December Meeting - Susan Lindsey on Business Writing
1. Top Tips for Business Writing
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KENTUCKY IABC
DECEMBER 8, 2011
SUSAN E. LINDSEY
SAVVY COMMUNICATION LLC
2. Why does good writing matter?
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Strong writing skills:
1. Give you power.
2. Enhance credibility and image.
3. Increase professional opportunities.
3. Common business writing tasks
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• Letters • Digital content
• Email • Announcements
• Presentations • Proposals
• Memos • Speeches
• Reports • Sales & mktg. materials
4. Three-step process
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1. Do your homework.
2. Write it right.
3. Edit, rewrite, proofread.
5. 1. Do your homework.
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a) Know your audience.
b) Determine objectives.
c) Gather and organize info.
d) Determine key messages, main points.
e) Set aside time to focus.
6. Conquer writer’s block
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“Writing is easy.
All you do is stare at
a blank sheet of paper
until drops of blood
form on your forehead.”
—Gene Fowler
7. 2. Write it right.
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a) Have a point
b) Remember the basics
c) Organize content
d) Watch grammar
e) Use active voice, strong verbs, specific nouns
f) Use right words
9. KISS: keep it short and simple
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“Old words are best
and old words, when short,
are best of all.”
—Winston Churchill
10. 3. Edit, rewrite, proofread.
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a) Let copy “breathe” for a few days
b) Edit from hard copy
c) Read copy aloud
d) Be brave; be brutal
e) Keep objectives in mind
f) Use spelling and grammar tools
g) Clear, concise, complete and correct?
11. Don’t fear rewriting
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“I try to leave out the parts people skip.”
—Elmore Leonard
“The wastebasket is a writer’s best friend.”
—Isaac Singer
12. Proofread after editing.
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a) Take a break between editing and proofreading
b) Proofread from hard copy
c) Focus; read slowly and aloud
d) Check: facts, numbers, grammar, spelling,
capitalization, punctuation
e) Proofread headlines, subheads, captions, tables
f) Use style guide
13. Final tips to improve writing
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• Tell someone what you learned today
• Edit and critique the work of others
• Take a writing class, workshop, seminar
• Write a lot
• Read a lot
14. On my bookcase
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• Atlas, dictionary, thesaurus
• AP Stylebook, Chicago Manual of Style
• Elements of Style, Strunk and White
• A Grammar Book for You and I (oops,
Me!), Good
• Lifetime Encyclopedia of Letters, Meyer
• Right, Wrong & Risky, Davidson
