Copywriting
The Politics of Plain Writing vs. Obfuscation — A Textual Analysis
Usually people don’t write in plain English because they don’t know any better. Sometimes a banker, an engineer, a doctor will write a business letter or a technical document in a way that he or she best knows how – by using jargon and long-winded sentences; clauses awash in passive voice and nonparallel construction, with…
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Expository Writing vs. Technical Writing – What is the Difference?
There are important differences between expository and technical writing. What is Expository Writing? Expository writing is the process of explaining, describing, or clarifying. It can be done in a number of ways and is not limited to just one form. This type of writing is not just about giving information, but also about persuading readers…
Read MoreHow to Write a Great Overview Sentence for an Ordered List
© Ugur Akinci An ordered list is one with numbers for each entry. In technical or business writing it helps a lot if each numbered/ordered list is prefaced by an OVERVIEW sentence. Such lead sentences prepare the user/reader appropriately for what is to follow. For example, here is a great overview sentence for the list…
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7 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block
Here are seven time-proven ways to overcome Writer’s Block. They worked for me in the past. I hope they’ll work for you too in the future. Start from any part of your project you like. You do not need to start writing the “Introduction” or the “Overview” first. Try starting from the middle of your…
Read MoreHow to Write a Great Topic Sentence for a Paragraph
© Ugur Akinci A TOPIC SENTENCE is the first lead sentence in a paragraph consisting of multiple sentences. The topic sentence summarize the main idea of the paragraph. It sets the expectation about what is to follow in the rest of the paragraph. You can even say it’s a “commercial” so to speak that “sells”…
Read More2 Methods to Avoid Gender Ambiguity
One of the hardest things in writing English is to avoid using the third person singular pronouns, unless you are writing for an exclusively male or female group. Every time I see a document with a sentence like “the operator must configure his or her machine according to…” I cringe. Some writers switch back and…
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How to Write Cause and Effect Sentences and Paragraphs for Better Documents
Introduction When writing, it’s important to use clear and concise sentences. This includes using proper grammar, punctuation, and organization. Another important aspect of writing is using cause-and-effect sentences and paragraphs. What are Cause and Effect Sentences? Cause and effect sentences are a very helpful tool for the writer to use to tell the story of…
Read MoreJob Prospects in Technical Writing vs. Copy Writing
An accountant/bookkeeper reader asked whether copy writing is a better alternative in terms of finding jobs than technical writing, especially in rural areas. The following was my answer to him: “I’d say the chances of finding a tech writing vs. copy writing job in rural areas is just about the same. The business that has…
Read More4-U Method for Power Headers in DIRECT MAIL COPY
© Ugur Akinci The header or the leading sentence of a sales letter, a brochure, flier, or a classified ad is probably 80% of the message. Headers are important even in news business. That’s why some newspapers have full-time “title editors.” Their job is to make sure people will read the headlines because that’s only what…
Read MoreHow to Create a Sense of Urgency in Your Commercial Copy
Creating a sense of urgency in your commercial copy is important for success in direct mail campaigns. When you encourage prospects to act now instead of later, response rates increase. You can follow one the following three methods to create a sense of urgency in your copy: 1) One way to do this is to put a deadline on your…
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