My fourth of seven writing tips for writing just about anything is one that too many of us forget:
Avoid passive sentences in favor of active writing and more vigorous sentence construction.
Passive: This charming house will save you money.
Active: Save money and buy this charming house now.
Passive: My family’s history is long, extending back to 18th century Scotland.
Active: My family’s long history extends back to 18th century Scotland.
Once you’re cranked out a draft of whatever you’re writing, go back and look for those telltale weak verbs like “to be” or “to have” that we talked about in Rule #3, along with opportunities to bolster anemic sentences by turning them on their heads or using stronger verbs. Though most of us fall into the passive sentence construction trap, opting for active writing will power up your prose and your message.
Thanks so much for your positive reaction. It means a lot.
Cheers,
Linden