From the monthly archives:

November 2008

Perfection - part 4

by brianlburns on 28 November 2008

in great writing, perfection

Two more quick things on perfection:

1. I talked a little about the specifics of achieving perfection in part 3, but I thought it might be helpful to go through my exact process here. Of course, this is just what works for me - it may not necessarily work for you. Give it a try, and take what you will from it, but if anything, use it to find your own process. Here’s what I do:

1st draft. rest/feedback. 2nd, 3rd, and 4th drafts, all done on the computer (just reading through it). less if needed. more if needed. more rest. more feedback (if needed). then, 5th and 6th draft (if I need both) are done out loud. sometimes printed off onto paper, sometimes just on the screen. but always out loud.

2. I don’t make a pitch too often here - people are welcome to email me, and I’ll help them out if I have the time, and if I’m a good provider for the project. But I certainly don’t stuff my services down your throat. I still won’t do that here, though I will make the case for a professional writer - mostly because the type of perfect writing I’m talking about here takes time and skill. You can do it. Anyone can do it. But if you want your copy to be perfect, and you don’t want to spend all week making it perfect, working with a professional can be a real help. Especially a good professional.

Of course, you can contact me about that… if you want my help in work, or even in finding someone else that fits your needs better. Either way.

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Perfection - part 3

by brianlburns on 24 November 2008

in imperfection, perfection

I just left this comment on this post, on the new One Riot blog:
there’s no doubt value in revision. but nothing - whether it be music, film, or writing - is any good if you spend too much time on it. perfection is found through the acceptance of imperfection.
I think it more-or-less speaks for itself, [...]

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Perfection - part 2

by brianlburns on 18 November 2008

in great writing, perfection

In Part 1, I said that writing can be perfect. In Part 2, I’ll talk about how to get there. This is dangerous territory though, if for no other reason than every writer is different. Some write best in secluded silence, others write best blasting AC/DC. Some write 30 pages a day, others write 10 [...]

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Perfection - part 1

by brianlburns on 13 November 2008

in great writing, perfection

Writing can be perfect. That is a fact. And it’s a well-kept secret.
What do I mean by perfect? Obviously, I’m not talking about words fitting into some sort of pre-designed mathematical formula, or words fitting into someone else’s perception of what they should be. I’m talking about words that come together harmoniously, according to your [...]

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Lists and Repetition

by brianlburns on 7 November 2008

in small stuff

Quick technical tip - a small trick you can use to improve a given point, but one that I see very few people utilize. Which is, repeating key phrases while writing a list. For example, writing “We give your employees the tools to be proactive, and to be successful” instead of just writing “We give [...]

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