EPISODE 7: BE INCONSISTENT! Four Writing Practices Where You Need to Keep Changing Things Up

In Episode Six—Be Consistent!: Four Writing Practices Where You Need to Keep Things Uniform—I looked at when it’s important to stay consistent in your habits regarding words with optional spellings, punctuation practices, numerals vs written numbers, and acronym usage.

In Episode Seven—Be Inconsistent!: Four Writing Practices Where You Need to Keep Changing Things Up—I highlight situations where you want to be varying your writing style choices for a smooth, streamlined result.

The four areas that Episode Seven looks at are:

• • Vary References to Recurring Names
    • If you are repeating a proper name more than once, vary references to the name by using pronouns or different variants on the name (i.e., Ms. June Brown/Ms. Brown/June or Dr. Susan Wong/Dr. Wong/the doctor)

• • Don’t Overuse Million Dollar Words
    • Try to streamline your words and sentences, making things as direct and coherent as possible as employing too many large words or fulsome descriptions can make the writing feel dense and unclear.
    • Even if the goal is to use flowery, descriptive language, try not to overdo it and bog your writing down.

• • Change Up Words That Start Your Paragraphs
    • Ensure you are alternating and not overusing the same words to start paragraphs.
    • Be particularly careful not to over-employ “I” at the start of paragraphs and sentences.

• • Diversify Your Adjectives and Adverbs
    • Be creative and try to vary your choices for adjectives and adverbs.
    • The repetition of recurring adjectives and adverbs will make your writing feel bogged down and one-dimensional. 

Episode Six/Part One—Be Consistent!: Four Writing Practices Where You Need to Keep Things Uniform—looks at when it’s important to stay consistent for a smooth, streamlined result.