What not to write

The ‘as opposed to?’ test

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Don’t use unnecessary adjectives to pad out or hype up your writing.

I hesitated to write this at the beginning of this book, for fear of putting some of you off, but, in truth, most business writing is about selling. Even if you’re not literally selling something (which you might be if you’re writing the side of a yoghurt pot, or a proposal to do some consultancy), then you might be selling your ideas, or your arguments. If you’re writing a letter of complaint, then you’re selling your reasons why you deserve your ...

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