This document provides a technique for improving writing skills based on Benjamin Franklin's method of rewriting paragraphs to make them better. It recommends selecting a paragraph from an effective writer, pasting it into Microsoft Word, and using the grammar and readability statistics checks to analyze the text and rewriting one's own work to make it more readable based on the analysis. The goal is to take a step towards clearer and more effective writing.

1. A simple trick to
improve your
writing
Thanks to Ben Franklin

2. This will help:
students
bloggers
authors
and
anyone who works alone or doesn’t
have someone to proof their every
word

3. Franklin thought much
good came from his
learning to “scribble a
little”

4. This is how he learned:
Take a paragraph from the newspaper and
re-write to make it better
It was the 1700’s. That’s all there was!

5. You can use the same technique
and get better results by adding
technology.

6. Here is how:
1) take a paragraph from an effective writer (their web
site, book, etc.)
2) paste it into MS Word
3) then
Word Options.
Click Proofing.
Make sure Check grammar with spelling is selected.
Under When correcting grammar in Word, select the
Show readability statistics check box.
(varies with version of Word)
This gives a reading ease score and grade level

7. Learn more about reading scores at
wikipedia : search for
Flesch-Kincaid

8. Now: run some of your own
work thru the Flesch-Kincaid
tests and,
re-write the original work to
make it more readable.

9. Congratulations -
you have taken an important step towards
clearer and more effective writing