Unmissable articles on writing. Twice weekly.

What Batman Can Teach You About Proofreading

A guest post by Stefanie Flaxman of Revision Fairy

Everyone wants to be Batman.

He’s cool and edgy, but has benevolent intentions—and the man gets results.

Luckily for you, it’s easy to adopt Batman’s intriguing qualities to perfect your writing and make others believe that you rock as hard as the Caped Crusader.

Whether you’re writing for yourself (a blog, a novel, a business document, etc.) or a client, mistakes aren’t going to cut it. Your text has to be poignant, useful, and error-free.

Here are three aspects of the Batman persona that you can apply to your proofreading habits.

Costume – The importance of writing drafts

When speaking in front of an audience, it is said that the crowd forms 70% of their opinions on how you look, 20% on how you sound, and only 10% on what you say. When you apply the theory to written text, the 70% of “how you look” reflects the content and structure of your writing.

How your writing “looks” involves its appeal to the reader, and proofreading enhances appeal. Text that a writer initially believes to be straightforward may actually be vague, unclear, or forgettable.

While the design of your document can certainly play a role in your visual presentation, you perfect your composition’s “look” by not only fixing typos, spelling, grammar, and punctuation mistakes, but also checking for consistency, clarity, and cohesiveness (among other factors, which may or may not be words that begin with the letter “c”). Readers are more receptive to your ideas when they can easily comprehend your writing. A document full of blemishes will not hold the reader’s interest.

You often know what you want to say, but your concept is not always translated to the reader. It’s essential to review your document as if you were not the person who wrote it. If you casually proofread your own text, you may skip reading every word in a sentence, but it will likely still make sense—it won’t necessarily to someone else.

Schedule an editing session after you take a break from writing. Spending time away from your ideas and the words on the page helps you decipher how can you improve the quality of your work.

No one gets it right on the first try. Take advantage of drafts.

Writing is as much a process as drawing, painting, or sculpting. A project needs to be carefully crafted. Each step contributes to the next action, whether it’s cleaning your paintbrushes, sketching a mock-up of your vision, or writing the seedlings of your ideas down in a rough draft.

Each draft is a costume. Batman had to experiment with different versions of the “bat suit” until it was the ideal combination of aesthetics and functionality—an outfit that communicates that you don’t want to mess with Batman.

Change costumes by proofreading until you get it right. When complete, you’ll have a suit that tells a powerful story.

Gadgets – When to use resources to improve your weaknesses

Crime fighting is Batman’s goal. Communicating a clear message is yours. Stay as focused on your goal as Batman by genuinely connecting with your audience. Work with what you know, and do the appropriate research when you discuss unfamiliar topics.

Seems impossible to swiftly travel from the ground to the top of a tall building? Didn’t stop Batman. He uses resources to overcome obstacles, invent complementary gadgets, and enhance his ability to stifle bad guys.

If you forgot a punctuation rule, look it up. If a sentence is incomplete, elaborate. If a paragraph is convoluted, simplify. Thorough proofreading examines each word and kicks it to the curb if it can be replaced with a more effective option.

Don’t take any aspect of your text for granted. Everyone knows that grammar mistakes make your writing look sloppy, but fixing them isn’t always a writer’s priority.

It reminds me of a Chinese story about the monk, Birdsnest, who lived in a tree and gave the most profound advice in China. When the governor of the land visited Birdsnest, the guidance that the monk told the officer was simple, “Don’t do bad things. Always do good things.”

Feeling cheated by this obvious statement, the governor exclaimed, “I knew that when I was three years old!”

“Ah, yes,” Birdsnest replied. “The three-year-old knows it, but the eighty-year-old still finds it difficult to do.”

Tone – The benefits of writing and editing with confidence

The sound of Bruce Wayne’s voice changes when he becomes Batman. The deeper, firm tone of the winged vigilante is not a frivolous characteristic; it is an intentional display of confidence.

Batman doesn’t worry about pleasing everyone. Unapologetically write from your point of view, but don’t be sloppy or careless.

