I’ve edited 1+ million words for a Fortune 500 FinTech company.
I see the same 8 costly writing mistakes every time.
Here they are (and how to fix them):
I see the same 8 costly writing mistakes every time.
Here they are (and how to fix them):
🙅🏻♂️ Passive Voice
If you want to:
• Establish authority
• Boost confidence
• Affect behavior
Avoid weak language.
Active beats passive.
If you want to:
• Establish authority
• Boost confidence
• Affect behavior
Avoid weak language.
Active beats passive.
🙅🏻♂️ Unvaried Sentence Lengths
I’m a technical writer.
Most people say our style is boring. But it’s not the content. It’s the rhythm.
Vary your sentence length. Make your sentences sing.
I’m a technical writer.
Most people say our style is boring. But it’s not the content. It’s the rhythm.
Vary your sentence length. Make your sentences sing.
🙅🏻♂️ Using Too Many Words
Never use many words when one will do.
Fewer words = clearer message.
Never use many words when one will do.
Fewer words = clearer message.
🙅🏻♂️ Complex Instead of Simple
School teaches you to be complex.
The internet teaches you to be concise.
School teaches you to be complex.
The internet teaches you to be concise.
🙅🏻♂️ Hedging
Hedged writing is weak writing.
People are drawn to confidence, so make sure your writing reflects it.
Read strong, be strong.
Hedged writing is weak writing.
People are drawn to confidence, so make sure your writing reflects it.
Read strong, be strong.
🙅🏻♂️ Scary Formatting
The worst thing to be is hard to read.
People won’t give you a chance if it looks like effort.
Format well.
Easy to eyes, easy to read.
The worst thing to be is hard to read.
People won’t give you a chance if it looks like effort.
Format well.
Easy to eyes, easy to read.
🙅🏻♂️ The "Dump & Edit"
It’s harder to fix structural issues than avoid them.
Spend most of your time planning and outlining.
Then the draft will write itself.
It’s harder to fix structural issues than avoid them.
Spend most of your time planning and outlining.
Then the draft will write itself.
🙅🏻♂️ Writing at a High Reading Level
If you want your writing to make an impact, make it easy to read.
My team uses Hemingway App to grade the reading level.
Shoot for a 6th-grade or lower.
Don’t alienate your audience.
If you want your writing to make an impact, make it easy to read.
My team uses Hemingway App to grade the reading level.
Shoot for a 6th-grade or lower.
Don’t alienate your audience.
TLDR: 8 costly writing mistakes:
• Passive voice
• Hedging Hard
• Scary formatting
• The “Dump & Edit”
• Using too many words
• Complex instead of simple
• Unvaried sentence lengths
• Writing at a high reading level
• Passive voice
• Hedging Hard
• Scary formatting
• The “Dump & Edit”
• Using too many words
• Complex instead of simple
• Unvaried sentence lengths
• Writing at a high reading level
Thanks for reading!
If you enjoyed this, then two small asks:
1. Follow me @derekjohnwrites. I share insights on writing and storytelling.
2. RT the first tweet to share this with someone beginning their writing journey.
If you enjoyed this, then two small asks:
1. Follow me @derekjohnwrites. I share insights on writing and storytelling.
2. RT the first tweet to share this with someone beginning their writing journey.
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