Keep it short and simple. Easier said than done.

2009 June 30

by Lauren Shopp

As an undergrad magazine journalism major, I was encouraged to be descriptive without going overboard. As a web writer, I’m encouraged to keep my sentences short and shy away from long paragraphs. As a writer, I’m torn. While I want to get the message across and keep it short and sweet, the writer in me wants to shout from the rooftops how AWESOME and AMAZING our programs and services are. And, let’s face it, flex my writing muscles.

To help other web writers/editors keep the process of writing for the web as easy as possible, I’ve compiled a list of some tips I’ve picked up along the way. They’re culled from my experience working as a web writer/editor, as well as my undergrad days.

1. Cut the adjectives–and the adverbs. Not only do they clog up sentences; they also confuse readers, who may not remember what you were actually talking about five adjectives ago. Adverbs do the same, and are often wastes of space. For example, instead of saying “quickly,” just use “as soon as possible.” It’s more direct and specific.

2. Don’t write anything you wouldn’t say in person. A great professor of mine at Syracuse always extolled this rule. Would you really describe something as “integrated with cutting-edge technology”? Probably not. Unless you’re a vendor. Then you love phrases like that. Our prospective students, however, will probably think it’s cheesy and not very specific. Which leads me to my next point.

3. Be as specific as possible. Instead of writing about the “practical experience” gained at your college or university, use concrete examples of this education in real life. Do students learn resume-writing skills, get jobs faster upon graduation, or obtain valuable internships because of their experience at XYZ University? If so, say it. Even better, use real-life examples, such as spotlights on specific students enrolled at your school. Their individual stories are far more interesting, and prospectives will read them more often.

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4 Responses leave one →

2009 June 30

Copywriter permalink

Love your tips.

I would like to add that almost no one reads long copy. Certainly not on the screen.

So, keep your sentences short. AND keep your whole text short.
2009 July 1

Drew permalink

I’d disagree that short is necessarily BETTER, on the web. It’s simply a matter of writing well. Writing focused. Writing things people want to read. Nice post.
2009 July 2

Andrew Careaga permalink

Good advice. I’m reminded of a favorite quote from Sir Winston Churchill, who was no slouch when it came to mastering the English language:

Short words are best and old words when short are best of all.

So, along with keeping it short and sweet, prefer the familiar to the unfamiliar.

Along those lines, William Zinsser (author of On Writing Well) talks about how he prefers words of Anglo-Saxon origin to those of Latin or Greek.

Watch for Latins and Greeks. After the Normans invaded England, Latin words became preferred by the country’s royalty, clergy and scholars. Latin words were, and still are, more formal and indirect than their dirt cheap Anglo-Saxon equivalents. On the other hand, Anglo-Saxon, the honest language of peasants, packs a wallop. In Anglo-Saxon, a man who drinks to excess is not bibulous but a drunk, a man who steals is not a perpetrator, but a thief, and a man who is follically-impaired is not glabrous, but bald. Direct language is powerful language. Then comes Greek, the language of science. Science is nice. Science is good. But using complicated scientific words can make copy dense and difficult to understand. Moreover, it can make it sound pretentious. Of course you cannot — and should not — drop all words of Latin or Greek derivation from your work. Many times they will be perfect. But first, try to think of a down-home Anglo-Saxon substitute.

Good words, those (source).