This post is by Michelle Cubas, founder of Positive Potentials, an advanced enterprise coaching, training, consulting and publishing company.
Remember when you thought using big words would make you sound smarter or you would have a verbal duel with someone to upstage that person? Those days of bloated language are finished.
Today’s business standard is plain English. It means direct communication and emphasizes clarity and brevity, not industry jargon or technical language. This style is the standard for people writing for a general audience, including white papers, speeches, manuals and instructions, presentations and spoken language.
To improve your writing style, try these tips for two weeks and evaluate your progress:
- Find an editorial buddy. Consider someone in your immediate circle whom you trust and admire for his or her writing. Arrange with that person to review and share feedback on important documents you intend to distribute.
- Ask: What is the purpose of your message? Begin with a simple outline. Write the point you want to make at the top of the page as a reference. This is especially useful when writing e-mails. Track your tone and intention — what you really want to say and what you want the audience to take away. These elements are essential in written communication, in which nonverbal cues are missing. Read your work aloud.
- Remember the five W’s. Remember who, what, where, when and why? They are your guide to clear communication.
- Check for accuracy. This is particularly important in the digital arena.
- Check for “interrupters.” Beware of homonyms, such as “their” and “there.” Spell-check will not save you here! Even nonexpert readers subliminally detect usage and spelling errors that interrupt the flow of ideas and become irritated.
- Remove extraneous phrases, clichés and poor word choices. For example, “Finally” can replace “When all is said and done,” and “use” is generally better than “utilize.”
- Avoid using social media language abbreviations and symbols in e-mails or documents to strangers.
What are your favorite tips for clearer writing?
Image credit, Stefan_Redel, via iStockPhoto.com
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Place the most important word first in the sentence; i.e., "Today at 5:00 pm we meet at your office " instead of "We will meet today at 5:00 at your office."
Employ active verbs. Avoid the passive voice – words that end in "ing". "I listed three delightful single family homes this month…" is more engaging than "Having listed three delightful single family homes this month…"
Craft attractive lead sentences.Write short paragraphs.
Describe a positive "action item". "Proof read your listing carefully" is effective. ""Don't make any typos" is not..
Thanks, Charles. Do you write frequently in your work? MC
As an English Teacher, thank you! High brow language belongs mainly in academics; and even then it can be hard to choke down. My pointers:
~ remember your audience…speak clearly to them
~ stay in the same tense (all verbs end in ed or ing) and person (1st, 3rd)
~ stay in the active voice (as much as possible)
~ try to add a little humor or try to entertain (where applicable)
Jess http://msjessicareeves.edublogs.org
What a challenge you have today, Jessica. Teaching is an art, especially inspiring students to love language. Thanks for your insights. MC
People don't read emails, they skim them
~ Short paragraphs and bullets
~ If possible keep it above the fold of the preview pane in Outlook
~ Sparingly, judiciously, use bold font on the 1 phrase or sentence you want people to take away, particularly actions, deadlines or urgent information
In my first job at a CPA firm as an auditor, I found myself writing memos and reports constantly. The repetition was a terrific way to get comfortable with the act of writing. One of the best directives we were given was to start every memo with the sentence, "The purpose of this memo is…" That simple step forced both the writer and the reader to focus on the point of the document.
Wonderful advice, Charlie. MC
I enjoyed reading the article. My note to writers who are in a rush would be: Use punctuation. A sentence can have an entirely different meaning without a comma in the proper place.
The emphasis can change with commas especially. The poet E.E. Cummings used punctuation and sentence length in his poetry. Another idea is to just slow down, breathe and proceed
Strunk & White's Elements of Style is old but still "dead on."
Just bought the latest edition. My other one was worn. MC
Wonderful suggestions and great comments. If I may add two more:
Proper use of white space.
Proof-read at least once with the sole purpose of removing "that" when used unnecessarily.
I thought it was only Pittsburghers who used unnecassary "that"
Susan
Susan, is that a regional difference? I'd like to know more. Thanks. MC
Thanks, Jim. We can add your useful suggestions to the list. In a seminar on business English, there is a section on "That's and Which's" to add to your comment. When overused, they interrupt the flow of meaning. MC
Good reminders. Write with the "end user" in mind. Writing in a conversational voice engages and connects with the reader; whether it's a report, letter,directive or email. Avoid text language and please, punctuate properly.
You've hit the "reader centric" bell! So many people right as stream of consciousness and forget someone else is reading it. When the author is unavailable for questions, it is useful to explain references especially dates or times like "yesterday," when there is no anchor reference. Thanks for contributing. MC
Write longer emails and memos like you are writing an article – start with the most important information and then work towards the least important. It is a nightmare to have to read through pages to get to the important part. You should think "if the bottom half of my message was chopped off by an editor, would my message still make sense?"
Your reference to get to the point is well taken. Depending on the topic, inductive or deductive reasoning can support your point for impact and lead your reader to a conclusion.
MC
I will keep the "chopping" reference in mind
[...] via Do you make your English teacher cringe? | SmartBlog on Leadership. [...]
In leadership roles, good conversation skill is just as important as good writing. If there is a disconnect between writing and speaking skills, leadership credibility suffers.
