The little red writing book - Brandon Royal 2007
Go back and rework your writing
Readability
Principle #20: Wait until your writing stands still before you call it finished.
Rare is the writer who can sit down and knock out a perfect writing draft without corrections. Most proficient writers take at least three drafts to finish short pieces of writing. For example, you may be writing a cover letter to accompany your updated résumé. First, you write to get your ideas down on paper. Second, you edit through what you have written, add detail, make connections, and make corrections. Third, you wait twenty-four hours and reread, making minor changes. The longer the work, the more times this process is repeated for individual sections.
The number of drafts required for an entire work depends on the work’s length and complexity. A two-line office memo is likely to be done in a single draft because it is short and simple. A one-page poem might take more than a dozen drafts because it is longer and more difficult.
WHEN IS IT REALLY FINISHED?
Making changes to your writing is annoying and grueling. But eventually, with changes made, you will likely be satisfied with what you have written and not want to add or delete anything. This is the point at which your writing is finished — your writing is “standing still.” Unpolished writing is like shifting sand in a desert storm. Eventually the storm ceases, and the sand sits still.
The word “finished,” when referring to writing, should really be enclosed in quotation marks because writing is never actually finished. With respect to writing done for everyday purposes, completion is an end in itself. However, for more permanent written works, such as novels, writing can be continued indefinitely because it can always be improved. Even published books can be reworked and reedited. Weeks, months, and years after a book is published, an author will invariably contemplate changes.
APPRECIATE THE PROCESS
Writing is a creative process. You discover things as you force yourself to write. What is especially satisfying is turning “junk” writing into something worthwhile. When you put together a lengthy piece, such as a personal essay or business report, you will naturally begin by writing some areas well. Other areas you’ll not be satisfied with, and those must be reworked.
Let’s call the parts you like “flowers” and the parts you dislike “dirt.” As you focus your efforts on the “dirt,” you begin to make improvements, and sometimes to your surprise, these areas become as good as, or better than, one or more of the “flowers.” This is extremely satisfying. You are inspired. You gain energy. You now try to improve other “dirt” areas until there are none left. Later, you go back to an original “flowered” area and make it even better, thus raising it up one notch from anything done before. The writing process is a ongoing process of producing flowers and dirt.
Most people hate reworking their writing. It is human nature. The pressure and agony of writing is one reason why alcohol has been humorously dubbed “the occupational hazard of professional writers.” It is not writing per se, but the rewriting and redrafting process that can drive a person to drink. Worse is the reality of knowing that even before you begin to write — no matter how well you write — your writing will require revision. Fortunately, for most students and business professionals, the everyday writing process is not filled with the same emotional highs and lows as it is for a person who makes a living from writing.
It is a great feeling to look at something you wrote a long time ago, be it an old college essay, business report, personal letter, or poem, and say to yourself, “Wow, this is funny. Some of this stuff blows me away! How did I come up with it?” There is no absolute answer. Skill, luck, boldness, and naiveté are key ingredients in the writing process.
Answers to Writing Exercises
PRINCIPLE 3
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The most probable solution to the whale essay is to organize the sentences in the following order: 5, 2, 1, 4, 3.
THE WHALE
The whale is the largest mammal in the animal kingdom. When most people think of whales, they think of sluggish, obese animals, frolicking freely in the ocean and eating tons of food to sustain themselves. When people think of ants, on the other hand, they tend to think of hardworking underfed creatures transporting objects twice their body size to and from hidden hideaways. However, if we analyze food consumption based on body size, we find that ants eat their full body weight every day, while a whale eats the equivalent of only one-thousandth of its body weight each day. In fact, when we compare the proportionate food consumption of all living creatures, we find that the whale is one the most food-efficient creatures on earth.
Note: In the above paragraph, the conclusion appears in the last line. If a writing piece is very short and uncomplicated, there is little harm in putting the conclusion at the end. This may seem like an exception to Principle 1, and it is, but it represents the art of writing as opposed to the science of writing.
PRINCIPLE 6
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1. Joannie has a German Shepherd and a Siamese cat.
2. The vacation cost nearly $5,000.
3. Rainbows contain a full spectrum of colors, including red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet.
4. Sheila is 5’10” tall and has an attractive, baby-shaped face.
5. Many economists think that the Federal Reserve Bank’s failure to lower bank interest rates is the reason for the current economic downturn.
6. Firms should use billboard advertising because it is low-cost and can increase sales as much as 10 percent in a given region.
7. Tim often misplaces his car keys.
8. The contestant was eliminated in the first round because she couldn’t remember that Antarctica is one of the seven continents.
