The writer's choice 17 February 2010
A quote for work on a house isn’t usually a source of amusement. Unless you have very specialised tastes. But a friend of mine recently told me about a quote she’d had that made her laugh. It was all to do with a single sentence hidden away amongst the information. At the end of a breakdown of potential additional work, the quote stated: “I am not trying to get you to have more work done, I am just making you aware of this”. It’s easy to over-analyse, but the words did the very opposite of what they intended. What was probably meant as a direct, honest comment came across as something else entirely. It’s just a small example of the value of the writer’s choice. The secret is to choose words that express exactly what is intended so the copy is not open to misinterpretation or confusion. Sounds very simple. But like the sentence that undermined a quote for a big project, it’s a vital detail that is frequently overlooked.
Written by Camilla Zajac
Camilla Zajac is an award-winning copywriter dedicated to uncovering what’s exciting and unique about organisations and empowering them to communicate that with impact. Learn more about copywriting services from Green Light Copywriting.
