragraphs are intimidating and may even scare readers away.
Therefore, keep your paragraphs short. Short paragraphs give readers a break between ideas, allowing them to absorb information more easily. Pick up any newspaper, newsletter, or magazine today and you'll notice most paragraphs are two to three sentences long.
Break up any paragraphs longer than four or five lines. Just make sure the sentences in each paragraph logically form a cohesive unit, and that each paragraph flows logically from one to another.
Often you'll notice during revision that by simply juggling sentences from one paragraph to another or by moving paragraphs around you'll improve organization considerably.
Final note: Keeping paragraphs short does not mean you can't be interesting, clever, engaging, and compelling. ----- "Every style that is not boring is a good one." Voltaire ------ WRITING A KILLER LEAD The first few sentences in any article are critical. Each one must be provocative and compel the reader to continue reading. Without such a hook, or "lead," you risk losing your reader.
How long is a lead? There's no hard and fast answer. In short articles, it might be the first two or three paragraphs. In longer articles, it might be the first four or five. The most important thing is that it works.
Here are some tips: - Grab the reader's attention right away with an interesting fact, humor, or surprise. - After you've aroused their curiosity, provide readers with some hard facts to let them know why they should continue reading. Readers want to know right away what's in it for them, or they won't stick around. - Each paragraph should build on the previous one, providing more solid detail. While the focus now is more to inform than to entertain, occasionally add humor or surprise to keep the reader interested. - Don't write two leads. Writers often make the mistake of repeating the same information again in the second and even the third paragraph--in effect, writing multiple leads. Choose the lead that works best for your audience. - Drop the warm-up paragraph and cut to the chase. Many writers begin by providing background information that may be relevant, but not essential. Delete opening paragraphs that don't include key news, facts, or items of interest--or risk losing your reader. ----- "Good writing is supposed to evoke the sensation in the reader--not the fact that it's raining, but the feeling of being rained upon." E.L. Doctorow ----- TEN WAYS TO ACHIEVE PROPER TONE Your tone speaks volumes. Every written communication you produce--memos, letters, proposals, and sales materials--conveys a certain attitude and creates an image about you and your company.
Does your writing sound sincere and honest? Then that's how readers will view you. Sound like a stuffed shirt? Well, that's how readers are going to think about you.
Tone plays a significant role in how readers respond to your writing. So if you want to persuade your readers and convey a positive image of you and your company, you'd better pay attention to tone.
Here are ten tips on the subtle art of achieving the proper tone: 1. Write naturally and conversationally. Don't bury your message in dense, complex prose. 2. Use informal language, not formal, to avoid sounding cold, superior, pompous, or boring. 3. Use contractions to help you sound more conversational and informal. 4. Use positive instead of negative words, which may appear to criticize or accuse your reader. Instead of "You failed to get back to me," say, "I left you a message last Tuesday and was wondering if you've had a chance to reply." 5. As the old saying goes, wait a day before mailing an angry letter. You're much more likely to persuade someone when you don't sound accusatory and when you provide constructive criticism. 6. Likewise, kill 'em with kindness. Your reader will respond more positively if you are pleasant and considerate instead of sarcastic and rude. 7. Don't try to impress your reader with big words and complicated jargon. And unless you're Dennis Miller, refrain from obscure cultural allusions and foreign phrases, or you'll lose readers faster than Xerxes lost Persians at Thermopylae, Cha Cha. Write in plain English. 8. Sound sure of yourself. Avoid words and phrases such as "probably," "I think," "in my opinion," "hopefully," "I imagine," or "possibly." 9. Avoid sarcasm. 10. Use humor, when appropriate. ----- "Writing, like life itself, is a voyage of discovery." Henry Miller ----- ASK THE EDITOR QUESTION All right, once and for all. What's the difference between "further" and "farther" and "continually" and "continuously"?
Brad Schumer
The words are often used interchangeably in speech, but in writing, many people observe a distinction. Farther is generally used to describe distance, as in, "He threw the ball farther than his brother." "Further" means to a greater degree or extent and often expresses time or quantity, as in, "No further help is needed." An easy way to remember this distinction is the "far" in "farther."
"Continuously" means to proceed without interruption, as in, "The river flows continuously." "Continually" means to proceed with some interruption or recurring frequently, as in, "We'll meet continually over the next six months."
"The Editor"
Stumped by a style issue or perplexed by a punctuation problem? In each issue, I answer a question submitted by a reader. Send your question today! ***** Copyright 2002 Kevin Orfield
Orfield Communications 319 Woodside Ln. Thiensville, WI 53092
262-236-0110 Fax: 262-236-0120
Visit our Web site! http://kevinorf.tripod.com ***** As a customer of Orfield Communications, you get a free subscription to the quarterly e-mail newsletter, Ask the Editor. Each issue tackles common problems all writers--from business professionals to professional writers--often face. You can also get expert opinion on any writing problem. Just "Ask the Editor."
Subscription Notes: Feel free to pass this newsletter on to friends and colleagues. - To subscribe others, just have them send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Subscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. - To unsubscribe at any time, simply send an e-mail to kevinorf@netwurx.net with "Unsubscribe to Ask the Editor" in the "Subject" box. But then, why would you want to miss out on free advice? ***** |
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Orfield Communications, 319 Woodside Ln., Thiensville, WI 53092, fax: 262-236-0120. |
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