After writing a draft, confidently make changes to weak sections. To proofread meticulously, you don’t merely spot glaring errors, you recognize the message that the text intends to convey and ensure that each word in the document contributes to that purpose.

Batman doesn’t ask for permission; he’s is in a class of his own.

No matter what you do, be Batman. It’s about doing what no one else does.

It wasn’t a radioactive spider bite, non-Earthling birth status, or mutated genetics that bestowed Bruce Wayne with the talent to be a superhero. He’s a guy that decided to kick ass no matter what.

Batman reminds us:

Don’t quit your night job.

Bruce Wayne may be a necessary part of life, but listen to your Batman-calling to be something extraordinary.

Stefanie Flaxman is the founder of Revision Fairy. Check out a free sample of her grammar ebook, and follow Stefanie on Twitter.

Why You Should Shoot Adverbs on Sight

By Mary Jaksch

Yes, I’m declaring open season on adverbs. What is an adverb exactly? Erm… it’s the word I just used: exactly. So I’ll cull it and write instead ‘What is an adverb?’

An adverb modifies a verb, an adjective or a phrase. It answers questions such as ‘how’, ‘when’, ‘where’, or ‘how much’. Such details may be important, but we need to understand the dynamics of information versus pace.

Information versus pace

‘Pace’ identifies the speed at which readers can devour your text. Long sentences and detailed descriptions slow down the pace. Lean sentences and short paragraphs speed it up.

The more detailed information you give, the slower the pace. If you use words that are redundant, the reader may start to skip and even leave.

What does redundancy mean in terms of writing? Test the two definitions I found on the Internet. Which one slows your reading down?

1. Redundancy means words that are superfluous.
2. Redundancy means the superfluity of a linguistic feature due to its predictability within the overall structure.

Just imagine reading a whole article in the style of the second example. I bet you couldn’t click away fast enough!

Now that we’ve got that redundancy thing cleared up, let’s take a look at the implications.

The redundancy test

How do you know when a word is superfluous? It’s simple. If the meaning stays the same without the word, then you’re faced with a ‘superfluity of a linguistic feature’.

He hurriedly scribbled the number down on a pad

In this case the adverb ‘hurriedly’ is superfluous because the word scribbling already implies writing fast. The sentence ‘He scribbled the number down on a pad’ is leaner and stronger.

John got up and walked restlessly to the window.

Here, the word ‘restlessly’ is redundant because the restlessness is already shown in the action.

Some writers like to use not only one, but two adverbs. For example: She really, truly cared for him. In this case, consider culling one of the adverbs, or even both. Here, you would end up with: She cared for him.

In a recent guest post pitch I found this sentence: As writers it’s normal to jump both mentally and actually from one project to another.

That’s a very athletic sentence … which would benefit from some brutal editing.

Should we let some adverbs live?

According to Master Editor Sol Stein in his book Stein on Writing there are two rules for letting adverbs live:

1. Keep an adverb that supplies necessary information. Example: He tried running faster and fell. If he’s already running, you must keep ‘faster’. If you remove the adverb the sentence means that he fell as soon as he started running.
2. Keep and adverb that helps the reader visualize the precise image you want to project. Example: She drove crazily, frightening the oncoming traffic.

Pace is better than pretty

Many writers try to improve their writing by making it ‘pretty’. They try to stuff their text full of colorful adverbs and adjectives. Wrong! Lean sentences that heighten the pace keep readers from falling off the page.

Improve your writing now

A simple way to improve your writing is to take a piece you’ve written and highlight all adverbs. Then try to delete as many as possible. Your readers will thank you.

Have YOU got examples of how killing an adverb strengthens writing? Please share them with us in the comments.

Mary Jaksch is the Chief Editor of Write to Done. Enjoy more of her stuff on Goodlife Zen. And check out the A-List Blogger Club that Leo Babauta and Mary run jointly.

How To Have Zen In Your Pen Again And Again

A guest post by John Sherry of Real Simple People

We all want the write stuff. The ability to craft wonderful words that inspire, motivate and delight. Words that simply flow freely and naturally from our imagination to the page. Deep stuff. Powerful stuff. Magical stuff. Like a kind of creative Zen state in literary action.

