Some tips for clear writing

Making sense is the hallmark of purposeful writing, yet too few people take the time necessary to revise what they have written. No one should be satisfied with a first draft. Writing is a process and, as such, requires taking whatever time is necessary to produce worthwhile writing. Included are seven tips to consider in the revision process: (1) keep subjects, verbs, objects, and complements close together; (2) maintain an average sentence length of less than 20 words; (3) prefer the active voice; (4) eliminate the indefinite “this” (5) simplify verb tenses; (6) ensure that all paragraphs have clear topic sentences; and (7) avoid “this is” and “there are” constructions.