Home
>
Writing
>
Seven Suggestions To Develop a Superb Writing Style

Seven Suggestions To Develop a Superb Writing Style

Every writer eventually develops her own unique style of writing. As you struggle to create your own voice, while focusing on the required standards, you may want to consider the following tips for improving your style and establishing a professional formula for success.

Edit your work continuously to eliminate all those extra words. One of the most common mistakes a writer makes is to use too many adverbs and adjectives. You should try to eliminate unnecessary content to keep your crisp and concise. Less is more.

Example: Does the meaning change if you cut -

"past history" to "history"
"really unusual" to "unusual"
"very impressive" to "impressive"
"accurate facts" to "facts"
"true reality" to "reality"

Choose your descriptive words carefully and utilize them in sentences where they will be most effective.

Select uncomplicated language to say what you mean as simply as possible. Writers frequently have a more extensive vocabulary than the average reader does. You will not impress people by using long, uncommon words that they do not understand.

Example: Does the general public know the definition of the first or second word below?

exigency or emergency
prognosticate or predict
contumacious or contrary
rancorous or resentful
facetious or fun

Most readers will give up on your writing before they will pick up a dictionary to figure out what you are trying to say.

Construct short sentences. Lengthy sentences are usually more difficult for people to read and equally challenging to write. If you find yourself wondering where to place the commas appropriately or whether to use a colon or semi-colon in your sentence, it is probably too long. Using short sentences to express yourself can eliminate common writing problems, like incorrect subject/modifier agreement or improper parallel construction. Your work will be more readable if you write with a balanced combination of short and long sentences.

Produce original work that shows your individual voice. Avoid clich?s that are commonly over-used. Readers will be bored with writing that is too familiar and probably lose interest in your work if you say the same things that have been said thousands of times before.Example: Do the following phrases sound unique?

"They fell head over heels in love."
"He drank like a fish."
"She had stars in her eyes."
"Curiosity killed the cat."
"Every dog has his day."

Captivate readers by coming up with creative, new metaphors and similes that demonstrate your originality and writing ability.

Show, don't tell. Make your readers feel your characters' emotions. Your writing will captivate people if you can show them how shocked your character is, as opposed to just telling them about it.Example: Which phrases below create an image in your mind almost immediately?

He shouted at her as he walked out the door. Or he continued to scream obscenities at her even after the window pane shattered when he slammed the door behind him.
It seemed like their house was hit by an earthquake. Or the kitchen table trembled as the lights flickered on and off and her treasured crystal collection crashed to the floor before the wave of vibrations came to a halt.

Listen to what you write. You should always read everything you write out loud. This will help you decide if you are actually saying what you wanted to say. It will also ensure that your dialogue is true to life. Your characters need to sound like they are actually having a conversation ? one that two ordinary people in their situation might have. So use that slang and expression that you hear around you every day. Learn to really listen to how people express themselves. The closer your writing compares, the better your style.

Read Your Work to Someone Else.

? Danielle Hollister (2004) is the Publisher of the Free Ezine for Writers featuring news, reviews, and continuously updated links to the best resources for writers online like - freelancing & jobs, markets & publishers, literary agents, classes & contests, and more... Read it online at - http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art157.asp

cleaning team near Mundelein ..

In The News:

Chattee Chat and GiMe Chat exposed intimate conversations and photos, revealing users spent up to $18,000 on AI companions before the breach.

New Instagram parental controls allow families to manage teen screen time and content limits through the Family Center with stricter safety settings.

Third-party security breach at Discord exposes sensitive user information including government IDs, highlighting cybersecurity risks from external service providers.

Survey of 1,000 students shows teens using AI for personal relationships while two-thirds of parents remain unaware of their children's AI usage.

Cybersecurity experts warn about a ShadowLeak vulnerability that weaponized ChatGPT's Deep Research agent to steal personal data from Gmail accounts through hidden commands.

Tesla's Full Self-Driving system faces federal investigation following 58 reports of crashes, with six vehicles running red lights before colliding with other cars.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest developments on artificial intelligence, with news on OpenAI moving to soon allow erotica for adult users.

Eric Schmidt alerts that hackers can reverse-engineer AI models to bypass safety measures, citing examples like the jailbroken ChatGPT variant called DAN.

Cybercriminals exploit Microsoft Teams through impersonation, malicious links and fake profiles to gather intel and deliver ransomware to personal and work devices.

Google, Dior, Allianz and dozens of other companies lost sensitive customer data in Salesforce-related breaches affecting millions of records across multiple sectors.

Apple launches iOS 26 with new Preview app that combines document editing, PDF annotation and scanning features into one streamlined iPhone experience.

New AI road monitoring system uses sensor-embedded fabric to predict infrastructure problems, potentially reducing maintenance costs and traffic disruptions for cities.

Holiday charity scams target retirees through lookalike organization names, untraceable payment requests, and data broker information to steal donations.

The Federal Trade Commission says criminals are posing as IRS agents, law enforcement officers or other officials, often over the phone or online, to steal thousands of dollars at a time.

AI phishing scams now use voice cloning and deepfake technology to trick victims, but Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson reveals warning signs to watch for.

Inversion Space unveils Arc, a reusable reentry vehicle that can deliver up to 500 pounds of cargo from orbit to anywhere on Earth in under an hour.

Red flags like processing fees, urgent countdowns and requests for full Social Security numbers expose fraudulent settlement sites targeting consumers.

Comprehensive analysis of Google Maps, Waze and Apple Maps examines usability, routing accuracy, data handling and features across the top navigation platforms.

Expert analysis reveals whether wired Ethernet or wireless Wi-Fi connections are safer for home internet use, plus practical steps to secure your network from attackers.

Australian construction robot Charlotte uses sand, crushed brick and recycled glass to 3D print fireproof, floodproof homes with reduced carbon footprint.

Cybercriminals are using fake invitation emails to trick recipients into downloading malware and stealing personal information and data.

Flying drones could help retailers fight a 93% increase in theft rates as Flock Safety promotes airborne security systems to track suspects and deter crime.

The Fox News Artificial Intelligence Newsletter brings you the latest news on the emerging technology every Saturday, highlighting top stories.

Hacker group Radiant stole data from 8,000 children at Kido nursery chain, demanding ransom and directly contacting parents with intimidation tactics.

As 18 states implement bell-to-bell cell phone bans, creative students use Google Docs, iMessage on MacBooks and Post-It notes to stay connected in class.