The three rules for good writing are: (1) be concrete, (2) be concrete, and (3) be concrete. Shy away from abstract words that soar into the blue and stand for things you can not pin down. It is hard to say just what abstract words do mean. And they often mean different things to different people. Take “democracy” and “indoctrination,” for example. You had probably had a hard time finding three persons who agree on the exact meaning of these two common words.
Use lots of concrete and specific words that stand for things you and your reader can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell. Concrete nouns help focus your reader’s attention. Always prefer the specific to the general, the definite to the vague, and the concrete to the abstract. Furthermore, you must watch out for “vague” or “imprecise” words. “Crime” for instance is vague. It may range all the way from jaywalking to murder.
Here are sample of vague words culled from newspaper reports:
Tragedy (fire, explosion, drowning, cave-in?)
Accident (collision, a fall from a building, slip?)
Organization (Jaycees, Catholic Action, YMCA?)
Ceremony (wedding, mass, award?)
Legal action (suit for damages, criminal case?)
Document (deed of sale, record, certificate, treaty?)
Monetary Consideration (salary, bribe, reward?)
Community (town, barrio, city?)
Precision pays. The search for the precise should extend to sentences. Consider these examples:
Vague: His head was injured by a blunt instrument.
Precise: His skull was fractured with a hammer.
Vague: Officers removed a gun from his clothing.
Precise: Police took a .32 caliber automatic from his hip pocket.
Vague: A large number assembled for the meeting.
Precise: Five hundred attended the caucus.
Vague: He spoke in disparaging terms about the radical element.
Precise: He denounced the communists.
Abstract words make your writing dull and vague. If you want to keep your writing clear and crisp and understandable, use concrete nouns and verbs. Be precise.
41 comments:
When a celebrity talks in figurative language, the paparazzi get all sorts of meaning to what they said to scandalize it. A newspaper's obligation is not to create scandals, but to set the records straight. Using concrete words help adhere to this obligation.
A fiction writer prefers the complex than simple sometimes to stir intrigue and curiosity. First of all, journalism is mostly not about fiction writing and second is that you're not supposed to complicate things but set records straight.
By preferring the simple you instantly become more credible.
This will make your sentence clear and you're reader will be able to understand what you really want to say.
We write to inform and so, we should help our readers easily understand and find necessary information by using familiar and comprehensive words that would benefit all types of readers. We should make it a point to assure that the readers would simply get the information that they wanted. We should also make sure that they would not get all messed up and confused because of some vague words in our articles. In order for us to achieve this, we should BE CONCRETE.
You should be specific because your readers will get confused if you write vague things. Specify everythiung you write so that they will know what you are talking about. Tey will easily decode what you are trying to say.
It's like walking with your eyes closed. When you don't make what your saying clear, it tends to have a double meaning to the people who listened to you. Furthermore, you will not fully express what you intended to say. I like Jasper's view about this rule that you must prefer the simple to the complex. Actually, it's an actual rule itself.
Abstract words have a wide range of definitions so when one uses these kinds of words, readers cannot help but misunderstand the reading material. These events happen mostly in newspapers and magazines. Journalists lie to use vague words to catch the attention of the readers and in the end, make the readers misunderstand the article and what it wants to say. By using concrete and specific words, you help your reader in the smallest way to understand more what you are trying to say.
Three rules we have to remember, be concrete, be concrete, be concrete. Reading an article with more concrete words would be better to understand and be imagined than using abstract nouns. Just always remember, be concrete!
If you will not use specific and concrete language, it is like defining the whole universe. No one comprehends how vast the universe is. In writing, vague words produces infinte possible meaning that can hinder the understanding between writer and reader. May be you can offend someone by using imprecise words. Using specific,concrete languagw will help an article to be concise.
Specific, concrete language allows the reader to get a better picture of what he is reading about. Sometimes, readers are confused on what really happened that different forms of the news is spread out. As a writer, we must always be precise on what we are writing and what we mean.
Confusion is the only thing your readers will get if you'll fail to follow this rule. You might even give them the wrong idea about the story. An easy way to prevent this is to be concrete.
We should write with concise information. First of all, Journalistic writing's main purpose is to inform. If we use general words for example, it makes our readers predict or guess what that general thing is thus, making our work unreliable and vague.
Jasper is right, using general terms tends to get us into trouble. And I agree that these words should be left or given to fiction writers.
The 7th rule is what makes your writing better. If you can visualize what is written then the better, your senses will act up and they will explain to your brain what is being denoted in the writings.
You should use words that are specific and concrete. Vague words makes a reader confused. Different people have a different perception to things so, you should remember that your writing should be specific enough for the readers to know what you really are referring to.
Maria Patricia Caluag De Mesa
I agree with what Jasper said. Using concrete sentences or words gives confusion to readers. Better use specific language so that the readers will easily identify or understand what you are writing.
In journalistic writing, we tend to inform our readers. So we must use specific and concrete language. This will avoid confusion to our readers. Also, this will prevent misunderstandings between the author and the reader.
