|
Answers
to questions on general and effective writing
Can I start a
sentence with 'And' or 'But'?
Some people go around insisting that, if you start a
sentence with 'And' or 'But' you are somehow uneducated.
Don't believe them: if you look at any book on good style
written in the last 50 years you will find the author
telling you to ignore this so-called 'grammatical rule'.
How can I
learn to write concisely?
After you have written your first draft, go through
it carefully asking two questions: (1) can I use simpler
words, and (2) can I take some of these words out? In
principle it's easy; in practice it can take a little time
and courage.
When I use
short words people say I am being patronising. How can I
avoid this?
I can't see how preferring simpler words and simpler
sentences can be seen as patronising, though I realise many
people feel this way. I suspect this is a hangover from
school days, when we were rewarded for coming in with new
and longer words. If those criticising you are your
audience, then put on your posh overcoat; if they are not
(and they rarely are) then keep it simple. Your readers will
be grateful.
I tend to
sit in front of my computer for hours waiting for the first
sentence to come along. Is there a better
way?
Yes. Start with the
second sentence. Or go for a walk to work out what you are
really trying to say.
How can I
stop my boss changing everything I
write?
You can't, and you
shouldn't want to. Bosses generally have something useful to
contribute - particularly when it comes to spotting
political time-bombs. What you can try to do is steer your
boss away from tinkering with the style by asking him/her to
comment on the major issues, such as will the writing
achieve its goal?
I spend a
lot of time writing. How can I stop being bored?
There are no easy answers to this: writing requires a good
deal of methodical, repetitive work, and this is dull. Break
up your writing time as much as possible, and try to write
in short bursts. Get the first draft out as quickly as
possible, then do the rewriting in a number of different
stages, perhaps concentrating on one thing at a time-
grammar first, then fact checking, then style. The golden
rule, however, is if you get bored, do something
else.
Do you
have any tips for writing a press release?
The main thing is to make sure that you decide on the story
that you want to be published - and write it clearly in the
first paragraph. If it's not an interesting story, don't
bother writing the press release. Keep sentences short and
use everyday language. Try to use quotes wherever possible,
particularly when it come to making value judgements. And
finally, make sure you put a contact name and number at the
bottom - and be there if someone tries to get in
touch.
Is there
any software available for mind mapping?
Try the following site - www.mindman.co.uk.
Back
to main FAQs page.
03.09.01
|
