Wednesday, August 19, 2015

You're Making This Way Too Hard

Brevity and simplicity are the hallmark of good and effective communication. If you want your audience to understand what you are saying, choose the most simple and understandable word to carry and convey your thoughts. 

Which brings up the curious use of the word "enacting" in this news story. 


"...will once again be enacting..." 

It's a little wordy and illustrates that the writer is either trying to impress, or really had their mind on drinks at Club Soda after work. 

The most under-used book in the modern news room, AKA a dictionary, says this:

en·act

 (ĕn-ăkt′)
tr.v. en·act·ed, en·act·ing, en·acts
1. To make into law: Congress enacted a tax reform bill.
2. To act (something) out, as on a stage: enacted the role of Romeo.

en·act′a·ble adj.
en·ac′tor n.
Since the Indiana State police don't create (enact) law, nor are they actors, the sentence is complete codswallop and does nothing to enlighten the reader. 


The Maven wonders why the public is even being told that something is coming back that most citizens never knew went away. 

Oh, that's right, there was that press release....the number one source of news for Fort Wayne news operations.







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