Priceless Writing Tips5 Things Freelance Writers Should Avoid in Their Papers!

5 things freelance writers should avoidOver years of working with the freelance writer as a species, I have realized that some issues haunt them, irrespective of their qualifications and experience. This article is thus aimed at shedding light on basic missteps that writers keep making.
 
So I advise you to get acquainted with it carefully – chances are that you will be able to relate to some of these.
 
Please note, that the article is pretty extensive, so you might want to try reading it in a couple of sittings, for better comprehension :)
 
Introduction vs. Conclusion
 
We all know that a formal expository paper’s conclusion should reflect the introduction, with minor changes and tweaks. Of course, that is the correct way to handle it in most cases; the conclusion demonstrates that the goal of the paper was successfully met, and the thesis was fully supported. However, some freelance writers don’t even bother to alter the sentences in their conclusion. For example, in the introduction, they might state:
 
…the goal of this article is to analyze the images of repression in the movie Pleasantville. “.
Now compare this to the conclusion:
…this article managed to analyze the images of repression in the movie Pleasantville
 
Of course, this is a trivial example fabricated to illustrate the idea. However, the point is that the conclusion should reflect the introduction, but never repeat it. You have to restate the ideas in a novel fashion; otherwise, the reader won’t perceive any progress in the paper. Furthermore, you should always try to make the conclusion more extensive than the introduction. Additionally, it should touch lightly, if at all possible, on the supporting data that you have used to prove your thesis.
 
In the above example, one could say:

“This article highlighted various images in Pleasantville that evoke the idea of repression for the viewer. This repression is symbolized in the movie by, among other examples, the separate beds for married couples, the blank books in the town library, the absence of fire, and, most dramatically, the absence of color.
 
If you experience a writing block, then you need to take a break, a stretch, a snack, or a nap, but never sacrifice the quality of the conclusion after you have invested your time in writing the rest of the paper. It may help to copy/paste the introduction just above the conclusion, perhaps in bold or italics to remind you that it does not belong there permanently, just to remind yourself of what you said and to what you need to allude.
 
Another option is to open your outline (you DO use outlines don’t you?) in a side-by-side screen and refer to it in constructing your conclusion. (In WORD, click on the VIEW tab, and choose View side by side.)
 
Repetition
 
Writers who take on long projects often find themselves running out of new ways to say the same thing, and end up repeating themselves. This is quite irritating to the reader, who, generally speaking, is going to be your customer. There, is, unfortunately, a direct correlation between the length of the paper and the chance of repetition.
 
Fortunately, there is a readily accessible and entirely low-tech tool to prevent this problem – proofreading. Proofreading can locate the majority of such mistakes. When you read your finished work for the second or third time, look for repeating sentences or ideas. These sound like the gramophone needle stuck in one place.
 
Such repetitions are really annoying. They discourage further listening, or, in the instance of a freelance writing project, they discourage the reader from reading on and appreciating the powerful points you have made. What a waste! Don’t be lazy at this point, when you are so close to being finished with an assignment.
 
You might actually get an idea for a better and more interesting and lively paper by careful proofing. When it is really critical, you may need to turn to rephrasing, but you should save this for emergencies. It is often better to delete a sentence rather than simply restating it.
 
If you are simply not hearing your own repetitions, or any stylistic mistakes, then try to enlist a second set of ears – perhaps a family member – to listen with fresh perception. Alternatively, you can record yourself reading the paper (many computers come with a webcam that includes a microphone), and then listen to that. The perceptual distance that this offers can be enough to allow you to hear things you would not hear otherwise.
 
Overly Complicated Thoughts
 
Have you ever read a sentence that was so long and complicated that by the end of it you forgot how it began?! Have you read something like this when checking your own work? If your answer is yes, then you must do something about it. Many writers simply ignore this problem, because their perception is biased by their subjectivity. They wrote the sentence and they understand perfectly well what they were trying to convey.
 
However, that might not be the case for the client or anyone else who reads (or try to read) your work. This means that we all have to be careful about this problem.
I try to follow a “1.5 rule”: if the sentence is longer than 1.5 lines, then you have to do something about it. It is better to keep it below that length.
 
Of course, for complicated topics and assignments, sometimes it’s impossible. If, however, you have a choice – then break it down. In addition, the shorter the sentence, the less punctuation you need to use. This minimizes the opportunities for typos and other bloopers.
 
Simple Isn’t Always Bad
 
When you think about any paper, you have to keep in mind that your most important task is to convey your thoughts to the reader. If you can convey them using simple wording, than you should probably stick with this. The best approach is to find the optimal balance between the vocabulary and the sentence structure. To tell you the truth, it’s pretty hard, especially for less experienced freelance writers. However, as with anything worth doing, your deftness will improve with practice.
 
Thus, when proofreading your work, check for overly elaborate sentences. Maybe you can simplify and make them more readable. I’m not suggesting that you must deliberately dumb down your work. Instead, I am saying that to be most effective, you should organize your writing in a simple and straightforward manner.
 
Avoid unnecessarily abstruse vocabulary, and multiple dependent clauses, especially if a simpler word or several shorter, simpler sentences will accomplish the same thing. (A rule of thumb is to try to use words with Anglo-Saxon roots rather than Latin or Greek roots.)
 
Basic Mistakes
 
Remember that when you concentrate on the big picture, you may miss out on important small details. These can be anything, from spelling to proper vocabulary and grammar. For example, many writers confuse “then” and “than”. Sometimes the automatic features of your word processor correct mistakes that are not there. Be sure to check for those.
 
Again, the best cure for it is proofreading. A lot of professionals working with RWC spend more time proofreading their work, than actually writing it. It can be compared to sculpting – you start with a rough piece of clay, and then bit by bit you refine its structure, perfect the curves and angles, and so forth.
 
The same process should occur with freelance writing – you start with a draft, or a written paper. Then you proofread it, again and again, making corrections and adjustments. (Use the ‘second set of ears’ suggestion noted above, if you need to.) Finally, in the end, you sculpt a perfectly balanced paper.
 
We certainly hope that if you notice some of these issues in your writing, you will eventually learn to resolve them. We believe in your skills and talent and wish you good luck with your freelance writing career.

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