Leading to brilliant blogs, awesome articles or best selling books that make their mark. With us being the veritable master of creating cracking content with effortless ease. Of having a penchant with the pen.

Wouldn’t that be great?

But right know that may seem somewhat far fetched. You’ve come to a halt. Nothing new to say it seems. The writing on the wall for your writing career.

Busy daily lives full of chaotic minds jamming any potential creative spark. Mundane Mondays and weary weekends hardly making you a source of stimulating sentences. You are tired and dispirited. You can’t switch on because you can’t switch off.

Maybe this is you….?

• You get writers block on a regular basis
• New ideas are increasingly hard to find
• Your are having less drive and energy with your writing
• You are tempted to do other things
• Everyone else’s writing seems better than yours

Don’t fret, it’s a common condition; authors ailment, I call it. Even the great and good have succumbed to it. Everyone loses track. Has energy dips, dry spells and inspirational indifference. I often wonder what the original names were that Shakespeare gave to his plays when he was under its spell. High Season Nights Asleep or A Big Fuss About Not Much At All before he got the titles just right.

It’s part of being the finished article to create the finished article.

But don’t put down your pen just yet. Don’t still that quill. You can get your manuscripting mojo back like never before. And connect to a fertile supply of inventive ideas that turns your writing from horrific to prolific.

The yen for zen can start again and here’s how.

Outside Influence

To fan the flames inside you need to get outside. Leave your four walls and go where there are no walls to artistic flair. The open air. Or people watching as it is popularly called. Take a space and simply observe. See people go by. The rich tapestry of life.

Wait and watch. Don’t take notes initially. Just drink in the scene in front of you from the different people who pass by to their fashions or conversations, even their movements. See what stirs in your imagination. Soon you will notice little nuances. Maybe the sun will come out and change what’s in front of you even more. Perhaps an old couple will totter by holding hands which could trigger memories of your younger love life or the joys of stable marriage or simply the power of holding hands. Let it transport you.

There is a rich oasis outside and in so many locations. Airports. Town centres. Parks and seasides. Even your own local area backyard if you take a look. The world awaits with a world of possibilities. Get outside.

Get Moving

When people are stuck they aren’t moving. And that includes the mind. You are stuck because your head is stuck too. Thinking the same things and doing the same things. Repeatedly. You need a different kind of movement. A complete system type of one.

Get moving by doing something active that activates adrenaline, boosts endorphin production and gets blood flowing. This ending of stagnation within the body will also touch the mind connected to it. Now it doesn’t have to be too heavy. An hour or so gardening will suffice. A bicycle ride will do. Or better still gentle exercise like swimming. Even Tai Chi works as it balances mind and body. Something that gets the heart working and a new flow started. One that will lead to a feel good factor which stimulates brain activity. That pumps and feeds a fresher outlook into your pysche and your pen.

Take Laughter Medicine

When writing begins to falter the grumps can take over. A serious air starts to hang around. You get narky, touchy or frustrated which, in turn, forms a vicious circle of gloomy expectation. Deflation soon becomes depression as dark moods descend. It all seems a waste of time.

Do the opposite. Seek out an injection of humour and laughter. Spend time with people you find funny or who tell funny stories as there could be great material there. Gather friends and family together for silly nights playing games. Or watch comedy shows and films that help you laugh your troubles aside. This awakens a jovial atmosphere which is far easier to work in, live in and discover inspiration in. It’s a real health giving medicine too!

Blogger’s Bonus

Finally, if you are a blogger, here’s a bonus tip for top notch inventiveness.

Check out other blogs especially those in your niche or similiar sector. Not specifically just to read some excellent posts by other bloggers, but to utilise the comments section. Successful blogs get oodles of comments, normally by other bloggers keen on their subject matter. Being writers themselves they often leave a micro post with cracking insight as a comment.

