Your content should be as sharp and captivating as Claire in House of Cards. Never a hair out of place…

The clothes make the man or woman. When people can’t see you, words will be the first impression of you. Whether spoken or written, the content you virtually wear is your own personal “look.” Is your content well-groomed and tailored? Do your shoes match your bag? That is, do your verbs match your subjects? And it’s not just about grammar. Visitors to your website and your blog or readers of your book want to be able to quickly understand what you have to say. And they want to be wowed.

Don’t make the content mistake equivalent of forgetting to brush your hair. That is: Review, revise, edit!

Here are five simple things you can do to be clear, to be captivating, and to be content pretty:

Start with a sentence that is not longer than eight words. Trust me. You can elaborate later.
Use conversational language. They used to call it colloquial language, but then that wouldn’t be conversational. Get it. Stick to simple terms and reduce industry jargon, unless it’s necessary to define your services or your character is uptight.
The 21st-century reader moves fast. Your prose should, too. If you need to elaborate with a long compound sentence, follow with at least two short, punchy sentences. Use active verbs. Inject personality. (see how I did that ;))
Always double-check the meaning of words you’re not sure of. A word that is obviously misused is like a runner in your stocking. It immediately cheapens your appearance.
Review. Rewrite. Edit. It helps to have someone else read over your work. If you don’t have a beta reader and can’t afford to hire an editor, save the file and don’t look at it for 24 hours. Then go back and read through line by line. You’ll be amazed at what you see on this go-round. Clean it up and send it out.

You’re looking good already!

~Kellyann Zuzulo