Do I have a what for what words??? As you can obviously see, that title could have used some work. Any blogger with decent experience would tell you to keep your titles snappy and catchy but I decided to use those words up there to make a point – steer clear of BIG words. Sure, they may sound impressive. Using big words may even make you feel like you are well-educated and well-read. When it comes to blogging, however, big words do not necessarily translate to success. Remember the main reason people read blogs more than high street newspapers and journals – they want something they can read easily. I, for one, do not want to have to check my dictionary each time I read a blog post. I want to read posts as if I were talking to a friend. (Although I do have friends who like using big words.) When writing blog posts, bear in mind that you may be reaching people from other parts of the world – people whose native tongue may not be English. As such, it would be better to write using simple words, words that most people can understand. Another consideration is to make sure that whenever you use a word, you use it in the right context. There are some words that may mean the same thing but cannot be used in a certain context. Take for example “tremendous†which is a synonym of “prodigious.†However, would you say “tremendous words†to mean “big words?†It is not wrong but it just isn’t normally used. So for your next blog post, keep it simple.
Originally posted on March 16, 2008 @ 4:14 pm
