Simple Writing Tips that Give You the Voice of Authority

Writers are considered the voice of authority. We know what we're talking about. What follows, then, are just the writing tips needed for authoritative, concise, well-written content. Too often we diminish the impact of our words by having too many in the first place. Make short, punchy statements, then follow up with an explanation. This should be first among your growing list of writing tips. In music they say, "less is more." The same is true in writing.

Writing With Style & Economy

Use bricks and mortar to create authority. Imperative sentences are your bricks and declaratives are the cement that holds them together. From these parts you build the foundation of your work.

That's it. The secret is out. Now let's take a closer look at each part.

First, command your readers, don't make requests. Any sentence with an implied 'you' is imperative: (You) write like this. (You) go to Wendy's for burgers. (You) take out the garbage afterward. Second, declaratives are statements and explanations and opinions. They bolster your commands. The next step is to economize by eliminating excess modifiers. Don't employ strengthening tactics like most, super, very, extremely, and the host of other similar adjectives and adverbs. When something is important, there's no need to make it super extremely important. Adding modifiers diminishes impact. If something is super extremely important, then say it's imperative.

When To Modify

Make your writing an even playing field by rare use of adverbs and adjectives. All words start out equal in value. Let them stand on their own. When something does need emphasis, you create nuance by making one word out of 100 stand out with a modifier. Add adverbs and adjectives only when they contribute new information that isn't already implied.

"The airliner wing crumpled against the ground," vs. "The airliner wing severely crumpled in the horrible disaster." In the second example, 'crumpled' paints its own picture and we know that wing isn't going to work no matter how sophisticated the aerodynamics, so the adverb is non-essential. We also know disasters are horrible-that's an adjective that might serve better elsewhere in the copy, or not at all.

The Participle-Noun Connection

I use a lot of participles. These powerhouses pack a wallop. Participles do double duty for your nouns. They modify nouns in ways adjectives can't. They add motion, movement, impact, and power. Participles are verbs ending in -ed and -ing, like crunched and twisting. Carefully placed participles throughout your writing helps you cut back on adjectives. Without relying on so many noun and verb modifiers, you'll soon discover better ways to add meaning and emphasis, through tone, subtext, rhythm, and alliteration. Your content will be commanding and will engage your readers. Treat your audience with the same respect and intelligence you appreciate and soon you'll have them coming back for more.