When it comes to writing, less is more.
But those of us who took a college writing course were taught to fluff our pages with as many meaningless words as it took to make us sound PhD ready. We could make a research paper or essay sound as technical as a 10,000 page dissertation on neuroscience in 30 minutes or less.
News flash: no one reads that crap. (Except your college professor who was so bored by the end he forgot what your point was and gave you an A so he wouldn’t have to read it again).
So, in light of #CreativeSummer2015, we’ve put together some common traps in writing you should avoid. Enjoy!
Cliches
- Let me know if you have any questions – If you did your job I won’t have any.
- Don’t hesitate to contact me – Gee, thanks… I was hoping you’d say that!
Hedging expressions:
- I think – the only person who should say this is the Little Blue Engine
- I feel – Uh… Your audience isn’t your shrink.
- In my opinion – Duh. Everything you say is your opinion.
- It may be possible that – Is it possible or isn’t? I’m dying to know.
Statements of anticipated resistance:
- I think you’ll find – Did you lose something? And now you want me to find it?
- Surely you must agree – I MUST? If you were persuasive enough, I will. And if you weren’t, well, what are ya gunna do?
Redundant Words:
- The basic fundamentals – ’nuff said.
- Exactly identical – How identical are we talking? Like fraternal, or identical?
- Advanced warning – I sure hope the warning came in advance, otherwise it wasn’t a warning.
#CreativeSummer
Day 10/93
