Paul Roberts's Essay How To Say Nothing In 500 Words
written by Scott Downs
In Paul Roberts essay “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” he gives us nine tips that we can use to be a more productive writer. The first is to “Avoid the obvious” in which we should make a list of the things that immediately come to mind and not use them in your writing. Second he says that you should “Take the less usual side” which most people will avoid. He also mentions that trying to predict what the teacher wants is not a good way to choose a topic. Third is to “Slip out of abstraction” by not using vague topics but to go into detail instead. Number four says to “Get rid of the obvious padding” by beginning with more real content so you don’t have to add fluff. The fifth is “Call a fool a fool” meaning that you
should get to the point and not be apologetic. The sixth is to “Beware of pat expressions” which are common phrases that everybody uses. Next is to use “Colorful words” to paint a picture or cause an emotion. In number eight he says to use “Colored words” which have associations either good or bad that are common to us from past experiences. Finally he warns against using too many “Colorless words” which have been utilized so much that the meanings have been diminished.
I agree with what Paul has written because I have made each one of these mistakes, especially trying to find as many words as possible to fill up a page. I found that he used examples in a way that made his points clear and easy to understand. The text is a little dated but well written with the exception of some spelling and grammar mistakes. In one sentence that stood out to me, he used every one of the “colorless words” that he had listed, which was barely understandable. I plan on using the ideas from this essay in my future writing in hopes that I will not get a grade of “D.”
In Paul Roberts essay “How to Say Nothing in 500 Words” he gives us nine tips that we can use to be a more productive writer. The first is to “Avoid the obvious” in which we should make a list of the things that immediately come to mind and not use them in your writing. Second he says that you should “Take the less usual side” which most people will avoid. He also mentions that trying to predict what the teacher wants is not a good way to choose a topic. Third is to “Slip out of abstraction” by not using vague topics but to go into detail instead. Number four says to “Get rid of the obvious padding” by beginning with more real content so you don’t have to add fluff. The fifth is “Call a fool a fool” meaning that you
should get to the point and not be apologetic. The sixth is to “Beware of pat expressions” which are common phrases that everybody uses. Next is to use “Colorful words” to paint a picture or cause an emotion. In number eight he says to use “Colored words” which have associations either good or bad that are common to us from past experiences. Finally he warns against using too many “Colorless words” which have been utilized so much that the meanings have been diminished.
I agree with what Paul has written because I have made each one of these mistakes, especially trying to find as many words as possible to fill up a page. I found that he used examples in a way that made his points clear and easy to understand. The text is a little dated but well written with the exception of some spelling and grammar mistakes. In one sentence that stood out to me, he used every one of the “colorless words” that he had listed, which was barely understandable. I plan on using the ideas from this essay in my future writing in hopes that I will not get a grade of “D.”