10 simple rules to empower your writing
Examples of poor writing abound in modern daily life. Newspapers, magazines and websites are overflowing with tired clichés and hackneyed phrases. Even PR firms and marketing departments routinely publish documents that are downright boring, confusing and repetitive.
Often, poor writing is simply the result of poor thinking and a lack of organization. If you want your ideas to resonate, if you want your words to have an impact, a few minor adjustments can usually make a major difference.
Here are 10 simple rules to empower your writing:
1) Take Stock. Are you writing a press release, a business proposal or a company memo? Be clear about the message you want to convey, how you want to say it and who you’re writing for.
2) Determine your message. Figure out what it is you want to say. Whether it’s announcing a new line of cosmetics or issuing a formal company statement, don’t beat around the bush. Your writing style, choice of words and tone of voice should fit your purpose.
3) Know your audience. If you’re writing a guest column for a newspaper, your style and language will differ from a press release written for a Fortune 500 company. Picture your ideal reader during the writing process; this will help you to stay focused.
4) Organize your thoughts. List all of your key points and structure them in a logical sequence. The headline and introductory paragraph should capture your central message. Whatever the writing assignment and whatever its length, it must contain a beginning, middle and an end.
5) Avoid committees. Too many cooks will spoil any piece of writing. During the actual writing process, it’s okay to solicit input and feedback from colleagues; but the final draft should express a strong, clear voice.
6) Establish a tone. The tone of your writing should reflect your subject matter. A peer-reviewed, scientific article, published in a trade journal, will evoke a more serious, matter-of-fact tone than a How-To article in a popular fitness magazine. Your tone should be consistent from start to finish.
7) Choose an active rather than a passive voice. “The President announced the project at a press conference yesterday” is more powerful than saying, “The project was endorsed at a press conference yesterday.” With an active voice, the performer is known.
8) Edit ruthlessly. Revise, simplify. Edit your work and polish each sentence until it sparkles with clarity.
9) Check for spelling and grammar. Check every word, sentence and paragraph for proper spelling and punctuation. Don’t rely exclusively on Spell Check; it isn’t perfect. “There” and “their” may be spelled correctly within your text, but their meanings are different. If in doubt about grammatical issues, get help.
10) Proofread. Always review your writing with fresh eyes before pressing the ‘send’ key. Proof from a printed copy, rather than from a computer screen. Read your work aloud for cadence and rhythm – this helps to identify awkward sentence structure and improper word usage.
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