Why it's never a good idea to innovate

Innovation.

Is it ideas?

Or is it inventions?

It pops up on just about every big business’ website.

The problem is that it’s one of those words you can use when you don’t know what you want to say. And if you don’t know what you want to say, your reader won’t either.

So if you ever find yourself wanting to use it, here are your options:

If you’re writing about people using their brains, go with idea. It conjures an image of people thinking in a way innovation doesn’t.

If you’re talking about something more tangible, the idea made real, then just say what it is. Or at least use a more specific word than innovation, like product or, if you can get away with it, invention.

If you feel like you can’t do either of those things, I guarantee you’re not making a clear point.