It takes most writers years to hone their craft, but there are three basic changes you can make to significantly improve the quality of their writing. These include attention to word choice, systematic focus, and simplicity of prose.
In any written work, effective word choice plays an important role. Words such as “very,” “totally,” and “absolutely” fall into the category of empty qualifiers and should be kept out of any good writer’s arsenal. These words tend to take away from what the writer is trying to convey, adding wordiness and no real explicative value. “Very” is an inefficient word. It does not depict anything except excess, and further, does not provide the reader with specific detail. Instead of using "very," a writer should either remove it entirely from the phrase, and/or replace it with a comprehensive description. Appropriate word choice should make one’s text appealing and educational. A good writer should try not to use the same phrase in two successive sentences. Repetitiveness creates tedious prose and should also be avoided.
One area in which many writers fall short is in the field of focus. A writer’s paragraphs and sentences must be organized and connect in a coherent fashion. Expressing ideas clearly and systematically should produce text that works to achieve a common goal, whether telling a story when writing fiction or proving a claim in an analytical piece. Sentences should not confuse the reader or take away from the main objective. This can happen when unnecessary information is given or when sentences or paragraphs are written out of sequence. The placement of specific details or analysis should follow an organized and logical sequence otherwise the text becomes confusing. This problem is easily solved by removing the unnecessary or wrongly placed information. Without a mastery of focus is extremely difficult to make and prove claims. When sentences do connect logically and focus is achieved, analytical writing becomes more effective.
Some writers are under the impression that complex writing is better writing, however this is not the case. Simplicity is best. When writers overcomplicate their text, the result can be very dry and at times, difficult to understand. The use of ambitiously large words may not only distract some readers, but also may negatively impact the fluidity and style of the piece. Writers will often add unnecessary words or phrases in an attempt to sound more intelligent, professional, or simply to add length. Deleting unnecessary words makes the sentence concise and more straightforward. Complexity, in general, tends to obscure a writer’s message or objective. Simplicity of language should be the goal, especially in the case of analytical writing, as claims can easily become lost in a web of big words and needless phrases.
In addition to consistent practice, growing and improving as a writer requires a thorough understanding of word choice, focus, and simplicity. Mastering these three simple elements can have a significant impact upon the quality of one’s writing.
I liked that you incorporated simplicity as a way to improve writing. Most writers in high school tend to think using larger words and synonyms for simple acceptable words makes writing better. You explained well how the use of larger unnecessary words can make writing seem confusing and why.
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