Seth Godin On Writing: Overwriting

Photo by Green Chameleon on Unsplash

There are very few masters at efficiently placing words on pages to make sense.  In fact, Scientists are great offenders of using too many words to convey ideas.  Seth Godin, author, and businessman has stated the problem clearly and concisely below regarding writing for those who struggle like me:

Overwriting

Decorating a car with bling, mudflaps and an airhorn is a form of signalling. You can show your peers that you have the resources to waste on superfluous adornments.

(Did you see what I just did there? I could have said, “You can show your friends that you have money to burn,” but I didn’t.)

Overwriting has a long tradition, particularly among academics. Make it a bit more complex and wordy than it needs to be. Write run-on sentences. Apparently, complicated writing must be more true.

One reason for this commitment to overwriting is that it keeps the hordes away. It’s difficult to read and hard to imagine writing. And so scarcity is created.

And yet, the articles and books that stand the test of time are straightforward. They’re memorable. They can be understood by the reader you seek to serve.

Simply write.

Write simply.

As few words as you need, but no fewer.

But simply write.

We can all use some advice on writing.  The process is a continual process of learning how to not drag on and use up all of our reader's attention.  Which could result in not revisiting your work to read further?  Learning to be concise is an art, a personal goal of mine. Have a great day.



Related Blog Posts:



1) Dimensional Analysis Of Statistics And Large Numbers - Index Of Blog Posts


2) Science Topics, Thoughts, and Parameters Regarding Science, Politics, And The Environment!