Few of us consider us writers, but everyone in business must write. We produce proposals, articles, letters, and presentations that we rely on to communicate. For the non-writers, try these eight basics to improve.
- Simple, Not Complex. Be direct; eliminate unnecessary words, and keep sentences easy to follow.
- Active, Not Passive. Change, “The book was offered by Jude,” to, “Jude offered the book.”
- Targeted, Not Generic. Write specifically for the audience you target.
- Read Aloud, Not Silently. Read your text aloud to help you notice elements that “don’t sound right” or don’t make sense.
- Common Terms, Not Jargon. Choose simple terms that your reader will know.
- Less, Not More. Don’t use long or uncommon words to impress your reader with your vocabulary.
- Positive, Not Negative. Just as in conversation, no one wants to hear discouraging words. Change your sentences so that “can’t” is “can.”
- Rested, Not Rushed. Let your draft sit when you finish. Take a break. Later, read through it aloud. You will catch errors and make improvements you didn’t notice before.
For more details on these tips, check out this helpful article. Also, check out how to build credibility one blog post at a time.
