How to write, and why you should…

I know it is a bit quiet this week on Slugger. We are still in the post-Christmas slump. Also, many of us got struck down by the various lurgy over Christmas. Regular service should resume next week.

I thought I would use the quiet to put out an appeal for new writers. If you have ever fancied writing a post for Slugger, now is the time to try it.

Can I make a particular reference to the comments? To be blunt, many of you comment too much, but worst of all, you trot out the same stuff repeatedly, much of it a Pavlovian reaction without any real thought. Personally, I don’t read most of them, as some posts can get hundreds, and it just becomes overwhelming.

Now that I have offended half the audience, let me pour on the sugar. I know many of our regulars in the comments are very clever people with thoughtful things to say, but the nature of comments is ephemeral.

I want to pursue a degrowth strategy with fewer comments but higher quality.

But the critical thing I would like is for some of you to put some of the energy you put into comments into writing some posts. Take a moment to collect your thoughts and write a sensible, reasoned post rather than the hot-take nature of comments.

Don’t worry. We are making no significant changes to the comments. I get that Slugger is a virtual pub, and many of you like hanging out and shooting the breeze; that will not change.

What will change this year is we need to develop new ways of discussing issues. NI politics depresses me as it does most right-minded people; we need to find a different way to engage with it that does not involve despair.

Remember, we cover all sorts of topics on Slugger. The main criteria is it just needs to be interesting. Writing can be good fun. It is a great way to get your thoughts clear on an issue. It is also good to create. In the modern world, too many of us are passive consumers, it is better for the soul to be a creator.

Here are some tips from classic tips from David Olgivy. Writing in 1982 he put out this memo:

The better you write, the higher you go in Ogilvy & Mather. People who think well, write well.

Woolly minded people write woolly memos, woolly letters and woolly speeches.

Good writing is not a natural gift. You have to learn to write well. Here are 10 hints:

1. Read the Roman-Raphaelson book on writing. Read it three times.

2. Write the way you talk. Naturally.

3. Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.

4. Never use jargon words like reconceptualize, demassification, attitudinally, judgmentally. They are hallmarks of a pretentious ass.

5. Never write more than two pages on any subject.

6. Check your quotations.

7. Never send a letter or a memo on the day you write it. Read it aloud the next morning—and then edit it.

8. If it is something important, get a colleague to improve it.

9. Before you send your letter or your memo, make sure it is crystal clear what you want the recipient to do.

10. If you want ACTION, don’t write. Go and tell the guy what you want.

My main tips would be:

Do not overthink posts or spend too much time on them. A good post that is published is better than an excellent one that never sees the light of day.

Use grammarly.com to check your spelling and grammar.

Write the way you talk. Naturally. Yes, I know this is listed above, but it bears repeating. Do not try to be overly clever, it can come across as pompous.

If you are an academic, do not write like it is for a journal; write like an average person

Just do it. Don’t put it off. Don’t procrastinate. Don’t overthink what people will say about it. Just write  the feckin’ thing and send it to: [email protected]