Pradeep Hoskote

Menu
Writing with Flair

Writing with Flair: How to Become an Exceptional Writer – My Notes

/ Notes / By

Writing is the most important skill any professional can have. I have also written various posts on business writing on this site, however this particular training was special to me because of the “Flair” it adds to your writing.

I came across this Training by accident and when I scanned through the contents I found this intriguing and hard to resist.

This course has helped me understand why its important to have an order in writing and how to create a house style for yourself. Also, the importance of dividing your narrative into blocks of writing which would help with structure.

I strongly recommend you to take this training if you cannot do go through my notes below where Shani Raja explains the 4 pillars of writing – Simplicity, Clarity, Elegance, and Evocativenss.

The mindset of an Elite Writer

Key principles of an Elite writer:

  1. Write with Integrity: The intent should be to stay honest and don’t try to sound SMART.
  2. Yearn to connect: Connect with audience and desire to want to connect with the audience and read from the reader’s point of view.
  3. Know your intent: Understand what is the intent of your writing
    1. Infrom – Blog on telling readers about something…
    2. Persuade – Blog on reviews and asking users to buy / not buy etc
    3. Entertain – Make them laugh, thrill or fascinate the readers and your whole article should have this quotient.
    4. Inspire – if the objective of writing is to Motivate readers then the content should be driven based on this intention.
  4. Aspire for beauty:
    1. Regard yourself as a composer or Artist of your writing.
  5. Balance the ingredients like an artist
    1. Understand which of the techniques mentiioned in this post should be used based on your writing.
  6. Don’t be obsessed with perfection
    1. Need not be overwhelmed.
    2. You grow to be a better writer with each new composition.
    3. Make writing as perfect as possible in the available time.

Simplicity (Make writing Punchy)

  • Always aim for writing to be simple.
  • Avoid Fancy and flowery language :
    • When simple things are stated in a fancy flowery way.
    • Pointlessly adding things that make the writing slow and heavy.
    • Deconstruct the statement into simple ideas.
  • Economical “tight” writing:
    • Making writing crisp.
    • Stive for optimally simple version of the idea.
      • Ex: I will provide you with an update by the end of the day.  Vs. I’ll update you today .
    • Also, do not compromise the idea by cutting down too much from the sentence.
  • Remove Redundant Words:
    • Using multiple words which mean the same.
    • If these words are not adding to evocativeness , elegance or clarity then those words can be removed.
  • More implied words:
    • Save valuable space by removing words that convey implied meaning to an existing word.
    • Some implied words do slip through unconsciously but do your best to be watchful of such words.
  • Long words:
    • Never use a long word when its shorter equivalent will do the job.
      • Ex: I plan to go shopping today and acquire a new pair of shoes  Vs I plan to go shopping today and buy a new pair of shoes.
    • Ask yourself why do you want to use the words, does acquire give you more clarity ?
    • Try not to use words that sound more pretentious.
  • Careless repetition
    • If the repetition means it is helping to add more evocativeness they you can .
    • Needless repetition can seem like a clumsy writer.
    • Do you have a good reason to say , as mentioned above, or repeating again…
  • Rambling (Saying too much)
    • Judge where the cutoff point should be.
    • Discipline around what the reader needs to hear.
    • The message should not get diluted
      • Illustrating too much on the point you made.
      • Explaining too much on the point you made.
  • Double negatives
    • Unnecessary complications gives user unwarranted headaches.
    • Ex: He was not certain that he would not make a mess of it.  Vs He thought he might make a mess of it.
  • Multiply entities
    • Dont add additional words which are essentially not required.
    • Ex: Chinese Visitors Boost Heathrow Airport Traffic Volumes. Vs Chinese visitors boost heathrow airport traffic.
  • Overstretching thoughts
    • Long sentences having thoughts within thoughts can cause irritation to the readers.
    • Short sentences are sharp and punchy.
    • Give the reader space to digest a thought before moving to the next thought.
    • Example Below:
  • Unnecessary ceremony
    • Like capitalizing G in the government in mid-sentence. ( I have tendency to do this a lot.. 🙂 )
    • These generally bring attention to the word where it’s not justified.
    • You might needs this if you are to spell out an organization , like United Nations or People’s Republic of China , where its the name..
  • Excessive punctuation
    • People are not confident enough in their use of punctuation so they overdo it to compensate.
    • Use of commas is one of the most common mistake.
    • More commas will add distraction to the user.
    • Cut back on commas without impacting elegance and comprehension.
    • Using Quote marks “” in the sentence should be assessed carefully..

