100 ways to improve your writing - Gary Provost 2019
Say things in a positive way . . . Most of the time
Twelve ways to give your words power
Usually what matters is what did happen, what does exist, and who is involved. So develop the habit of stating information in a positive manner.
If you want your reader to experience the silence of a church at night, write “The church was silent.” If you write “There was no noise in the church,” the first thing your reader will hear is the noise that isn’t there.
Look at the sentences below and see how much more effective each one is when written in a positive manner.
Negative |
Positive |
Renaldo’s plan to breed giant rabbits did not succeed. |
Renaldo’s plan to breed giant rabbits failed. |
The safe was not closed. |
The safe was open. |
George and Martha were not sober when they got home. |
George and Martha were drunk when they got home. |
This insurance will not cost employees any money. |
This insurance is free to employees. |
Of course, there are times when the negative statement should be used. If it’s ten o’clock on a stormy night and your wife was due home at six, you won’t call your brother and state the positive: “Jennifer is out.” You’ll emphasize the negative: “Jennifer is not home yet.”
In the sentences below, the negative sentence is stronger than the positive.
Positive |
Negative |
The President was someplace else during the inauguration. |
The President did not show up for the inauguration. |
Russian athletes were in Russia during the Los Angeles Olympics. |
Russian athletes did not come to the Los Angeles Olympics. |