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Simple, Clear, and Direct · The Daily Writer

• 0:06
  SPEAKER_00: Welcome to the Daily Rider Podcast, where we bring you tips and inspiration each day to help you build habits for writing success.
• 0:14
  SPEAKER_00: For more resources, including your free Daily Rider Starter Kit, visit DailyRiderLife.com.
• 0:22
  SPEAKER_00: Everybody wants to be admired.
• 0:24
  SPEAKER_00: And why not?
• 0:25
  SPEAKER_00: That's completely in line with human nature.
• 0:28
  SPEAKER_00: From the dawn of time, we humans have tried to gain power over one another to get the attention and the admiration of others.
• 0:35
  SPEAKER_00: Now, one way that we do this as writers is we try to appear intelligent.
• 0:40
  SPEAKER_00: We use big words or we throw in obscure references into conversations, hoping that other people will think that we're smart.
• 0:47
  SPEAKER_00: Now, sometimes big words are necessary, depending on the context, but for the most part, the best writing and the best communication is simple, clear, and direct.
• 0:57
  SPEAKER_00: Think about the most effective communicators in history like Martin Luther King Jr., Abraham Lincoln, or Ronald Reagan, or perhaps even Jesus himself.
• 1:06
  SPEAKER_00: They used simple words, they told stories and they made things clear.
• 1:10
  SPEAKER_00: The famous novelist Jack Kerouac said, One day I will find the right words and they will be simple.
• 1:17
  SPEAKER_00: Indeed, the right words are almost always simple rather than complex.
• 1:22
  SPEAKER_00: Now there's nothing wrong with wanting other people to admire you for your knowledge, but isn't it so much better to have people read your writing and not only read it, but understand it?
• 1:32
  SPEAKER_00: Here's today's challenge.
• 1:34
  SPEAKER_00: Whatever writing you're working on today, review it to make sure it is simple, clear, and direct.
• 1:40
  SPEAKER_00: One of the very best ways to do that, in fact, is to have the help of an editor.
• 1:44
  SPEAKER_00: That's why I am a huge fan of my good friend Karen Hunsinger, who is also known as the Word Wizard, because she is a world-class editor that can help you craft the highest quality book possible.
• 1:55
  SPEAKER_00: You know, a great editor doesn't just correct spelling and grammar, they also correct things like wordiness, shifts in tone, overuse of particular words, and they also enhance transitions, clarity, and accuracy.
• 2:08
  SPEAKER_00: And they also make sure your writing is simple, clear, and direct, as we've been talking about here in this episode.
• 2:13
  SPEAKER_00: I've worked with Karen a lot of different times on a lot of different projects, and trust me, she is your secret weapon for creating an amazing book.
• 2:21
  SPEAKER_00: If you'd like to get a sample edit from Karen, go to Karen Hunsinger.com and she will make sure and get you rolling.
• 2:28
  SPEAKER_00: And if you'd like a personal intro to Karen, just shoot me an email at Kent at DailyWriterLife.com.
• 2:33
  SPEAKER_00: I would be thrilled to make an introduction.
• 2:34
  SPEAKER_00: It would be my honor and my pleasure.
• 2:36
  SPEAKER_00: So make sure and check it out.
• 2:38
  SPEAKER_00: Karen Hunsinger.com.
• 2:39
  SPEAKER_00: She's wonderful.
• 2:41
  SPEAKER_00: All right, my friend, as always, thanks for listening, and I'll see you next time.