Why Some Writing Works, And Some Just Sucks
Good writing follows a system. Mediocre writing does not.
When you understand the system, your words land and your message sticks. When you do not, you are left wondering why your writing falls flat.
The Simple System Behind Clear Writing
At the core sits a fundamental pattern, Noun followed by Verb. Think, He said. Jim raged. Jane shone.
These examples may sound a little Janet and John Kindergarten, yet they work in any context and for any audience. Start simple, then build complexity on purpose.
Only when you master good writing, can you confidently master great writing.
Why Noun + Verb Works Every Time
- Clarity – readers instantly know who did what.
- Momentum – verbs drive action, which keeps attention.
- Confidence – simple sentences sound sure of themselves.
- Versatility – the pattern works in fiction, marketing, and technical docs.
What Bad Writing Often Looks Like
- Passive voice: The report was written by the team.
- Noun stacks: The customer experience optimization framework process.
- Weasel words: some, various, several, robust, world class.
- Overlong sentences: Three ideas stuffed into one breathless line.
Quick Fixes You Can Apply Today
- Start with a clear subject (name who acts).
- Use strong specific verbs (and avoid is, are, has, does when possible).
- Prefer active voice: The server processed the data (not ‘the data was processed by the server’).
- Limit one main idea per sentence (keep clauses under control).
- Read aloud (if you find yourself gasping for air, the sentence is probably too long).
Before And After, See The Difference
| Flabby Sentence | Simple Noun + Verb Rewrite | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| There was a feeling of anger in Jim. | Jim raged. | Noun and verb, no filler, emotion shown, not told. |
| The data is being processed by the server. | The server processes the data. | Active voice, faster and clearer. |
| Our solution facilitates the optimization of workflows. | Our tool cuts your workload by 30 percent. | Concrete verb and number, benefit first. |
| There are several considerations that must be taken into account. | Consider three things. | Direct subject and verb, fewer empty words. |
| An announcement will be made regarding the price change. | We will announce the price change. | Names the actor, short and honest. |
How This Scales Across Genres
Marketing
- Weak: Our platform enables synergy across stakeholders.
- Strong: Our platform connects your team in one place.
Technical Writing
- Weak: Errors are thrown by the API when limits are exceeded.
- Strong: The API returns an error when you exceed the limit.
Fiction
- Weak: There was a sense that the night was cold.
- Strong: The night bit hard.
When You Can Bend Or Break The Rule
- Passive for emphasis: The patient was misdiagnosed, the focus is on the victim.
- Rhythm and variety, mix short and medium sentences for flow.
- Dialog and voice, let characters speak as they would, clarity still matters.
Break the rule, but do it on purpose. Know what you lose and what you gain.
Mini Case Studies
1. Landing Page Headline
- Before: A comprehensive solution for the management of invoices.
- After: Save five hours a week on invoices.
- Result: Higher click through, clearer promise, stronger verb.
2. Support Email
- Before: Your request has been received and will be processed within 48 hours.
- After: We got your request, we will reply within 48 hours.
- Result: Warmer tone, named actor, fewer words.
3. Story Opening
- Before: It was a day that seemed to contain a quality of foreboding.
- After: Clouds gathered. Birds hid.
- Result: Scene moves, images act, tension rises.
More Simple Rules That Lift Your Writing
- Cut throat clearing – Delete phrases like In my opinion and It is important to note.
- Prefer concrete words – Use rain, not precipitation event, use buy, not procure.
- Use numbers – Replace ‘many’ with 12, specific beats fuzzy.
- Front load meaning – Put the point in the first clause, support it after.
- Keep paragraphs short – Three to four sentences help readers keep pace.
A 5 Minute Daily Drill
- Pick a paragraph you wrote yesterday.
- Underline every verb, circle every subject.
- Change passive to active where it serves the reader.
- Swap weak verbs, like is or has, for stronger ones.
- Cut 20 percent of the words, read aloud, and call it done.
Recap
- Good writing follows a system, start with Noun and Verb.
- Use active voice and concrete words.
- Break rules only when you know why.
Keep Learning
You can find more rules in the Science of Copywriting Facebook group.