The seven best ways to professionalize your writing
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It’s a simple fact: everybody has to write sometimes, whether that means a regular stream of content, a text to the boss, or anything in between. Frankly, most people dread the thought of creating even a simple email.
When people tell me they don’t like to write, I know most of the time a key factor is embarrassment. For some reason — whether it was a grumpy second-grade teacher wielding a red pen or a boss who delights in pointing to flaws in grammar — they’re afraid people will read their words and conclude they write poorly.
I think most people who have made it through school are capable of writing well. By “writing well,” I don’t mean they’re next line for a Pulitzer. When I say someone writes well, I’m saying their words are clear and understandable for whoever might read it.
As I’ve presented workshops to a variety of audiences, I’ve focused on helping the people in those groups gain confidence in their ability to write that clear message. Over the years, I’ve learned there are seven simple things you can do that will make whatever you’re writing more communicative, more effective, and more satisfying.
1. Don’t complicate, communicate. Many incorrectly believe using complex language and fancier words make them look smarter. When they want someone to make another pot of coffee, they send emails saying, “the brewed beverage receptable is demonstrative a skew suggesting a scarcity of essential contents.”
Instead. write to ensure that your message is conveyed and understood, rather than to impress the recipient with your intelligence. Choose familiar language, basic words, and simple sentence structure. If you really do know what you’re talking about, it will come through more clearly. Best of all, there’s less chance that your meaning will be misunderstood.
2. Skip the semicolons. When used correctly, the semicolon is a very powerful tool; most people mistakenly employ it as a fancier comma. If you think you need a semicolon, reword the sentence or break it into two.
3. Fewer syllables. I admire anyone with a great vocabulary, but it’s important to remember that not everyone who will read your writing understands the meaning of perspicacious or lugubrious. So use words more well-known choices like shrewd or dismal. It isn’t a matter of “dumbing down” your words – it’s making sure they communicate effectively.
4. Remain conversational. Unless you’re drafting a paper for your English Composition class, skip the fancy style in favor of writing the way people talk. It really is okay to start sentences with conjunctions and end them with prepositions, because people do that in conversations. Memos, blog posts, and websites are more effective when they don’t sound like grammar lessons.
5. Use you. Again, unless you’re penning an English paper, use the second person (you) in your communications materials. Instead of “system users can save time and money,” say “you can save time and money.” You’ll do a better job of connecting with the reader, and at a subconscious level, the reader will believe you’re speaking directly with them.
6. Read aloud. Before you send an email or a memo, read it aloud. If you get through it without stumbling and it sounds good, it’s probably well-written. But if you find yourself tripping over sentence structure or gasping for breath, rewrite it and try again.
7. Edit, edit, edit. Most skilled writers put as much effort into editing as they invest into their first drafts. Each time you read what you’ve written, look for minor changes that will improve it. If you have time, walk away from it, and look at it again after lunch or in the morning. You may be surprised at how much better it reads with a few fixes.
Scott Flood creates effective copy for companies and other organizations. To learn more, contact him at sflood@sfwriting.com or 317-839-1739.