Tag: writing tips

How to Change Passive Voice to Active

On By R. PettyIn Grammar and Punctuation, Writing for Web and Tips2 Comments

GrammarTips

Recently I have noticed an increase in passive voice, and many people don’t know how to correct it. Passive voice is not grammatically wrong, but you usually want to avoid using it because the quality and clarity of your writing may suffer. This is especially important in articles and other nonfiction writing when every word matters.

What the heck is passive voice? Passive voice is an indirect way of writing something. Once you learn the differences and how to spot it, you can easily edit sentences into active voice.

Common terms used in this post:

Subject = Performs the verb and usually comes at the beginning of the sentence

Verb = the action of a sentence

Object = the thing the verb was done to, often at the end of a sentence

How to spot passive sentences:

The subject of the sentence becomes the object, or it is dropped entirely.

The object becomes the subject.

There is often a ‘to-be’ verb or the prepositions ‘of’ or ‘by’.

Examples:

1. The population of the city grew by more than 20 percent this year.

2. The award was won by the school system.

3. Rodgers has been throwing the ball at his coach.

4. The store was not open.

Now, look at the above sentences and ask, “how can I rewrite that in a more straightforward way?” This rewrite may change passive to active. Many times if you switch the current subject and object in the sentence, the sentence will be active (example 2). Also, making the subject possessive may work (example 1), and if you are ambitious, try to replace two or three words with one (examples 3, 4).

Here are the rewrites:

1. The city’s population grew by more than 20 percent this year.

2. The school system won the award.

3. Rodgers threw the ball at his coach.

4. The store was closed.

If you’d like to practice editing into active voice, try these tests. They will even grade them! 🙂

Towson University

English Club

Sources:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/539/02/

http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/passive-voice/

http://www.ego4u.com/en/cram-up/grammar/passive

If You Want to Write: The Creative Mind

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

“… The more clear, tranquil, and unstimulated you are, the slower the ideas come, but the better they are.”

The human mind is a complex and beautiful thing. We process so much information so quickly, sometimes I am amazed that our heads do not literally explode. I know I have felt like mine wanted to.

In Chapter 4 Ueland discusses ideas, inspiration, and creativity in relation to the mind. She states, “Inspiration comes very slowly and quietly.” The inspiration she refers to isn’t that light bulb that goes off and then the words just pour on a page; she describes inspiration in the sense of our ideas and the quality of what we write.

You Don’t Always Have to Be Busy

Ueland explains that we do not always have to be energetic and active in order to have good ideas or write. Instead of wracking our brains and expecting the ideas to flow, we should sit and reflect for a short time. Use this quiet time to clear your mind and find your own voice.

I admit I thought this was bad advice at first. She wanted to me to sit in front of my laptop and try to get a post idea without doing anything? That seemed nuts, but she was right. I took some me time, cooked dinner, and did not think about my post, and it all came together. Maybe resting the mind is needed for good creativity.

There is a fine line between laziness and reflection though. If you lay around and watch TV or read, you are still doing something. You are being lazy. It’s not always a bad thing, but if you need and want to do something and are watching a movie instead, you should think about how that movie accomplishes your goal. That, my friend, is procrastination.

Other Tips About Creativity:

— Be your own critic. Do not worry what others will think.

— Stay away from stimulants and/or drugs that cloud your mind and judgment.

— Be happy with your work. It is more important that you love and are proud of your product. And I bet, if you truly love it, others will too.

— Don’t stress writer’s block. Instead, use that time as your quiet time and jot down ideas or notes. Even those will help you develop thoughts and processes.

We place so much pressure on ourselves, we forget that our minds work at their own pace. We can beat our head against a wall, and nothing good will come out. You can’t force a good idea. I also recommend yoga for exercise and reflection. I have had some of my best ideas come to me about work, family, and for friends in meditation. And it only takes five minutes. We can all work in five minutes and rest our brains.

I hope these tips help those who are struggling with ideas or projects. Sometimes the best thing to do is sit in front of the screen and look out the window. If you have any tips on how you relax or stop thinking, feel free to share below!

Writing for Web: 7 Headline Tips

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and TipsLeave a comment

Ah, the headline. A task that haunts all writers, especially when they are trying to write the perfect one.

Print headlines can be creative and fun because there’s often a deck to give a reader more information. For example: The Light Fantastic (print headline), The Lotus Elan turns 50 this year (deck).

But what about Web headlines?

Web headlines are all about search engines finding you and the reader not being bored or confused. Here are a few tips on how to write good Web headlines:

Keep it simple. The headline is the first thing your readers will see, so you don’t want it to be too long or boring. Think What I Did on My Summer Vacation simple.

Don’t confuse your reader. If your headline is Writing for Web: Getting Started, then make sure you are talking about how to start a blog or site. Don’t stray off subject and talk about grammar, adding photos, or great sites to read. Save those for other posts.

Use keywords. In its simplest definition, a keyword is a word or concept of great significance. Use words that will be searched and mean something. If you want the stats on a keyword, check out Google Ad Words Tool, which will tell you how many times a word is searched and how the competition is.

