Tag
writing microtactics
2 posts
- 06SaturdayDifferent Angle·
In a guide where I slapped an example onto every abstract sentence, word count doubled and readership dropped—because examples carry a cost, and sometimes an abstract sentence gets the job done faster.
Giving Examples Isn't Always Right: When "Make It Concrete" Fails
For years, I attached an example to every abstract sentence; in one onboarding guide, this reflex doubled the length and tanked completion rates. Here are three conditions where examples backfire and a single decision test for the editing desk.
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- 05FridayFramework·
For years, I formatted quotes into blocks and slapped "as can be seen" underneath—it took a live read-aloud session to realize readers weren't reading those blocks at all.
The Quote-Weaving Matrix: 4 Stitching Techniques to Anchor Source Quotes Seamlessly
Dropping a block quote and trailing it with "as seen above" creates a patch that readers simply skip. Here are four stitching techniques based on quote function and length—premise-claim bridge, embedded phrasing, counterpoint doorway, and exit line—along with a micro-tactical matrix showing when each works and when it bloats the copy.
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