Now, if one post has 30 comments and there are 50 posts on that blog,  just imagine what great thoughts could be generated from reading all of them? If that’s your genre they will be talking your language and giving you free input. Minimum time investement, maximum impact!

Inspiration is everywhere but we need to be in a state to witness and record it. Not a right state but a write state. A calmer and more carefree one. Practice these and you will soon unlock a more relaxed yet potent awareness in which your pen becomes the zen and you the master of the written word.

***

John writes his blog on how to live as a real simple person with tips anyone anywhere can use for a carefree, uncomplicated life. At Real Simple People he believes life isn’t rocket science, but rocket salad. He is a member of the A-List Blogger Club.

The A-List Blogger Club is an absolute goldmine. Not only do you have access to all the information you need to start, develop and publizise your blog, you also can also interact with fellow-bloggers worldwide. It’s a true community full of helpful people where friendships are formed, advice and support shared, and encouragement is standard.  I’m honest, I can’t be without it. ~ John Sherry of Real Simple People

How to Crush It As a Writer: The ‘Weird’ Trick

By Mary Jaksch

Ok, folks – we’re back to writing school. An important piece of advice that many writing tutors give is to ’show not tell’. But how exactly do you do that?

What’s the trick? What’s the secret?

Because, it’s the bits that show and don’t tell that stick like burrs. Months later, you still can’t get the darn things out of  your mind. Here’s an example:

A while ago I asked on the A-list Blogger Club forum for help with a particular task. I got this response from Jean Sarauer of Virgin Blogger Notes:

I’ve already got one foot on a banana peel and the other one in Meltdown City, so I’ll have to pass. Dang it.

Her response was definitely memorable. (Check out Jean’s related post How to Get Off the Meltdown City Express.)

Ok, then – how to show and not tell?

I’ve been reading a novel by Meg Gardiner, a new rising star of the suspense genre – which is what I tend to read when I’m trying to get off that Meltdown City Express. I tried reading Meg’s The Memory Collector while lolling in the bath. But in the middle of the first page I lurched to my feet – sloshing water all over the floor – and hollered for help: “Bring me a pen, quick!” Her writing is so exciting, I was desperate to scrawl all over the page and highlight the best bits for you.

Tip #1 Use familiar words in a weird context

Let’s take the word ‘unfriendly’. As a practice run, write down five sentences that include the word ‘unfriendly’. Now check how you used the word. Most likely you will have used it to describe human interactions. In contrast, here’s how Meg Gardiner uses it:

The garage was cold and the bare bulb gave off unfriendly light. Vance jittered in a circle around them.
‘Are we screwed?’

That single work ‘unfriendly’ creates atmosphere. You know immediately that these are bad guys and something ugly is going to happen. Soon.

Tip #2: Put characters into a weird context

Whether you’re writing a novel or non-fiction, try putting the people you talk about in a weird context. Here’s Meg Gardiner again:

Ginrich’s girlfriend, Clare, was thin and nervous. So were the three Chihuahuas jumping around her feet like grease in a frying pan.

With those three doglets jumping around here feet, Clare’s character comes to life.

Tip #3: Use weird metaphors

If you connect two disparate ideas, the brain jangles. That’s why using ‘weird’ metaphors makes your writing memorable. Here’s Meg Gardiner again:

The man grabbed him. This guy was square with a gray buzz cut like a concrete brick.

You know immediately that this is an ugly character. Definitely not the kind of person you’d like to encounter in a park after dark…

I think these three examples show how potent the ‘weird’ trick is.

How about we all get together and collect more examples?

You could write something and use the ‘weird context’ trick. Or maybe you can find some great examples in the stuff that you read.

Please share your treasures in the comments below, friends. Feel free to link to your own stuff :-)

Mary Jaksch is the Chief Editor of Write to Done. Enjoy more of her posts on her blog Goodlife ZEN and join Leo Babauta and Mary in the A-List Blogger Club (we’re accepting new members right now).

50 Ways to Woo the Web World

A guest post by Courtney Carver of be more with less.