Clarity (Makes writing comprehensible)

Clarity is the most fundamental part of any writing .Having clarity in writing means your point is conveyed across to the reader beautifully without them having to question the thought or have a tough time understanding your thoughts.

  • Fuzzy Thinking :
    • When you are not clear on what is it that you want to say !
  • Missing links: Not giving context or connectivity to the past or future events
    • Out of focus Ideas –
      • Example: As an unapologetic meat eater, friends often ask me whether I ever eat salad. Vs Friends often ask me whether I , as an unapologetic meat eater, ever eat salad.
      • An Apple media statement said it will launch the new iPhone early next year Vs In a media statement , Apple said it would launch the new iPhone early next year.
  • Misplaced modifiers:
    • Modifiers provides additional meaning to the message.
      • Lucy carefully studied the instructions.  Vs Lucy studied the instructions carefully.
      • Lex called to talk about the meeting yesterday Vs Lex called yesterday to talk about the meeting.
  • Ambiguity:
    • Ambiguity can cause the reader to lose confidence in your words.
    • Ex: My older students know I’m extremely careful with my language. – Older here means author’s students from a very long time OR older in terms of age ??
  • Careless comparisons
    • Comparisons should be sharp and precise.
    • When direct comparisons are made , make sure its accurate and clear.
  • Clumpsy contrasts
    • Contrasts need to be clear in the sentence so that users are not confused and are focused throughout the sentence.
  • Dubious Distinctions
    • Example: Jennifer’s painting was the most breathtaking, impressive and striking piece among the seven competition entries.
  • Curly writing:
    • Writing should always be done crisply and succinctly.
    • Users can go back and read to appreciate the writing or understand better but not otherwise.
    • Curly writing is where things are written in such a way that its not clear to the users and he/ she has to do a mental gymnastic to understand the sentence.
    • Ex: While four out of five chance of avoiding recession doesn’t sound too alarming, it is notable that this is the highest probability in the post-war period that didn’t result in a subsequent recession outside of the global financial crisis.
      • OR. Since World war II, a recession has always occurred when the probability of having one was more than 20% – except during the global financial crisis.
  • Jargon and buzzwords:
    • Look at the audience when using jargons (ex: FTP for non IT users, short sell , equity for non finance users )
    • Be watchful for the Jargon impacting clarity of the sentence.
    • Ex: We are the market-leading service provider in the entertainment space offering state-of-the-art, value-added solutions to stakeholders around the globe. Vs We are the world’s biggest cinema chain.
  • Mixed tenses
    • Make sure we are not switching tenses in a haphazard or a lazy way.
  • It versus they
    • Microsoft has launched a new operating system that they say will be their best one yet. vs Microsoft has launched a new operating system that it says will be their best one yet
    • When referring to a company – the rule of thumb is to use an “IT”, apple is an It. UN is a IT etc..
    • Rock bands, reference to police etc are generally used they or their.
  • This, that and the
    • This is often used when you have to refer back to something in the context. – sometimes it could be confusing unless its made explicit.
    • Ex: Teachers of the white crane style of kung fu encourage students to cultivate a tenderness of mind and lightness of body. This gives fighters the ability to kick more forcefully.
      • Vs – Teachers of the white crane style of kung fu encourage students to cultivate a tenderness of mind and lightness of body. A lightness of body gives fighters the ability to kick more forcefully.
    • “That” is better when comparing it with “this” when you are referring to something in the past.
  • Remove clutter
    • Clutter – unnecessary information that can take way focus from the reader and items that could be removed or moved away.

