Tips For Writing Effectively
- Organize the points you want to make
- Say it out loud first, then write it down
- Proofread your work
Regardless of what you are writing, the first step is to determine the information you want to convey. Before you begin writing, list each point you want to make, then put them in order from most to least important.
General guidelines
Begin writing by expanding on each item from your list. These become your paragraphs.
When you are finished, summarize what you wrote in a brief paragraph. This is your introductory paragraph. It should come first (even though you wrote it last). For letters and memos, include in a closing paragraph any actions that need to be taken by the recipient.
The following guidelines will also help improve your writing.
Avoid wordiness
Before you write it, say it out loud. When we write we sometimes overcomplicate what we are trying to convey. Saying it aloud helps you write more succinctly. Keep sentences short by making sure each sentence conveys a single thought. This also helps you avoid the dreaded run-on sentence.
Use simple language
Sometimes it is appropriate to use your entire vocabulary (if, for example, you're trying to impress an auditorium full of scientists). More often, however, this just comes across as pretentious. Write for your audience, but use plain language that is easily understood.
Replace jargon with English
When you talk with your colleagues every day, it is hard to remember that the terms and language you use in your work are not necessarily understood by everyone. Companies make up their own words. Avoid using those words in your writing. Keep acronyms, abbreviations, and technical terms to a minimum.
Avoid clichés (like the plague)
Make your writing your own. Clichés just complicate your writing. To communicate your intended message clearly, use phrases that say what you want them to mean.
Don't be redundant
Redundancy is a common problem in writing. Aside from being unnecessary, it makes everything you write needlessly long. Say what you mean, say it once, then move on. You can always summarize your main points at the end of a section, chapter, or letter.
Replace ambiguity
Ambiguity is an even greater problem than redundancy. Make sure what you write can be read only the way you intended. Headlines are often the best illustration of ambiguity in writing, as illustrated by two book titles, Squad Helps Dog Bite Victim (solved by adding the hyphen: Squad Helps Dog-Bite Victim) and Red Tape Holds Up New Bridge (solved by rewriting: Red Tape Delays Bridge Construction).
Use good grammar
Good grammar adds quality to your writing. It impresses your audience, if they know enough to recognize it, and communicates your thoughts more effectively. If you fell asleep in high school English class and never learned the rules, there is a short, simple guide that can help you: Strunk and White's Elements of Style. It's also a good idea to have a proper dictionary and a thesaurus at hand. Both are available on the Web (see links), but a printed copy is nice to have and will often be more comprehensive.
Proofread your work
You simply cannot devote enough attention to proofreading. This is the step that allows you to correct your mistakes before someone else sees them. Do not trust your computer program's spelling and grammar checkers. They are, by nature, unreliable (particularly when you have misspelled but typed a legitimate word — such as typing "it" instead of "in"). If you can, have someone else proofread your document; otherwise, set your composition aside for a while, and read it again later (waiting a day or two is even more effective). If none of these options is available to you, here is a trick that works: turn it upside-down and read it, which forces you to concentrate on every word.
Links to more writing resources are provided here.
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