Writers should clear things up when they make an article. Be specific so you won’t confuse your readers and leave them clueless about some parts of your article. They might mistake some words or phrases for something far from the meaning you want to give out.
Another rule often forgotten by us students. In journalistic writing, every information we bring should be specific. Failure to follow this rule may cause confusion to readers. Using specific, concrete language helps our readers visualize and experience what the composition contains.
Using concrete, specific words substantially increase the worth of your article. It gives your article precision, which is what contemporary readers are looking for. Using these words is like ironing out creases in your article. Instantly, your article has become very convincing.
Not using specific and concrete language may lead to confusion. People may misunderstand what you’re trying to say because you use abstract words. They may misinterpret what you’re trying to state. And you’re article will end up misjudged and thrown away because of your misused words.
I got the point the rule is telling us that these vague and imprecise words can lead to misconception or misunderstanding to the topic being talked about. I also agree with what the rule teaches us to avoid these abstract words that make our writing dull and vague. Because some words have a big range and this range could spell some trouble if not solved properly.
Language is said to be the medium of comunication. And it is very important to use a concrete language so the reader would not misinterpret the thought that you want to emphasize. This may also add interest on what they are reading.
You should be specific in what you write, if not your readers might get confused. We write to inform readers, not to confuse them so why use words that are abstract and vague? Use concrete words in order to avoid the readers form misinterpreting your work. So the next time you write an article remember to use concrete words.
Journalists must use only one specific language for their articles. If you don't follow this rule, your work will be confusing and harder to understand. SO follow this rule! :D
Journalistic writers are tasked with informing the masses correctly, and, as such, are required to be specific and concrete. This leaves no room for abstract, subjective words. The people need to know exactly what is going on.
First thing is that we must not make vague words because there are many interpretations of such group of words. We must specify what we are talking about so that the readers will not get confused.
As writers, we really do not want our readers to get confused or worse, not understand what we write. Using specific and concrete language helps us tell our readers things in a more understandable manner. Not doing such may just lead to somethings vague.
I think this rule is very useful. I agree to what the others say. When writing, use concrete and specific words. That means we have to know the precise information because if we use general words, readers may think that we lack information. We are here to inform and to do that means using specific words.
When I read, I usually picture everything in my mind. That is how I remember any story. And, when I tell a story or inform, I try to make sure that my listeners or readers get the mental picture. Writing and reading would become easier when we use specifics.
Leo Amadeus Gerella Ruiz
Using specific, concrete language makes the readers see a writing the normal way a writing would be. I guess what I am trying to say is that readers would want to read something the same as they say things. Doing so makes it easier for the reader to comprehend to the writing.
Specific and concrete language lets readers to fully understand what the writer is trying to say. It takes less effort when the idea is already stated directly in the choice of words. Easy to understand and read, that is a good article.
Being unspecific and abstract, not only will we not clearly be able to state our stand, the interpretation will depend on the minds of the readers. That won't be pleasing. Especially, if your writing were misunderstood and accidentally offend the readers, then it will be very bad.
News must be specific and concrete. Specific because some sentences or phrases has too many meanings. We must specify the meaning because our readers might get us wrong. This will give our readers misreading and misunderstanding if ever we will not be able to convey the message we really want or need to express.
Ma Inna Paulina Egamino Palana
IV - Enrico Fermi
Fe-15
To make your article straight to its point, words are also important to be specific. Using concrete words makes it more understandable. Sometimes, readers get wrong ideas because of the misuse of words. After that, those readers will spread the wrong idea. So, concrete words really play a big role in writing.
Remember, everyone has their own interpretation fo words. If one used a general word, it would trun vague for the readers for they have a different conclusion as to what the wourd means. Therefor you must be specific in writing because if you don't your readers will get a different message.
The use of specific and concrete language will make our writings so much better. We can avoid vagueness if we are going to use this rule. Meanings of abstract words vary from person to person. So, it is really better to use specific and concrete words so we can convey the same thoughts to our readers.
Like Francis states in his comment, It is better to get rid of that vague feeling with words feel so fancy that only the soul and spirit could interact to. It's a given fact that today's world wants the obvious at hand. The general audience today does not want to think anymore. And, if we just give the reality of life what it wants. Then everything will be alright.
If you follow this rule, you would be presenting your ideas better to your readers thus, you will succeed in your task to convey a message.
Using specific and concrete language means that we use words that are familiar to everyone not just to a certain group. Euphemisms are examples of language that is not specific. It covers the real meaning of words that confuses gives different interpretations to readers.
This rule is very important mainly because we are in Journalistic Writing. A newspaper is used to inform poeple what is true, straight from a credible source. Writing vaguely will probably lead to a major misconception.
It is stated in this rule that writers must be concrete in different ways. Make sure that everything you write is specific. With these, your readers will love your article.
I think this rule is very useful. When writing, use concrete and specific words. That means we have to know the precise information because if we use general words, readers may not fully understand our article. Using specific words means. We are here to inform so we have to make our self clear with the readers.
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