9. Fresh produce, small cans, and large boxes line each row of the grocery store from floor to ceiling.
10. Mr. and Mrs. Jones spend most of their time together, often laughing at each other’s jokes.
PRINCIPLE 7
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A good idea is cool!
A good idea stands out.
A good idea may get a chilly reception.
A good idea can easily disappear.
A good idea sure seems natural.
A good idea has a big effect on its surroundings.
You have to go a long way to find a good idea.
A good idea takes time to form.
If you overlook a good idea, it can sink you.
You only see part of a good idea because there is more to it than meets the eye.
There is a lot of depth in a good idea, but not everyone appreciates it.
One-tenth of the benefit of a good idea is clearly visible, but nine-tenths of the long-term benefits lie below the surface.
PRINCIPLE 8
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1. Recent studies suggest that carrot juice is good for you.
2. We expect to use hundreds of reams of recycled copy paper in the next 12 months.
3. This plan will eliminate inefficient shipping practices.
4. Our schoolchildren’s education should emphasize the three Rs — reading, writing, and arithmetic.
5. Only meteorologists can analyze changing climatic conditions.
6. When the poet wrote the second and third stanzas, he must have felt despair. (Or: I feel despair when reading the poem’s second and third stanzas.)
7. That is a fine dog.
Note that a follow-up sentence is likely required to supply more details as to what a fine dog is.
8. The hurricane destroyed almost all structures along the coastline.
9. While I am against war, I also realize that some situations require the use of military force.
10. Like Napoleon’s army that marched on Russia more than a century before, the German army was also unable to successfully invade Russia because its soldiers were inadequately prepared for winter conditions.
Note: The last three examples above require cutting out sentences to achieve simplicity. Such sentences may repeat information that the reader has otherwise gleaned from sentences that come immediately before or after.
PRINCIPLE 10, EXERCISE 1
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1. Attendees should adhere to the event’s formal dress code.
2. A construction project that large needs an effective manager.
3. The Acropolis Museum remains a significant tourist attraction.
4. The conclusion is that physical and psychological symptoms are intertwined.
5. The field superintendent’s charisma does not mask his poor technical knowledge.
6. The recent trend of government borrowing may create poorer nations.
7. These events — water shortages, chronic overcrowding, and rampant disease — have combined to create a crisis.
8. Few people can find novel solutions to problems.
9. She has chosen to work for UNESCO.
10. Negotiation opens many doors to peaceful settlement.
PRINCIPLE 10, EXERCISE 2
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1. Peter is an exceptional student.
2. You are the best person to decide what you should do with your life.
3. The propane tank is empty.
4. Joey is a slow reader.
5. There are many reasons for the disparity of wealth among the world’s nations.
6. Some experts believe that we are motivated simply by the desire to seek pleasure and to avoid pain.
7. In India, I found the best food I have ever eaten.
8. She is an excellent pianist.
9. The Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg is filled with unique paintings.
10. Auditors should remain independent of the companies that they audit.
PRINCIPLE 10, EXERCISE 3
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1. The speaker is lost in details.
2. We ought to pay teachers as much as other professionals, such as doctors, lawyers, and engineers.
3. This argument cannot be generalized to those countries with poor infrastructures.
4. Wine is a fine social lubricant.
5. Would more people use the library if books and movies could be delivered to a person’s home for a small charge?
6. Freedom of speech does not mean that someone can scream “fire” in a crowded movie theatre and be held blameless.
7. Many individuals want to lose weight, but many fail simply because they do not decide on a diet plan and then follow it diligently.
8. I am not saying that the opposing argument is without merit. (Or: The argument has merit.)
9. The most inspiring individuals are those who are incredibly driven but incredibly humble.
10. To succeed in a relationship, a person must be willing to give 70 percent and only expect to receive 30 percent.
PRINCIPLE 11
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1. In premodern times, inexperienced and ill-equipped practitioners often performed medical surgery.
2. The author makes the main point in the last paragraph.
3. Those who attend motivational courses often need them least, while those who choose not to attend usually need them most.
4. We must relocate the barbecue pits so campers can use them.
5. Negotiators ironed out the details of the peace agreement minutes before the deadline.
6. Citizens should generously praise Red Cross volunteers for their efforts.
7. A talent agent always negotiates an actor’s agreement before an actor signs it.
8. The institute posted test results with no concern for confidentiality.
9. A number of clinical psychologists and marriage experts compiled the report.
10. Without money, staff, and local government support, doctors cannot treat diseases in less developed countries.
Note: In examples 5, 8, and 10 above, the suggested solutions involve supplying a subject (that is, negotiators, institute, and doctors).
PRINCIPLE 12
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1. Amateur cyclists must develop their own training programs.
