Five ways I sharpen my writing

Easy reading is damn hard writing

In 1968, Dr. David Nalin, an American doctor in Bangladesh, was facing a deadly cholera outbreak. The primary cause of death was dehydration and the only known treatment, intravenous drips, was unavailable in rural villages. Dr. Nalin realised salt could retain fluid but wouldn’t be absorbed on its own. His breakthrough came when he discovered that glucose could help the body absorb salt which in turn helped absorb water.

After trials, he and Dr. Richard Cash developed a formula: half a teaspoon of salt, six teaspoons of sugar and one litre of water. To simplify for villagers, they translated it into A pinch of salt, a fistful of sugar and a jug of water. This solution, known as Oral Rehydration Therapy (ORT), has since saved over fifty million lives worldwide.

Reflecting on the simplicity of ORT, Dr. Cash said: It really is much harder to make something simple than it is to make it complicated.

In a similar vein, five techniques help me sharpen my writing.

Have a clear goal

If you aim at nothing, you’ll hit it every time. – Zig Ziglar

Whenever I write something, e.g. email, blog post or social media content, I have a goal in mind. It may prompt the reader to take some action or provide a vehicle for me to develop my thinking on a topic. Before I hit send, I know what its purpose is.

Adopt a personal tone

People respond to people, not faceless institutions. – Ann Handley

Would I want to read what I am writing? This is a key test I apply. Posts from companies switch me off as they lack personality and integrity. Enjoyable writing educates and entertains me. Simple language conveys ideas that challenge my world view which I can act on. That’s what I try to do for my readers.

Avoid “ing” words

Strong verbs win the day. – William Zinsser

In most cases, using verbs without the “ing” ending gives my sentences more strength. The sentence You will be learning new strategies is stronger as You will learn new strategies. It is active and concise.

Ditch soft phrases

Avoid the vague. Emphasise the precise. - E.B. White

Softening phrases such as I think or I believe weaken writing. The hedging is unnecessary. Readers can assume what I write reflects my thoughts and beliefs. Hence, rather than say, I think this approach might work, I’d say, This approach works. The second version conveys conviction.

Reduce word count

I didn't have time to write a short letter so I wrote a long one instead. - Mark Twain

I have drafted and rewritten this blog post over fifteen times. Each time, tightening the writing by trimming unnecessary words and/or combining points. When I’m close to a final version, it’s good to challenge myself to further reduce the word count by 10% or more. This approach leads to a clearer, more concise end result.

Other resources

Paul Graham: The King of Internet Writing talk by David Perell

Improving My Writing post by Phil Martin

How I Write a Blog Post post by Phil Martin

Booker T. Washington suggests, The quality of your writing often reflects the challenges you overcame to make it clear and compelling.

Have fun.

Phil…

Photo: Thom Milkovic via Unsplash