To writers and marketers, “alternative logic” is essential. For instance, I tend to disapprove of relying solely on cliché phrases like “breaking my three mindsets” (毀我三觀). While the origin and convenience of such phrases are debatable, numerous alternative ways exist to express similar sentiments.
Free Your Mind
Instead of “he broke my three mindsets,” consider “his reckless behavior left me speechless.” The technique involves distributing impact through additional descriptors like “reckless,” which better conveys the situation to readers.
Alternatively, “his was unprecedented and unbelievable.” This objective criticism carries more weight than “mindsets,” particularly if the unprecedented nature is ture.
While I don’t prohibit others from using “mindsets” (except my staff), I advise against relying on convenient but empty expressions in professional writing or marketing.
Another example is the way to compliment desserts with the description “it’s really not too sweet,” which is commonly seen in Taiwan. The Chinese language offers an abundant vocabulary for describing cuisine. I recommend reading the late food critic Tang Lusun’s works, which exemplify excellent food writing through both literary foundation and extensive culinary experience.
Creating Objective Contexts
Alternative writing skills create more profound scenarios for readers beyond simple descriptions of “surprising” or “delicious.” This advanced approach distinguishes between merely stating just “red” versus describing something as “passionately vibrant.” Better alternative logic skills enhance writing quality and prevent repetitive phrasing.
(Marketing text sometimes intentionally repeats adjectives for emphasis - this is an exception.)
I recommend developing alternative logic skills through regular practice in thinking and writing, and the best sandbox would be your social media posts.
(My Facebook followers will surely observe this in my posts.)
Expanding Imagination
Some writers make everyday topics engaging through unexpected word combinations that create intriguing mental scenarios and insights beyond physical descriptions.
(Consider why “Solitary Gourmet” maintains popularity despite its seemingly bland storylines.)
For these writers, everyday details serve as starting points for creating compelling scenarios, requiring writing expertise, imagination, and life experience.
Alternative logic forms part of these writing skills. While achieving completely free-flowing writing may not be immediate, we can avoid constraints from limited vocabulary and expression.
Additional Notes:
1. When interviewing job candidates, I would request five alternative expressions for a common adjective like “beautiful” to assess their writing proficiency.
2. Today’s ChatGPT outage demonstrates the importance of alternative logic: while using computers, the Internet, and AI is beneficial, maintain the ability to work without them. If you really need AI, be sure to keep services such as ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude available and the ability to switch between them.
In gaming terms, a richer skill tree enables you to handle diverse situations and challenge bigger monsters.
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