2. A military leader who is unable to decide faces a dark enemy.
3. The expert panel estimates that the new clean air bill, when fully implemented, will reduce pollution by 20 percent.
4. According to most dietitians, the best way for dieters to achieve weight loss is to reduce their intakes of fatty foods and carbohydrates.
5. The politician was neither reasonable nor evenhanded.
6. Standardized entrance exams help ensure that students can apply to college and graduate school programs on an equal footing.
7. Celebrities should feel free to air their political views on television.
8. Prior to the first dot-com bust, investors never seriously questioned whether traditional accounting formulas should be used to value Internet companies.
9. Our supervisor decided to fire three employees.
10. Creative, spontaneous individuals should be encouraged to follow their dreams.
PRINCIPLE 13, EXERCISE 1
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1. Despite winning the lottery, the elderly couple said they planned to spend money only on a new tractor, a new stove, and a new porch.
2. Olympic volunteers were ready, able, and determined to do a great job.
3. The documentary was interesting and informative.
4. Wayne Gretsky was well-liked by his teammates and respected by National Hockey League fans.
If the subject, Wayne Gretsky, is understood, we could write: His teammates liked him and National Hockey League fans respected him.
5. Students can check Facebook, read email messages, review blog posts, and then joyfully send tweets.
6. The fund manager based his theory on stock performance, on bond performance, and on other leading economic indicators.
7. The dancer taught her understudy how to move, dress, work with choreographers, and deal with photographers.
8. Just as the sound advice of a good lawyer can help win a court case, so too can the sound advice of a good coach help win a sports match.
9. According to the Buddhist mantra, fear, anger, and desire lead to suffering. Eliminate fear, anger, and desire and you eliminate suffering.
10. My objections regarding the pending impeachment are, first, the personal nature of the matter; second, the partisan nature of the matter.
PRINCIPLE 13, EXERCISE 2
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1. The painting may be done either with watercolors or with oils.
Or: The painting may be done with either watercolors or oils.
2. Tasmania has been and always will be an island.
3. Who is not interested in and astounded by this fact? — A million seconds ago was 11.5 days ago; a billion seconds ago was 31 years ago; and a trillion seconds ago was 310 centuries ago or 31 millennia ago!
4. Massage creates a relaxing, therapeutic, and rejuvenating experience both for your body and for your well-being.
Or: Massage creates a relaxing, therapeutic, and rejuvenating experience for both your body and your well-being.
5. Samantha is intrigued with but not very proficient at handwriting analysis.
6. A good scientist not only thinks logically but also thinks creatively.
Or: A good scientist thinks not only logically but also creatively.
7. Brian will not ask for or listen to any advice.
8. We either forget our plans or accept their proposal.
Or: Either we forget our plans or we accept their proposal.
9. A dilemma facing many young professionals is whether to work for money or to work for enjoyment.
10. One should neither lie to good friends nor be so patronizing as to not tell them the truth.
Or: Neither should one lie to good friends nor should one be so patronizing as to not tell them the truth.
PRINCIPLE 14
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1. With a subject: Selling is difficult because it requires practical experience and personal initiative.
2. With a phrase: For many reasons, selling is difficult.
3. With a clause: Because it requires both practical experience and personal initiative, selling is difficult.
4. With an article: The reason selling is difficult is that it requires both practical experience and personal initiative.
5. With a verb: Use your experience and your instincts and you will succeed in a selling career.
6. With an adverb: Traditionally, the terms “sales” and “marketing” were used interchangeably.
7. With adjectives: Confident and resourceful, a salesperson must possess these two key traits.
8. With a gerund: Requiring a person to have both practical experience and personal initiative, selling is difficult.
9. With an infinitive: To be an effective salesperson, one must be able to accept disappointment and work in an unpredictable environment.
10. With correlative conjunctions: Not only practical experience but also personal initiative is required to be a good salesperson.
PRINCIPLE 15
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When making the letter more positive, eliminate negative words such as “not able” and “so massive.” Also add personal pronouns such as “you” and “yours.” Moreover, “our company” sounds better than “Comptronics”; “our service department” sounds better than “the service department.” The original letter contains two personal pronouns, namely your and they; the letter below contains ten uses of personal pronouns, namely our, your, you, our, you, you, us, your, our, and your.
Dear Mr. Jones:
Our company deeply regrets hearing of the problems you experienced with your notebook computer, Model 580G. Our engineers have examined the unit and believe that the best solution involves one of two choices:
(1) You receive a full refund on the unit, or (2) you allow us to replace your computer with a new model.
Please let our service department know your decision.
Sincerely,
Mr. Do Good
Service Representative
Comptronics Inc.