7 Tips for Writing Well Online

Remove Fluff for Clear Concise Writing

If you are like millions of writers struggling with the concept of removing fluff from your writing you are not alone. Editors and experienced writers throw the phrase around as though you are miraculously supposed to understand this mysterious beast that no one takes the time to explain. Fluff really isn't mysterious at all. Any word or phrase that does not further the goal of a piece of writing is fluff. Learning to remove fluff is a giant step towards meeting your goal as a successful online writer.

Repetition

Check your writing carefully for redundancy. Make your point once and leave it at that. Repetition weakens writing and annoys the reader. If you need to say it more than once, you didn't say it clearly enough the first time.

Tangents

Good writing leads to a single point of focus. Anything that calls attention away from the focus is useless. Check your writing for tangents that do not further the goal of the article and trim back to maintain focus.

Clever Phrases

Resist the temptation to add clever phrases and creative expressions that do not contribute to your point. Online readers seek information and quickly abandon articles laden with cute phrases that offer nothing of value. Ruthlessly remove phrases and wording that does not serve your purpose.

Use Modifiers Sparingly

Forget everything your creative writing teacher taught you about creating images with modifiers. For informational pieces, modifiers must be used sparingly. Overuse is the mark of lazy writer trying to create an image that clearly does not work. Take the time to find the right word and use that instead of overloading your work with descriptive adjectives and adverbs.

Write with Authority

Hedging with phrases like "it could be" and "perhaps" shows a lack of confidence in your ability to make a point and comes off as weak writing. Be direct and express what you know to build confidence with your online readers.

Pretentious Language