5 golden rules for Writing well in foreign languages
Copywriting is not just typing on a computer keyboard. Writing requires love and attention, research and study, inspiration and concentration, dedication and constant training. But what do we need to pay attention to to to make sure that our writing work is of high quality? In my experience, these are the 5 rules for "writing well".
1 - Getting to know grammar
It may seem like a triviality, but it is not so. Mastering the language is the basis for good writing. Knowing how to write well and thus be a good copywriter means knowing the vocabulary of the language in which one writes and the meaning of the words, knowing the rules of construction of the sentence, the use of punctuation, the grammar rules with related exceptions and irregularities.
A good copywriter must pay attention to typos, that is typos errors, but he must make sure that the text he produces never presents grammar errors (why do I keep coming across "another" with the apostrophe?).
2 - Avoid long sentences
It can happen that you are tempted to write like a river in full swell: the temptation is great, but you have to put the stakes. A golden rule is not to write sentences too long and elaborate, preferring instead a form of writing lean and light, in which the reader has a way not to lose the thread of the speech and - hopefully - continue reading.
If we realize that we are producing writing made up of long and articulated periods, it is better to pause and extrapolate the salient points and the key concepts: these must be reworked in short and clear sentences, which are discursive but articulated in a fluent way.
3 - Prefer simple and various words
The desire to be high-sounding or perceived as professional can lead us to use complex words, which sound too formal or bureaucratic. Our aim must be to carry on pleasant writing, therefore it is better to prefer clear and simple words, whose meaning reaches everyone, with a natural and not artificial result.
Preferring simple and clear words does not mean, however, always using the same: it is a good idea to vary the words, perhaps drawing on a dictionary of synonyms and antonyms (a great tool for learning new terms) always keeping in mind our keywords.
4- Talk to people
Often those who want to play super professional tend and prefer a formal tone and detached, aseptic and cold. To produce optimal writing the advice is instead to look for a more informal and human approach, as close as possible to those who are reading (in the end the purpose of our writing work is to capture the reader).
This translates into writing that is human, that uses a vocabulary that is not too complicated, that knows how to speak to people and how to excite.
5 - Maintain a constant tone of voice
Within the text we produce it is important to maintain a “constant tone of voice”, that is, modulate our tone of voice and keep it from start to finish: if we choose to write in second person plural, this mode should be maintained until the end of the text, thus avoiding that within the same text there is a "book" and a "choose immediately". If we have opted for an informal and emotional tone, this must be applied throughout our writing work.