Write as if each word costs you a dollar

1. 0

   Gracie Sophiaposted 14 years ago

   This is a quote from a college professor long ago. Is this how you write?

   replyreport
   1. 71

      seanorjohnposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      ...    ...    ......  .....

      replyreport
   2. 60

      Kimberly Bunchposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I would never get a book written or finished for that matter if I was hung up on every word. Although I enjoy being creative with words and that brings out the pleasure of writing. Instead of it being a sacrifice and pick and choose what you say instead of letting it flow out naturally!
      
      Freedom for self expression is all in not holding back the  divinity of words.
      
      

      replyreport
      1. 60

         dale.b11posted 14 years agoin reply to this

         i think the quote more or less means to say as much as you can in as few words as you can. good advice if you get it.

         replyreport
   3. 76

      Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes.

      replyreport
   4. 64

      itechposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      
      sorry, it's not possible......

      replyreport
   5. 81

      Patty Inglish, MSposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      When I'm writing Haiku, yes.

      replyreport
   6. 82

      camloposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yes, it is. Economic use of words does produce the best writing.

      replyreport
   7. 76

      Shadesbreathposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      The point being, I'm sure, that you write with care.  Care for the reader, which translates to quality.
      
      
      
      I would argue that Douglas Adams put all those "pointless tangents" into his story completely on purpose.  His words were chosen carefully.  The essence of the humor may have been spontaneous when he drafted the book, but I know he went back and cleaned the language up to make it as polished and wonderful as it is.

      replyreport
   8. 59

      Stephanie J.B.posted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Yeah, I try to be as succinct as possible while still keeping my tone intact.  It's challenging, but the more you practice the less time it takes. :]

      replyreport
2. 67

   Mishaposted 14 years ago

   Words are sold and bought several hundreds for a dollar nowadays...

   replyreport
3. 82

   Rafiniposted 14 years ago

   So, in other words, write as if it were a painful experience?  I guess I would say yes, that's how I write - in terms of my book.  It's not an easy story to tell....

   replyreport
   1. 72

      ACSutliffposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      I know exactly how you feel! Writing can be very painful, especially if you end up getting writer's block too, on top of writing a book that just does not want to come out.
      
      If you think about how much each word would cost, you would certainly limit your word count and use one word instead of four or five, and that's a good way to write. Of course, your first draft should be as long as you need it to be. It's the finished product that counts, or costs you money. I want to take this quote to heart.

      replyreport
4. 70

   Ultimate Hubberposted 14 years ago

   In other words you are telling us to use as less words as possible?
   Hard for me but I have read some work written that way.

   replyreport
   1. 76

      Jeff Berndtposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      Not as few words as possible, but the best words for what you're trying to say, and no extras.
      
      Sometimes I use words that aren't strictly necessary for what I'm trying to say, but which add a comic (or other) flavor to the piece.
      
      Someone once wrote, "Style is the mistakes you can't help making." I wish I could remember who.

      replyreport
5. 67

   Joy56posted 14 years ago

   in a word no......

   replyreport
   1. 0

      DoorMattnomoreposted 14 years agoin reply to this

      

      replyreport
6. 79

   mega1posted 14 years ago

   I write as if punctuation costs me money - I wrote about it in a hub somewhere, but I forgot where I put it.  Words = time and time = money, so, yeh.

   replyreport
7. 79

   starme77posted 14 years ago

   Write - from the readers perspective - not your own -

   replyreport
8. 70

   Peter Hogganposted 14 years ago

   There is no rule fits all when it comes to writing, whether its ad copy, direct response copy...
   
   For me, one of the funniest most enjoyable reads is The Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy, if all the extra words, the unnecessary asides and pointless tangents were removed I doubt if the book would have ever reached cult status.

   replyreport
9. 0

   MyMoneyTalksposted 14 years ago

   I write as though each word earns me a dollar lol, it doesn't however

   replyreport
10. 85

    Dobsonposted 14 years ago

    If I wrote as if ti cost me a dollar my serial would make me equal to the US government in my debt!

    replyreport
    1. 72

       ACSutliffposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       That's funny Dobson! I feel the same way about my serial. If I posted it all, I'd have well over 100 hubs, and I'd be bankrupt!

       replyreport
11. 58

    nkhoironiposted 14 years ago

    A dollar for each is not enough for me.

    replyreport
12. 59

    davidkhoirulposted 14 years ago

    As a non-native speaker of English, I find it easy to create sentences containing few words.

    replyreport
13. 74

    Kangaroo_Jaseposted 14 years ago

    Words + writing time / Hubs + Adsense, Amazon, Kontera & eBay / Blogs + other personally owned niche websites + time =  ....ummm....... carry the 2......add 6...divide by 4......errr......ahhh sh*t, I stuffed up the formulae!!!!

    replyreport
    1. 76

       wildernessposted 14 years agoin reply to this

       

       replyreport
14. 70

    Peter Hogganposted 14 years ago

    Of course the pointless asides were included on purpose, that is exactly the point.

    replyreport
15. 0

    philip carey 61posted 14 years ago

    Someone once said, "I wrote you a long letter. If I had more time, I would have written you a shorter letter."

    replyreport