5 Ways to Simplify Your Writing - article

Good writers like to keep things simple. Don’t try to dazzle the reader with sentences that would take two and a half pages to diagram. The reader will get confused, lose track of the story and eventually lose interest in reading your work. Great writing is all about getting the reader engaged, and the best way to do that is by writing in a simple and direct style.

So, how do you keep it simple without being simplistic? Here are some tips:

1. Write short sentences. This does not mean that you have to be bland or robotic. Simply stick to the basic subject, predicate and object sentence structure and build upon it judiciously.
2. Write in an active, not passive, voice. In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. Example: “Joe passed his math test with flying colors.” In the passive voice, the action is performed upon the subject: “The math test was passed with flying colors by Joe.” The active voice is clearer, easier to understand and more enjoyable to read. 
3. Use specific, active verbs and concrete nouns. Remember, good writing not only tells a story, but also paints a picture. For example: “Sara was thrilled to see that her blind date was a dead ringer for Brad Pitt” as opposed to “Sara was thrilled to see that her blind date was as dashing and handsome as a Hollywood celebrity.”
4. Get to the point. How many times have you, as a reader, had to go back and re-read sentences that drag on, have pronouns with unclear antecedents and more clauses than a legal contract? Reading should be enjoyable, not torturous.
5. Focus on one thing at a time. Each sentence should express a single idea, each paragraph a single topic, and each scene a single purpose.

In sales, there’s an old axiom called KISS, or “Keep It Simple, Salesperson.” Writing isn’t sales by any means, but keeping it simple will make your book more enjoyable, and thereby, more marketable.