Think about it. Ask yourself: What would you search for? How can I find my work on search engines? What’s the subject of the post? And describe your post in one sentence. Once you have a list, you are ready to write the headline.

When you can use numbers. People love lists. They are short and oftentimes fun to read. Top 5 Best T.V. Shows in 2012 suggests a list, a popular topic, and important keywords.

Know your audience/client. Keep these people in mind as you write. You may have to tailor your writing to their style, and know if your headline is good, people will keep reading.

Remember you can have fun. Your Web headline may feel a little boring, but you can get creative in your posts and assignments.

I hope these tips help, and feel free to share some of your own!

Sources:

Copy Blogger

Inbound Pro

Google AdWords

Writing for Web by Lynda Felder: Final Review

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips1 Comment

What began as an experiment and blog review became a useful tool and popular topic. My idea to review Writing for the Web: Creating Compelling Web Content Using Words, Pictures, and Sound by Lynda Felder was one of the best decisions I have made for my writing. The book enabled me to tighten my writing, understand my audience, and help other writers.

Top 5 Reasons This is a Great Book for Writers:

1. It’s easy to read. The book is well organized and broken into fast-paced chapters that focus on relevant topics.

2. It’s fun to read. The examples and word choices take a technical topic, adding sound for example, and make it interesting. The word snooty was one of my favorites because you don’t see it often, especially in technical writing books.

3. Your writing will improve. If you follow Felder’s advice and practice the provided exercises, you will see a difference.

4. You can apply the tips to all of your writing. I recommend this book to all writers and those interested in writing. Not only are there tips and instruction, there are dozens of writing ideas, which helps get you started and with writers’ block.

5. It’s small and affordable. The book is 180 pages and a perfect size, so it’s not too bulky or heavy. Comparable books in the market are usually more expensive and many do not cover all of the Web topics in this one.

My only complaints are that Felder tends to repeat topics in different chapters and not everything is covered. The basics are covered, but chapters on Search Engine Optimization, keywords, and headlines are missing.

Due to the positive feedback I received from these posts and how much I learned, I look forward to reviewing more books on writing. The next book is If You Want to Write: A Book About Art, Independence, and Spirit by Brenda Ueland. Future post plans include more Writing for Web tips, grammar cheats, and lots of creative, fun content!

If you bought the book, let us know what you think. And we hope everyone is enjoying Lil’ Horsemen!

Read past posts on Writing for Web.

Writing for Web: 8 Tips on Criticism

On By R. PettyIn Writing for Web and Tips4 Comments

Let’s be honest, no one likes criticism. No one enjoys pouring their heart and energy into something to hear that it isn’t perfect. But criticism is important.

“Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things.” — Winston Churchill

This week’s discussion is about workshops and critiques (Chapter 13), and although you may wince at the idea of someone ripping your work to shreds, it’s for the greater good.

As a proofreader, I am paid to point out mistakes. I spend 80 percent of my day telling people to change things, and I can be pretty tough. Proofreaders and editors have a special skill set for finding problems and fixing them. We don’t like our work criticized either, but it’s just part of the process. Have you ever seen a proofreader find out they missed something? It’s not pretty.

How do you not let it drag out down? Here are my top 8 tips for receiving feedback – negative or positive – and how it makes you a better writer.

1. Don’t take it personally. I cannot stress how important, and often difficult, it is to do this. Your critiques and comments do not reflect you as a person, nor do they mean your readers don’t like you. It’s not about you; it’s about your story and how you present it. It stings and can make you upset, but deal with it at the right time.

2. Encourage yourself and others. Give yourself a pep talk now and then. This will help you focus on the good aspects of your writing and reignite excitement. Give others the same treatment. For every bad comment, try to find a good one.

3. Choose wisely. Keep in mind what you get depends on who you give it to. Your mom may be more forgiving and kind than your best friend. Your best friend may not be as honest as a coworker or colleague. If you know someone is tough, be prepared.

4. Ask for specifics. When you want someone else to read your work, give them a list of things to look for while reading. You can also give them a rating scale or anonymous survey that only you see. Doing so will keep you organized and help the reviewer stay focused.

5. Own it. Admit your problems and mistakes, and fix them (see number 1). Also, if you tell your reviewer/editor to “rip it apart”, you better mean it. I have butchered dozens of papers and manuscripts and will always do so. A little secret: I do the same to my own.

6. Discuss, don’t argue. No one likes to fight, so discuss problems and questions calmly and rationally. Don’t get defensive (again see number 1), and hear the person out. Once you have time to take it all in, then make your decision about the changes.

7. Take a break. Once you receive changes and feedback, take a break for a few days. Don’t immediately jump in and start changing everything. You may not always agree with the changes, and the final decision is always yours.

8. Walk away. Once you have gone through the process, made your changes, and read the project in its entirety, it’s done. Now is the time to post it or submit it, and don’t look back. You’ll know when it’s time, and you will finally have closure.

Feedback and criticism are tough, but you are not alone. Everyone receives it all the time. The most important thing to remember is it is in your best interest to at least listen and seriously consider the reviewers’ points. They want to help you, and you picked them for a reason.

Cartoon Raven with red pen and paper

We’d like to hear from you! Have you ever received feedback that upset you? What did you do?