Writing can be improved very quickly by adhering to 3 simple rules:
Rule 1: Who did what? (Use Active Voice)
Put the thing, the actor first.
- Passive Voice: The styling as changed was the CSS file.
- Active Voice: The CSS file changed the styling.
The Zombie Test: Add “by zombies” after the verb in your sentence. If it makes sense, you are using passive voice.
Rule 2: No more “Ly” words
Words that end in “Ly”, adverbs, are basically just weak verbs and an better alternative can be found.
- Quickly → Sprinted
- Very Tired → Exhuasted.
Rule 3: Hook’em
On the internet, you have to engage the reader immediately. Otherwise they will scroll and your work was for nothing. Always put the point up front.
Example:
- Bad: I used to struggle with note taking, then I found Obsidian and fell in love. Today, I’m going to show you how to use Obsidian
- Good: This is how to use Obsidian. I love it because I used to struggle with note taking, but this app fixed that.
Cross-References
Reference
A conversation with Gemini