“To be or not to be? That is the question.” Shakespeare would’ve been a great blogger – he really knew how to make his point using few words.
Students, do you want to grow as a writer or simply improve your paper-writing skills for class? As a writer, do you want people to be interested in what you have to say personally and professionally? Do you want your work to be respected?
Become your own “word janitor.” In the “economy of words,” this means: Cut the fluff when speaking or writing, state your message accurately and without wordiness, and of course, pull this off while keeping your readers or listeners interested.
Here’s a Tip from the Word Janitor:
Clean up messy sentences by using active rather than passive voice. This is one of the easiest and quickest ways to improve your writing. Place the subject before the verb.
For example, instead of, “The dog was fed by me today”… try this, “I fed the dog today.” …The first sentence makes your reader work too hard to find the main point of your message.
Imagine this - what if Billy Joel had titled his hit 80s song…”The Fire Wasn’t Started by Us” instead of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.” Probably not number one material, right?
Remember, think action. The subject of your sentence should take the action rather than receive it. Replacing passive sentences with active ones tightens your writing and captures your reader’s (or listener’s) attention in a whole new way.
And that’s a tip from the Word Janitor!
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