3 tips to write succinctly
Academic writers are often told to ‘write succinctly’…but what makes your writing succinct? Use short, concise words, and short sentences, that’s what!
3 ways to cut the clutter from your writing
Drafts of your manuscripts are bound to have clutter that obscures what you want to get across. That’s perfectly normal. But what exactly is “clutter” and how can you get rid of it?
Plain language for academic & professional writing
Have you heard of “plain language”? It’s language that your audience can understand clearly. The principles of plain language are useful for all writers, including academics. Get started with these …
Find all my freebies (and buy me a coffee if you like)
You can get my free downloads from one place now, at BuyMeACoffee.com. (Cups of coffee also welcome!) One day, I downloaded a wonderful resource from an editor colleague. (Sofia Matias …
RESOURCE: One-pager quick tips on writing clearly
A one-pager of quick tips for writing clearly! Sometimes, it’s hard to remember all the little things that help make your writing clearer. Here’s a one-pager to help you remember …
The Clarity Editor annual report 2022
A roundup of a wonderfully unspectacular year with 728 hours of editing. I am fantasizing about a split mechanical keyboard and a healthy and fulfilling 2023 for you all!
Working with an editor: Creating a gentler view of tracked changes
Tracking changes in Word is important for editors and authors, but seeing all that red can be discouraging. Change those colors for a (somewhat) calmer experience. Tracking changes is an …
Are phrasal verbs difficult? Writing for international readers
Looking up phrasal verbs in a dictionary is a pain. That’s why you may want to reconsider using them if you’re writing for non-fluent English speakers. Plain language guidelines suggest …
Some contractions are easier than others: Writing for international readers
Do you use contractions (like “it’s” and “don’t”) in your writing? I do! But some kinds of contractions may be easier than others for readers to follow. Do you use …
BOOKS: My favorites!
There are many, many books out there on plain language and writing. Here are my favorites (ones I’ve actually read 😉 ). For each, you’ll find a link to Amazon …
Writing clear English for diverse audiences
We’re advised to tailor our writing to our audiences. But what if our intended audience is very diverse? What can we do to write as clearly as possible?
Different documents need different structures
To write effectively, you need to pick the right structure that matches the purpose of your document.
Imprecise writing wastes time and money
How does not using plain language cost firms and workers money? I had a first-hand experience with a global firm that showed me exactly how.