When it comes to writing for the web, you are only as good as your last word. First impressions are made on the www much faster than the 30 seconds you have to impress someone in person. You have one chance to grab someone’s attention, so you better make it good. Attracting a readership organically and authentically, will always win over some yucky, spammy, get rich quick, scheme or scam. Attracting the right reader, in the right way, will ensure a devoted audience for life.

What happened to the way you used to woo? If you are in a relationship, and treat your partner the way you did when you first started dating, you might have more fun and certainly, your lover will feel inspired to return the favor. This behavior will encourage a long-term, perhaps life long relationship. Similarly, you want to woo your readers and internet relationships in the honeymoon phase, all the way through your first e-book, and ongoing. When you stop wooing, you start taking things too seriously, nitpicking and not enjoying the process. When you stop nurturing the relationship with joy and love, it will reflect in your bed and your blog!

50 ways to woo the web world.

(you may be able to apply a few of these to your love life as well!)

15 ways to woo with your blog:

1. Your blog is the heart and soul of the connection you have with your readers. Treat it that way.
2. Write about what you love, not about what is popular.
3. Write for your readers, not for search engines.
4. Dress up. Make your blog space a visually appealing place to be.
5. Don’t send mixed signals. Make sure your website is easy to navigate.
6. Ask your readers what they want, and give it to them.
7. Be responsive. When someone takes the time to comment on your blog, reply.
8. Borrow, but don’t steal.
9. Be curious. Be inquisitive and explore, and sparks will fly.
10. Be attentive. Check your grammar and spelling.
11. Keep your word. Be who you say you are.
12. Focus on the important. Do more writing than stat checking.
13. Be faithful. Stay on topic.
14. Don’t be shy, but remember that whatever you put “out there”, will be “out there” forever. (or a really long time).
15. Say thank you. Appreciate that someone cares about what you say, and make it worth reading.

10 ways to woo with guest posting:

1. Put your best foot forward. You might think about saving your best posts for your own blog. Instead, make each post your best, regardless of where it shows up.
2. Research the site where you would like to post to see if there are specific directions for guest posting. (and follow them)
3. Get to know the writer and their blog before you send your pitch.
4. Don’t assume you know their audience. Ask questions.
5. Be Considerate. Make your pitch short and sweet, but polite and personal.
6. Ask for input and recommendations. Make changes accordingly and graciously.
7. Respond to comments on the guest post.
8. Do not include your own affiliate links, but suggest that the blogger can include their own.
9. Promote the guest post to your audience and help drive traffic.
10. Say thank you. After your post goes up, send a thank you note and express interest in future collaboration.

7 ways to woo with affiliate sales:

1. Sell products you believe in. If you are selling shit, your readers will know it, and they will tell their friends.
2. Only recommend something that has entertained, informed or inspired you.
3. Recommend products that fit the theme of your blog.
4. Stand by your money back guarantee if you have one.
5. Encourage feedback from readers about the products you sell.
6. Don’t make someone say yes or no to a product before they can read your blog, even if it’s free.
7. Say thank you. When the buyer feels appreciated, they will buy from you again.

4 ways to woo when commenting on other blogs:

1. Do not include links to your blog when you leave a comment.
2. If you don’t have something relevant to say, don’t say anything at all.
3. Disagree, but do it with respect to the writer and other readers.
4. Comment thoughtfully. Avoid generic comments like “Great Post” or “Thanks for the info”.

13 ways to woo with social media:

1. Do not underestimate the responsibility and power of the opportunity to build your audience.
2. Offer compelling, interesting, useful information.
3. Network, but keep your readers in mind.
4. Be yourself. If you aren’t funny in person, you aren’t funny in 140 characters or less.
5. Don’t follow to get a follower.
6. If you can’t be everywhere well, don’t be. Choose one or two platforms and make them work for you.
7. This is not your personal diary.
8. Ask questions.
9. Start conversations.
10. Engage in conversations.
11. Say enough, but not too much. When you start losing your audience, your saying too much.
12. Only follow the number of people you can keep up with.
13. Say thank you. Show your appreciation when others retweet your info or share on Facebook.

1 more way to woo:

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