Writing rubbish

1. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   I'm writing the best article that I've ever written here. Except it isn't. I know exactly what I want to write, but no amount of revision improves what reads like turgid nonsense. Any advice?

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   1. 83

      SerenityHaloposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      My dad often said when people at work explained things in too technical of a manner, he’d ask them to try talking as if they were explaining it to a 5th grader. He said that would help them to get out of their head and start thinking about how to create a clear dialogue.
      
      I don’t know if that is helpful for your case.

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2. 68

   PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

   Here are some ideas to think about off the top of my head:
   
   1. Work on something else and take a break from the offending article. Come back to it in a few weeks (or longer) and view it through fresh eyes.
   2. Ask someone who's knowledgeable about writing to read through it and give you their honest opinion/advice.
   3. Break it up into into a series of headings and write two or three paragraphs for each section, it might be easier when approached in bite-sized pieces.
   4. Find an article that's similar to what you want to create in terms of structure and style, and copy it (not the content, of course, but the way that the info is arranged and the way it flows)
   
   Good luck!

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3. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   Thanks, Paul.
   Sound advice - the piece sounds great in my head but I can't get it right on "paper". Guess the Pulitzer will have to wait.

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   1. 83

      theraggededgeposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Write every sentence on a single line. Review them in turn. Move them around if necessary. In that way you get to see their shape. Make sure to intersperse long with short. But overall, keep them as short as you can. Look for opportunities to improve your vocabulary and reduce wordiness.
      
      When you have a bunch that you can't improve anymore, bring them back together and form your paragraphs.

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4. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   Thanks, Bev. You're right but I'm still m

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5. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   Hmmm. Let me finish!  (m) issing a certain spark.

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   1. 83

      theraggededgeposted 2 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, but this is writing in a completely different way. By only focusing on one sentence at a time, you can forget about all the other words crowding in. Try it. It's actually quite good fun and you kind of get immersed in the process.
      
      I got the idea from a book called 'Several Short Sentences About Writing'. The whole book is written that way. It's almost poetic.

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6. 84

   jansharesposted 2 years ago

   Give yourself some grace, Stephen. Are you a perfectionist or an overthinker? I bet it's better than you think. Remember, we are our own worst critics. You have some great advice here. Good luck!

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7. 81

   Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

   I'll check it out. As always, you are willing to help, Thanks - much appreciated.

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8. 83

   Kenna McHughposted 2 years ago

   I'd take a break because it sounds like you're editing not writing. These are two different hats.

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9. 84

   Jodahposted 2 years ago

   You received great advice here, Stephen, but I know where you are coming from. Been there done that. Good luck.

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10. 68

    PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

    It's actually normal for me to have multiple articles on the go. I just leave them as drafts and come back to them whenever. I do have some that I write relatively quickly, but others take quite a few efforts spread out over time.
    
    I don't really panic if something isn't coming together as there's always something else to be getting on with. The nice thing with HP is that there are no deadlines, and if you're writing evergreen content, you don't even have to be concerned with being topical usually.
    
    When you're writing to a deadline or trying to be topical, it's much more stressful, I find.

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11. 72

    ravirajan01posted 2 years ago

    The famous US Psychologist Dr. Robert Boice once said that if you want to write well and regularly, you need to understand your personal space better to find out what distracts and disrupts your writing and accordingly rearrange the room to maximize your output. Some of his suggestions are
    
    •    Establish a few regular places where you can do serious writing without distraction (your study desk, bedroom, garden, etc.). Once you establish the site, make it sacred. Nothing else should be done out there.
    •    Arrange writing sites to minimize noisome distractions. Find a reasonably quiet place. Work with background music if it helps.
    •    Lastly, limit social interruptions during writing by closing the door to your office, den, or whatever else you want to call your writing space.
    
    Stephen, try to get hold of his excellent book "Professors as Writers: A Self-Help Guide to Productive Writing."It offers a wealth of information to all writers.

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12. 81

    Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

    Thanks to all for some very constructive advice. Having torn out most of my hair, I've decided to park the article for a while and have another look in a few days.

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13. 68

    PaulGoodman67posted 2 years ago

    If it were me, I would probably write a completely different article and then go back to the first one later.
    
    The big irony is that often the articles I sweat over are the ones that do worst. I can spend a month or so (on and off) writing a well-researched article that deals with an aspect of philosophy or science and it will get less than a few views/day.
    
    On the other hand, I can write about something that's practical but fairly frivolous in a couple of hours and it will soar like an eagle.

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14. 81

    Stephen Tomkinsonposted 2 years ago

    Yes, I know what you mean. My best-viewed article is the first one I did when I didn't have a clue.

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