Tweet 113 in my career advice book Success Tweets says, “Write clearly and simply: short words and sentences, first person, active voice. Be precise in your choice of words.”
Good writing will set you apart and put you on the road to personal and professional success. Unsuccessful people are poor writers. They are unclear. They ramble. Their emails, letters and reports are a series of long sentences filled with big words that don’t really say anything. You can’t catch people’s attention by writing this way. You need to write in a clear, crisp, concise manner.
I try to write like a journalist. I use short sentences with a simple subject-verb-object structure. My writing may read a little staccato-like, but it communicates. People tell me that they can understand my points and the reasoning behind them. And that’s what I want when I write.
Your objective in writing at work is to communicate – not to impress others with your vocabulary. Write with your reader in mind. Sometimes it’s a good idea to read aloud what you’ve written to get a feel for how it will sound to your reader. Write in short, simple sentences. Use the simplest words you can to get across your point, while still being accurate. Write fast. Get your thoughts on paper or the computer screen as quickly as you can. Then edit and rewrite until you’ve said exactly what you want to say. One of my first bosses always told me that rewriting is the secret to good writing.
Spelling and grammar count, too. Correct spelling and grammar does two things for you. First, it shows that you have a good command of the language. Second, and more important, correct spelling and grammar demonstrate that you respect both yourself and the reader. Misspelled words and grammar mistakes stand out like sore thumbs to readers.
The career mentor point here is simple common sense. Successful people are dynamic communicators. If you want to become a dynamic communicator, you need to develop your writing skills. Follow the career advice in Success Tweet 113. “Write clearly and simply: short words and sentences, first person, active voice. Be precise in your choice of words.”
Writing is not difficult if you write in a manner that communicates well. In general, this means, being clear, concise and easily readable. Use short sentences and the smallest word that communicates exactly what you want to say. Write with your reader in mind. Read your writing aloud before sending it. This will help you get a feel for what your reader will experience.
Your career mentor,
Bud
PS: You can download a free copy of my latest bestseller, Climbing the Corporate Ladder here. When you do so, you get a free membership to my career mentor website and begin receiving my daily success quotes.
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