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(U) Did He 'Go' Into the Courthouse, or 'Sneak' Into It?
FROM:
the SIDtoday editor
Run Date: 09/01/2006
(U) Many people's idea of "good writing" involves the use of
colorful adjectives ("an unctuous, inscrutable snake-oil salesman")
or comparisons ("as subtle as a sledgehammer"). While those
techniques can certainly liven up a text, I would argue that the real
key to writing well is a lot more basic: choosing VERBS wisely.
(U) Here's a rule: action verbs outclass passive verbs or verbs of
being (i.e. "is," "are," "was," "were," etc.). How so? A text filled
with the latter carries no feeling of forward momentum; it just lies
inert, like a Galapagos tortoise. Compare the following two
paragraphs:
Example 1:
(U) The objective is a redesign of the workforce-training
program. The development phase's deadline is the spring of
2007. The directors of this program are Mr Flotsam and Ms
Jetsam. They have received instructions on the desired
end-state and it is expected that no misunderstandings
will exist between them and upper management.
Example 2:
(U) The training directors, Mr Flotsam and Ms Jetsam, are
embarking on a revamp of the workforce-training
program. Having already sounded out upper management
as to how the company envisions the new program
operating, the two are certain they can launch a suitable
program by the spring of 2007.
(U) While the first example comes across as just a static series of
facts, the second reads more like a "story," with one action
following another. Readers not only find this easier to read, they
also comprehend it better, since they don't have to do all the work
themselves of figuring out cause and effect.
(U) Furthermore (and luckily for us), the English language brims
over with action verbs that convey subtleties of meaning. You could
say that a man "went" into the courthouse, but you could also say
that he:
"wandered" in,
"strutted" in,
"marched" in,
"sneaked" in,
"slinked" in,
"scurried" in,
"hurried" in,
"dashed" in,
"ambled" in,
"plodded" in,
"paraded" in,
"sashayed" in,
"shuffled" in,
SERIES:
The Pointy End of the
Pen
1. Did He 'Go' Into the
Courthouse, or
'Sneak' Into It?
2. Writing for the Mass
Audience: All's Well
that Begins Well?
3. Team Writing
Projects: Too Many
Cooks Spoil the
Soup?
4. The Humble
Footnote: Every Dog
Has His Day
5. It's OK to Have a
Personality... Most of
the Time!
6. The Chisel and the
Vision
"stumbled" in,
"swaggered" in,
...the list goes on. So, instead of using an all-purpose word like
"go," select one that best fits the situation and draws a more
detailed picture. You are still using only one word, but you are
getting much more mileage out of it.
(U) You might want to try an experiment the next time you write
something. Write your text in your usual way, and after you are
done, go back over it again, looking just at the verbs. Are they
static? If so, replace them with livelier verbs that will propel the
narrative forward. Are they rather generic? See if you can think of
more descriptive verbs to use instead. Now read it again. I think
you'll see a difference.
(U) Here at SIDtoday, we often ask readers to tell us what type of
articles they'd like to see (that they aren't already seeing). The #1
response is, "I'd like some tips on how to improve my general
writing skills!" True, there's a popular SIDtoday series called "Write
Right," but that is geared towards SIGINT reporting. So, the above
is an attempt to answer the mail. If you find this useful, let me
know and I'll try to post some more articles in future. - the editor.
"(U//FOUO) SIDtoday articles may not be republished or reposted outside NSANet
without the consent of S0121 (DL sid_comms)."
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DERIVED FROM: NSA/CSSM 1-52, DATED 08 JAN 2007 DECLASSIFY ON: 20320108