Don’t want to write like a dummy?

Me either.

However, I must confess that I mix up the tenses.

Yep, it’s a curse. But for those of you who know me, know this is not breaking news.

The longer and more complex the sentence the easier it is for me to mix past, present and future. And as a result I feel as if I look like a writing idiot.

No matter how much I study and read on this subject, I still trip up more times than I like to admit.

How to avoid this is not simple, but it is fixable. Thank goodness for great beta readers. Y’all keep me from looking like too much of a doofus.

I loved a recent article at Coppyblogger.

Like I said, I’m always reading on ways to improve my writing skills.

Writing succinct, short and snappy sentences is one way to improve.

Learning to write within boundaries is another. These help not only the content, but also the rhythm of the story.

Another tip is to avoid modifiers and redundant words. I don’t worry too much about using unnecessary words during the draft process, because at that stage I’m more worried about getting my intent down. It’s during the editing when I slash out those little devils.

Reading this article reminded me to write tight.

Let me know what you think about writing shorter sentences.

Is this the solution for writers like myself who are tense challenged?

Of course I know we can’t write an entire book with short, choppy sentences, but maybe, just maybe we should consider less is more when it comes to long complex sentences. Like this one. LOL

Click, read and enjoy—

6 Simple Exercises to Help You Write Better Short Sentences [Free Worksheet] by DEMIAN FARNWORTH

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