We all know people who ramble. They include every boring and insignificant detail, speak in five-minute-long sentences and take forever to get to the point. When they finally reach the end of their story, most people have either walked away or lost interest.
If you were reading their words, would you read right to the end? Or would you find something more informative, less boring and shorter to read?
We all have a tendency to ramble. It's natural. And the more excited we are about a subject, the more likely we are to ramble.
Unfortunately, if we ramble in writing, our readers may not get to the "good stuff." And if that "good stuff" is your website, your byline or a product you wish to promote, your rambling has just cost you money.
Now, I certainly don't want to curb your excitement, and I don't even want to thwart your tendency to ramble.
Instead, I want you to get wildly excited about your topic. I want you to ramble as much as you like. Then I want you to edit.
When you edit, try to cut as many words from your article as possible. The number of words cut depends on the length of your first draft and the desired length of your finished article. That said, you should usually try to cut your word count by at least 20 percent - and the more words cut, the better. If that leaves your article too short, try rambling on for even longer before you get to the editing stage.
I don't have the room here to list everything that helps cut down the words in your article, but I will share some key points:
These items won't cover everything you need to look at when reducing your word count, but they do provide a good starting base. If you want to remember them, just think of the biggest rambler you know and the things you would like to say to him: "You already said that." "Is the weather important?" "Get to the point." "I have to go soon. Can we hurry this up?"
Readers won't wish they could say these things to you. They'll just find something else to read. Keep your word count low and you'll keep your readers with you right to the end.
About The Author
Liz Palmer is a freelance copywriter and editor, based in Australia. She works with businesses and writers, offering a range of proofreading, editing and copywriting services.
Culver prom limo ..Before I became a teacher, I was a sports writer.... Read More
Plotting a book can seem an overwhelming task when you're... Read More
[When I was a nineteen-year-old high school student and budding... Read More
The urge to write fiction seems God given for some,... Read More
Sometime one must coax the words out.Each day is a... Read More
Sure you can write, but can you write crisp, compelling... Read More
Q. I'm staring at a blank screen with an equally... Read More
As many authors are fond of stating, "Ideas are all... Read More
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe... Read More
Writing is hard work, and like all hard work, one... Read More
With the advent of email communications in the workplace, it's... Read More
Have you ever wondered why some people can make millions... Read More
For those looking at the jobs listings for writers, they... Read More
Remember back in the dark days of your school years... Read More
In the beginning of your story you have to grab... Read More
When the writing bug hits you, get out your pencil,... Read More
For many authors just starting out, it can be a... Read More
If you're targeting an educated, more affluent audience with your... Read More
Among the various foolproof methods used to boost traffic to... Read More
A writer writes. Bet you've heard that one... Read More
Weather posting a page to your Website, writing a letter... Read More
Beginner's Blues: How to Collect Samples, Testimonials, and References as... Read More
There is one key difference between reports and most other... Read More
Good writing is like sex. Two people are involved ?... Read More
It's 6:00 p.m. You're dead tired, but instead of an... Read More
Wood Dale limo ..For any great novelist, defining your cast of intriguing characters... Read More
Q. My writing sounds stiff and stilted. Help!A. Memories of... Read More
Many experts recommend reading as a way to get ideas,... Read More
What does one do as a writer who loves writing... Read More
Are you ready to abandon your short stories? Before you... Read More
Your query letter can be a deal maker or a... Read More
Wired Online has recently announced its plans to drop capitalization... Read More
In the business of freelance writing, it's not enough to... Read More
How many of you take the time to really write... Read More
In large publishing houses, many manuscripts penned by first-time authors,... Read More
I call it cheap therapy. That gushing, near-religious, poured-from-the-body stress... Read More
When my first book "Starting Your Own Business" was published... Read More
Finding the time to write a novel is one of... Read More
1. Become an EavesdropperListen carefully to the way people REALLY... Read More
Peter Mayle was born in England in 1939.His fascination with... Read More
Your struggling to sell just a few copies of your... Read More
So you want to learn to research well, and not... Read More
Some writers complain that writing is arduous work requiring long... Read More
A QUERY LETTER is written to an editor or agent... Read More
Have you ever considered writing a book? If so, maybe... Read More
Write Right - You have an all important business letter... Read More
(This excerpt is taken from my new writing workshop Writing... Read More
It's the funniest thing. When someone asks me what I... Read More
Have you ever read someone else's writing and thought one... Read More
Rudolph Flesch, a pioneering advocate of readability, put great stock... Read More
Writing |