RSS11 Ways to Improve Your Writing and Your Business
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4. Adopt a plain writing style.
It takes longer to read and comprehend a memo written in a bureaucratic style than one written in plain style. Bureaucratic writing buries meaning under run-on sentences, big words, and long paragraphs.
On the other hand, plain writing:
• States the purpose clearly
• Lists major points
• Includes headings and lists
• Uses short sentences and paragraphs
• Seeks to express, not impress
• Avoids jargon
In writing, plain is beautiful. The next time you want someone to understand your writing put away the fancy words and convoluted sentences. Say it simply. It will save your time, the reader's time, and your company's money.
5. Keep it short.
Effective writing avoids long sentences and long paragraphs for the same reason you avoid the long-winded conversationalist at a party. Like the party bore, long sentences and paragraphs don't hold your interest. In run-on sentences and paragraphs, the reader struggles to keep from getting lost. Clear writing doesn't throw up detour signs; it offers shortcuts to understanding.
No: We have long yearned to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz that would remain in the minds of the customers and position our product as the product to end all products in our industry which should give us a good competitive edge since everyone else in our industry has cut their marketing budgets which means this is a good time for us to forge ahead and make some new customers now while everyone is either sleeping or afraid.
Yes: Now is the time to create a marketing program full of energy and pizzazz. This program would keep our name in the minds of our customers, position our product as the ultimate product in our industry, and give us the competitive edge.
In these tough times, our competitors are cowering in their offices and cutting their marketing budgets. By being aggressive and forging ahead, we will make new customers and corner a greater share of the market.
6. Give the reader a map.
If you want your readers to navigate the road of your writing and reach the proper destination, make the going easy for them. Use these devices to make your business documents more readable
• Paragraphs. Start a new paragraph as often as it is logically possible. What is easier to read: a newspaper or a law tome? Readers will muddle through long paragraphs and pages of unending text only when they need the information. Newspapers learned long ago that they have only seconds to grab the reader's attention and keep it; a story composed of several short paragraphs appears more accessible than one that resembles a scientific paper.
• Bullets and lists. Bullets are typographical symbols (boxes, circles, asterisks, dashes) that draw attention to a particular piece of text. These are excellent for lists, which are wonderful signposts themselves. Any information that you can boil down into an easy-to-grasp listing boosts the readability of your writing. Bulleted lists work well for outlining the steps in a process.
• Subheads. Use mini-headlines to break up the copy in memos and letters and direct the reader through your writing.
Don't lose your reader. Remember it's not only what you say, but how you say it.
7. Be active.
If you were one of those people who yawned when your eighth grade English teacher began her lecture on active and passive voice, wake up. What you don't know about active and passive voice may be putting your readers to sleep or making them suspicious of you and your ideas or product.
A sentence written in the active voice is the straight-shooting sheriff who faces the gunslinger proudly and fearlessly. It is honest, straightforward; you know where you stand.
Active: The committee will review all applications in early April.
A sentence written in passive voice is the shifty desperado who tries to win the gunfight by shooting the sheriff in the back, stealing his horse, and sneaking out of town.
Passive: In early April, all applications will be reviewed by the committee.
Passive writing is popular in business because it helps the writer avoid responsibility and remain anonymous. Customers are suspicious of writing that evades responsibility. Employees and managers distrust ideas that appear more vague than strong.
