Manuscript Repair & Rewrite #37

Many writers draw attention to  their prose by trying to make it sound more “writerly.”

They fall into the language I call Writtenese, which has the opposite effect they’re hoping for.

In an attempt to show off their vocabulary and their fancy words and turns of phrase, they make the reader aware of the writer instead of the content.

That’s a telltale sign of an amateur.

My advice?

Stop trying to impress. Make your story, your content, your message, king. In other words: Just say it.

The best writing is simple, straightforward.

After downloading the documents below, click the bar on the left to see the edits.