The experienced writers know it: the smarter you try to write, the dumber it looks. Or in other words, over-complicating your writing style makes it difficult for the reader to understand what you want to say.
Complexity is often the result of poorly written or researched material. If you attempt to sound more intelligent by using big words or complicated sentence structures, you have bigger chances to create something difficult to understand. The complication is a symptom of trying to compensate for something that’s missing from the essence. Writing that is clear and concise is powerful. Readers are looking for information or entertainment, they are not after your impressive vocabulary. By keeping your writing simple and straightforward, you can communicate your ideas better and ensure that your message is received loud and clear.
Be short 🔗
Use short and declarative sentences. Do not describe the circumstances only until they are not really important for the context. Choose words that are simpler and easier to understand by a broader audience. This lets the reader focus on the idea rather than the complex words you use.
Example: instead of saying “We witnessed a dolphin in the ocean” say “we saw a dolphin in the ocean”.
Don’t over-edit 🔗
If you find yourself getting hung up on small mistakes, or spending too much time editing your work, try taking a step back and focusing on the big picture. The secret is in the balance. Spending hours on editing is counter-productive, but stubborn editing in which you set the limits is healthy. Simplify your expression so that you make sure your ideas are clear and easy to understand.
Don’t write like Mark Twain 🔗
Mark Twain is one of the world’s most beloved authors. His writing is known for its humor and down-to-earth statements. As a writing practice, he would spent the whole day in his writing room behind a closed door. He would not allow anyone from his friends and family, to come even nearby. While writing Huckleberry Finn, he wanted to destroy it several times. The pain was real and the burnout was there. Writing on such a large scale means mental and physical exhaustion.
As much we adore the big Mark Twain, as beginners, we don’t want to imitate writing quality of that size. A simple blog post can teach you how to express yourself more clearly than anything else. Big authors are there for a reason, which often means burnout, blockage, and many reiterated materials.
Perfectionism leads to writer’s block. Start by doing it small.
Don’t try to sound like someone else. 🔗
The best way to find your voice as a content creator is to be yourself. Trying to sound like another author can make your writing feel inauthentic and forced. And easily, your audience can recognize that.
Write for an audience 🔗
Who do you write for? Those like Twain are known for their ability to appeal to a wide range of readers, but not all writers have the same ability, especially those who start writing. It’s important to know who your target audience is and write accordingly. Niche down and try to address a problem an audience has.
Edit ruthlessly 🔗
Stephen King is famously known for his drafting technique of writing the first version of his work, and putting it in the drawer for several months. Then continuing to work on it again. Twain was known for his prolific output, but not all of his work saw the light of day. But that does not have to be the case today. Editing your work after you have your first draft is the key to making it publishable. Something even big names were and are doing.
Find your own niche 🔗
You can write for the world, and the world will be deaf. Or you can write to your neighbors, and the whole neighborhood will laugh. Overcomplicating means that you try to write about something that you don’t feel natural about. Do you feel like writing a comedy? Go for it, but don’t force it. Even when it comes to technical articles, it’s really visible if something comes naturally to the author or if it’s forced and not engaging. Focus on finding your own niche and writing about topics that you’re passionate about.
Limit yourself 🔗
Would a bit of a pressure work for you to write more efficient? Or at least to come to your first draft? Then you can make use of setting up a time limit for each writing session.
If you want to write a blog post that you have in the back of your head for some time, dedicate a writing slot in the morning to achieve this. Once the time is up, stop writing, regardless if the piece is finished. You will still have a draft.
This will help you to get into the habit of producing something, even if it isn’t perfect.
Conclusion 🔗
Writing simply doesn’t mean that you should settle for mediocrity. It means care for the readers. Expressing yourself in a clean way means you are close to mastering your writing skill. No one will see your first draft except for you. Don’t worry about making mistakes or being imperfect. Focus on getting your ideas down on paper and worry about polishing them later.
We can all be inspired by the honesty of storytelling, especially when it’s something as simple as our own lives. When we take the time to reflect on our experiences and share them honestly with others, we can create connections that are both inspiring and genuine. So go ahead and start writing, your stories may just surprise you.