I’m still finding glitter in awkward places after last week’s handcrafted Christmas knickknack situation.
No matter how much I clean, I find it…
-In my Converse shoes. Not on but IN. (Like how is that even possible?)
-On the grooved plates of my wheelchair footrests. (Like my wheelchair needed “personality”.)
-And between my layered tablecloths. (Like I intentionally sprinkled it there.)
They say, “All that glitters is not gold” ( thanks, Shakespeare) AND They’re right — my glitter is also red, blue, silver, and green. Because Christmas.
I’ll probably find glitter in strange places from now until next holiday season.
But I’m okay with that because A ) those festive glass blocks look pretty & B ) my siblings appreciated my thoughtful gift.
Your readers appreciate thoughtful gifts, too.
Like the gift of refocusing idioms.
These common expressions creep their way into copy and can cause your readers’ eyes to glaze over like Krispy Kreme donuts.
But if you refocus the idiom, it causes your readers to pay attention and connects them to your words.
Take the idiom from above…
“All that glitters is not gold.”
I completely changed the meaning of it and refocused it by adding “They’re right — my glitter is also red, blue, silver, and green. Because Christmas.”
Bam! Instant audience-connecting idiom.
This quick copy edit turned a common expression into an uncommon (and interesting), attention-grabbing thought.
Give this copy edit tip a try the next time you find an idiom in your writing. Your readers will appreciate you.