Online writing requires the writer to be downright rigid with words. It’s a fact of online reading that most readers won’t scroll down to read a lengthy post, they’ll simply click away. I recommend blog posts stick to less than 500 words unless you have something really special.
Pulling out your old college copy of Strunk & White is a great idea if you can find it. Or you can read the Strunk section of the classic Elements of Style online.
In true Strunk & White spirit, here’s a list of 5 commonly used, vapid phrases that you can cut out of your writing to make it cleaner and tighter.
• My point is … (just say it already)
• Going forward … (is there any other choice?)
• Everyone knows that … (no, they don’t)
• In order to … (boring Dilbert speak)
• At the end of the day … (a Hollywood fave)
If you ever catch me using any of these phrases, feel free to mercilessly spam me about it. And please post more phrases to avoid here in the comments. The Web will thank you for it.
-Maria Schneider
*Flickr photo DeclanTM
{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
“Just a thought”–is that a vapid phrase? (have to look up the word “vapid”)
Maybe we need a visual symbol for teaching infractions for the clueless–like myself, {{skunk}} or perhaps designate one of the icons. This would be a way to change behavior as long as everyone understands this is in good humor and doesn’t think it is mean and/or aversive.
And some vapid, space-sucking words: “just”, “that”, and a mini-phrase “such as”. For starters.
Thanks for the reminder! Peace, Linda
“They say…”
who-ery, which-ery and that-ery! Oy-ery!
“Back in the day.”
How about these two:
1. “For me, personally….” (First of all, that’s redundant; second of all, can’t a simple, ‘I feel that…’ suffice?)
2. “Literally.” (99.9% of the time, it’s NOT literal. So, you LITERALLY walked on eggshells? You LITERALLY jumped 10-feet in the air? Probably not! Save yourself the word!)
:-)
The phrase “in my opinion” is overused.
“In other words…”
If you have to say “in other words,” the first words you chose weren’t good enough to make your point clear. ;)
Two I need to pry out of my own lexicon:
“Having said that…”
“The bottom line is…”
And the word “utilize.” I hate that word.
Here’s a couple I’ve been guilty of using but can usually chop out: “it goes without saying” and “needless to say”. Just say it, huh? :)
plan ahead
When people use etc. and then they say etc, etc, etc, Why?
also ‘and as I said’ well, of course you said it. we just read it didn’t we?
;-}
lol, nice, up beat article! we were taught in school to write like up tight english teachers, which is fine, if you want to major in english.
If you want to make money, you have to write a little differently. I study copywriting, and practice it atleast a few times a month, it helps my articles, blogs, AND videos tremendously. Writing with personality isn’t always proper english. I enjoyed it.
Everyone’s an editor dept:
It’s a fact of online reading that most readers won’t scroll down to read a lengthy post, they’ll simply click away. I recommend blog posts stick to less than 500 words unless you have something really special.
How about:
Most readers won’t scroll down to read a lengthy post, they’ll simply click away. Stick to less than 500 words unless you have something really special.
“Having said that…”