Have you ever read something and your instant reaction is “how out of touch are you” and/or “how old are you” Like not in a disrespectful way but in a “what the hell am I reading” way.

When it comes to articles and reports there’s a certain tone that is “almost” ageless. But certain words or formats tend to throw the whole thing off.

For example me using the word “like”, it’s very casual and the way I speak. But when I write a (close to non bias) article and/or thesis paper I remove my casual tone. Making it difficult to determine whether or not the piece is fiction (like a joke paper).

But I just read something that really threw me off to the point that I no longer wanted to continue reading. It’s upsetting because it could have been a very interesting piece if it didn’t sound like a grandparent wrote it.

Like there is a way to express joy over an event while also keeping an engaging tone. Sure, I still struggle adjusting my tone to stay engaging but when I read this piece I was turned off in the first sentence. Which, based on my many English teachers and studies I read, isn’t always a good sign for the rest of the article.

The whole point of the first sentence is to draw a reader in. Not throw them off and no longer wishing to engage.

Maybe I’m being too critical over something so trivial. But it’s disheartening because based on the overall format (the title and image used) I would have enjoyed reading. Yet I just couldn’t continue.