We learned to speak before we learned to write. In today's work world, writing tends to be emphasized over speech. However, to be successful, we need to balance both skills. How many successful leaders have you known, or heard, who write well, but cannot read, aloud, their own writing … or vice-versa?
My tip for clearer writing? Clear, concise, enthusiastic, to-the-point, speech! (And have fun doing both!)
- Use the topic as the email subject
- Start each message with the the exact topic
- Use bullets for lists
- End with the exact topic
- Proof, edit, proof, edit, send final
Dennis, you tapped into the power of the topic sentence. This is often lost while writers are justifying why they are writing the email to cover themselves rather than communicate an idea. The summary you raise is valuable to the reader as well. MC
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Nice article. I think it will be applicable for blog writing also.
Raj, I'm glad you introduced blogging into the conversation. I recommend a journalistic approach to blogs. Then bloggers can expand ideas with examples. MC
Thanks for some really good points! I'd like to add one – be sure your memo or article flows from beginning to end. Each paragraph should logically lead into the next, and the last sentence should tie in to your great first sentence. If you stumble when you read it, your readers will, too.
Thanks for your comment, Kathy. Your points are added to the list! Have you heard of a method called Looping? It is a visual where one loops sentences together to check context, antecedents and subject verb agreement.
How will you apply this information in your work? MC
Don't try to say it all in one sentence! Break your thought down into short, specific statements. Long awkward sentences are a sure way to lose the attention of your reader.
Sue, you must have received a rambling document recently
I find that writers are not familiar with stream of consciousness and they continue to explain the preceding statement.
Your recommendations support the idea of planning before writing. Outlining is a way to get the information out, then go to the editing and context. Thank you. MC
Especially with emails, if you want somebody to take action, put it in the first paragraph – preferably the first sentence. You can explain why later.
[...] Do You Make Your English Teacher Cringe? If so, you definitely make me cringe. There are some great tips in here for making yourself a [...]
I'm going to share this blog with my Technical Communications students (I am an adjunct at Fairleigh Dickinson University, Metropolitan Campus; this is a required course for all of the engineering & technology students). These are all things I have taught them this semester — it's always good to be able to reinforce what I've taught and show them I'm not the only one saying it. Thanks!
Thanks, Nancy. Your students are fortunate to have you.
Please make a small correction regarding the homonyms. My references are actually homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. Reinforcing ideas are essential because listeners or readers go in and out of the context when something catches their attention. Consider the 10 times rule of sales; it takes 10 contacts now, up from seven because of all the choices. MC
Like my colleague above, I will share this post with my Writing for Communications students who are still having trouble figuring out where commas and apostrophes should go! Clear, concise writing? Not there yet! Thanks!
Kirk Hazlett, APR, Fellow PRSA, Associate Professor, Communication/PR, Curry College
Thanks, Kirk. Required writing at work is different than the creative writing usually taught in high school. Style can take years to acquire, too. How old are your students?
Also, please make a small correction regarding the homonyms. My references are actually homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. MC
Michelle…did you make your English teacher cringe with your use of the word "homonyms?" Your examples — "there" vs. "their" — are homophones…words that sound alike, are spelled differently, and have different meanings. Homonyms are spelled exactly the same, sound the same, but have very different meanings (e.g., the pervert plans to stalk that woman; I pulled the dead leaves off the stalk of that plant. "Stalk" and "Stalk" are homonyms).
Okay… that's pretty picky and pedantic. Here are a few tips:
write tight… use verbs rather than adjectives (verbs are strong, adjectives are weak)…active rather than passive voice…read it out loud before hitting "send"…know your audience. Oh, and despite what your sixth grade Engliosh teacher might have told you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with splitting infinitives ("to boldly go…") or ending a sentence with a preposition ("Know who you're writing for" is fine; you don't have to say "…for whom you are writing."
Thanks, Eric. That was my error. I appreciate your clarification. I'd like you to be my editing buddy
Yes, usage has given prepositions new life even at the end of a sentence. Keep writing. MC
FYI—Webster uses homonym and homophone interchangeably. MC
This is not related to english writing but a lesson learned…hard way! Add the receipients at the end! After you have finished writing and verifying your e-mail. This prevents unintentional “send” !
Good advice, Tushar. If the writer is responding under emotional stress, it is useful to put the email on hold for a time and return to it later. I like the listing of recipients. Would that be under cc: at the top? MC
Love the humor ;-0 Most people haven't heard of plain English. It is something you can share with your "mates." Enjoy. MC
This is a powerful thread of information. Thank you , All, for participating.
Eric S. kindly made my aware of a wrong reference. Please make a small correction regarding the homonyms. My references are actually homophones, words that sound the same but have different meanings. An asterisk should do the trick if you are forwarding on. Thanks. MC
This is a powerful thread of information. Thank you , All, for participating. MC
"Even nonexpert readers subliminally detect usage and spelling errors that interrupt the flow of ideas and become irritated." This sentence says to me that usage and spelling errors become irritated.
[...] Stefan Redel makes a similar point in his article “7 Ways to make your English Teacher Proud“. [...]
[...] to mask the lack of focus or insight with an abundance of marketing jargon and buzz words. As a blog post by Michelle Cubas, founder of Positive Potentials, pointed out so well, “Remember when you [...]