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JUST WRITE

Serial Killer 201
Boldness thru Brevity

Ken Coomes, DTM

Congratulations! You’ve made clues. But each clue, even though subtle, should
it through your freshman course be specific.

on becoming a serial killer (in writing, Choose simple words. Avoid “writing down”
possibly in speaking) by learning three basic to your reader, or “speaking down” to your
tips and three secrets. Now we’re going to dive audience. It’s a good idea to emulate Ebenezer
deeper, addressing some of the challenges of Scrooge (I mean “copy a miser”) and use five-

writing short serial pieces instead of novellas cent words instead of showing off your extensive
or book series. vocabulary.
I’m sure your life experiences, speeches In a recent writing challenge, I was writing
and other writing have led you to realize that about donating blood. I wrote “The phlebotomist

you should have something to say. One of the first pricked my finger to check my Hematocrit.”
first surprises when I joined Toastmasters was That might be the right sentence if my audience
learning to be a better listener. A lesson my wife is mostly medical technicians, nurses and
appreciates. doctors, even in serial writing. I chose, instead,

Have you ever listened to a talented speaker, to write “The volunteer pricked my finger to
perhaps a “Don’t Time Me,” ramble on at length? check the iron in my blood.” In this example, I
Perhaps even when the speaker has a point to chose simple words over precision.
make, it might get lost in the thicket of words. Finally, keep your sentences short. This is

When you are writing serially, or giving a crucial in serial writing. Even in speaking, short
short speech, it’s even more important to have sentences make it easier for your audience to
something to say, and to say it, in a limited follow along. And in all writing and speaking,
number of words. this moves things along at a brisk pace.

That same challenge, boldness through Time for another challenge. Share with me,
brevity, makes it important for you to be specific. or someone in your Club, your own experience
When you only have a few minutes to make in redrafting a speech or a piece of writing, using
your point, or for your serial followers to listen one or more of these techniques. To share with

or read, ambiguity is not your friend. me, send a note to lupusgnome@hotmail.com).
Some of you are thinking about your next I have three more tips to offer, then we’ll
mystery piece. You’re right, you don’t want to move on to serial fiction publishing options. I
give too much away when laying down your look forward to hearing from you. Just Write!

VOICES! | JUNE 2022 31