Writing Class #3

Without conjunctions

I divide two complete thoughts

Abrupt and direct

--MaryAnn

Tip of the Day

If you want to write better, read more.

Quote of the Day

"Don't use words too big for the subject. Don't say 'infinitely' when you mean 'very'; otherwise you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite."

--C. S. Lewis (1898 - 1963)

Word of the Day

abjure - v. uhb JOOR
to renounce or repudiate.

Abjure means to renounce, repudiate or put aside: She has abjured the company of men. Adjure means to command or direct: The judge adjured the witnesses not to talk to reporters until the trial was over.


--Words that Make a Difference, Robert Greenman

Writing in Haiku

Know; no more, no less

A key to writing success

Polished with finesse

Simplicity

"The great artist is the simplifier."

--Henri-Frederic Amiel

Clarity

"Do not write so that you can be understood--write so that you cannot be misunderstood."

-- Epictetus

Brevity

"I didn't have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead."

--Mark Twain

In other words, "it take effort to write something concise, but it's fairly easy to babble on endlessly."

--Author Unknown

Tip of The Day

E-mail, letters, reports, and fact sheets should adhere to "standard English" guidelines for grammar, punctuation, and usage. Equally as important are brevity, clarity, and simplicity. If it's long, muddy, and complex, would you read it and respond quickly? Probably not, and neither will your reader. Busy co-workers and executives need information quickly. If it's simple to understand and clearly presented, you're more likely to get the response you need. If your subject is complex, the art is in writing about it so that it's easy to understand. Keep it short, keep it clear, and keep it simple.

Quote of The Day

"The difference between the right word and the nearly right word is the same as the difference between lightning and the lightning bug."

--Mark Twain

Word of The Day

pugilistic--adj. of, or fighting with the fists. --Wiktionary

In an interview with John Robertson, an economist in Zimbabwe, Melissa Block posed a question to Mr. Robertson and referred to Zimbabwe's "pugilistic relationship with the international community."

Newsletter or Blog

Perhaps the easiest way to communicate with class participants is a blog instead of a newsletter. What do you think?

How did English originate? Stay tuned...