Fight The Fluff!

Written by Robert Warren


Continued from page 1

Pointless modifiers. Adverbs (words that modify verbs) and adjectives (words that modify nouns) are a little like salt and pepper - useful in very small doses, very bad in big ones. They're often used by lazy writers in an attempt to convince generic nouns ("the beautiful, voluptuous woman") and verbs ("he ran very quickly") to do more interesting jobs. The English language is full of precision nouns and verbs; whenever possible, userepparttar right words rather than trying to modifyrepparttar 128977 wrong ones.

Needless qualifiers and hedging. Phrases like "and yet, on balance" and "it could be considered" destroy more confidence than they create. Be direct and write with strength: boldly write what you know, and leave out what you don't.

Pretentious language. Occasionally, we all have a crisis of confidence that leads us to think that we need large words and cumbersome sentences in order to be taken seriously. This is when it is time to take a nap and letrepparttar 128978 feeling pass; "extraneous solutions that minimally impact positive budget modifications" is never going to sound better than "it won't work because it costs more than it'll make back".


Robert Warren (www.rswarren.com) is a freelance copywriter in the Orlando, Florida area, specializing in providing for the marketing and communications needs of the independent professional private practice.


Be Brief

Written by Militza Basualdo


Continued from page 1

•Use short words (70% one syllable), short sentences (no more than 25 words) and short paragraphs (no more than seven lines). Brevity helps clarity and persuasiveness.

•Avoid using pompous, long words forrepparttar words you would use talking. There should be no difference between your speaking and writing vocabulary. Here is a blacklist: 1.Anticipate (expect) 2.Deceased (dead) 3.Desire (want) 4.Failed to (didn’t) 5.Insufficient (not enough) 6.Obtain (get) 7.Presently (now) 8.Prohibit (forbid) 9.Require (need) 10.Spouse (husband, wife) 11.Substantial (large) 12.Supply (send) 13.Terminate (end, stop) 14.Transpire (happen) 15.Vehicle (car)



Militza Basualdo is a Six Sigma consultant (militza.basualdo@iesixsigma.com). Ms. Basualdo holds a Six Sigma Master Black Belt and received a Bachelor´s degree Summa Cum Laude in Mathematics and a Master´s degree in Computer Science from Texas A&M University in Kingsville. Ms. Basualdo completed all courses towards a Ph.D. in Engineering - Operations Research. Ms. Basualdo has held Information Technology and Six Sigma positions for two Fortune 50 companies




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