How to write better, more correctly, and more convincingly
In the beginning was the Word, as the Bible tells us, and it speaks great truth.
Words are precious. Why? Because we live in a society where communication is essential, it is important to find the words that live up to what we want to communicate. Otherwise, we remain outside our impressions, painting an incomplete picture compared to our mental picture.
Writing well, correctly, and persuasively is a great advantage for each of us, regardless of whether we are writing an email, a Facebook post, a cover letter, a brief, or a blog post. I will detail in this article some of the things I learned both at the university and from the books dedicated to the art of writing.
To be, or not to be The first six words of Act III of the play Hamlet are undoubtedly the most famous and quoted words in the entire English-speaking world. Shakespeare created the most famous line, but how did he do it? Not a single word in this line is longer than three letters. The replica itself is short. What lesson can we learn from this? Keep it simple! Good writing is clear, concise, short, and to the point. Precise language is more serious; it convinces, unlike the ‘decorated’ one with flourishes, with words that sound good but do not express anything concrete.
When we write an email, a letter of intent, or a CV, we must express ourselves clearly, briefly, and to the point. The time of each of us is precious. Would you spend time reading a heavy text decorated with metaphors and words that are there just because they are good? And when you have to read such a text, don’t you feel like exclaiming disapproval? Come on, get to the point.
Grammar, grammar, grammar! Once you have chosen the right words to express something, you must know how to write them correctly. If you have problems, you miss an ‘i’, you’re not sure how to put the hyphen, and so on, fix it as soon as possible! The easiest way to learn to write correctly and, at the same time, enrich your vocabulary is to read. Stephen King also said this: read if you want to have the necessary tools to write well.
If you don’t have time to study, you don’t have the time (or the equipment) to jot down. Simple as that.
It’s much more enjoyable to learn how to write correctly by reading something you enjoy than by memorizing boring grammar rules. By reading a lot, you will naturally acquire the grammar rules without even realizing it. It’s exactly like when you learn a foreign language: it’s called cursive when the words come naturally to you in a conversation, not when you sit and think about what tense you should use in a sentence, which word, etc. This also applies to the mother tongue: you know grammar not when you recite a grammar rule by heart, but when you write correctly without thinking about it.
The economy of a text Stephen King talked in the book On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft about a formula he applies to all his texts, whatever they are:
Final text = Draft — 25%
Imagine lifting the hood of a car. Do you see pieces there that have no point? No, each part has a clear purpose, which contributes to the smooth operation of the machine. It is the same with text. When we write, we are tempted to go on. That is why, after we have finished writing something, it is important to reread it with a critical eye and make sure that every word in the text has a purpose.
A sentence ought to comprise no pointless words, and a paragraph has to include no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a device must have no unnecessary parts. This requires now not that the writer make all his sentences short or that he avoids all detail and treats his subjects only in definition, but that each word tells.
The structure of a text Any text must have a head and tail if you want it to be intelligible and easy to follow. You have to keep in mind the thread of introduction, content, and conclusion, regardless of the nature of the text. It is also important to divide the text into paragraphs, and each paragraph should contain an idea. In this way, the person who reads your text will understand the ideas more easily and will go through them faster.
The title Make sure your text has a relevant title (or email subject). The famous advertising man David Ogilvy said that he always applies the 50/50 rule in the design of a copy: 50% of the time allocated to writing a copy should be devoted to the design of the email title or subject. This is very important, especially if you are writing to an unknown person and you want to make sure that they will open and read the email. Or if you write an article. Why? Because, just like with people, first impressions count.
The importance of each sentence When writing, you must always keep in mind that the role of each sentence is to make the reader move on to the next sentence. This means that you must treat every sentence with utmost importance. No fillers, and no dead spots. Imagine that your text is a chain, and the links are the sentences. Each sentence must be connected to the previous one and make the transition to the next one.
Correcting a text Do not send or publish a text until you have checked it at least once. If you don’t have time to revise the text, save it and resume when time permits. No matter how correctly you write in general, mistakes always creep in. The important thing is that those mistakes remain in your yard. Have the patience to correct everything that is needed so that when the text leaves you, it is in its best version.
Finally, some resources will help you if you want to go deeper.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King, a book you can find online here. (scridb.com link, no affiliate.)
Thanks for Reading
Follow me for more updates on tips and ideas.