"If it sounds like writing, do it again"

Actually, the quote is:

“If it sounds like writing … rewrite it.”

It comes from the late Elmore Leonard (the writer behind the book Get Shorty, which became a film in the '90s) and is aimed at improving one's efforts in writing fiction.?

But I think it has a very applicable crossover to business writing.

Whether it's on your website, in automated emails, or even in personal emails, I always advocate reading what you've written (or had written for you) aloud to see how it sounds.

If what you're saying makes your eyes roll back with boredom, or you run out of breath (or lose your place) trying to get through it, rewrite it.

I have a couple of tips and tricks to help solve the perennial "how do I make what I wrote sound like it was written by and for a human?" problem. And this one is by far the easiest and most accessible.

(I'll share others in upcoming editions ;)

And, yes, in case you are wondering, I read this piece aloud (several times) before hitting publish.

Happy writing (and reading...and rewriting),

James

P.S. This is the weekly version of my daily email newsletter - also called One Creative Moment :) - where I publish short (~250 words), personal, often irreverent pieces (like this) every single day of your life.

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