Chapter 2 Word Choice
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simple words/convoluted phrases
Mrs. knows you hear it all the time.
You may even use it, but THINK the next time before you write or
say, "We'll update you on that story when we come back."
What you MEAN to say is this:
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We'll update that story for you when we come back.
It's not the viewer you intend to update ... but the story.
Accuracy and simplicity are a good combination for effective news
writing.
Take a look at some simple words to substitute for convoluted
phrases:
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VERIFIED for "determined the truth of"
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ARREST or SEIZE for "take into custody"
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PROVED for "established conclusive evidence of"
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APPEARED for "put in an appearance"
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AGREED for "reached an agreement"
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RESIGNED for "submitted his resignation"
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CONSIDER for "take into consideration"
"Everyone is a genius at least once a year," said 18th century
scientist and philosopher Georg Christoph Lichtenberg.
Mrs. B hopes this is YOUR day to be a writing genius.
