PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES - Part 2

Professional Writing Techniques
Part 2 of 3

And we continue with the not-so-secret fine tuning
that elevates good writing to Professional Writing~

4. VARY YOUR SENTENCE LENGTH.

     Avoid long, complex sentences. When you load a *compound sentence* with several phrases, the reader may have to read those two or three times to figure out which ones goes with what!

Usually, the problem can be solved by tight writing. Simply eliminate unnecessary words and replace a phrase with a single, precise word.

For example, instead of saying “the teenager seemed to be all arms and legs and was rather awkward,” write “the gawky teenager.” Or you can split the sentence into two shorter ones.

A really short 2 or 3 word sentence
adds energy to the whole paragraph!

Example: Your salesman wasn't surprised that the devise
     had crashed so soon. Are you?

5. SHORTEN OVERLY LONG PARAGRAPHS.

     A paragraph that runs on for half a page or more lacks energy and visual variety.
And it’s boring!

Read your page carefully, watching for a shift in topic or tone. In a super long paragraph there will usually be several. Break the long paragraphs into two or three smaller ones, and adjust the wording as needed.

6. START EACH CHAPTER WITH A "HOOK" TO SNAG YOUR READER'S INTEREST.

    Hooks take many forms, but as the word implies, all are designed to pull the reader into the next paragraph.

A question or short, premise statement works well, such as: Where would we be without plastic? or A working outline makes the writing flow more smoothly. 

Or you can lighten the tone with Oh, and did I mention....? to introduce the topic of the new chapter.

You can also use a tie-in to the previous chapter. With that process in mind, we can now proceed with … or Based on what we just learned about (previous chapter’s information)...

 

     7. CLOSE EACH CHAPTER WITH A CONCLUSION OR A LEAD-IN TO THE NEXT CHAPTER. 

     For example, You'll soon discover that's the quickest way to trim an oval widget! or After you’ve chosen a theme for your project, you’ll need to collect the materials.

But beware! Some writers don't actually close the chapter -- they begin to babble on and on after they’ve made their point. When in doubt, read over your closing paragraph and underline the concluding sentence. Chop everything after that!

And leave your readers eager to turn the page to the next chapter!

Happy editing!

_________________________________________

NEXT WEEK: PROFESSIONAL WRITING TECHNIQUES

Part 3 of 3

 Quotations & Statistics

Clang & Colloquial Expressions

Chapter "Hooks"

Condensing Text

Beware! MS Word Correcrtions!!

Nonfiction Author's Tip #2

 Book writing is organic (and a little bit magic)!

Writing-in-progress is organic, like children - not static. By the end of a chapter, you may realize the previous chapter needs a lead-in to this one. Or the message you meant to write has shifted and now leads to a different insight or conclusion.

That's wonderful (usually)! Your brain has sprinkled creative writing dust into your pages in for form of additional content!

Yay, Brain!

The same thing can happen to your Table of Contents. At some point, maybe after you've typed the last page, you'll see that's not the most useful, orderly flow of information.

Ah, so you rearrange. Maybe you'll need to alter the first and last paragraphs of some chapters, to create a natural transition to the next one. Than you'll follow your muse and tuck in some cool examples or side stories.

Be excited! You're improving your already *phenomenal* book.

Most writing, fiction and non, short and long presents lively, new information.

<|>  After all, they're our literary children.  <|>

Your Qualifications for Writing This Book

And why are you the right person for the job?

Whether you're planning to write an article, a report or author a book, it's important to look at your qualifications for doing so. 

Why did you pick that topic? What makes you uniquely qualified to write about some aspect of the topic? 

Consider one or more of the following or add your own reasons:

Professional experience

A lifelong passion for the topic

Scholastic studies

Varied research

A compelling curiosity

A current news story or trend

Eventually you'll need to include such information in your author's bio or article credit. But for now, focus on it as your personal validation. You don't have to have a doctorate or presidential award. Although it's OK if you do ~

Think about the what drew you to your subject to begin with, and your audience will happily follow your lead.

Lin

Write Your Book with Passion

What happens when you don't write your book with passion?

YOU PRODUCE A BORING BOOK!

Absolutely, let your passion energize your writing! 

Whether the topic is counseling or carborators, you want to bring life to the pages. You feel passionate about sharing your fascinating information with the reader!

After you make the "which book" decision, make notes from research, observations and experience, and have at least a working Table of Contents (primary chapters), you'll feel a powerful itch to start writing.

But wait. where should I begin?

At the beginning? No. That would either read like a term paper or
wander off topic. Why should you write the pages in order anyway?

Start with the chapter that stirs your enthusiasm!

You picked this topics because you truly want to share it -- that gives you the passion to write. There! That's the energy you want to bring! Let that excitement spark your first sentences, and it'll energize your whole book.

Write from the joy of sharing~

Lin

Testing New Nonfiction Writing Ideas

TheBookDesigner.com shared this  practical and useful article on test driving your book (or article) topic ideas.

10 Ways to Test Market Your Nonfiction Book Idea Before You Publish 

Not only can we check the interest level among potential future buyers, we can also build a following, work up our research files, and explore alternate subtopics and slants along the way.

Stay tuned. I plan to use some of these tips myself!

Happy writing ~

Lin

Do you want to write a book?

Lots of people have ideas, notes, or rough drafts for a nonfiction book. Some have participated in workshops or classes; others have studied one or more books on the subject. But these seldom include the practical Keyes to the Kingdom to becoming a published author.

I've been writing nonfiction books for over 25 years and each and every one has reinforced my appreciation of this approach to book writing. There's no magic, no mystique - it's all about establishing a plan.

Writing a book without a plan paves the way to rambling, digressing, and including useless, often boring paragraphs and pages. That frustrates the writer and results in a mediocre book (at best).

In writing each of my ten-plus books, teaching guides, student manuals, and workbooks, I've come to value the organized approach more and more. Through the posts in this blog, I will help you establish and maintain focus, identify your audience, present the material in a logical arrangement of chapters, and introduce other rules of the writing road.

Each month, I'll explain one of the Keys to effective writing either for commercial sales or family enjoyment. Here are a few of the upcoming topics:

• So Many Nonfiction Categories!
• Developing Your Book's Theme
• Identifying Your Target Book Read & Buyer
• Building the Framework for Your Nonfiction Book
• Why Add "Author of..." to Your Business Credentials?
• Dealing with Writer's Blocks

From time to time, I'll also share book and publishing facts, author trivia, translations from book talk to English, and other juicy tidbits for your pleasure.

So get ready to build your book!

Linda
nonfiction book coach ~ author