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Monday 3 June 2019

WHY USE TWO WORDS WHEN ONE WILL DO?

Available for freelance writing commissions on a variety of subjects including family history, nostalgic Belfast and its famous people, shops, shoppers & shopping, the golden age of Hollywood (esp westerns) and humorous pieces on life's weird and wonderful. Op-eds, columns, non-fiction book reviews too. 

joecushnan@aol.com & @JoeCushnan


The July issue of Writing Magazine has landed and, from The World of Writing pages, they draw from the John Humphrys book Lost for Words.

The gist of the piece is why use two words when one will do, citing examples:

future prospects
past history
past record
future plans
live survivors
safe havens
temper tantrums
new initiatives
still continuing

and this rather longer one:

at this moment in time


As Muriel Spark noted:

'Write as if writing to a friend and use as few words as possible.'

On the other hand, write like the Dickens, as I was advised, saying anything and everything you want to say, and then find a great editor. As I did.

I am learning all the time!

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