Most of us, whether we are aware of it or not, tend to use the same words over and over. One word that I use too much is the word “great.” It is a great word. It is a great example. However, it is not so great for all levels of writing. You know that saying, “dress for the job you want, not the job you have”? Well, it could not be truer, especially for writers. Websites for freelance writers are competitive places to find work. The clothing we wear is not as important as the way we dress up the content we produce.
Highfalutin Word Craft
The trick is to not appear highfalutin, but instead, to be high caliber. The only way to achieve that goal is through the laborious process of learning. The best writers often have the most-extensive vocabulary list. Remember that word “fluff”? Fluff is the longer way of saying something. You can avoid the “fluff” by finding a single word to represent a longer statement. For example, you could go all the way around…or you could circumvent or circumnavigate. The context of your message is important when you choose words that offer a direct approach. Circumvent and circumnavigate both mean to go around something, but they do not work in the same context.
High Caliber Writing
All clients want high caliber content, but they may not all want words that are difficult for their readers to understand. Take the audience into consideration when creating content. Content that is difficult to understand will lose your client readers and eventually cost you a writing gig. Writing is a craft. Not everyone understands that producing award-winning content takes skill. How do you choose the best lawyer to represent your interests? How do you choose a doctor to perform surgery on your children? Why would that process be any different from choosing a writer to produce content for your business? The best writers are those who practice their craft and work to improve their writing skills. The following tools and resources are just a few examples of sites that can help writers hone their craft.
Tools and resources every writer should have and use
- Online Dictionary: The Merriam-Webster online dictionary offers more than just spelling and definitions of words. Try the game tab. They offer a vocabulary quiz, spelling quiz, and even a true or false quiz. All of these tools are excellent ways to build your vocabulary prowess.
- Word Counter: Free, easy to use, and enlightening. Simply paste your content into the box and press go. The result is a list of the most frequently used words in the content. It has been helpful for me to reduce the redundancy of words like great. Once you see the results, it becomes easier to change your writing ways.
- Vocabulary.com: An outstanding way to build up your understanding of words and their uses. The quiz is fun and their humor is on target!
David S is a content writer who produces blog and article posts about nature, science, travel, business, and healthcare. He works with a variety of clients to produce top quality content that is reader focused.
