The Five Commandments of Business Writing
The following are some tips on overcoming your fear of business writing:
- Be confidence - Just because you didn’t major in English doesn’t mean you can’t write effectively. If you are confident in your job and expertise, you shouldn’t afraid to show it. A confident tone will give your reader confidence in the information you are providing.
- Keep it Simple - You could have the best idea in the world, but if there are too much extraneous words and unrelated information, no one will ever know it. Stick to the point and don’t belabor it.
- Keep It Short - No one has the desire or time to read a five-page memo. Writing something that is too long is the best way to ensure that it never get read. Keep your document as short as possible without sacrificing its meaning.
- Know Your Audience Before You Start Writing - Think about who will be reading your document. If you are in a technical position but your readers are not, avoid using jargon and overly technical terms. Do not try to impress your readers with big words or complicated concepts. They will be much more appreciative if you have not wasted their time.
- Anticipate Questions - After you have written a draft of your document, reread it as if you were the person receiving it. What questions would you be most likely to ask? Go back and answer them in your rewrite. If your draft raises too many questions, return to commandment 2.
