Comments on: Three Tips to Avoid Being a Boring Writer

By: Holly Wilcox

Holly Wilcox — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:31:29 +0000

If something is boring, it doesn’t matter whether it is short or long. Does writing need to speed up to nearly real time to keep the attention of the reader?

By: Ensidia’s Holy Priest Guide and Monday Links | World of Matticus

Ensidia’s Holy Priest Guide and Monday Links | World of Matticus — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 21:16:51 +0000

[...] to Done: Three Tips to Avoid Being a Boring Writer – Read [...]

By: Natural

Natural — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 02:30:20 +0000

i like using the short paragraphs. it definitely helps because people don’t seem to read as much as they used to. the short paragraphs are less intimidating.

By: Words on a page » A few links for the end of the week

Words on a page » A few links for the end of the week — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 10:01:07 +0000

[...] Here are three tips to avoid being a boring writer [...]

By: Twitter Today: April 23, 2009 | kenneth lim . net

Twitter Today: April 23, 2009 | kenneth lim . net — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 15:46:51 +0000

[...] Three tips to avoid being a boring writer (Via: @mike_stelzner) [...]

By: Andrew Richter

Andrew Richter — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 14:46:00 +0000

Mary,

Thanks for your response. My money’s on Strunk and White. It’s the industry standard and has been for a half century. The AP Stylebook only mentions one guide outside of its bibliography — guess which one. I teach a continuing education editing course at Rutgers, and it’s what I use, and my son’s tenth-grade honors English teacher is using it exclusively to teach writing.

Don’t get me wrong: I’m not arguing for interminable paragraphs, nor is the point to write things that don’t matter. Another poster above says it’s all about the reader, and it is. Single-line graphs are distracting and never allow ideas to come together.

By: Kim Hillman

Kim Hillman — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 23:28:57 +0000

Great post! I can see a variety of uses for this information both online and off! Especially in my field – writing booklets!

With today’s short attention spans, it makes sense to write shorter sentences, shorter paragraphs, and shorter manuscripts!

By: Walter

Walter — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 22:58:26 +0000

I actually teach students to write for the web… scary since I am scared to start my own blog… but I do focus on the rule I was taught in journalism was that the first 25 words sold the piece. I wonder if there is some carry over here?

By: Bamboo Forest - PunIntended

Bamboo Forest - PunIntended — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:54:40 +0000

Good stuff here Mary. I’m always striving to make the pace of my writing as absolutely flowing and rapid as possible because I don’t like reading wordy stuff.

In some ways I think slow pace writing is a method of insulting your readers. Be kind to them… they just want to read what matters and nothing more.

Lastly… When we write it isn’t about us. It’s about THE READER. Make it fast and easy for them, you’re writing for others to read not yourself.

By: Miles Cobbett

Miles Cobbett — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 20:48:35 +0000

I liked your article, and if you believe what you wrote, then I am betting you will love reading my book Champion.

See the Rave Reader Reviews on the Barnes and Noble webpage at:

http://tiny.cc/mmfYU

All the best,
Miles Cobbett, Author Champion

PS By the way the writing ideas you present sound much like the ideas presented to a 17 year old Ernest Hemingway as the Writing Guidelines from his copy editor boss when he got his first job out of High School at the Kansas City Star Newspaper.