#Writers, Avoid these 5 ''Gotchas''

Writers, avoid these 5 writing ''gotchas'' for more effective writing.

1. Always know who your audience is. Thinking is the first step in writing. Before tapping the keyboard or writing the first sentence on paper, ask: Who am I writing for? Who will read my marvelous work? Your word choice and paragraph construction are quite different depending upon how you answered these questions. Decide that before you start writing.
   
2. Create an outline. Do you know how to reach a new destination without a map? An outline organizes  your thoughts and saves time in your writing project. What information or storylines will you convey?Build a detailed outline and watch your productivity soar!
   
   
3. Wordiness is boring. As Shakespeare's Polonius reminds us in Hamlet, ''...brevity is the soul of wit.'' As lover of words, writers often get caught up in their art. Delete as many words as possible. Less words bring more clarity and cohesiveness to writing.
   
   
4. Vary sentence length for action. Readers get lost in long involved sentences. Short snappy sentences are active, but vary their length. Most sentences contain about 10 words.
   
   
5. Cut run-on sentences. My students are famous for this one. Remember, when you complete a thought, stop by adding the period(.). Sometimes it is necessary to write a compound sentence, but remember the conjunction!

Happy writing!

*** If you are in São Paulo and need English lessons, or Elite English Services including translations (Spanish/French/Portuguese to English), please contact Professor Winn by sending an email to mrenglish101@gmail.com for a prompt evaluation. Buy your English-language texts today!