Jazzing Up Your Writing

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Jazzing Up Your Writing

• (How to Write Like a Pro)

Information comes from Painless Grammar by
Rebecca Elliott, PhD.
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Whats the difference between the way students
write and the way the pros write?

• Average student write it, hand it in.
• Above average student write it, edit it,
  rewrite it, hand it in.
• Exceptional student write it, edit it, rewrite
  it, edit it, rewrite it, hand it in.

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Good writing is 20 inspiration and 80 clean up!

• Professional writer write it, edit it, rewrite
  it, edit it, rewrite it, edit it, rewrite it,
  edit it, rewrite it, edit it, rewrite it, edit
  it, hand it in!
• Some professional writers rewrite 20 or more
  times!
• Now as a student, 20 times is impossible, but you
  understand the moral of the story!

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How can you make your writing be more
professional?

• Avoid double talk!
• Example The day was unforgettable. I will
  never forget it.
• Better The day was unforgettable.

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• Double talk I woke up about midnight
  because of a loud sound that woke me up.
• Better I woke up about midnight because of a
  loud sound.

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• Its simple dont repeat the same thing over
  and over again.
• Dont repeat the same thing over again.
• Dont repeat the same thing again.
• Dont repeat the same thing.
• Dont repeat!

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Precision is power and verbose writing is weak!

• Avoid unnecessary verbiage - )
• Put the dog outside of the house and bring the
  cat inside of the house.
• The reason why I left the door unlocked is
  because I was of the opinion that in the event
  that Dad got home during the time that I was out,
  he would be mad due to the fact that the door was
  locked.

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Now you try it!

• Check the list of many examples of double talk.
• Rewrite the following sentences to be as precise
  as possible.