Brain Traffic Blog - Latest Comments in Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Dan — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:58:34 -0000

I am guilty of using some of these words. I love "facilitate." I guess I like how it sounds. It is fun to say.

Are there occasions where you believe these words are acceptable?

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Mo — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 17:03:34 -0000

Indeed. Same goes for "utilize." Like Lon says, stick to "use" - a tidy word tired of having stuff appended to its little butt.

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Mo — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 16:59:02 -0000

Yo Katie.

"Relevant" is a useful, sales-tool kind of word that people frequently misuse. The problem is that things cannot be, in and of themselves, relevant or not relevant. They need to be relevant TO something or not relevant TO something. Thus these sentences taken from your article above, are incomplete:

"Anything that’s not entirely relevant or usable has got to go" "Here’s what’s most relevant in terms of the work we do every day"

Yes, Web writing is different from other kinds of writing, but some rules apply across the board, and this is one of them.

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

DanHaley — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:09:17 -0000

We absolutely have to hammer home your first point: “The simplest sentences and websites take the most thought,” because the KISS mantra has actually done a disservice to content.

After hearing “keep it simple” and “users don’t read on the web” ad nauseam from so many “experts,” clients and design firms have taken this to mean that content is easy to produce. Thus all the 13th-hour (if at all) content deliveries, and general content disrespect.

So, yes: good content is simple, smart, and strategic. KISSS. (Or KISSAS.)

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

DanHaley — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:53:09 -0000

We absolutely have to hammer home your first point: “The simplest sentences and websites take the most thought,” because the KISS mantra has actually done a disservice to content.

So, yes: good content is simple, smart, and strategic. KISSS. (Or KISSAS.)

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Lon Koenig — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:09:50 -0000

"Usage." Just say no.

Well, more literally, just say "use."

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

kerneigh — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 09:19:55 -0000

Zinsser fan checking in. Your point about On Writing Well having golden rules on every page is dead on. Here's what I just opened to:

"...revisions...are mainly matters of carpentry: altering the sequence, tightening the flow, sharpening the point."

Timeless. Thanks for the post.

Re: Advice From The Pros: Telling It Like It Is

Paul, copysnips.com — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:02:30 -0000

Thanks for the great post... and also the list of long words into short words. The bottom line is... KISS: Keep It Simple, Stupid.