IMPROVING YOUR WRITING SERIES

Keeping It Concise

Use evidence to explain and support your main point for awesome writing part 5.

Sweet Honeylu
Be Open

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Picture from author using Bing image generator

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As we apply the principles of writing like an equation, the articles we write begin to take shape and transform.

Our readers will begin to take notice and interest.

Your Audience

We’ve done our homework on our target audience, and we know what interests them. We take what they expect to read and craft it in such a way that they will want to keep reading until the end.

Keeping the reader’s attention is a hard enough task.

How has your writing changed since you started on Medium?

Switch it up

One thing I’ve learned and taken to heart is the BLUF method. That is the acronym for the Bottom-Line Up Front.

Instead of waiting until the end of your article to get to the point, you start with the opening paragraph and then craft the rest of the article around it.

You might even consider making the main point your title. Sometimes making the shortened version of your main point your title and then expand on it in the subtitle.

For instance, my last article about death used this principle. I took the pain point and used a common phrase to describe it.

Til death do us part.

Don’t dump

Avoid info dumping. You don’t want to add a bunch of details that are u related to the thesis and the introduction.

One way to prevent this is the PEE paragraph structure which ensures that the information you provide supports your thesis or main point.

Explain yourself

PEE or Point Evidence Explanation. Your paragraph with a clear point sentence should explain the evidence and how it proves the main point.

The three categories of evidence are:

  1. Logical appeals
  2. Emotional appeals
  3. Appeals based on credibility

Show me the evidence

Instead of drowning your reader in evidence, use the following criteria.

Make sure the evidence and details are relevant. Be sure your emotional appeals are rooted in logic. Understanding your readers values and beliefs and appeal to them.

If you are not an expert on a particular topic you are writing about, don’t sweat it. Don’t be afraid to cite experts and their work if it relates to your article. Allow the experience and expertise of others argue on your behalf.

Clear and concise

Once you’ve cited the evidence, explain it to your reader. Make sure it is clear and relevant.

Avoid large blocks of uninterrupted text. You don’t want to visually overwhelm your reader.

Break up the paragraph into two. Use graphics and sun headers as a visual aid to explain your point.

The PEE structure helps to make sure that the evidence you supply supports your main point and contributes to the enjoyment of your article.

Let’s examine the equation:

Audience Awareness + Purpose/Genre + PEE(Thesis) + ….

Thank you for reading. 🌺

For further Reading:

How to Write an Essay like an Equation: Write Better, Faster, Easier https://a.co/d/0YnVIL0

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Sweet Honeylu
Be Open

I love writing stories and scathing commentary on daily events. Snark is my love language. Will snark for food.