Writing Tip Tuesday (Tip#2 Advice From David Ogilvy)

Tuesday Writing Tip #2
(This will be a weekly feature. Check back next Tuesday for tip #3)

Another way to put it:
Never fear to use little words. Big, long words name little things. All big things have little names, such as life and death, war and peace, dawn, day, night, hope, love, and home. Learn to use little words in a big way. -Anonymous

Who are you writing to? Who is your audience? Once you have figured that out, then gear your writing and vocabulary to them. All writers want to sound super intelligent and mega crafty, but throwing in large pompous words can turn your audience off to your writing. No one wants that. 

Really, most large words are annoying and unnecessary anyway.

"Choose simple words: Write use instead of utilize, near instead of close proximity, help instead of facilitate, for instead of in the amount of, start instead of commence. Use longer words only if your meaning is so specific no other words will do." --Dean Rieck

If you feel you must use jargon, then use those words to enhance your writing, not to impress and ultimately bore your readers. Our goal, as writers, should be clarity. Of course, we shouldn't "dumb down" our writing and avoid all big words, I'm not saying that at all, but I am saying that too many will have more of a negative impact on your writing than a positive one. It will affect the readability and word flow, and readers often times will think, "What a pompous wind-bag, this writer is!" (Pompous Word Choice)

My mantra: Keep it simple, Stupid!

Missed Tip #1 from Ernest Hemingway? Then Check it out HERE