Apr
8th
Tue
8th
Smart vs. Clever
Are you a smart writer, or a clever one?
Smart writers apply their intellect to presenting things in the simplest possible way. They spend time thinking about how they can make life that little bit easier for their reader. Smart writers produce text that you don’t even notice — because the ideas and concepts come through so clearly.
Clever writers apply their intellect to presenting things in a way that maeks them look clever. They spend time thinking about impressive, distracting turns of phrase. Clever writers produce text that proclaims just how clever the author must be — they must be to understand what they wrote!
“Cleverness” is dangerous — try to be smart instead.