Fog Index

Sample writing (excerpt form previous post):
This year’s election was probably the most interesting one I have ever been a part of. I had the opportunity to vote for the first time in the John Kerry and George Bush election, and I was disappointed my candidate did not win. I did learn however, how important the electoral college votes were. This year, I knew exactly what states to look out for. Of course, I was rooting for Obama all the way. I gave McCain a chance in the beginning because I did not want to be biased but something about Obama’s poise and character captured my attention. I made a connection to him more than McCain, especially because Obama was a minority like me.

Average words per sentence: 16
Total hard words: 17
Sum: 33
Fog index calculation: 33 x 0.4=13.2
Fog index=13

I've discovered that when I have less restrictions on word counts and my topic deals with something personal, I tend to use more words and longer sentences. I know that with certain types of writing, like a hard news story, I have to be "to the point" and "zap out" unnecessary words. It is a challenge when you are used to writing freely using emotion and imagination, but the more you can adapt to these changes and control your writing, the better writer you can become.