How to avoid hesitant fundraising writing

There are habits we have in speech that make us seem more agreeable -- but when those same habits creep into writing, it makes the writing weak, less clear, hesitant.

Here's a great post at The Publication Coach that can help uncover these speech habits that sneak into writing: Is your writing too hesitant?

• Expressions of uncertainty: I think, perhaps, I believe, or disclaimers like I may be mistaken. Hard to avoid, because they come naturally in speech, but to be avoided in writing.
• Hedges: Weakening words and phrases like sort of, kind of, somewhat.
• Tag questions: Phrases or questions that seek immediate confirmation, like isn’t it? Don’t you agree? These are important in speech. Not so much in writing.
• Intensifiers: Like really and very.

There's an important exception to this that comes up frequently in fundraising writing: When you want your writing to emulate speech. Which is often in our work.

The trick for fundraising writers: Know what writing mode you're in at the moment.

Conversational? Declarative?

Strong fundraising goes back and forth between the two modes. So, as with all writing, be aware of what you're doing in every sentence you write.

from Future Fundraising Now https://ift.tt/2P8rgh0