Home
>
Writing
>
Create Confidence With Your Writing

Create Confidence With Your Writing

Whether you are writing a magazine article, composing a press release, or editing the sales copy on your website, the end goal is always the same - to influence the thinking, and probably actions, of other human beings. To do that, your writing must instill confidence in a mind that is inclined to doubt you.

Here are a few tips on keeping the reader on your side.

Keep your word count under control. Keep it simple and don't say any more than necessary; when you write, limit your word count from the start. Never spend 1000 words covering ground that could have been covered in 200 words - the extra material looks exactly like the useless filler it is.

Don't hedge. At all. Sometimes a writer is worried about offending the reader, and so either avoids making direct statements or pads the statements with language designed to soften the blow. Don't hedge - be bold and direct, and let the reader be offended. You can't make everyone happy, and you'll look like a fool if you try.

Be on the lookout for language - phrases like "taken as a whole" and words like "basically" - which doesn't contribute anything towards supporting a direct claim. Weed out the hedging and get back to simple noun-and-verb statements.

Use active verb tense - avoid passive tense at all costs. Active verbs describe the subject committing an action and influencing its environment ("Jim drove his car"), while passive verb clauses dislocate the subject so that it becomes secondary to the predicate clause ("The car was driven by Jim"). Typically any verb clause in the "to be" family ("has been", "is being", etc.) is a passive clause.

Don't use passive verbs; they express impersonal events rather than committed actions, and they create distance with the reader. They avoid a sense of personal accountability. Active verbs draw the reader closer and fix responsibility.

Maintain an optimistic, positive tone. Politicians everywhere know that good news wins elections. Limit your use of negative statements as much as possible, and focus on the positive. Give your reader a sense of hope rather than apathy.

Even if circumstances require that you deliver bad news, do so with optimism: there are problems, but we are solving them. Don't deny or avoid obvious unpleasant truths - if your reader knows about them already, your avoidances will only damage your credibility - but keep control over your tone. Promoting a consistently optimistic image to your readers goes a long way towards generating confidence, or at least benefit of the doubt.

Structure your writing carefully. Carefully plan out what you intend to write, and then follow the plan. Don't make it up as you go along. Don't wander and don't be indirect - organize your message carefully, to say the most in the least words possible. Demonstrate that you are in control of your communications, and worthy of reader confidence.

About The Author

Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a Florida-based freelance copywriter specializing in the unique marketing needs of independent professionals.

www.rswarren.com

family-safe home cleaners Lincolnshire ..

In The News:

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

Holiday shopping scams surge as fake refund emails target distracted consumers during Black Friday and holiday seasons, costing Americans billions annually.

The AI-powered IRMO M1 exoskeleton features four modes, including turbo, eco, training and rest for hiking, running, cycling and sports with eight-hour battery life.

OpenAI announced upgrades for its ChatGPT Images platform on Tuesday, saying the program can now make more precise edits and produce images more quickly.

Chrome for Android now turns web articles into AI-powered podcast conversations. Get hands-free browsing with Google Gemini's natural audio summaries.

LastPass faces $1.6 million fine from U.K. regulators after 2022 data breach exposed 1.6 million users. Password manager failed proper security controls.

Petco disclosed a data breach exposing customer Social Security numbers, financial account details, and driver's license information due to a software error.

Baseball teams can now analyze complete swing mechanics in normal training environments using Theia's markerless AI system that processes standard high-speed footage.

Smart home hacking fears overblown? Expert reveals real cybersecurity risks and simple protection tips to keep your connected devices safe from hackers.

MIT develops needle-free glucose monitor using light technology. Revolutionary device could replace painful finger pricks for diabetes management.

The ClickFix campaign disguises malware as legitimate Windows updates, using steganography to hide shellcode in PNG files and bypass security detection systems.

Researchers from Osaka Metropolitan University designed a 21-foot dome that combines aquaculture and hydroponics to create a self-sustaining urban food system.

The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.

ChatGPT data breach exposes personal info of users through partner Mixpanel. OpenAI confirms names, emails compromised in security incident.

Android rolls out Emergency Live Video for 911 calls, letting dispatchers see real-time scenes during emergencies. Great for holiday travel safety.

Malicious Chrome and Edge extensions collected browsing history, keystrokes and personal data from millions of users before Google and Microsoft removed them.

Google's new Call Reason feature lets Android users mark calls as urgent before dialing, displaying an urgent label to recipients using Phone by Google app.

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.

Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.

Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.

Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.