Clean Up Your Muddy Writing
I see a lot of what I call muddy writing among writers. Some of them run their sentences on and on while introducing three or four different thoughts before finally ending. Others use jargon or technical phrases with which they are familiar, but that could choke the average layperson. And that's okay, unless your target audience is the layperson. Your writing is muddy if you write in the passive rather than active voice, Muddy writing is a difficult process to reverse, but it is possible.
Before sending that article, book proposal or query letter out, read it aloud. Would someone from Mars understand what you're saying? Do the sentences flow or do you stumble over certain passages? Do you notice repetition—using the same words and phrases over and over again? Here's an example of what I call "muddy writing," Susan told a very bad lie. Or what about this, A lie was told by Susan. Why not say, "Susan lied?" When in doubt as to whether your writing lacks clarity, hire a good editor.
|
