Effective Writing

Bad technical writing. It screams at you from every proprietary page of a comprehensive, network-enabled, specialized technology and advanced application company’s website…

What?

Welcome to the land of techno-babble. Fraught with pitfalls, sinkholes and swamps, it is a land where heavy paragraphs drag you down; sentences trip you up; your eyes glaze over strange words; and service pages provide hazy “solutions.”

Sadly, many people get lost in this land and don’t know where to go or what to do. Give them what they really want and lead them out of confusion; tell them what you do in bold, powerful language that is simple and effective.

Above all else, good technical writing must be accessible. Visitors should leave your site as customers, with a clear understanding of what your product or service does and what it will do for them.

 

A growing phenomenon in the world of words is the use of the suffix -ize. Though it’s acceptable to summarize and harmonize in good taste, there’s rarely, if ever, a reason to utilize or prioritize. Don’t smack -ize onto a noun to create a verb. It sounds worse and a better word always exists.

The word utilize is especially annoying. Use works as well or better, and it doesn’t convey the same coldness and sterility that characterizes the term ‘utilize.’ The same goes for words like prioritize and finalize.

Using the -ize suffix to create a verb immediately separates the viewer from your language. No longer is it intriguing and interestiing, but dull and hollow.  There are some words like harmonize and summarize that can be used sparingly, but please, never, ever containerize!

 

If you’re writing for the web, one of the key factors you need to be aware of is how accessible your text is to your user, otherwise known as “accessibility.” Writing should be as straightforward and intuitive as possible for your readers to ensure their continued presence on your website.

One of the worst things people do when linking to a topic is linking the descriptive words to a site without giving the actual html address. People like to know where they’re going, so do them a favor and tell them! 

Instead of: I like Johnny Depp.

Give: I like Johnny Depp (http://www.johnnydepp.com).

But if the url is useless, like http://www.geocities.com/marge/imagesjd2.html,  link the website to a descriptive title, such as:

I like Johnny Depp (Johnny Depp Fan Site on Geocities.com).

This may not seem like a huge difference, but it is. Your users waste time trying to guess where they’re going, so make it easy on them. For more informaiton on accessibility and writing for the web, check out Jakob Nielsen’s usability website.

Only the grammophobes out there will actually care about this topic, but it is important to point out that many people evidently lack knowledge of this simple little rule: the period or comma always comes before the quotation mark.

In short: don’t write “something”. Write “something.”

While this sounds nitpicky, it shows a lack of proofreading, the ultimate sign of carelessness in a professional document.

Common mistakes like this imply several things:

a) the writer doesn’t know or can’t remember their grammar.
b) the writer forgot to proofread.
c) the writer doesn’t care.

Whether you’re a writer or not, it is your responsibility to your readers to present clean, error-free material. If you don’t proofread, that implies laziness. And while lazy writing is bad enough, not caring is worse. Now some might say “well, most people aren’t that observant, so it doesn’t matter anyways.” Perhaps. But not caring does suggest a lack of respect for your own work that isn’t lost on your readers. Never underestimate your reader or client. If they’re going to read or buy something from you, they want a product or service that inspires the most confidence.

After all, if you don’t care about your work, why should they?

A common disease that plagues most writing, “fluff” refers to using many words to say little or nothing at all. It is also referred to as “filler.”

Fluff is found in a lot of writing, and is especially rampant on the internet. Take a minute and read any random article, piece of copy, or content and you’ll probably notice that half the stuff you’re reading doesn’t actually say anything. Kind of like this post. Annoying, huh?

A three hundred word article packed with good information is better than a five hundred word article that pads the information, or lack thereof, in a bunch of useless rubbish. It is about quality over quantity.

Today’s topic centers on the use of overly complicated language. It is directed, of course towards the archaic musings of academic journals and the elitist drivel of snobbish websites.

Using big words and complicated prose is unnecessary and potentially alienating to your readers. In the same vein, grandiose, mellifluous sentences and excess verbiage expounding on the merits of your indelibly unique product and the synergistic experience of using it are damaging to your writing and to your content.

This doesn’t mean you can’t be creative and descriptive. Look at books like Jesus’ Son or marketing geniuses like Seth Godin. Better yet, read the Clue Train Manifesto.

In short, avoid long words that are hard to read and harder to say. They don’t make you sound more intelligent; on the contrary, they make you sound like you’re trying too hard.

To recap: ensure your writing is clear, strong and concise. Writing that appears lofty, hokey, or over your readers’ heads is sure to drive them away.

Bad grammar is yet another pitfall that is common in writing, and the internet happens to be an effective sink hole. Not only is it unpleasant to see, but it can create a feeling of carelessness that isn’t lost on a reader. Bad grammar can dilute your customers’ confidence in your product or service because it shows a lack of professionalism.

Luckily, there is an easy solution to bad grammar: repetitive proofreading. For most people, once is not enough. Lather, rinse and repeat. In addition, have at least two other people proof your work for you.