Applying KISS Principle in Writing

I have added a new word to my vocabulary. Logorrhea. We've all been touched by it. What is it? The Word Spy defines it, "excessive verbosity and long-windedness. Also know as verbal diarrhea."

Basically, you'll see plenty of examples of logorrhea in online blogs and content. Do you read every online or email content word for word? Most people quickly scan such content. Jakob Nielsen and many other experts confirm this theory.

It's best to keep it short 'n sweet. There are online Web sites that require 1000+ word articles. This does not mean running free and writing wordy. Ezine editors require tightly written articles. Here are a few tips to help you ensure your writing is concise.

I'm pretty guilty of using qualifiers. While researching this article, I attended a meeting where the manager used, "basically" in every other sentence. That word rang in my head that I said it while talking with her.

Basically, these qualifiers are the "um" of writing. Like "uh" and "um" in conversation, the sentence with the qualifier says the same thing without them. Let's take a look. Reread the second paragraph of this article without the word, "basically." Doesn't it sound better? It gets the same point across.

Forget the following words: "pretty," "rather," "totally," "really," "quite," "basically," "actually," and "very." OK, there
may actually be situations when you need to use one of these words, but use it with care. After all, we can't imagine life or Elvis Presley without "thank you very much."

I worked for a manager with a PhD and he liked giving us articles relating to our work. I hated these articles. They were written by and for people with PhDs. Come on, you know what I mean. Every word in these papers are at least eight letters long and require frequent dictionary use. It makes readers feel stupid. Remember people are scanning online content and they'll more likely absorb simple phrases. People are not stupid. They're overloaded with too much information. If it's complex, they'll skip it and move on. Besides, no one likes a show-off.

How often have you heard, "large-sized" or "biggie-sized" in advertising? That's fine for TV or radio advertising. For
writing, well, it's wordy. We can lop off the "sized" and simply write "large" or "big" object. Instead of "mud-covered shoes," use "muddy shoes." Dump the "beautifully-dressed" for "beautiful."

When I was a wee gal, articles written by me had passive voice. Er, I did it again. That should be, "I wrote articles using passive voice." The hardest part is to avoid it when you don't have a subject or don't know who is the performer.

In passive voice, the subject receives the action expressed by the verb. There are two parts in passive voice: a form of the verb "to be" plus a past participle. Instead, use active voice where the subject performs the action of the verb.

The article was written by Meryl. [passive]
Meryl wrote the article. [active]

I vote for the second sentence. It's crisp.

In this day and age long phrases don't cut it anymore. I read somewhere comparing online reading to a quick shower as opposed to newspaper-reading to be enjoyed like a long, hot bath. It hit home. I'm infamous for starting each morning with a cup of coffee and my newspaper. With every sip, I slowly devour each page of the newspaper. After I finish reading the paper, I turn on the computer and quickly surf pages to get updates.

Go back to the first sentence in the previous paragraph. That phrase of five words could be dumped for one word: "today." Same meaning, isn't it?

There are many online examples on cutting wordiness and wordy phrases. Search for "eliminating wordiness" and you should find plenty of examples.

Time to edit this article and reduce wordiness. Of course, I'll leave the examples for your learning pleasure.

(c) 2004 Meryl K. Evans

Meryl K. Evans, Content Maven, is Editor-in-Chief of eNewsletter Journal and The Remediator Security Digest. She's a slave to a MarketingProfs weekly column and a Web design reference guide at InformIT. She is the author of the popular e-report, How to Start a Business Blog and Build Traffic. Visit her site at http://www.meryl.net/blog/ for free newsletters, articles, and tips.

best cleaning company Lincolnshire ..
In The News:

Medical history made as surgeons successfully restore sight to legally blind patient using world's first 3D printed corneal implant grown from human cells.
Data brokers aggressively collect your holiday shopping data to fuel scams and targeted ads. Learn how to delete your digital profile before 2025 starts.
Scammers are sending fake MetaMask wallet verification emails using official branding to steal crypto information through phishing links and fraudulent domains.
Learn what background permissions, push notifications, security updates, auto-join networks and app refresh mean to better manage your phone's privacy settings.
Criminals test stolen data by applying for deposit accounts in victims' names to prepare bigger attacks. Learn why banks won't share fraud details.
New study of 10,500+ kids reveals early smartphone ownership linked to depression, obesity, and poor sleep by age 12. Earlier phones mean higher risks.
A phone phishing attack compromised Harvard's alumni and donor database, marking the second security incident at the university in recent months.
AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.

How to Relax Your Writing

Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More

Review of A Classic: Finneys Invasion of The Body Snatchers

To keep it simple and basic: Jack Finney's Invasion of... Read More

How to Write Funny -- Its All About Timing

My Dad has this old joke that goes, "What's the... Read More

Baby Boomers and Booklets ? Share and Share Alike

As one of those fabulous Baby Boomers, you now own... Read More

The Best Freelance Job Boards for Writers

How many times have you checked out a job board... Read More

Dont Rely on Your Spellchecker - or - The Importance of Good Proof Reading

Weather posting a page to your Website, writing a letter... Read More

A Writers Tools

If you are like most writers, you're constantly searching for... Read More

Ten Quick Tips for Inexperienced Writers

One of the biggest problems that inexperienced writers have is... Read More

A Beginners Guide to Writing a Novel

No one is born a novel writer. But do you... Read More

Resignation Letters: Dont Let Yours Backfire On You...

It turns out that "tips and templates on how to... Read More

First Priority

No matter what you are writing, the first priority is... Read More

How To Write A Newsletter

In order to be successful with a newsletter, specialize in... Read More

Writing Made Them Rich #4: Paulo Coelho

Paulo Coelho was born on August 24th 1947 in Rio... Read More

6 Ways to Toot Your Own Writing Horn

You know you've got writing talent. Others enjoy your work... Read More

Get Your Writing Reviewed by Major Publications for Free

All Writers need the press, especially new writers. As a... Read More

Create the Writing Life You Want

Ah, writing. For those of us who love to play... Read More

Slow Pokes: Short Story On The Changing World Of Writing

"No one will ever know who I am, I'm a... Read More

Tips For Better Writing

It is certainly true that we don't get a second... Read More

The Bottomless Notebook

Reading through a writer's notebook or journal is like discovering... Read More

How to Write a Holiday Tale that Isn?t a Turkey

When we write stories, with the purpose of sharing them... Read More

Novel to Screenplay: The Challenges of Adaptation

ADAPTATION 101Brimming with confidence, you've just signed the check purchasing... Read More

Is The Theme Running Throughout The Story?

Creative Writing Tips ?It's no use coming up with a... Read More

Writing Without Style

Style manuals are all well and good, and in fact,... Read More

A Writers Inner Battle

There is a psychological nuisance so powerful that can deflate... Read More

What You May Not Learn In College... (Part Two)

If you become a writer for any publication, private business,... Read More

on demand house cleaning Lake Forest ..