Writing

[fatty fat fat]

What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?

[KSUTOMMY]

What're you writing? Is it for work? Resume? A card to re-kindle the love of your wife that's been lost to copious amounts of BBSing on goEMAW.com? More details please.

[michigancat]

What're you writing? Is it for work? Resume? A card to re-kindle the love of your wife that's been lost to copious amounts of BBSing on goEMAW.com? More details please.

Yeah, I'd love to help, but different works demand different styles.

[steve dave]

spellcheck

[steve dave]

oh, wow, and thesaurus (sp?)

[Saulbadguy]

Use lots of quotes and in text citations.

[SkinnyBenny]

Vary your sentence length.  Too many short sentences in a row or too many long sentences in a row will create a rhythm that you don't want, and that can lead to boredom on the part of your reader.  Think of it like a morse code thingy: a mix of shorts and longs.

(See how I varied my sentence length in the above mini-paragraph?)

  for writing!

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

Vary your sentence length.  Too many short sentences in a row or too many long sentences in a row will create a rhythm that you don't want, and that can lead to boredom on the part of your reader.  Think of it like a morse code thingy: a mix of shorts and longs.

Was about to give the same advice.  A random two- or three-word sentence can really grip a reader in a useful way.  (E.g.: "Tension built.")  Also, people tend to over-explain, so a great tip I learned long ago (at MHS) is to go back through your piece when you're done and cross out the first sentence of every paragraph.  Of course, it doesn't always work, but sometimes it can really improve your result.

Given your spare BBS style, I'm not sure YOU need these tips, though.

[michigancat]

When you're finished writing, read it out loud.

[O-town Kat]

Don't write like Stan Weber speaks.

[pissclams]

every year myself and a few other elite BBS'rs (+5000 posts, etc) meet for a writing boot camp.  it's a chance for us to come together and share our best practices, and learn from each other.  granted the group is small, but we're a growing one and the lessons i learn at writing boot camp cannot be measured by a test on commas and adverbs and consonants.

[SkinnyBenny]

Was about to give the same advice.  A random two- or three-word sentence can really grip a reader in a useful way.  (E.g.: "Tension built.")  Also, people tend to over-explain, so a great tip I learned long ago (at MHS) is to go back through your piece when you're done and cross out the first sentence of every paragraph.  Of course, it doesn't always work, but sometimes it can really improve your result.

Given your spare BBS style, I'm not sure YOU need these tips, though.

  

Great tip. A real eye-opener.     What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

[Ghost of Stan Parrish]

What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.

[CNS]

What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?

I have heard this, but with 17 words.  Lot harder than it sounds.  That said, mine was with regard to technical writing.  Engineers, architects, etc can't pay attention and maintain focus for more than 17 words at a time.  Retards. 

FFF, great book on this: Elements of Style.

[slimz]

Use Google to find something someone has already written that says what you want to say. Then copy and paste it, but sign your own name. No need to reinvent the wheel here.   

[Dr Rick Daris]

What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.

i used to do a pretty killer p wika impersonation. true story.

[SkinnyBenny]

What insightful teacher at MHS taught you that?

Penny Wika, journalism.  She was a gem.

Were you a Mentor'r or a Blue M'r or a both'r?

[fatty fat fat]

lit review stuff

[Jeffy]

Write "free market" on everything.

[fatty fat fat]

Write "free market" on everything.

what on earth.

cns, thanks. purchased on amazon.

 

[fatty fat fat]

every year myself and a few other elite BBS'rs (+5000 posts, etc) meet for a writing boot camp.  it's a chance for us to come together and share our best practices, and learn from each other.  granted the group is small, but we're a growing one and the lessons i learn at writing boot camp cannot be measured by a test on commas and adverbs and consonants.

I can never tell if you are serious, or just kind of joking around to just put a smile on everyones face!!
 

[CHONGS]

Write "free market" on everything.

what on earth.

cns, thanks. purchased on amazon.

 

You really need a capitAl letter to begin your first sentence.

[fatty fat fat]

chingon, it doesn't take a sweet ass cubicle in CW to realize that. 

[CHONGS]

chingon, it doesn't take a sweet ass cubicle in CW to realize that. 

I got a big ass drink from the Cat's Corner last week.  What a deal!

[CHONGS]

What are some good writing tactics? Is it best to avoid longer sentences in favor of short sentences (12 words or so) that is packed with info?

Best to mix it up (this is from my roommate who is a pro).