The Only Writing Guide Ever Needed!

Topics that are covered:

• Hooks: make sure that writing engages the reader and makes them want to keep reading. Also, make sure you hook in the intended audience.
• Be Concise: Don’t use words that don’t add any value to your writing. Always say things in the shortest/most effective way possible.
• Point: Make sure that each sentence that you write somehow relates back to the message/point you are trying to get across. Make sure that you “say something”
• Verb Choice: use strong, active verbs that make your writing more descriptive.
• Slang: Avoid slang or cliche sentences/phrases. When writing to a particular audience, slang may be used.
• Sentence Closure: End sentences with the words or ideas that you want to emphasize.

When starting any piece of writing, it is crucial to hook the reader. The first sentence should always make the reader want to continue reading. Although it is important to include background information, ultimately, the first sentence should entice the reader to continue reading. Failure to do so will discourage the reader from continuing reading. A good comparison to a hook would be a movie trailer. Movie trailers entice viewers to come see the movie by giving enough information about the movie itself, but too little such that viewers will not be satisfied until they watched the entire movie.

Ex. “The colonial writing period, starting in 1583, marked the beginning of English authors writing about the newly settled continent.”

https://youtu.be/zb078e3HMyg

Conciseness is another crucial factor in writing. Providing useless, filler words can not only take away from the point but also distract and confuse the reader. This is not to say that descriptive words can’t be used, but, if two words can be replaced by one, use only one word. Another topic that goes hand in hand with conciseness is verb choice. Replacing weak verbs with strong, active verbs will make the writing more concise and persuasive. Limiting the number of times the verb “to be” is used will often have the same effect.

To make sure the reader is persuaded, the point that the writer wants to convey needs to be evident in each sentence. If the writer’s sentence structure is haphazard then the reader can get confused and lose sight of the point. One way to avoid losing the point is to “pass the ball” from one sentence to another. Make sure that the next sentence picks up where the last sentence left off. Similarly, it is important that words or phrases that need to be emphasized are at the end of sentences. This is also known as sentence closure. Sentence closure makes sure that the point of the sentence does not get blurred by the words that follow. Having what needs to be emphasized at the end of a sentence ensures that the point is being conveyed and staying with the reader.

Ayyyy, what do you say me boiiii’s, or whatever sounds like slang to you. It is not to say that slang does not have its place and moment in writing, but in most pieces of writing it tends to weaken the argument. Also, cliche words and phrases should only be used when deemed appropriate. Cliche phrases and slang work well in informal pieces, but, in more formal writing, slang and cliche phrases make the work seem less intelligent. Then again, the language that is used also depends on the intended audience. Using PhD level vocabulary for a 4th grade will not be as effective as using 3rd grade vocabulary with 3rd graders. This is why it is important to know who your audience is even before you start writing.  

This is why you need to know who your audience is so awkward situations like these don’t happen.