Simply Write w/ Polly Campbell

139 Five Things to Avoid in Your Writing


Listen Later

Everyone talks about the Rules of Writing. The thing is many of them change depending on who you are talking to and the piece you are writing.

Yet, this is a craft and we can become better writers by applying some basic techniques even while we learn about genre and figure out our process. No matter what you are writing, i think there are five things (and of course many more) that can instantly make your work better.

  1. Avoid vague words.
  2. Steer away from cliche and adverbs, at least some of the time. Not all of the time, though.
  3. Vary your sentence length and structure to improve pacing and tone.

  4. And the last two? Are all about the habits we need to avoid and the mindsets we have to adopt if we are going to get anything on the page. Listen to learn more.

    And let me know what techniques you use to instantly uplevel your writing. Join the Simply Write community at https://simplywrite.substack.com and drop a note or comment. And you can see how Ii apply some of the tips in my newest book You, Recharged. https://www.amazon.com/You-Recharged-Fatigue-Mostly-Usually/dp/1642504882/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1690564939&sr=1-1

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Simply Write w/ Polly CampbellBy Polly Cambell | Electracast

    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6
    • 4.6

    4.6

    5 ratings


    More shows like Simply Write w/ Polly Campbell

    View all
    Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing by QuickAndDirtyTips.com

    Grammar Girl Quick and Dirty Tips for Better Writing

    2,826 Listeners

    This American Life by This American Life

    This American Life

    90,886 Listeners

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers by Joanna Penn

    The Creative Penn Podcast For Writers

    613 Listeners

    Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

    Death, Sex & Money

    7,700 Listeners

    Writing Excuses by Mary Robinette Kowal, DongWon Song, Erin Roberts, Dan Wells, and Howard Tayler

    Writing Excuses

    1,297 Listeners

    Ink in Your Veins by Rachael Herron

    Ink in Your Veins

    138 Listeners

    Family Secrets by iHeartPodcasts

    Family Secrets

    5,144 Listeners

    Wish I'd Known Then . . . For Writers by Sara Rosett and Jami Albright

    Wish I'd Known Then . . . For Writers

    129 Listeners

    Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips by Savannah Gilbo

    Fiction Writing Made Easy | Top Creative Writing Podcast for Fiction Writers & Writing Tips

    1,431 Listeners

    The Shit No One Tells You About Writing by Bianca Marais, Carly Watters and CeCe Lyra

    The Shit No One Tells You About Writing

    761 Listeners

    Essential Guide to Writing a Novel by James Thayer

    Essential Guide to Writing a Novel

    355 Listeners

    London Writers' Salon by Parul Bavishi, Matthew Trinetti

    London Writers' Salon

    50 Listeners

    Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through Writing by Lisa Cooper Ellison

    Writing Your Resilience: Building Resilience, Embracing Trauma and Healing Through Writing

    68 Listeners