The subtle art of writing invisibly

When I was in grade school, my homeroom teacher gave us a challenge: come up with as many different ways to say “said” as possible.

I spent hours that night making a list, determined to write down more than 100 alternatives. Whispered. Uttered. Croaked. Stammered. Replied. Declared. Thundered. Begged. Armed with my trusty thesaurus, my imagination ran wild.

Fast forward, oh, about 14 years. I was in my second class as a journalism student. What did I write in my notes that day?

“Don’t waste time coming up with synonyms for ‘said’ like they made us do in grade 3. ‘Said’ gets repetitive but it saves time.” (This is literally in my notes.)

The intent of the grade school assignment was simple: to help us understand the concept of a synonym and start thinking about colourful language. And the intent of our journalism lesson was also simple: that sometimes colourful language gets in the way more than it helps.

Enter the concept I like to call “invisible writing”

Writing can be captivating and beautiful. There’s a reason we get sucked into fictional worlds and cry over fictional characters when authors skillfully illustrate them with language. But all that shatters when the language takes centre stage and demands more attention than the content.

When it’s done well, writing is like a great supporting actor. It’s there to make the main event look really, really good. It’s woven through the fabric of a message, giving it structure and texture, but it isn’t the fabric itself. It’s in servitude of our ideas.

It’s easy to get carried away and lay it on a little thick, though. That’s when writing becomes a distraction. Here are some signs you’re going overboard and pushing your writing ahead of your message:

1. You’re using a lot of adjectives

After a while, we sort of… tune out… those long strings of descriptors along with the message they’re trying to get across. Rather than padding out your content with adjectives, try to find ways to demonstrate those adjectives. You could tell us that your service is unique, but a good writer would show readers what makes your service unique.

2. You’re using complicated words

Never say “utilize” when “use” will do. Simpler words are easier to read (you’ll want your readability level around grade 8 for most cases). If you’re worried about sounding professional and intelligent, you’ll get further demonstrating those attributes through the quality of your ideas than you will with the length or complexity of your words.

3. You’re writing too short

Short sentences are powerful. Even fragments. But too many? Painful. You need to balance sentence length to create a sense of contrast. You can write short all you want, but it won’t have impact if everything around it sounds the same.

4. You’re writing too long

In the same vein, it’s tempting to write long sentences when you have a lot to say. Overloading your sentences with information is a quick way to turn off your readers because there’s just too much to take in at once. Think about what you can say in a single breath and break those ideas up into smaller bits.

5. You’re not using the right words

Back to that “said” exercise. Synonyms have different shades of meaning, and some are more ambiguous than others. Some underpromise while others exaggerate. Sometimes that shade is spot on; a perfectly chosen word is a beautiful thing, after all. Most of the time it’s better to choose a more neutral word like “said” that’s precise and clear, though.

6. You’re writing lazy

Clichés and buzzwords have a funny way of seeping into our language. It’s ridiculously easy to get into the habit of writing things like “multiplatform synergies” and “holistic change agent” when you hear them all the time. The problem is, they lose their effect and meaning over time, and add a layer of insulation between what you write and what you mean.

7. You’re including details that don’t matter

It may seem artistic and immersive to describe the angry, wind-swept sea crashing against the jagged outcropping of rocks in your next blog about that conference you attended last week. There’s something to be said about setting the scene, and details – especially ones that evoke our senses – are powerful tools that make our brains react. But again, oversaturating your content will cause information overload and dilute the stuff that really matters.

This stuff isn’t easy. There’s a reason why these lessons make their way into a Masters-level course with educated students who have been writing most of their lives. There’s a reason why even the world’s best authors need a damn good editor.

Style, voice, personality, tone – whatever you call the elements that make writing individual and yours – are important. Invisible writing isn’t about getting rid of that stuff. You can still unleash that creativity without distracting from your ideas. The key is being mindful, purposeful, clear, and honest.

“When you do things right, people won’t be sure you’ve done anything at all.”
– Futurama

Photo by Pahala Basuki on Unsplash