Take the read aloud test

I subscribe to a handful of newsletters that are must-reads for me and Ann Wylie’s free e-zine is one of them. This bit of advice from her latest issue is spot-on. Heed the advice, dear reader. I have.

Having trouble identifying buzzwords and jargon when you use them? Try the “Hey, did you hear?” test. That is, read your copy aloud after a friendly greeting or phrase.

Here’s how it works: “Hey, did you hear? Let’s discuss how we can redefine B2C partnerships, target collaborative infomediaries, harness 24/365 Web services, engage plug-and-play e-commerce, drive proactive models, scale robust experiences and engage transparent models so we can facilitate out-of-the-box ROI.”

If your copy sounds like the adults in a Charlie Brown special — “Wah Wah Wah Wah” — after a simple greeting or phrase, chances are, it’s too stiff, bureaucratic and jargon-filled. Rewrite it.

Ann Wylie’s Writing Tips is copyright 2007 by Ann Wylie. Ann Wylie, Wylie Communications Inc., 4618 Warwick, Ste. 7A, Kansas City, MO, 64112

http://WylieComm.com/

By JanO on 10/8/07, In writing, Tags advice, audience, dialogue, editing, great copy, hate to write, how to write, how-to, ideas, non writers, self-publishing, shortcuts, typing