Elegance (Makes writing flow beautifully)

  • The beauty of elegance – Makes the writing orderly and graceful and makes the writing flow..
    • The way writing is arranged and the way it moves.
    • Reviewing your writing and making sure there is very less friction when moving from one idea to another.

  • Presentational elegance or “House styles” (in my case, pradeep’s style of writing)
    • This means always having certain principles in your writing, like always use italics for a book name or Quotation..
    • Decide if First letter in the headline should have a capital letter – Decide and make it your own.
    • Avoid inconsistency unless there is a NEED !
    • If you are using a Dash , which one do you like and throughout your writing stick with it..
      • Don’t do that-you’ll regret it. (without space)
      • Don’t do that – you’ll regret it. (with space )
    • Discussion on oxford comma:  Maria threw the following items into her bag: two combs, a pen, and a toothbrush – some people don’t agree to have a comma in the penultimate option and some do.
    • How will you highlight something in your writing – Underline ? Bold ? or Italics …
    • How will you format of movie / book title ? – within quote like ,”Harry met sally” or Harry met sally etc
    • How will your naming convention be in your writing. Ex: Joh Davis,  in the next paragraph will it be , Mr. Davis or Davis… whatever it is maintain that style throughout in your writing
    • Expressing percentages..: There’s a 20% chance of rain vs There’s  a  20 percent chance …. ?? keep it consistent.
    • Wallstreet style  — “Be quiet,” he said. vs the Guardian style “Be quiet”, he said.
  • Narrative elegance:  Example of Book summary or training that I write about…
    1. Introduction – why this book/ training matters
    2. Key highlights from the book where it resonated with you 
    3. How these highlights contribute to your understanding of the subject.
    4. Conclusion — how that understanding could be used in your real-life matters.
    • This is called narrative flow. Try to have a template that you can always follow.
    • Divide your narrative in particular blocks of writing that helps with structure. –> Take this further and review  the order of your structure ! what order that you follow will make a smooth transition to the next block.
      • Narrative elegance Exercise:
  • Example 1:COVER LETTER STRUCTURE
    • My background / experience
    • What I’m seeking (an interview)
    • The job I’m applying for
    • Why I’m interested in the job.
  1. ELEGANT STRUCTURE
    1. The Job I’m applying for
    2. Why I’m interested in the role
    3. My background / experience
    4. What I’m seeking (an interview)

  • Example 2: SALES EMAIL
    1. How to order Jinx 2
    2. How Jinx 2 differs from Jinx 1
    3. Key benefits of Jinx 2
    4. Why we created Jinx 2
    5. What Jinx 2 is exactly
  • ELEGANT STRUCTURE
    1. What Jinx 2 is exactly
    2. Why we created Jinx 2
    3. How Jinx 2 differs from Jinx 1
    4. Key benefits of Jinx 2
    5. How to order Jinx 2
  • Stray thoughts:
    • Identify a sentence that is like a stray thought and does not fit well in the narrative.
    • Try to weave this stray thought into the narrative to give it an elegant tie-in to the structure.
  • Elegant paragraphs:
    • Elegance should be into consideration when deciding how many paragraphs along with clarity.
    • Paragraphs to be created based on the progressions on the ideas, key turns your narratives take in your posts.
    • Also, can change paragraph whenever you move to a new point and have a logical consistency around the new paragraph.
    • My Rule – always have shorter paragraphs so that it can help reading (in my case bigger paragraphs seems forbidding )
    • Finally, design your paragraph so they can look as pretty as they can be and help your readers a good reading experience.
  • Timing, Rythm, and musicality:
    • Refer to Martin Luther King’s, “I have a dream speech”
    • Write in a way that people enjoy and understand the musicality of the text.

Elegant Transitions:

  • Elegant transitions mean, Adding certain words which can show transitions between sentences/thoughts.
  • Ex: They say that exercise is essential for your well-being. It’s a waste of time. I have friends who spend every day in the gym, and they seem just as miserable as people who don’t work out.
    • Better Transition 1: They say that exercise is essential for your well-being. I don’t agree. It’s a waste of time. I have friends who spend every day in the gym, and they seem just as miserable as people who don’t work out.
    • Better Transition 2: They say that exercise is essential for your well-being, but I don’t agree. It’s a waste of time. I have friends who spend every day in the gym, and they seem just as miserable as people who don’t work out.
    • Better Transition 3: They say that exercise is essential for your well-being, But I think it’s a waste of time. I have friends who spend every day in the gym, and they seem just as miserable as people who don’t work out.

