Bad writing is characterized by poor form, weak style, and ugly writing. Even distinguished and much published authors have been known to write poorly on occasion. Incoherent and jargon-ridden work is not only painful for the reader but irritating to muddle through. Compelling writing that is tightly constructed leaves the reader with a good experience when they walk away from your book, blog, or article.
What are some of the signs and symptoms of bad writing?
o Poor Organization
o Trite Phrasing
o Passive Voice
o Poor Vocabulary
o Wordy Writing
o Poor Revision and Editing
o Emotionally Charged Writing
Poorly organized writing makes it difficult for the reader to interpret the work. If the reader cannot easily follow what is written, they will leave never to return. Readers must be hooked early in order for them to remain and continue reading until the end of the work. Well organized work is nothing more than writing that is segmented into readable chunks. Each chunk is made up of 4-5 sentences related to the topic. Well organized writing makes sense to the reader at a glance.
Trite phrasing is language in your writing that tells me things like, "I've always said..." and "As I mentioned earlier in the chapter..." Pointing out the obvious to your readers is rude and demeaning. Avoid editorializing in your writing.
Passive voice, while not grammatically incorrect, demonstrates and author's weak knowledge of language. Its use undermines the strength of the material to be presented. Passive voice constructions are less precise then active voice. Any use of the verb "to be" is a passive voice construction. Passive voice construction impacts the overall clarity and meaning of your work and inhibits understanding.
Poor or limited vocabulary inhibits the development of the work. Simple vocabulary can be used to convey ideas skillfully; however, the work can become uninteresting quickly and loses the reader's attention.
Overly wordy writing is just as disastrous as writing with a limited vocabulary. It can make work excessively long and rambles so much the reader throws their hands up in frustration. Clear concise writing is what is required to keep the reader engaged and attentive to the writing.
Poorly edited and revised writing can not only annoy the reader but also make them assume that you don't really know what you are writing. Edit your work prior to publication. Edit and revise in stages so that various elements of the work receive the attention required. Analyze the work for format, spelling, punctuation, and organization.
Emotionally charged writing is when the writer tells the reader how they should feel as they read the work. If the work is riddled with exclamation points, the work is super-charged with emotional writing. Avoid capitalization of complete words as readers perceive the author is shouting.
Good writing requires a strong opening, a purposeful body, and a memorable conclusion. Organize your work, and then provide your reader with pertinent and compelling content that is concisely written. Polish your work before you put it out for your readers to devour. If you want your readers to appreciate and enjoy your work you need to make their job as easy as possible.
