Writing with Style
How can I begin to write with style?
Write concisely. One of the keys to writing clearly is keeping my words to a minimum.
Use active and passive voice effectively. A sentence written in an active voice specifies an actor, person, or thing who carries out an action. Passive voice can be effective when active voice would require the inclusion of unnecessary information.
Adopt a consistent point of view. When writers shift their point of view within a sentence, readers notice, sometimes they have to stop and ask themselves what happened.
Choose words carefully. Formality may be necessary when talking about my subject. Specialized language or jargon, allows readers and writers to communicate effectively. Variety is important to keep the subject interesting.
How can I polish my style?
Vary my sentence structure. There are four types of sentences statements, questions, commands, and exclamations. There are also four basic sentence structures simple (a single independent clause), Compound (two or more independent clauses), complex (an independent clause and a dependent clause), and compound-complex (two or more independent clauses and at least one dependent clause).
Create effective transitions. Transitions help readers understand the relationship between sentences, paragraphs, and sections of a document. Transitions are most effective when they don't call attention to themselves, but instead move the reader's eye along to the next sentence, paragraph, or section.
Introduce other writers effectively. Readers appreciate clear indications of the source of a quotation, paraphrase, or summary.
Avoid sexist language. It is still technically correct to use male pronouns, such as he, him, and his, when the gender of a noun is unspecified. Most readers object to this assumption.
Consult a good handbook. I will find detailed discussions and examples of strategies I can use to polish my style in a handbook.
Read Widely. Read as widely and frequently as I can. This will keep me engaged with words, and I will find I can draw on them more easily.
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