A Quality Text

A Really good text is like a movie projected inside your head. Colours, sounds, and fragrances take you to a very different and very distant universe. In other words, a quality text creates images inside your head. Yet it takes real talent for writing to make language flourish, and achieving perfection requires ruthless linguistic tightening and reduction.

When we produce texts, we are constantly looking for the right angle. This angle must run like a thread through the text from the very beginning to the closing paragraph, and it must also be reflected in headings. Every detail is double checked. A text is dynamic: a slight change can make it necessary to restructure the rest of the text. A text must be designed to suit the reader. So, get to know your reader before you start writing.
 
Try going over your own texts. Here is a list of some of the techniques we use in order to make a text fluent and easy to read.
 

Some Useful Advice for Producing Texts:

•    Use Imagery and metaphors that appeal to the reader 
•    Consider your target audience, their knowledge and their expectations
•    Sometimes you can reach specific target groups with texts tailored              specifically for them - sometimes you will have to write very general texts
•    Use clear and simple language that is appropriate for the target audience
•    Keep it short and to the point. Avoid long-winded and complicated prose
•    Avoid the use of unnecessary jargon
•    Long words (more than six letters) can make a text difficult to access.
•    Using the present tense instead of the past tense will make a text appear dynamic.
•    Change verbs from passive to active to make a text appear more dynamic.
•    Write economically.... avoid unnecessary words  
•    Avoid clichés
•    Vary the length of your sentences
•    Move the most important words of the sentence to the front of the sentence.  
•    When you are writing texts that will be read on-screen, it is even more important to use short paragraphs and to divide text into small easily accessible blocks divided by white space or illustrations. 
•    Titles and headings should be catchy and/or informative.
•    Get feedback; let other people read your text. 
•    Check your facts
•    Check your facts again
•    Check your spelling
•    Avoid clichés if you can 
•    Finally, check your commas and your punctuation