Parallel Ideas:

  • Ex:  The new head of the department, Mr. Emerson, is quiet, friendly, fond of drinking tea, witty and keen on jogging.
    • Solution: The new head of the department, Mr. Emerson, is quiet, friendly, and a witty man who is fond of jogging and drinking tea.
  • Ex 2: People with depression often report the following symptoms: Anxiety, low self-esteem and they frequently feel anti-social.
    • Solution: People with depression often report the following symptoms: Anxiety, low self-esteem and anti-social tendencies.
  • Ex 3: Not only does smoking harm your health, it makes your breath smell.
    • Solution: Not only does smoking harm your health, but it also makes your breath smell.

Word Echoes:

  • Repetition of same / similar words in proximity (in same sentence / closer sentence.)
  • Ex of word Echoes: China last week reported a $10 billion trade deficit, the first trade deficit China has reported in five years.
  • Solutions: a) Identify the word echoes, b) Start deleting the repeated words without damaging the clarity of the sentence.
    • Step 1: China last week reported a $10 billion trade deficit, the first trade deficit the country has reported in five years.
    • Step 2: China last week reported a $10 billion trade deficit, the first trade deficit the country has announced in five years.
    • Step 3:China last week reported a $10 billion trade deficit, the first the country has reported in five years. (missing trade deficit can cause confusion on what is it reported for the first time)
    • Final: China last week reported a $10 billion deficit, the first time in five years the country has revealed a shortfall in its trading accounts.

Evocativeness(Makes writing stimulating)

Evocativeness is adding stimulation and spice to your writing.

Create variety:

  • Avoiding sameness as much as possible.
  • Look out for words or phrases that repeat and add variety to them.
  • Find a way to replace similar words with Synonyms.

Add freshness:

  • Not to use tired, ready-made stock phrases.
    • At the end of the day…
    • In all likelihood…
    • It has been repeatedly shown that
    • It is invariably the case that…
    • Needless to say…
    • When all is said and done…
  • Avoid Some more cliches… 
    • Going forward
    • Wow Factor…
    • Touch base…
    • Innovative service…
    • Blue sky thinking…
    • Market-leading product…
    • Interface with…  –> (talk to)
    • Operational…    –> (Working)
    • Leverage…
    • Synergy…
    • Incentivize…
    • Low-hanging fruit…
    • An axe to grind…
    • Sent shockwaves…
    • As quick as a flash…
    • Throw into chaos…

Dramatic and forceful writing:

Words that are not needed and can be avoided.. example below:

  • Somehow
  • Somewhat
  • A little
  • Rather
  • Arguably
  • Quite

Arouse the senses:

  • The sentence should help to make it visually powerful.
    • Ex: Ensure that, prior to submission for the examination, assignments have been assessed by course tutors.
    • Corrected versions: Give your assignment to course tutors for assessment before submitting them to the examiner. (better in visualizing by making small changes.)

Reversing into sentences:

  • Reversing EX: As part of its campaign to improve the nation’s health, the charity had committed thousands of dollars to fund several new projects.
  • Straight forward way : The charity has committed thousands of dollars to fund several new projects as part of its campaign to improve the nation’s health.
  • Note: When there are a lot of straight forward sentences , reversing can help interms of rhythm and flow in writing.

Passive Sentences:
The company was told by the regulator to hand over the documents. (Passive sentences)
The regulator told the company to hand over the documents. (active sentence, generally better in visualizing.)
Action: hand over
Players: company and regulator.

Voice, tone, and character:

  • Adding a voice and character to your writing.
  • Certain character to the writing has its appeal and will attract readership.
  • Spend time exploring your voice.

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post. You can also checkout my other articles below..