There are no killer writing tips...
I'm always suspicious when I read headlines like 'Killer Writing Tips', as there's an implication that creating good copy is simply a matter of following a set of instructions. Like all skills, there aren’t any shortcuts to becoming a good writer. Most of us only get better at writing by practicing, and by reading a variety of quality material (like broadsheet newspapers).
However, when pressed for guidance from struggling non-writers, I provide them with the following list, which is a combination of my own and other (much greater) writers' thoughts.
I Can't Get Started
- If you're tormented by the blank page, remember the old adage "Don't get it right - get it written".
- Sketch out the concept that you want to communicate first. Take a few minutes to jot down the key message ('the one thing') that the reader must take away from your piece, and once you've done this, you can tackle the thorny issue of choosing the best words to deliver your message.
- Don't expect to create the finished article immediately. Get your thoughts down on the paper first, and then write and re-write. Get something down on paper. Anything. Words will follow.
- Cut out what you don't need. Hone your message until your writing is tight and lean with no flabby words.
Strive for the following
- Clarity: your message should be unambiguous
- Brevity: your message should be as short as it can be
- Credibility: everyone knows what marketing speak sounds like, so avoid it
- Engagement: look for an angle, a story, a personality to breathe life into your message
George Orwell's killer writing tips
George Orwell knew a thing or two about writing, and the tips he gives in George Orwell, “Politics and the English Language” from 1946 are just as relevant today and are worth keeping in mind when writing for the web. Before you start writing, ask yourself the following:
- What am I trying to say?
- What words will express it?
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What image or idiom will make it clearer?
In addition:
- Never use a long word where a short one will do.
- If it is possible to cut a word out, always cut it out. If in doubt, cut it out.
- Never use the passive where you can use the active.
- Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.
I’d add to this the following:
- Keep your readers' interests (rather than what excites you personally) central to everything you write.
- Constantly be asking What's in it for them? Why should they be interested in this?
- Use short sentences (like this one).
- Keep punctuation simple, but do learn the difference between a comma, semi-colon and a colon. Used correctly, they can make your long sentences as easy to understand as the short ones.
- Don't be 'cute'. Fun writing is fine, but make sure it's aligned to business objectives.
And finally...
- The printer is your friend. If you're writing anything more than a few hundred words. Print your article when you’ve finished the first draft. Wait a few hours, then read the printed version (not the on-screen version). Highlight any mistakes. Also highlight anything that isn't immediately clear.
- Make sure you read 'What not to do'